'Nuisance properties' discussed at city council

    An Enterprise woman approached the Enterprise City Council seeking help in removing junk from her street and increased police protection. 

   Glenda Holloway of Gilmore Street said junk, especially old cars, can be found everywhere on her street and the items are an eyesore. 

    “I was raised to clean up after myself,” she said. 

    Kirk Donaldson, council chairman and District 3 councilman, asked city Director of Engineering Ray Bickley to investigate the manner.

    Bickley said later that junk cars cannot be left on the street per a city ordinance. 

    He added that the city had fallen behind in enforcement of the ordinance due to a variety of factors that are no longer an issue. 

    “We had a slow process of addressing (the issue). We have revamped the process, but after that, all of a sudden we didn’t have a city prosecutor or city judge. We now do,” he said, noting his department will soon begin aggressively seeking “nuisance properties.” 

    “With spring coming, we’ve got to get a head start,” he said. 

    Police Chief T.D. Jones said officers counted seven abandoned vehicles Wednesday morning. The vehicles were tagged for removal if owners do not comply with the ordinance within a certain timeframe. 

    Holloway also complained that “we don’t have any police down there.” 

   “The street is full of drugs. I am so fearful when I have to go out at night,” she said. 

    Donaldson asked Jones to look further into the police protection matter. 

    On Wednesday, Jones said regular patrols, marked and unmarked, have rolled through the area recently. Police documented 24 service calls in 18 months, he said. 

    “The only way we know if there’s a problem is if the public calls us,” he said. “We encourage the public to call.” 

   District 5 Councilman Paul Russell encouraged Holloway to check on the Enterprise Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch program. 

   “The PD has a great neighborhood watch program. You may want to look into heading that up. I think someone with your enthusiasm would do a great job,” he said. 

   In other action, the council approved an ordinance to accept a deed for a roadbed from the Coffee County Commission. The area is a dirt road commonly known as Reynolds Street, a thoroughfare running from Rucker Boulevard north to Silver Oak Drive. 

    City Attorney Rainer Cotter explained the property is needed for the city’s sewerage upgrade. One of the force mains running to the Northeast Wastewater Treatment Plant will pass through the area. 

   The city council also voted to modify the public works building construction contract with Lewis and Associates. Instead of the contractors building two concrete aprons, the public works department will do the work. 

     Other minor adjustments, totaling $5,760.60, were added to the contract. 

    Jimmy Kilgore, public works director, said the move will save the city about $47,000.

    The council authorized continuation of a summer food program which provides 800 to 1,000 children meals throughout the summer. The city projects to spend $144,268, which the Alabama Department of Education will fully reimburse. 

     The council also approved a request to dispose of three surplus cars. Two of them,  a 1996 and a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria, will be auctioned.

    The third car was used for spare parts and will be disposed of as scrap metal, Jones said. 

    The next council meeting  is March 15 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.