Fort Deposit cleaning up streets

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 9, 2005

Fort Deposit Mayor Fletcher Fountain says enough is enough. He and the city council are tired of seeing trash and junked cars in the city streets. Beginning March 5, the City started enforcing its cleanliness ordinance and started towing junked vehicles.

"We, the mayor and town council realize that cleanliness is next to Godliness and it's a good practice to attract business. And it's in good spirit that we must enforce the ordnance in Section 11-13 & 14," Fountain said. "It's important that we cleanup our town. People will be fined and businesses can be closed down for failure to obey the ordinance."

"No longer will people be able to leave abandoned cars on the streets, or paper and other trash around their homes and businesses. It's against the law," he said. "I'll be sending letters to businesses with dates and deadlines and if we don't get a response, we will do something about it."

Old vehicles left on the street will be towed away and the owner will be responsible for all fees and fines. If their vehicle is not redeemed within 40 days, it will be crushed and sold to take care of towing and storage fees. All residents will be targeted for cleaning around their homes. The ordinance allows for junked vehicles to be kept on the premises if kept in an enclosed privacy fence. The fine for violating the ordinance ranges from $10 to $50.

Anyone caught littering will be fined in accordance with Fort Deposit Code 1906, Chapter 12, Section 211.

"We spend too much money with employees picking up trash on the same streets from grown people throwing trash out of their cars," he said. "It's time to get the law enforced. I understand this is kind of tough but the only way were going to get anything done is to get tough."

All residents are required to have garbage cans. To obtain a BFI trash can, you can pay the initial $13.47 monthly fee and make out an application at the town hall. Residents may supply their own additional trash cans as needed or request another one from BFI for an additional fee.

All trash and leaves placed near the street for town pickup should be in plastic bags and limbs should be no longer than 4-feet in length. All household trash for BFI pickup should be placed in trash cans.

In addition to instructing the police department to begin enforceing the cleanliness ordinance, Fountain said they will also be enforcing the excessive noice ordinance.

"With all of this loud music, people should be ticketed," he said. "They should be made to pay."