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Bluff City officials pledge enforcement after residents report sewage, burning and drug activity on Hillcrest
Summary
Residents of Hillcrest Street and Old Highway 11E pressed Bluff City leaders on long-running sanitation, safety and squatting problems. Town officials said they will seek a licensed code inspector or contractor to enforce the city's property-maintenance code and use existing budget authority to begin work quickly.
Residents of Hillcrest Street and nearby Old Highway 11E told Bluff City elected officials on Monday that sewage, frequent burning of plastic, suspected drug activity and intimidating behavior by people living in campers and vacant houses have made parts of the neighborhood unlivable.
The exchanges came during an extended public-comment period that drew multiple residents and prompted the town manager and police chief to describe ongoing but limited enforcement options. Town Manager Michelle (last name not specified) said the city has adopted the 02/2018 property maintenance code and 02/2018 building codes and that she was pursuing a licensed third-party inspector or contractor to begin enforcement immediately.
The row of residents fronting the affected properties said conditions have persisted for years. "We've lived at our house 42 years," Anita Hicks said, adding that neighbors "can't go out on the deck. We can't grill. It's nasty." Wade Hicks, who identified his address in public comment, and other neighbors described visible sewage flowing from a camper, frequent trash burning that produces black smoke and people openly using drugs.
Police Chief (name not given) told the meeting the department has documented and responded to calls but is limited by criminal-procedure requirements. "We respond to every call. Everybody has constitutional rights," the chief said, and offered to review records and evidence with residents. The chief said officers will continue to respond to 911 calls and urged residents to keep documenting incidents.
Town staff and a city-affiliated speaker identified legal and administrative paths for action. Mr. Fry (staff member) explained civil-collection and condemnation steps and described how unpaid fines or judgments are converted into liens: "Go to Chancery Court and get a money judgment and get a lien on the property," he said. The board and staff noted the city's ordinance sets a civil fine of $50 per day for continued property-maintenance violations after due notice and that the notice window is typically 10 to 20 days depending on the circumstances.
Michelle said the city staff had already notified utility providers and reported that Johnson City Water removed the property's water meter; town records shown at the meeting said the sewer connection was cut off July 3, 2024, and that trash service had an unpaid balance (records quoted at the meeting). She said the immediate next step was to identify a licensed inspector or third-party contractor to serve notice and begin enforcement, and that the budget contains modest contractual funding to start the work (staff cited roughly $5,000 in the current planning discussion).
Elected officials said the city can pursue civil nuisance remedies, including fines and, over time, liens that could transfer title if violations and unpaid fines accumulate, but that criminal enforcement (for drugs, weapons or other crimes) is handled through Sullivan County prosecution. Alderman Keith urged residents to keep calling 911 and to collect video evidence. "Call 911 every time," he said. "If you see something that you don't like, then you need to call."
Officials cautioned there is no instant fix. The town manager said hiring or contracting a licensed inspector can lead to a 10-day notice and then $50-per-day fines for uncorrected violations; condemning a house as uninhabitable or pursuing other long-term legal remedies could take months. Still, staff and the council said they would prioritize finding a contractor to address the specific Hillcrest/Old Highway complaints while they work toward a permanent, certified code-enforcement officer.
The meeting closed with officials repeating that residents should document incidents and keep calling 911 so police responses and logs build prosecutable evidence and administrative records. Town staff said they would continue outreach to identified contractors and the state contacts who can grant certification or perform third-party inspections.
