City council looks to clean up
By Jerry W. Kram
A number of issues regarding the ability of the city of Parshall to keep up a presentable face to the world were on the agenda at last week’s regular city council meeting.
The council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would authorize the city Public Works department to mow privately owned vacant lots in Parshall and add the cost to the property owner’s utility bill. Public Works Supervisor Al Christianson told the council that there were several lots around the community that were mowed by the city prior to this summer’s Centennial Celebration. He said if the city were to mow those lots regularly it would mean adding a full time summer position.
"I think we need to make the cost of having the city mowing those lots high enough to get the property owner’s attention," Christianson said.
The ordinance will have a second reading for final approval at the August council meeting.
Christianson also asked the council what to do about people who take garbage to the city’s inert landfill when it is closed and just leave it by the fence. The city is installing camera equipment at the landfill and the the public dumpsters in town and will be able to film clandestine dumpers in the act. Woods said the city could add a fee to the utility bills of city residents who dump illegally and that others could be reported to law enforcement for unauthorized use of services.
