slideshow

Joe Asher

Staff Writer

Harlan City Council, during a meeting Monday, directed attention toward some issues that have been in the process for months.

City Attorney Scott Lisenbee brought the panel up to date on blighted housing on which the city has commenced proceedings.

“There’s some blighted properties that we had talked about,” Lisenbee told council. “Having two individuals served… we’ve gotten that taken care of. That’s the property over on Harlan Avenue and the property over on May Street in Fairview.”

Lisenbee said two more letters had been sent regarding additional properties.

The council also performed the first reading of an ordinance to ban the use of vehicles on the top of the flood wall.

Lisenbee said Harlan Fire Chief Linette Huchison had provided a copy of a similar ordinance in use in Barbourville as a reference point.

“I reviewed that, and I added some things,” said Lisenbee. “There were a few things that were kind of vague that I didn’t like a lot so I changed those.”

Lisenbee stated he also added an impoundment section to the ordinance. This will provide for the impoundment of vehicles found in violation of the ordinance.

“If the vehicles are caught, the police can go ahead and impound the vehicles. The owners are responsible for storage, towing or whatever fees are incurred as a result in addition to the citation fee for operating a vehicle on the flood wall,” said Lisenbee.

According to Lisenbee, the penalties are $100 for a first offense and will go up $100 with each offense. This would be in addition to any other fees incurred for things such as towing and storage.

A motion was made and passed by the council approving the first reading of the ordinance.

In other activity:

* Hutchison reported the Harlan Fire Department performed two residential inspections, 310 man hours of training including a 16-hour driver’s training course for the firefighters. The department also responded to four incidents during April;

* Harlan Police Chief Mike Thomas reported 3,456 calls received to dispatch, 17 accident reports, 11 case reports, 59 citations, 31 arrests and served 19 warrants. Thomas also reported Matt Cope has joined the Harlan Police Department.

Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510, ext. 113, jasher@civitasmedia.com