Kingsland Sets First Target for Clean-Up

KINGSLAND - New Kingsland Mayor Karen Wiscaver has identified the first property she intends to have cleaned up in an effort to begin earnestly enforcing the city’s existing ordinances regarding the unkempt properties within the Kingsland city limits.Wiscaver announced her intentions near the end of what was her first full Kingsland City Council meeting as mayor last Thursday night at Kingsland City Hall. She was sworn in during the January council meeting, replacing Sharon Crosby, who resigned on Dec. 31, 2024.Also during last week’s meeting, Linda Burns was selected to fill Wiscaver’s vacant Ward 2, Position 1 seat on the Kingsland City Council. Burns will be finishing out Wiscaver’s term on the four-member body.After Burns’ nomination was approved by a 3-0 vote, she was sworn in by Justice of the Peace Ricky Neal of Kingsland.During her time as a city council member, Wiscaver was a vocal advocate of cleaning up the city. It was apparent during her first full meeting as mayor that she intends to make that a priority during her tenure.“We’re taking baby steps to get started,” she told the council. “I will have to do some more ground work (to begin enforcing the city ordinances).” The first property she identified to have cleaned up was a house located near the old washateria. She said she wanted to start with one location that would be easy to address.Kingsland has two ordinances that pertain to unkempt properties within the city limits:•    Ordinance 2008-2 requires premises to be “kept free from weeds, rank grass, garbage, rubbish and other unsightly and unsanitary articles.” •    Ordinance 2011-1 prohibits the “storage of junked or unlicensed vehicles and inoperable or abandoned mobile homes.”Ordinance 2008-2 gives the property owners 20 days to clean up before the city can go onto the property to clean up the...