Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Mayor: Clean-up successful so far

A program implemented to clean up abandoned and dilapidated properties in Gurdon is going smooth so far, according to Mayor Clayton Franklin.

The city began the program several months ago after receiving a $25,000 grant from Sothern Development Corp. in Arkadelphia. The program allows the city to identify properties that are abandoned, dilapidated or are a health or safety hazzard and get them cleaned up.

The Gurdon City Council has approved an ordinance that allows for the condemnation of nuisance properties. If the problems with the properties are not resolved within 30 days of condemnation, the city can begin the clean-up work itself and place a lien on the propertys title to recover clean-up expenses.

Recovering the expenses through a lien is expected to help keep funds available to continue the program.

Property owners have another route as well if they do not want to tear the houses down themselves. Franklin said the city will remove structures at the owners request if they pay a fee that includes the cost to have the structure checked for asbestos.

We started out with 61 properties that we identified as needing to be cleaned up, and weve taken care of 25 of them so far, he said.

Franklin said he is pleased to see citizens cleaning up around other properties in town since the implementation of the program. He said this all works together to make the City of Gurdon a better place.

Franklin said he likes the feedback he has received from the community as well.

The overwhelming majority of the comments I get are good, he said. Of course we have had a few people not happy with what were doing.

Franklin said current plans call for the city to continue cleaning up the remainder of the 61 residential properties initially identified by spring. An additional 29 properties have recently been inspected for asbestos and are cleared for demolition, but other obligations of city crews will slow the progress for a few months.

I dont think winter should slow down work much, but weve got to do these other things, he said of the city workers having to put up the annual Christmas light display and deal with preparing for the Gurdon Forest Festival in coming weeks.

Some concern has been voiced recently about the city condemning occupied residences. Franklin said the city has not yet condemned any occupied residences and that none of the properties on the list are occupied.

The city did, however, condemn property on First Street near city hall on which two older mobile homes sit. One of the mobile homes is occupied.

Thats a unique situation, Franklin said. The condemnation was against the Austin Capps estate who owns the land. They had actually sold the mobile homes, and our condemnation stands against the land that needs to be cleaned up.

Franklin said the owner of the mobile homes has tentatively agreed to move them within 30 days. Franklin said he hopes to have the property clear by the Forest Festival.