Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

26 houses added to list of condemned

The City of Gurdon is continuing its efforts to rid the town of dilapidated and abandoned structures that are considered health and safety hazzards.

During the Gurdon City Councils meeting on Monday, Sept. 17, an additional 26 houses were added to those that have already been condemned. The properties will now be inspected for asbestos by a certified inspector and then scheduled for demolition by the city unless the property owners make other arrangements.

Properties condemned during the meeting were 600 S. Sixth St., 420 South St., 301 Plum St., 509 Carrie St., 806 S. Sixth St., 900 S. Fifth St., 904 S. Fifth St., 902 S. Fifth St., 404 Dean St., a house in the 500 block of Clark Street, a house in the 1100 block of E. Cherry Street, a house in the 1100 block of S. Sixth Street, 509 Seahorn St., 504 Miller St., 317 Plum St., two houses at the corners of Smith and Miller streets, 411 South St., two mobile homes in the 500 block of South Street, a mobile home in the 400 block of Jones Street, 206 Jones St., 908 E. Maple St., 105 Jones St. and 307 S. First St.

This is the first batch of properties condemned by the council that includes mobile homes. Mayor Clayton Franklin said the city does not yet know exactly how it will go about removing them. He said parts of the structures may be burned and the remaining metal could be sold to help pay for the clean up.

The company that inspects the structures for asbestos will only charge $400 to inspect the mobile homes, Recorder/Treasurer Tambra Childres said.

Under city ordinance, the owners of the condemned properties have 30 days to make arrangements with the city or their properties may be demolished and removed.

Franklin said he had received a letter from Dorothy Hodges of the Clark County Youth Development Center concerning the old Bell High School property. In August, the council voted to send a letter to Hodges requesting in writing the plans the organization has for the property. The property has begun to decline in appearance.

In her response, Hodges said the organization was in the process of selling the property to Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock. Franklin said ABC President Dr. Fitzgerald Hill had attempted to contact him while he was out of the office, so he does not know what ABC will do with the property.

I see no reason why we shouldnt just ride it out, Franklin said of taking action on the property.

Representatives of the Greenville community were once again in attendance at the meeting seeking annexation of their community into the city. Greenville resident Shirley Todd-Floyd has addressed the council over the last several months on the issue stating that community members want access to several city services  most notably sewer service.

Im glad Greenville wants to be a part of the city, Franklin said. But at this point in time, I would recommend that the city council not pursue bringing Greenville into the city.

Franklin said it would cost at least $500,000 to extend sewer service into the community.

We dont even have the extra people to extend the police department out there, he said. But well continue to give you as much as we can.

Franklin said the Gurdon Fire Department already covers the Greenville community.

Alderman Danny Paul told Floyd to talk with State Rep. Johnnie Roebuck and Sen. Percy Malone about receiving grants to extend the sewer service.

In other business, the council approved two ordinances that levy taxes against the real and personal property in the city. The taxes are not new, according to Childres, but the council is required to pass the ordinance each year to keep the tax in effect.