Local business leaders still want to see the city take action against eyesores, uncontained garbage, junk cars and unkempt property, while city officials say they are doing all they can.

Friday, January 28, 2000

Local business leaders still want to see the city take action against eyesores, uncontained garbage, junk cars and unkempt property, while city officials say they are doing all they can.

The city collected 7,479 tons of garbage and transported it to Cooksey Brothers Disposal Co. in Ashland, Ky. last year, Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary said at the Ironton City Council meeting Thursday. With limited manpower and financial resources, the city cannot afford to do more than it already is doing.

"We are actively enforcing the codes at this time and will continue to do so," Cleary assured council members and city officials, adding that the administration and staff took offense to the implication that no efforts were taken to keep the city clean. "This is not an issue the city has ignored."

Both the IBA and city administration lodged complaints of getting "blind-sided" by the reports issued through their opposing sides.

IBA officials expressed displeasure with the fact that they did not receive a copy of the mayor’s report on refuse collection and code enforcement while city officials complained of a lack of proper communication prior to the original complaints being issued.

Council members supported both sides and expressed a desire to work together on the issue, with council members suggesting a new committee with representatives from the city, council and the IBA be formed to tackle the issue.

"I think what all want is to go someplace with this," councilman Jesse Roberts said. "We can plead indigence forever – we’ve been a poor city for a long time and we’re going to be poor for a lot longer. But, when it comes to awareness, maybe we just need to be aware and put more of an effort into working together. I would suggest forming a committee."

"The remarks made by the IBA at the last meeting were well-taken," council chairman Jim Tordiff said. "We realize the downtown area is a lot of times the first impression, it’s a lasting impression, and we want to put our best foot forward."

But Tordiff said he would like to remind residents, business owners and IBA members of the various ways the city administration has worked to keep the city clean.

"I think the fact that the current administration not only provided one annual cleanup but two (one in fall and one in spring) was another attempt to keep the city clean," he said. "I also think of the efforts through block grant dollars, the things that have been done by this administration and previous administrations as far as street improvements, sidewalk improvements and things of this nature. Those things show the city is not ignoring the downtown area."

IBA leaders, however, maintained they did not intend to show the city was ignoring the downtown area, but that all areas of the city could use additional assistance in keeping clean.

"Now we have (the city government’s) attention, maybe this time we can promote a change," said IBA secretary/treasurer Brent Pyles. "It’s got to start at the top and that is what we are asking for –  that we pro-actively go after this problem every day and manage those departments as effectively and efficiently as we can. It’s time to run this thing like a corporation, like it’s supposed to be run."