HANNIBAL, MO. -- Properties in America's Hometown have gone downhill, and something needs to be done about it.
That's one thing the City of Hannibal and and its landlords agree on. But there's disagreement on how to achieve that goal.
More than 40 landlords turned out at Tuesday night's Hannibal City Council meeting.
Many of them are against a city ordinance surrounding rental property inspections.
KHQA's Rajah Maples attended that meeting to get both sides of the story.
Landlords who turned out to Tuesday's Hannibal City Council meeting say they're not against inspections. But they say the process is unfair.
Brent Taylor is president of Taylor Properties of Missouri LLC. He says andlords who comply with the rules, step forward and get biannual inspections. But he said that process is voluntary, which is unfair to not only complying landlords, but also the city's visual appeal or lack thereof.
Taylor said, "The main issue of our meeting tonight was the City of Hannibal has a good building inspection. It's heading in the right direction, but quite honestly, the city and landlords, we don't know who the landlords are in this town. Before you can manage the process, you have to know what you're managing and there needs to be some better process in place to identify who the landlords really are, what the problem properties are and to get those problems properties addressed effectively."
But there are others who think there are no problems with the current ordinance.
Bob Yapp said, "A local associate judge, district judge, circuit judge doesn't have the ability to make a final judgement as to whether something violates the U.S. Constitution or not."
And yet another complaint--owner occupied properties. Opponents of the current city ordinance say non-rental properties don't have to have inspections, even though they can be a safety concern and an eyesore for the city.
Mayor Roy Hark said dilapidated properties have become a big problem in the city, and he would like to see that change for the better.
He asked the city lawyer to further research the current city ordinance.
Meanwhile, Brent Taylor told KHQA the landlords have come up with some solutions to the problem and hope to present them to the city in the near future.
Other Hannibal City Council news (provided by the Hannibal Courier-Post):
It appears that motorists who regularly use the U.S. 61 and Pleasant Street/West Ely Road intersection in Hannibal will have to wait a bit longer
to see improvements made.
During Tuesday night¹s meeting the council agreed to a proposed new construction schedule from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The project was originally planned to be designed in 2009 and constructed in 2010.
The schedule was subsequently revised so that construction would begin in May 2011 with the project¹s completion scheduled for November 2011.
MoDOT has requested a change to the current schedule to accommodate tourism season.
The project will now not be let until July 2011, with construction starting after Labor Day.
In other business:
The council approved an ordinance amendment which does away with city stickers and motorcycle tags, but retains the $5 vehicle tax.
Under the ordinance citizens will be required to pay the tax to get a certificate of registration receipt.
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The council OK¹d advertising for a request of proposals for a redevelopment feasibility study along a segment of Bear Creek.
The study would be paid for by BASF.
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A five-year street maintenance plan was approved and the department of public works was given approval to advertise the spring 2011 overlay package.
A change order for the Comanche Avenue stormwater runoff project was approved.
Bleigh Construction is deducting $10,041.02 from the project¹s cost.
The money would have covered patching where utility cuts were made.
The street will now be milled and overlayed this spring at a cost of $20,870.
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Approval was given a resolution creating a cooperative agreement between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department for funding through the Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance Program.
The grant is for $9,750 with the remainder of the $13,000 being supplied by the parks department.
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A professional services agreement with Cochran for $6,450 was approved. It will be providing surveying services along the Stardust Drive extension corridor.
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Second and final reading was given a bill providing for a municipal election on Tuesday, April 5, to allow Hannibal voters to decide whether to change the city charter to abolish the fire board and transfer authority over the fire department to the city manager.
First reading was given a bill amending the agreement between the city and Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission regarding the project completion date of the airport terminal building.
The new date is Dec. 31, 2011.
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Three public hearings regarding a proposed code amendment regarding the keeping or parking of certain commercial vehicles and construction or commercial grade equipment at or upon residential property.
The hearings will take place on three consecutive Wednesdays - Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9.
Each meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.
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