Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council tries acting on clean-up ordinance

A Gurdon car dealer and landlord approached the city council Monday to attempt to get a business license for used cars.

Russell Hansen, who has had vehicles for some time on Highway 67, across from the City Park, was given a warning to remove his abandoned cars and cut his yard or a ticket citation would be issued for violating a nuisance ordinance passed by the Council.

Hansen removed the cars and mowed the yard. Mayor Clayton Franklin said the ordinance also included "any unsightly and unsanitary articles." He asked Hansen to remove several deserted mobile homes from the property by Sept. 25 and told Hansen a business license would be granted to him as soon as that request was completed.

If Hansen refuses to come into compliance with the ordinance, he will be given a citation for up to $500, with additional financial penalties for each day the city deems him to be in violation.

Hansen said, "I want to know if the city council feels the same way the mayor does on this?"

Going around the table, all members present said they would back the mayor's judgment.

Hansen said he would be willing to continue clean-up around the area and has plans to tear down the old house on the property. He also sited long-range plans to construct storage buildings and low-income apartments.

Franklin said, "We want to grant you the business license. But you have to comply with the ordinance first. Once that is done, the city has no problem granting you the license."

The mayor complemented Hansen on his mowing efforts and for removing the abandoned cars on the site, but insisted the deserted mobile homes must be gone to be in compliance with the ordinance and before the business license could be issued.

In other business, Carl Gladden, a long-time Gurdon resident, addressed the city council about a new $40 re-connect fee for water service that has been shut off for lack of payment.

Gladden said, "I just don't think it is right to charge the poorest people in town $40 to turn their water back on."

Franklin said, "This is new. We will try it this month but we are still not sure how this will work out. It was an effort to get folks to pay on time. In the past, we have had as many as 100 a month to not pay on time, yet when we came to cut them off they would come up with the money.

"We did not put that fee on there to be mean."

Gladden said, "If a person cannot pay their regular water bill, how are they supposed to come up with $40 more? I feel that fee is unreasonable.

"To turn water on and be back at City Hall from residences here takes your workers about 15 minutes. This means the poorest people in town are being charged $160 an hour to get their water turned back on."

In other business, the Council approved the collection of taxes already on the books from 5 Mills Ordinance 04-005 and 4/10 Mills Ordinance 04-006.

The asphalt project is getting underway, with 11 culverts reported finished in preparation. The mayor said bids are being taken for 8,000 tons of asphalt, which is about half of what is needed for the entire project.

The police department reported working on a grant for an automatic defibrillator. Marshal Don Childres said the grant is actually for two of them and through the Cabe Foundation.

As to fire department, the Gurdon Fire Department is making improvements to try and lower the ISO insurance rating from a 7 to a 6 or 5, which would lower the cost of house insurance for residents.

The cemetery was reported to be in budget, but does not have any extra. As to Parks and Recreation, the city accepted a bid for $360 from William Curry for the old building at the park. The mayor said Curry has 30 days to remove the building.

The city council passed a resolution in support of Amendment 2, in response to a request by the Arkansas Municipal League. The amendment, said the mayor, should help promote industrial development.

The mayor sited Arkadelphia, Hope and Malvern as others cities in the area passing similar resolutions.

The amendment will appear on the November ballot.