RISON - Mayor Charles Roberts asked members of the Rison City Council Tuesday night as well as utilities director Joe Freyer to begin compiling a list of unsightly properties around town as he intends to act on an ordinance from 2000 that allows the city to issue citations and fines to those who are in violation of the ordinance.“We’re going to have to draw a deep line in the sand and send a message,” Roberts told the council after noting some of the highlights of Ordinance 2000-1.The ordinance outlines several circumstances to could be considered “unsightly” by the city:• Grass, weeds or rubbish• Storing or keeping junk and/or abandoned automobiles• Open storage of refrigerators, freezers or other appliances• “And any other act or condition constituting a nuisance under Arkansas or common law.”Those property owners found in violation of the ordinance will be sent a letter notifying them of their specific violation and that they have 30 days to address the problem. If the issue is not addressed within 30 days, the city will issue a citation to the property owner that includes a district court date to address the violation.Under the ordinance, the city can fine the property owner “not less than $25” for each day the property is not in compliance. In addition, the ordinance states that each day in violation will be considered a separate offense.When he first came into office three years ago, Roberts said one of his main goals was to clean up the city. However, he said he had to turn his attention to executing more than $7 million in grants to rebuild and refurbish the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure. Now that those projects are fully underway, he told the council he now has more time to address the unsightlyh properties in town.“I can see where I am able to spend more ...
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