Pike County Fiscal Court on May 21 discussed abandoned-property cleanup procedures and an initiative to ensure electrical inspectors check floodplain or floodway status before performing inspections for new structures.

County staff told the court residents who see abandoned properties should contact the solid-waste department, which will typically send an investigator and then, if required, the county attorney’s office will pursue next steps. Staff said many abandoned properties are owned by out-of-state heirs or have state liens when Medicaid recovery is involved, which complicates enforcement. County staff said they prefer to work with owners to get properties cleaned up and use fines or liens only when owners refuse to cooperate.

Separately, the court discussed a recommendation from a Community Assistance Visit under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that electrical inspectors notify the floodplain office before performing inspections for new homes or mobile-home placements. Court members said an electrical inspector should ask homeowners to contact the county floodplain office so the county can verify whether a site is in a floodplain or floodway; failure to do so can leave homeowners ineligible for flood insurance if a structure is sited below base flood elevations.

Court members also noted the role of the county’s floodplain coordinator and the Community Rating System, which can affect flood-insurance discounts for residents when the county maintains compliance and completes certain actions.

Officials urged residents to report abandoned or unsafe properties to solid waste and to consult the county floodplain office early in construction or mobile-home placement to avoid insurance and safety problems.