Tougher nuisance abatement ordinance was introduced Monday

The Cairo City Council introduced a revised nuisance abatement ordinance Monday night that significantly fast-tracks the city’s authorization to eliminate the blight of overgrown property, abandoned vehicles and junk.

Under the provisions of the new ordinance, the city manager will have the authority to abate such nuisances and the matter no longer has to come before the city council.

Councilman James H. (Jimmy) Douglas has pushed for the revised ordinance in order to streamline the process and authorize the city to take action in abating a nuisance faster.

Under the proposed ordinance, a property owner will have not more than seven days to remove abandoned/junk motor vehicles, junk or cut nuisance vegetation or the city will take action to abate the nuisance at the owner’s expense.

The ordinance will be voted on at the council’s Oct. 14 meeting.

In other action Monday night, the council:

•Approved a special event permit for an upcoming Oct. 18 Main Street Concert. Main Street director Alyssa Blakley is the applicant.

•Approved a special event permit for the M.L. King Day Parade and Prayer Vigil Walk, Jan. 19-20, 2020. Renee Gee Theophille and the MLK Collaborative are the applicants.

•Approved a special event permit for the Cairo High School Homecoming Parade to be held Nov. 7 beginning at 5 p.m. CHS Principal Chris Lokey is the applicant.

•Approved a special event permit for Boo on Broad to be held Oct. 31 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. Broad Street from M.L King Jr. Avenue S.W. to Third Avenue N.E. will be blocked off for this event. Main Street director Alyssa Blakley is the applicant.

•Heard a request from Councilman Bobby Gwaltney for an update on the possibility of live-streaming city council meetings. Addleton said that he had contacted the city’s IT provider and said that live-streaming could be set for approximately $2,000. Councilman Douglas said he was opposed to meetings being live-streamed exclusively on social media and said he would only support it if it were available from the city’s website. The council took no action to proceed.

•Heard a request from Councilman Jerry Cox on the closure of the street behind Azalea Park. Addleton reported that two gates had been ordered and would be installed soon.

•Heard from Mayor Booker Gainor who asked about needed repairs to South Broad Street sidewalks. Addleton said that the sidewalks needed to be completely replaced and his plan was to include that project in an overall South Broad Street improvement plan, which would include the resurfacing of the street from Fourth Avenue to the city limits. According to Addleton, the sidewalks are in need of replacement and not simply repair.