TURKEY — What started out as a brief meeting for town board members ended in a one-hour discussion about concerns with stray animals and trashy yards.

Those concerns, expressed by Mayor Tim Clifton and Commissioner Patricia Tew, led the board to revisit an ordinance to handle unkept property.

Tew said she had received several calls from Turkey residents regarding dogs and cats on their property. “One person stated that a pack of dogs were in their yard one morning,” she told her fellow board members.

Board members questioned whether traps could be used, but Clifton noted that only a property owner could make such a request from the county’s animal control office.

“I would advise each of you, if someone calls about the animal problem, to ask them to contact the animal control officer through the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department. They are the ones that will have to make the request, and it could save the citizens time in getting the problem handled,” remarked Clifton.

The mayor then moved the discussion to the appearance of several residences within the town’s limits. “We had an ordinance at one time that you (town board) decided to remove from the books because of problems with the enforcement and complaints received from the town’s people. I think we need to revisit the ordinance and come up with something to handle the problems we are now having with unsightly yards with trash, debris and other unsuitable items in them.”

Clifton stressed that whatever policy was decided on needed to have “teeth” in it. “If we don’t put some teeth into the ordinance, it will not amount to a hill of beans,” he stressed.

Currently the town has no recourse to enforce any type of restrictions on litter or properties viewed as unsightly within the town limits. An ordinance in place several years back was rescinded after mutliple complaints from local residents.

Commissioner Mike Smith commented that he felt that the old ordinance was too restrictive, particularity in regards to the number of vehicles one could have in their yard. “It is my property and I pay the taxes on that property; I should be able to park a car where ever I want to on my land.”

Tew said the mandate on grass length and height was something she felt was unreasonable in the old ordinance. “Some of the grasses that have been put out by the county grows so fast people would have to mow twice a week to keep it in compliance.”

Enforcement of the ordinance, some said, was another complaint lodged by residents.

“The biggest problem I heard about from people in regards to the old ordinance was that it was not enforced fairly,” interjected commissioner George Wright. Although Wright did not share any individual names of citizens that felt they had been unfairly cited for a violation when others were just “talked to,” he expressed that whatever was done needed to be fair to everyone.

Everyone agreed with Wright’s statement and said they would work in that direction.

Smith said he felt the board should come up with an ordinance that was specific to Turkey and not patterned after one from another town. Clifton added that the ordinance should be restricted to property within the town limits.

Smith also shared that he had concerns regarding how the ordinance would be enforced. Town manager Sarah White stated that a reliable individual would have to be selected to handle that part of the ordinance.

The mayor said he felt this is where the teeth of the ordinance should come in. “I am not completely certain how that procedure would go, but the charges would be through taxes.” Clifton went on to explain after a formal citation had been issued for the property to be brought into compliance and no efforts were made to do so, the town would clean the property and a bill for those services would be passed on to the property owners. I

If the charges are not paid then a lien could be placed on the property, he said. “As we learned when we went through this process the last time, you cannot put a lien on personal property. It must go on real property.”

In an attempt to reach some decision regarding a new ordinance, the mayor stated that before the next meeting in August, copies of the old ordinance would be in each commissioners packet.

“I would like for you to review the old ordinance and bring back to the next meeting suggestions and changes that need to be included in a new ordinance. We want to take our time on this and get it right this time.”

In other matters before the commissioners in their meeting, documentation regarding ethics training was adopted and Travis Anderson gave an update on the water operations for the month.

To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail siobits@heartlandpublications.com.