Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Parks Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Decatur County to address blight, rodent infestations and playground vandalism at Clarksburg park
Summary
Residents raised concerns about a park in Clarksburg that they say has become a repository for trash, graffiti and rodent infestations; county officials said public-health and parks staff are coordinating a response and that a blight ordinance final reading is scheduled for Nov. 5 that will enable county-initiated cleanup procedures.
Residents from Clarksburg told commissioners on Oct. 6 they are concerned the county park has deteriorated, citing trash, graffiti, vandalism of playground equipment and a rodent problem that has affected nearby homes.
George (last name not specified) and Brandy Miller described a stretch of park land they say has become overgrown and full of trash and reported rats in adjacent homes, including two rodents removed from a residence in early September. “The north end of that park now is nothing but trash... we got a person living at the very north end... they’ve been urinating on the slide,” George said, describing conditions and explaining neighbors’ reluctance to use the park.
County officials said the health department and parks and recreation staff are aware and coordinating responses. A county speaker told residents that Sean Durban (public-safety/health staff referenced) and Doug (planning staff) are coordinating the public-safety and property responses and that Parks & Recreation Director Chris Hamblett would send a crew to remove graffiti and address visible playground damage. The county representative said the public-safety side—especially the health department—would drive efforts to contain and eradicate the rodent problem and that enforcement and cleanup would follow statutory procedures.
Staff told residents the county is advancing a blight ordinance that would grant the county the authority to enter and clean properties that constitute blight; the speaker said the ordinance’s procedural final reading is scheduled at the Area Planning Commission on Nov. 5 and that, after adoption, a property would be placed on a list and the county’s cleanup process would likely take about 60 days (procedural notice and timelines apply).
County staff said they would coordinate enforcement and clean-up while balancing public-safety and property-owner issues and that several other properties in the neighborhood may be subject to similar action.
Residents thanked the board for attention; no formal vote was required on the public comment.
Commissioners asked staff to continue coordination among the health department, parks and recreation and code-enforcement staff and to return with updates as work proceeds.
