By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore City Council members tackled a seven-item agenda at their Monday, August 12, meeting, including the declaration of 29 properties as public nuisances due to unmown grass and/or a preponderance of weeds on each.
The nuisance properties are located throughout the city, from Ann Street to Wilson Avenue, and Codes Enforcement Officer Chris Black said the council action would allow the placement of signs on each property and the mailing of notices to the registered owners of each parcel.
Mayor Jim Staff said the properties were ones on which the problem — a violation of Ordinance 02-2009 — had been “ongoing” for some time.
According to the resolution, upon its approval by the council, “the Code Enforcement Officer is hereby directed to proceed with the abatement and removal of said nuisance as dictated by (the city ordinance).”
The list of nuisance declarations includes one on Ann Street (no number); two on Bullard Street (154, 156); two on Brooks Lane (no address, 54); two on Carver Avenue (143, 231); 202 Greer Avenue; two on Harris Street (111 and 115), and one on Hollis Street (no number).
The list also includes 301 Howard Street; three separate listings at 16 Liberty Street, as well as 39, 41 and 174 Liberty; 83 Martin Street; 163 Maxwell Street; two listings at 610 Perch Street, and two on Rockaway Creek Road (no number, and 1415).
There are also two listings on South Presley Street (407, 1126), while 154 Trout Street, and two listings at 229 Wilson Avenue round out the nuisance inventory.
Unanimous approval
In other action Monday, the council:
*approved Women of Distinction’s annual Breast Cancer Walk, which will take place on Saturday, October 19. No start time was announced, but Yolanda Webster, the group’s vice president, said the walk would begin at city hall and end at Houston Avery Park.
* approved use of Houston Avery Park for the annual Christmas in the Park event. Don Taylor, who made the request, was not at the meeting, and no details were provided.
* re-appointed Anthony Marshall to the Atmore Library Board.
* passed a resolution that will allow West Escambia Utilities to sell appliances.
* announced that the city was accepting bids for purchase of a tractor and a bush hog.
* approved the purchase from the state surplus yard of a dump truck for the city’s streets and sanitation department. Staff said the state has three, and “we need one desperately.”
Each of those measures was given unanimous approval from council members.
Data delivered
Immediately after Monday’s city council meeting was formally adjourned, Loumeek White — president of Atmore Citizens for Change — asked if the information requested from the city had been sent to Dr. Ira Harvey, with whom the city contracted to do a feasibility study on forming a municipal school system.
City Clerk Becca Smith told White that all the financial data requested of the city was sent to Harvey last week. She said she was not sure if the data requested from other entities has also been sent.