In a communication to Clinton City Administrator Jessica Kinser a Clinton City Council member was critical of the city on several fronts.
At Large Council member John Rowland said that a couple of older women had contacted him about the city citing them for not clearing their sidewalks of snow and having a city contractor clear the snow and charge them for the work and the penalty. He forwarded his communication to the area news media.
The council member complained about selective enforcement of a snow ordinance when there are other violations around the city. He called it not only unfair and heartless adding that it seems ridiculous with other sidewalks in the city that not been cleared.
The citation was issued January 24th for the snowfall of January 18th and 20th.
KROS NEWS asked Kinser what her response had been to Rowland. She provided her replay which stated that A complaint was received on 11 different addresses, of which the two you mentioned in your memo to were included. On Friday the 24th, 7 of the addresses were posted with notice that the sidewalk needed to be cleared. The remaining 4 had cleaned the sidewalk and did not get posted. We have photos from each of the properties that were ordered to be cleared as verification that a nuisance did exist. The contractor came through on Saturday, the 25th, in the evening and cleared the sidewalks.
Kinser concluded that Nuisance response is by nature complaint driven. The city, she said, did not have the staff to be proactive versus reactive. As long as the complaint is valid, the city would proceed.
Rowland’s communication also raised his concerns about the priorities B-N-S Department.
His communication went on to state – There seems to be a gross hypocrisy in a town that has million of dollars of debt, struggles to take care of basic city needs, is trying to fund extravagant economic development programs they cannot afford, and yet continues to put unfair burdens on its residents. He was also critical of the inspections – or lack of inspections by the B-N-S. while code related problems are ignored.
When asked about a response to Rowland’s criticism of the city department-Kinser replied to K-R-O-S
The only comment she could make is that all departments are essentially on hold with establishing priorities and objectives until the Council does so for the entire organization through the strategic planning process.
