Opp: 11 people have 30 days to clean up

Published 12:11 am Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Opp City Council told its residents to “clean up” at Monday night’s meeting.

Council members abated 11 properties, and City Planner Jason Bryan said the property owners will have 30 days to correct the problems or request a hearing.

Bryan said if owners fail to do either of those the city will demolish and clean up the property and the cost will be assessed on the property taxes.

The council abated the following properties:

• A home at the intersection of Cummings Avenue and Douglas Street, owned by J.W. Nelson and Pamela Nelson. Bryan said the home is vacant and is located near the Tom Thumb.

• A home located at the north end of Danley Avenue, owned by Minnie Barlow and in the care of James Stoudemire. Bryan said this property has been a habitat for wild cats, is vacant and the floors and roof are falling in.

• A house located at 305 Dry Street, owned by Charles and Mary Boyett. Bryan said the property has been abated in the past. The property heir has given the OK for cleanup, but would like time to retrieve items from the home.

• A home located at 402 Charles Street, owned by Evelyn McCormick and Jonathan Albritton. Bryan said the windows have been knocked out of the home and that there is no electricity at the home.

“I asked Kevin Chance to verify that no one is living there,” Bryan said. “There are two dogs living there.”

Councilman T.D. Morgan said the roof on the home was fine, and that he thought that someone lived there without electricity. Morgan and Mary Brundidge abstained from the vote on this property.

• A house located at 109 Walker Street, owned by Randy Molnar. Bryan said Molnar is an absentee-homeowner and that the siding on the home is falling off and that the pillars that support the home are soon to fall.

• A mobile home – a secondary structure – located at the Southeast corner of the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Dry Street, and owned by Don and Francis Moore. Bryan said the mobile home is in the back and is no longer licensed. He said the water heater is falling off the structure.

• A home at the intersection of Kolb Avenue and Hardin Street and owned by Eddie and Maxine Mullins. Bryan said the roof is falling in.

• A home located at the South end of Micolas Street and owned by Merri Swindell and in the care of Lonnie Whitt. Bryan said the home was damaged by fire in 2012, and that no repairs have been made. He also said the roof is falling in and that it is vacant.

• A home located at the west corner of the intersection of Hardin Street and Danley Avenue and owned by Hattie Mae Reed. Bryan said the roof and roof are falling in.

• A property located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Hart Avenue and Spurlin Street and owned by Hinton Elmore. Bryan said the property has been abated before.

• A home located at 211 Micolas Street and owned by Bennie Day. Bryan said all utilities services have been pulled, the roofing is falling and that the floor joists are visible. It is also vacant.

Additionally, Opp Mayor John Bartholomew said the city would have amnesty day at the city landfill in which garbage customers may bring their construction and demolition debris free of charge on Sat., May 18, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The only stipulations are there can be no household garbage, oil, paint, tires or poisons.

“We want to get the city back into clean mode,” Bartholomew said. “If you see a friend who needs help; go help them. We want everyone to get involved.”