Council reviews city's nuisance ordinance. approves sewer and water rate increases
"This about first impressions. We need everyone taking care of their property," Mayor Mike Hutchens said Tuesday night after the council passed on first reading an ordinance to speed up the process of abating high grass and other nuisances, as well as clarify who is actually responsible for keeping the grass or weeds mowed.
The new ordinance prohibits grass or weeds more than 10 inches tall as well as other noxious matter and makes the occupant of a residence responsible for the maintenance of the yard. Prior to this the city codes said the owner or his agent was the responsible party.
It was unclear whether a renter could be held responsible for not mowing the grass, Bill McCaffree, city attorney, said.
McCaffree told the council that this ordinance also permits the city prosecutor, on his own or at the request of the city to instigate prosecution of violators of the city's nuisance ordinance without notifying the violator first.
It also allows the city to follow the current procedure of posting property and if necessary hiring a contractor to cut the weeds and add the cost to the property tax bill, if that is deemed the best solution.
"This gives the judge more discretion to handle this like a traffic ticket," McCaffree said.
If someone really is unable to mow their grass the judge can take that into consideration and if it is a chronic violator the judge can impose a fine for every day the violation is not removed, he said.
In other business the council:
* Voted 5-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance raising the city's water rates for users who consume between 1,000 and 50,000 gallons per month from $5.82 to $5.99, or an increase of 17 cents per 1,000 gallons. Computed to the nearest 100 gallons. There will be no change in the rates for users who use less than 1,000 or more 50,000 gallons per month. This change will increase the average water bill by 28 cents.
* Voted 4-1, with Tim Wells voting no, to pass on first reading a general ordinance increasing the sewer rate from $2.93 to $3.41, or 48 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used. This fee is based on the amount of water a customer uses monthly between November and March. According to the city the average sewer bill will increase by $1.55 per month. Mayor Mike Hutchens said that he encourages anyone who the increase in rates causes a significant hardship to contact the city and if necessary the council will look at ways to help people who really need help.
* Voted 5-0 to postpone consideration on an emergency ordinance extending the completion date for the new airport terminal building until July 16, and referred the matter to the airport for their consideration. Monte Curtis, airport board president, said that the board had just received the request for an extension Tuesday afternoon and had not had time to look it over.
"Since March they've had 20 beautiful, fantastic days with no one on site," Curtis told the council.
He said that the airport board understood that when Sprouls agreed to the first extension for 75 days, there would be no more rain days.
He said that the roof and walls were up and the framework for the hangar door is up. Most of the sheetrock is up and the electrical work is done. There are still some things that need to be worked out with the contractor he said.
The work on the building is progressing slowly, he said.
"I hope we are done and complete before McDonald's is done and serving hamburgers," Curtis said. "At least we're getting the building the airport board wanted."
* Voted 5-0 to re-appoint Frankie Davis and Gina Cripps to the parks and recreation board.
* Voted 4-0, with Bill Gillette abstaining, to reappoint Norlene Hillier to the parks and recreation board.
* Voted 5-0 to accept the low bid of $289,164.54 from Blevins Asphalt, Mount Vernon, the city's 2008 street sales tax construction projects.
* Approved a right-of-way solicitor license for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for July 5 at the intersection of Austin and Osage.
* Passed on first reading a general ordinance amending Section 25-6.106 of the city code clarifying the regulations for the use of city vehicles by city employees, as well as adding the procedures to be followed when using a personal vehicle on the job.
* Passed on first reading a special ordinance amending the 2008 city budget to add a $47,000 grant from Aquila to the street fund to cover the cost or completing part of Enterprise Drive in the Nevada Industrial Park.
* Passed on first reading a special ordinance amending the 2008 city budget to add a $30,105 Homeland Security Grant to the emergency management budget for the regional Homeland Security Response Team. This team, which has members from the Nevada Police and Fire departments, Vernon County Sheriffs Office, Barton County Ambulance District, Barton County Sheriffs Office, Milo Fire Department and Butler Fire and Police departments, responds to hazardous materials incidents within their region.
* Gave final approval to a special ordinance setting fees for rural fire suppression services.
In response to a question from Councilman Bill Gillette, Novak said that she had checked with several insurance companies and found that rural residents would save between $150 and $400 annually on their insurance if they paid the city for fire protection.
The ordinance increases the minimum charge for the Nevada Fire Department to respond to a rural residential fire from $100 to $125. The rate has not been increased in 10 years.