Independence revises refuse ordinances

Independence officials bolstered the city’s ability to remove abandoned vehicles and parts from residential lots and aim to make final a contract to move garbage collection from bags to containers.

The council last Tuesday amended two ordinances to expand the definition of abandoned vehicles from those not registered to include those improperly parked or inoperable.  The addition to the refuse ordinance adds a prohibition against refuse in adjacent lots.

Independence police may issue citations for violations of city ordinances, and letters from the city will no longer include a grace period, the council agreed.

Council member Deb Marsolek said revisions are underway on a contract between Tri-County Sanitation and the city. She said the original document did not offer sufficient protection for the city. The city and Tri-County Sanitation had announced their intention to move to garbage containers from bags about six months ago. 

The council agreed to look into a complaint from a resident of city-developed Markham Addition that some property owners have been renting out their houses and using them for short-term rentals. While covenants the city imposed on the development allow rentals while a house is for sale, the resident said the houses appear not to be on the market and have been rented for months.

Council member Randy Symicek said dredging of the holding pond for Bugle Lake is scheduled for this winter. The 132,000 cubic feet of material will be stored on city property and could reach 25 feet tall, Symicek said. The question of where to store the material has slowed the project.

The council named Tiffany Bautch to be the new city clerk, succeeding long-time clerk, treasurer Lenice Pronschinske. Bausch is scheduled to begin June 27, and Pronschinske will continue to work part time.

In other action, the council:

• Approved $94,000 in street repairs for portions of Walnut, Willow, Maple and Silver.

• Heard a city committee has decided to take no action on ordinances regarding sexting among minors and truancy.

• Heard that the committee interested in a veteran’s memorial park will seek contributions.