The message from Carter County officials is: Clean up your property or be cited into court.
Last week in Carter County Chancery Court, Chancellor John Rambo declared four property owners in violation of Carter County Litter Regulations in that their property had not been maintained in a manner which the public welfare requires.
The Chancellor in his order noted that despite repeated notices of the ongoing violations, the property owners had failed to comply with litter regulations and thereby ordered each of them to get their property cleaned. If the properties in question do not meet county regulations within 30 days, property owners may be found in civil contempt and jailed for willful contempt of court.
Furthermore, if the properties are not cleaned within the 30-day period, the county if it chooses can attach a lien to the property.
The Carter County Planning Commission had earlier declared the properties a public nuisance after numerous complaints.
Carter County has a problem with trash, not just on private property, but along roadsides and other public areas. The responsible thing for all citizens to do is to keep their property clean and do their part in cleaning public spaces.
Following flooding from heavy rain the last of February, debris and food containers not only can be found along streams and rivers, but in ditches and along roadways. Not only is it unattractive, but there are environmental implications and a potential negative impact on visitors to our community.
It’s shameful that some residents are drowning in other people’s trash. It’s shameful that some people have to look at others’ trash, which is degrading to the whole neighborhood.
The problem has caught the eye of Carter County officials, who have moved more aggressively to alleviate the trashiest properties in its neighborhoods. Trash is a huge public health hazard and a visual blight in our neighborhoods, whether it be junked cars and appliances or just plain trash.
Our government officials have for some time talked a good game about reducing trashy, blighted properties. It’s encouraging to see those words backed up by strong actions. And, it wasn’t as if the owner of the properties in question didn’t know about the problems with litter, debris, and poor maintenance on their properties that county litter officers had advised them to clean up. All were apparently habitual offenders.
Property owners, be warned. If you don’t keep your properties clean, you will be taken to court, too. That’s as it should be. One of the county’s goals should be code compliance and cleaner neighborhoods, and this applies to businesses, too.
With warmer weather on the way, it is time for both the city and county to get involved in anti-litter efforts. All of us need to be conscious of what we do with our trash. It’s time we bring this problem to a screeching halt.
As the season of tourism beckons before we know it, visitors will come and they’ll see us with all our shame. In some areas, roadside dumping is a problem. Other places have the indication of things discarded from a passing motorist.
Still other pieces of trash probably just flew out the back of a pickup, the driver never knowing until perhaps sometime later when arriving at a destination. Or not. This happens in country life, so we get it.
This much we are sure of — it will take all of us doing a little bit to help make the bigger problem go away. Whether our civic groups, churches or school clubs adopt a highway, or whether the good folks surging new energy into the Carter County Proud campaign find successful strategies, no one person or body of people will fix it for all of us.
Litter is everyone’s problem, therefore, it becomes the responsibility of every citizen to do something about it. First, don’t litter. Secondly, if you see it, clean it up. And, if it’s your property, clean it up!