07/26/2021
Clean up of dumpy properties is a high priority of Booneville city officials. Besides drugs, it’s the number one complaint the city hears from our citizens.
Chief Villareal has directed our police officers to each work on at least 5 properties per month. They are working hard at it but typically it’s a long slow process. First the officer will give the property owner an Ordinance Notice and explain that the property owner is in violation of the ordinance and that they have 20 days to clean up. The officer will check back in 20 days and if they see some improvement, but more is needed, they will keep working with the owner. If they see no improvement, they will give a citation of violation. If they plead not guilty, that sends the matter to court. It takes 3 – 4 weeks to get a court date, then depending upon what happens at that hearing, the owner could get another 30 days to comply. And a lot of times they still don’t do anything and they receive fines that they may or may not pay.
It takes months of notices, citations, hearings and fines to get to a position where the city can condemn and clean up a property. And for the city to clean it up costs a lot of money for which we will most likely not be reimbursed. The goal is not to fine, but to get the owner to clean up the property.
So please know that our police officers are out there talking to the owners of these properties and working hard to get compliance. There has been improvement, it’s just a long slow process.
If you have a question about a particular property you can call city hall (479-675-3811) and report the address. If It’s not already being dealt with, they can get an officer to go check it out.