By Leslie N. Dees
The Star Herald
KOSCIUSKO —
The Kosciusko Mayor and Board of Aldermen will have a new set of procedures to go by for uncleaned properties in the city thanks to a new state law.
The board unanimously voted the cleaning of private property process at the Tuesday, July 20 meeting.
Mayor Jimmy Cockroft explained to the board that under the new statute city building inspector Brent Busbea would be able to set the uncleaned property hearing.
Previously, the board would vote to set a hearing based on photos taken of the property in question by Busbea.
Under the new statute, for cleaning private property there is still an identification process of the “public health hazard” and must be documented through photography, video and/or written narrative.
Next comes, a personal conversation, written notice posted on the property or a mailed letter to the property notifying of the violation.
A working timeline is established with the violator to reach compliance. If the property cannot be cleaned properly then a hearing is to be conducted by the board of aldermen. Notice of the hearing is mailed two weeks before the hearing to address the property and to the address where the ad valorem tax notice is sent.
Also, a notice is posted on the property and at City Hall two weeks prior to the hearing.
The property is then inspected the day of the hearing to determine and document if the property is still unclean.
Also, under the new law, the cost of cleaning the property can be added to the ad valorem taxes of the property owner.
Prior to the acceptance of statute, Busbea would present the board with photos of properties in need of cleaning and the board would in turn set a public hearing date during their regular board meeting. The landowner would be contacted by phone and/or by certified mail of the hearing.
If the landowner didn’t clean the property, the city would vote to clean and in some cases, demolish the property. The landowner would be responsible for paying for the cost of city labor.
The board approved the following:
– Appoint Billy Proctor to the historical commission
– Hire Trey Collins as a Kosciusko Police officer
– Give Cockroft the authority to sign the airport grant agreement
– Claims
The meeting ended with the board holding a budget workshop and they were expected to hold another budget workshop on Tuesday.
