Web posted
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
City may tackle graffiti
By JAMES JORDAN
Traveler Editor
news@arkcity.net
City Commissioners may pass an ordinance tonight to help people get graffiti removed from their property.
The commission meets at 7 p.m. today at city hall.
The city has had problems with graffiti recently, and some of that graffiti is related to gangs.
City Attorney Tamara Niles explained that police believe when one group puts its mark on a building, a rival group may retaliate by putting its own mark there. Police believe this could lead to violence between groups or gangs.
The ordinance will give people 48 hours to remove the graffiti. If it is not removed, the city will do it and the owner will be charged a small fee.
Niles said graffiti is defined as something put on a piece of property without the owners knowledge or consent. Something put on a piece of property by the owner would be protected by free speech laws.
In other matters the commission is expected to:
* Approve the use of customer request tracking software that is being installed. WIth this software people will be able to make requests for service with their computers. Both the person making the request, and city employees, can then track the progress of requests.
* Approve a resolution supporting the idea of expanding passenger rail service through the city.
* Approve the sale of shares of Covista Medical Center, LLC to SCKRMC , and releasing Cardiovascular Hospitals of America, LLC from Covista Medical Center, LLC Agreements.
Also at the work session meeting Monday commissioners were approached with the idea of renaming North Pond, McFarland Pond.
The group is affiliated with the annual fishing derby held at Veteran's Lake. They would like to also have the pond off Radio Lane opened for fishing.
Bob Mathews said the state would stock the pond if fishing were allowed.
Commissioners told them to ask the beautification committee about changing the name.
The pond itself is located off Radio Lane near the bypass. Currently it does not have a formal name, but is referred to as North Pond in city documents.
Mathews said the pond is known as McFarland Pond because of who owned the property before it became city property.
Commissioners said they would consider opening the pond for fishing at a later meeting.
Commissioners also spent a lot of time talking about ideas for goals for the coming year.
Over the next few meetings those ideas will be whittled down into a short list. Some public hearings may also be held to get public input.
They also had three private meetings totaling about 45 minutes.
|
