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Aldermen press staff to expand code enforcement authority and address road striping and potholes
Summary
Board members discussed persistent potholes and unclear striping in commercial areas and instructed staff to bring an ordinance giving code enforcement authority to cite businesses for property maintenance violations; aldermen also raised safety concerns about striping near the high school and other arterial streets.
Aldermen raised multiple concerns about road conditions, pavement striping and the city’s enforcement authority for private-property maintenance.
Alderman Tom and others said commercial areas — notably near a Kroger shopping area — still look like a “minefield” of potholes despite requests to property owners. City staff reported that current ordinance language allows citations to private individuals but not to businesses; the board directed staff to draft an ordinance to allow code enforcement (Mr. Mercado) to issue citations to businesses so the city can pursue compliance.
Board members also raised safety concerns about pavement striping, especially near the high school on North Jackson Street, and noted prior appropriations for striping and signal work. The mayor reported that TDOT’s consultant recommended safety improvements at North Jackson but that repaving and associated improvements are not scheduled until 2028; a repaving project on Highway 55 toward Manchester is on the 2026 schedule. Alderman Tom asked for follow-up and a current list of streets planned for paving.
Why it matters: The discussion ties enforcement authority, capital paving schedules, and traffic-striping decisions to pedestrian and driver safety. Aldermen framed the failure to enforce property and paving maintenance as a potential liability for the city if unclear lane markings lead to crashes involving nonlocal drivers.
What staff will do: The city attorney and staff said they will prepare an ordinance broadening citation authority so code enforcement can target businesses as well as individuals. Public Works staff will follow up with a paving/striping schedule for alderman review.
Provenance: discussion and staff comments appear in the transcript (s=1494.88–1706.64 and s=2039.82–2132.81) and the TDOT repaving timeline is described in the mayor’s report (s=2039.82–2132.81).
