Time to clean up or prepare to pay up

Time to clean up or prepare to pay up

West Memphis officials, police tackling junk cars, tall grass, illegal dumping all around the city

news@theeveningtimes.com

Last week, West Memphis Police received a report of a big illegal tire dump. Sgt.

Jennifer Welsh told the West Memphis Public Works Commission at last Tuesday’s meeting that the department was investigating it and asked city council to enact measures that would allow the WMPD to step up enforcement.

“We got word about the big tire dump at Montclair and 25th street,” said Welsh. “We’ve notified shift supervisors and our patrol officers to be on alert for overnight activity. We train the officers as the new codes come into effect on how to investigate and ticket.”

Commissioners discussed approaching the county about having a West Memphis tire disposal location in hopes of reducing the number of dumped tires in the city. The county shop on Highway 64 west of Marion is the only legitimate tire disposal option for citizens in the county.

Welsh also reported that the Police Department has completed its junk car warning sweeps and enforcement has begun.

Welsh told the commission that enforcement efforts have resulted in improved compliance, leaving far fewer inoperable vehicles on city curbs and in residents’ yards. Increased fines for five more related codes have been drafted and set on the agenda for the full city council to begin consideration.

“The biggest difference is in increasing the fees,” said City Councilwoman and Public Works chair Ramona Taylor. “That’s what the police had asked us to do. The one I wanted to do most of all and as soon as possible was the inoperable vehicles. Police swept the entire city. But when we did vehicles we looked at the ones (codes) that dealt with shade tree mechanics.

This one covers all inoperable

vehicles.”

Councilmen wanted a clear and consistent policy addressing junk cars.

“I want to make sure we go through all the codes and make sure everything is tied together,” said Councilman James Pulliaum.

Welsh pointed to some inconsistent verbiage in the ordinance and wanted language changed to provide unambiguous intent.

“We need to work on the definition of inoperable vehicle.” the WMPD spokesperson told the commission. “The last line says, such vehicle is left on private property ‘without authorization of the owner’ in excess of 72 hours. That statement tells me if it’s your property, you can leave it on there.”

Junk car warnings proved fruitful. Bright violation placards and warning letters by police impacted the results. Compliance far outpaced citations. Welsh revealed strong numbers demonstrating improved compliance in every corner of the city.

“So far we have 53 percent compliance across the city,” reported Welsh. “In the northeast we had 126 vehicles tagged and 55 complied for 44 percent compliance. In the northwest we had 151 vehicles tagged and 93 complied so that is 63 percent. In the southwest we had 100 vehicles and 55 complied. The southeast was the biggest area with 235 vehicles with 121 complied, 52 percent.”

Police hit the pause button on enforcement until the language is clarified. Fifteen cases were already cited and set on the May 11 docket in West Memphis District Court.

The commission directed the police department to hash out clear language with the city attorney and present it to city council for approval in upcoming regular meetings.

City Planning and Development Director Paul Luker said unkempt lots would be cited for tall grass beginning this week.

“We are starting our sweep,” said Luker.

The director indicated an all out all precinct blitz for mowing violations. He assigned his office staff to work specific parts of the city.

“We are sweeping the whole town, “ Said Luker.

“We are all over. We broke into groups. We’ve written up a bunch already.”

Luker had a friendly reminder for city council members and hoped for compliance with the tall grass codes.

“Tell everybody to cut their grass, because we’ve started enforcement.”

Five more code changes were set for the city council agenda. Council members hoped to clean up the town through increased awareness, incentives with heftier fines and proactive enforcement by police. Councilwoman Taylor expected public feedback on the new initiatives. Council next considers details for debris removal, garbage disposal restrictions, litter, grass and weeds, and another inoperable vehicle ordinance.

By John Rech