Salem City Council sets date for annual spring cleanup

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

SALEM ? It?s spring and time for cleanup.

Spring cleanup in Salem will be held Thursday, May 19. The council, after consulting with the community?s sanitation hauler, Sedore, set the date during Tuesday?s council meeting.

Flyers with spring cleanup details will be posted at city hall, Crew Public Library, the post office and Kramer?s Sinclair. Tires will not be accepted, but televisions with the cord attached and no breaks in the cabinet or screen will be taken.

Residents living at 309 S. Monroe St., in Salem, can expect some mail from the City of Salem, and it won?t be the water bill.

The council voted to send residents at that address a nuisance abatement letter. Council members had briefly discussed the property during the April meeting but took no action.

The letter is being sent because there are unregistered vehicles and a camper on the property.

Council action regarding the nuisance followed a report from Councilwoman Mary Hoyer who recently attended a training session on nuisance laws, economic development and long-term planning.

Hoyer has been searching for public money available to assist with removing abandoned buildings. At the training session, attendees were told in dealing with properties under the nuisance law to consult an attorney but not necessarily take action through an attorney. Participants also were told the best practice is to keep nuisance abatement proceedings as informal as possible because it results in less expense and moves proceedings more quickly through the court system.

Salem is in the process of getting a new rescue truck with a pumper that can be used in fighting fires if needed. The council received a $29,000 grant from the Fire Services Training Bureau for the truck and also will apply for a 0 percent loan through the United States Department of Agriculture. The cost of the truck will be approximately $130,000.

In other agenda items, the council approved the hiring of Debra Shaffner for the custodial position. The position became open last month when Joyce Lasswell, the former custodian, submitted her resignation. Shaffner will clean the community building, fire department quarters and the shelter house in the park.

The council also approved a request for Todd Griep to build a privacy fence at 309 E. Oak St.

City council members will meet again on Wednesday, June 8. The meeting is being moved back a day due to the Iowa primary election on Tuesday, June 7.