The INDEPENDENT, July 21, 2005
Page 13
Nuisance code enforcement, Sunset Speedway are council topics
Banks City Council ad
dressed numerous issues and
heard reports on several sub
jects at their July 12 meeting.
Mayor Mike Lyda and council
m em bers Brian Biehl, Teri
Branstitre and Pete Edison at
tended. Council member Kirk
Andrews was absent.
Marshall Decker, W ashing
ton County Code Enforcement
Officer updated the council on
actions taken to abate the pub
lic nuisance at the Wilkes and
Parmley apartments. Decker ci
ted and fined owner Thomas
Lepshat for one day. Lepshat
paid the $494 fine, but the build
ing remained unsecured and
problems continued. Decker
then cited the owner for 10 con
secutive days of code viola
tions; arraignment for that cita
tion is scheduled for July 27.
Decker explained that, in other
cases, fining owners for multiple
days has been successful in
motivating them to correct the
problem. “I have no mechanism
to compel him to abate the nui
sance. I can only make him un
comfortable," Decker said.
A neighbor of the apartments
said that people were continu
ing to access the vacant apart
ment at night and that there
was garbage on the premises.
Council directed the public
works department to securely
board the windows and doors
of the open apartment. The city
will also ensure that garbage
pick up continues. Attorney Jim
Lucas is pursuing a lien against
the property to pay for prior
abatements.
Council continues to work to
ward adopting a chronic nuisance
ordinance which would grant the
city more power to enforcing
abatements. Councilor Branstitre
expects to present a draft at the
next meeting. Mayor Lyda said “I
don’t know if we have the
cure...It’s a slow process. That’s
why we are working toward a
chronic nuisance ordinance.”
M ayor Lyda reported that
Sunset Speedway’s temporary
business license had expired
June 30. No application for ex
tension had been received by
the city and no one represented
the speedway at the council
meeting. He reported that the
speedway had been diligent in
attempting to comply with is
sues that have put their opera
tion in question. They have
been ending races by the re
quired time, are attempting to
measure noise levels, and are
in the process of addressing
land use concerns with Banks
city planner KJ Won. The
speedway has hired a civil and
an environmental engineer to
look at land use issues.
Lyda felt that Sunset Park
needed to be apprised of the
situation because it affects the
park. Sunset Speedway is a
part of Sunset Park, so land
use issues and business code
violations also impact the pri
vately-owned park. Council de
cided to send a letter to Sunset
Speedway and Sunset Park re
garding the expired business li
cense and will continue to mon
itor the situation.
The city is submitting a pro
posal to repay nearly $60,000
of federal COPS grant funds
over a five year period with no
interest, beginning in Decem
ber. Council will continue to ex
plore the appeals process,
however. Congressman David
Wu is assisting the city in this
appeal. Looking into possible
legal issues, Lucas said, “We
need to get this straight with
them because of future federal
funding.” The repayment is re
quired because a COPS grant
for police services from 1995 to
2001 was disbursed incorrectly.
Lyda said, “The money wasn’t
spent in the wrong places, but it
was out of compliance with the
terms of the grant.”
Jolynn Becker was sworn in
as the city’s new recorder/trea-
surer. Her start date will be de
termined pending termination
of employment at her previous
County seeks volunteers to work with Elder Safe
Washington County is look
ing for volunteers who are inter
ested in helping seniors by
working with the Elder Safe Pro
gram and the Sheriff’s Office.
Elder Safe volunteers pro
vide emotional support and vic
tim assistance to people 65 and
older who have been victims of
crime. Volunteers are provided
a 40-hour training in victim
services and the criminal jus-
tice system.
After the training, hours are
flexible and will be tailored to
volunteers’ interests and abili
ties. Retired bankers, account
ants and attorneys are espe-
n
u
-I
r
Oak Village
Laundromat
4 ¡um bo
Washers
t\
cially encouraged to consider
this opportunity.
Applications are due by
Sept. 1 for the next training in
October. Call Maxine Leagjeld
at 503-846-2773 for a packet.
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job. Becker will replace Debo
rah Deegan, but will work full
time instead of half time.
Council also swore in Wash
ington County Sheriff’s Depu
ties Jim Berning and Al Roque.
The two officers police Banks
through an agreem ent with
Washington County. Swearing
them in as Banks officers al
lows them to include enforce
ment of city ordinances.
Deputy Berning reported
that, because Banks was the
only area town to have a large
fireworks display this year, traf
fic and safety issues were
huge. He was on duty the
fourth of July and did what he
could to direct traffic and police
the park, but received numer
ous com plaints later. Two
W ashington County deputies
happened to be going through
town that night and stayed to
direct traffic after the show.
Congestion was severe. He
suggested that Sunset Park
needs to have a plan in place
when they host big events.
Council added that the large
turnout had not been expected.
On a positive note, Berning not
ed that Greenville Park was
peaceful on the holiday.
Public works supervisor Tim
Grossnickle reported that the
exterior of the new public works
building is com plete. He is
working on an agreement with
DaySpring Christian Church
and Big Horn Logging to ad
dress the repair and paving of
the driveway and parking lot
shared by the church, the li
brary, the public works building
and Big Hom Logging. The park
ing loi does not drain properly,
leaving the handicapped spaces
under water at times. Also, the
cinder block garbage area blocks
views of pedestrians. Repair and
paving of the lot will be combined
with work on Market Street for a
cost savings.
G rossnickle also reported
that someone broke into Well
Number 1 on June 25 and stole
about $2000 worth of Water
Department tools and metal.
W ashington C ounty S h e riff’s
Department was notified. Two
more locks have been installed
to prevent future break-ins.
Grossnickle added that moving
into the new public works build
ing will secure city property bet
ter in the future.
The council currently has two
vacancies. Applications from in
terested individuals are being
collected. The mayor will review
applicants and nominate re
placements. Council will then
need to approve his appoint
ments. Appointments may be
made at the next council meeting.
Council also adopted an or
dinance amending the Banks
comprehensive plan to update
the city’s long term commercial
and industrial land needs.