Ingalls pursues clean-up effort

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INGALLS — Ingalls is continuing its efforts to promote a positive image of the town.

Town leaders have stepped up their efforts to enforce beautification and cleanup codes, asking residents to be mindful of property violations or face fines.

Talk of the town clean-up, department reports and the approval of funds to purchase a used vehicle for the police department were some of the topics discussed at a recent town council meeting.

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Ina Fowler Jolliff, owner of the property on 726 N. Jones St., spoke with the council about fines she’s facing in the amount of $35,800, as of Jan. 29, involving the cleanup of debris from demolition on her property.

Jolliff said the property she owns was under contract to someone else, who was supposed to take care of the demolition and cleanup. However, the person is no longer involved and has left the cleanup for her to handle.

Council members questioned why it has taken Jolliff so long to start the clean-up process, and she said she can’t work out in the cold and asked the council if it would give her until Tuesday, April 10, to get the property in order.

The council agreed, giving her 45 days to get things in order, including filling in unsafe holes.

The town started sending Jolliff notices of property violation reports concerning rubbish on her land in October 2016.

While structures have been razed, substantial demolition debris remains onsite and an environmental hazard now exists, town manager Tim Millikan said.

The landowner also is facing an additional town fee of $120 for mowing and a fee of $100 for town officials having to complete an emergency boarding up of open doors and windows.

Situations where property owners live out of town and don’t keep track of their land are problematic, Millikan said.

“I have no sympathy for these owners, but I do for the surrounding properties,” Millikan said.

Millikan’s position on the hefty town fines that accumulate is they should not be waived; doing so sends a clear message to landowners who don’t appear to care for their property and thereby cause work for the town and create unsafe and unsightly areas.

“Waiving fees allows these folks to not take this seriously,” Millikan said.

Daily fines are on hold, for now, with a promissory commitment from the owner that the issue will be taken care of by April 10.

In other town business, town marshal Chris Thompson asked the council for permission to buy two 2013 Chevy Tahoe sport utility vehicles for his department. After much discussion, the council agreed to spend up to $7,500 for one vehicle.

In other police business, the council agreed to spend $2,300 for body cameras for the police department.

On the fire department front, assistant fire chief Jeremy Boat reported one of the fire truck engines was in need of repairs; council approved the requested $1,120.

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