City to Address Unsightly and Upkept Properties

Smithville Aldermen are looking to establish a new ordinance to punish city residents who don’t keep their properties maintained.
For months, Alderman Danny Washer has called for the city to force those with unsightly and unkept properties to clean them up or be subject to civil penalties.
“It’s ridiculous. We’ve got to do something about it. I don’t want to look out my front door and see it and I know of lot of others don’t. It’s bringing down property values. On one street there’s a couch, mattress, and TV laying out in the yard and has been for months. That’s just one example. It’s getting out of hand. We have got to start enforcing this ordinance,” said Alderman Washer at a city council meeting earlier this year.
The issue was discussed again during Monday night’s meeting of the mayor and aldermen.
“I have talked to MTAS (Municipal Technical Advisory Service) about a new property maintenance ordinance and I am still waiting on them. They (MTAS) actually gave me a sample ordinance but it is too vague,” said City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson.
“In the meantime I have talked with the Police Chief and we have agreed that we (city) can issue warnings. My idea is to have the police deliver these warnings to the residents that are in violation and give them a certain amount of time to fix it. If not then cite them into court. We have in the past. I have talked with the Chief and he is fine with it. I think it means a little more when the police deliver it. We can start taking these complaints and prioritize which are the worst and then we can go out and take a look, draft a letter, and have them served. We can handle it this way until we get a better ordinance,” added Hendrixson.
“If we have a complaint from somebody they could take a picture (of the property in violation) with a phone and bring it in with their complaint,” said Alderman Washer
“We would also need an address,” added Mayor Jimmy Poss.
Meanwhile, Alderman Washer said he is pleased with the operation of the new automated side loader garbage truck
“These new garbage cans has helped. You don’t see garbage left on the side of the road in places like I used to see. I’m hoping when all the cans are out (distributed) it will keep improving,” said Washer.