Chief of Police Chase Dorsey reported July 24 that the department received multiple complaints about trailers and recreational vehicles at 238 Melissa Street and that citations and notices of violation have been issued. Dorsey said two of the trailers are inhabited, four trailers are on the property in total, and McLennan County’s on‑site sewage (OSSF) inspector found no county sewage violations after the owner documented regular pump‑outs.

Dorsey said enforcement has proceeded through municipal citations and that a prosecutor conference is scheduled for Aug. 14; he said enforcement has followed a stepped approach that starts with notices and escalates as needed. “We started at the lowest and we're just working our way up the enforcement ladder,” he said, describing the department’s process.

Several council members raised an inconsistency: the city has received complaints about private cargo containers and continues to list a cargo‑container violation on the code enforcement report, while the city itself stores records in a cargo container across the street from City Hall. Council member Mr. Prater said he did not want to repeatedly send citizens threatening letters for ordinance violations while the city appeared not to be in compliance. The council asked staff to put the cargo‑container ordinance and the city’s compliance on a future agenda so council can consider whether to suspend, modify or enforce the rule against private property owners while the city resolves its own storage practice.

Council also discussed the Benton Street cargo‑container complaint; staff said they had issued notices but were not pursuing enforcement action at this time while working with the property owner. The police chief said code enforcement offers flexibility to citizens who contact staff and show progress toward compliance; he said persistent noncompliance will be escalated through the municipal court process.