Cleves residents press council for more police presence as speeding and property maintenance concerns rise

Residents at a Cleves Village Council meeting urged officials to press the county sheriff for greater enforcement of speed limits and to address ongoing property-maintenance problems that neighbors say threaten safety and property values.

Nancy Nettleton, a resident, said response times from law enforcement "seem to be questionable at best" and described limited patrols: "Information is minimal. We don't see them probably ever patrolling." She and other speakers said newly installed speed signs on North and South Miami avenues appear to have produced data but not enough enforcement to change driving behavior.

A council member said the village raised the speeding issue at a recent public-safety meeting and has asked the Hammond County Sheriff's Department to increase patrols and report citation counts to the village and council. "We have asked them to up their presence along there and report to the ... council separately citations the amount of citations along that area," the council member said. The council member said the sheriff's department would resume attending council meetings so residents could ask questions directly.

Speakers described several specific traffic hazards. One resident said drivers routinely cut turns on Harrison Avenue, crossing into opposing traffic and striking parked vehicles; she said her house has been involved in four traffic collisions. Another said she "almost got nailed" on North Miami when a car passed at high speed. Multiple speakers asked the council to seek a street-by-street breakdown from the sheriff showing when and where citations are issued on North and South Miami avenues and other problem streets.

Participants also raised property-maintenance concerns. Nettleton said a truck with broken glass had sat in a driveway for "literally months," and warned that neglected yards and vehicle maintenance reduce neighborhood property values. The council member acknowledged the village's limited enforcement authority and said the public-safety committee monitors complaints and communicates concerns to the sheriff's office.

Speakers discussed traffic-calming options. Residents asked whether permanent or temporary speed bumps could be used; a council member said the village had discussed permanent speed cushions and looked into temporary devices but noted concerns about winter snow plowing and durability. The council member said the village can request targeted enforcement based on data from the speed-monitoring signs.

No formal vote or ordinance was recorded on the topic during the transcripted portion of the meeting. Council members said they would follow up by requesting citation data from the sheriff's office, relaying the village's safety concerns, and placing the issue on a future agenda for further consideration.