Greenfield Board Discusses Condemning Properties

Fire Department Chief Bob Dudley spoke on property updates including 2120 N. Meridian, 512 Broad and 107/109 Broad. Alderman Randy Potts stated that it had to do with the beautification of the town and that the property owners should be sent out letters. Potts also spoke on the inoperable vehicle ordinance the city has and stated that the city had multiple inoperable vehicles that needed to be dealt with.

City Attorney Beau Pemberton stated that the board has had this same discussion for many years.

“When you get ready to start condemning buildings, ultimately the city’s going to be the one footing the bill for any condemnation work and any demolition work. If the board wants to pursue it as I have in my other cities, I’m happy to pursue it. We can go ahead and send a new round of letters,” Pemberton stated.

“Ultimately, if the city is going through Title 68 with Chief Dudley as assistant commissioner for the fire marshals office to put an order down to condemn the property as we have in the past-we can do that, but my confidence in the city recouping any substantial amounts of money is very limited at this point based on my experience in dealing with condemning properties,” Pemberton said.

Pemberton told the board if they wanted to move forward with it, he was happy to but the city would need to find the money for moving forward.

“The city should be prepared to pay because this isn’t the same as tearing out a residential home when you’re dealing with commercial buildings when they share common walls, in the middle of town, if they have environmental potential hazards, health hazards from prior operations-all that has to be accounted for and one thing the city may want to consider is to invite a contractor to come in soliciting bids and quotes on  the properties to find out if the city can afford it,” Pemberton said.

“Nothing’s happened in three years. There’s been no improvements, in fact, it’s only got worse. The only money we’re receiving from the properties is property taxes,” Potts stated.

Mayor Cindy McAdams stated that the total amount of property taxes received was $1,500 total.

Potts said his hopes were that if they did condemn it and tear it down that hopefully someone would come in and build retail businesses.

“Even a new building is going to bring in more than $1,500 in property taxes and then if you get sales tax on top of that it’s just extra,” Potts said.

A motion was made for the board to send out letters to property owners and have Dudley move forward with going property to property and presenting the board with a packet of how to proceed. This was approved unanimously.

The city also voted in new business for a new beer board member to replace Rayann Ewing with Jim Tucker. Ewing was on the board as a citizen but now as a board member a new citizen will have to replace her. This was passed unanimously.

McAdams announced that the city received the traffic light modernization grant. Greenfield was the only city in Weakley County to receive this. McAdams stated that she didn’t yet know what they’d be doing with the light, but that when that decision is made, the board will be informed.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 14 at 5:30 p.m.