Park Hill residents tell Tupelo council a neighbor at 620 North Church Street is a public-safety nuisance

Bridgette Shelley, president of the Park Hill Neighborhood Association, told the Tupelo City Council during public comment that residents near 620 North Church Street have been subjected to repeated disturbances and what she described as “nuisance activities” and asked the council to “take swift action.”

Shelley said the neighborhood has experienced loud shouting, frequent visitors they identified as drug dealers, verbal abuse when neighbors asked them to stop, and property damage. “One of our resident's cars were shot into during the drive by and, messed up their car radiator,” she said. “We fear for our lives and our families, and our safety has been at risk.” She also said petition signatures gathered by residents were turned over to the council president.

The comments were part of the meeting’s public-comment period; Shelley identified herself on the record as Park Hill Neighborhood Association president and asked the council to remove or otherwise address the residents at the 620 North Church Street address. She said the household’s visitors and behavior have exposed children and families to violence and volatile behavior.

Shelley also used the public comment time to thank the city for new pavilions at Gumtree Park and suggested the city hold a dedication or ribbon-cutting to recognize the work.

No formal enforcement action or motion to address the 620 North Church Street complaints was recorded on the council’s agenda during the meeting. The transcript shows the neighborhood’s petition was handed to the council president at the meeting; Shelley did not identify any specific city code or statute she was seeking to invoke at that time.