Plains mobile home ordinance draws feedback
Concerned citizens filled the room for the Plains Council meeting Aug. 1 to express their concerns with a long-standing town ordinance that addresses how old a mobile home can be in order for it to be moved into the town limits.
Dale Williams led the public discussion with his disapproval of the mobile home age limit ordinance. Currently the ordinance limits the age of a mobile home to be no older than 1986 and has been a town ordinance for almost 20 years. Williams spoke about the aluminum wiring in the earlier mobile homes being a safety issue. He raised the possibility of having older mobile homes, that were brought into the Plains town limits, to be inspected by qualified inspectors.
Local resident, Pat Killgore, read from his written statement against the town ordinance on the age of a mobile home that can be moved into the Plains town limits.
Killgore said, “these ordinances need to be quashed plain and simple. If the powers that be need a new ordinance, maybe it can be written where it makes some sense.”
Killlgore went on to say, “This ordinance must go away for the sake of so many people. This is America, the land of the free, or is it?”
Mayor Dan Rowan stated, “The town was not in the business of running people out of town because of the ordinance. No one is getting squeezed out because of the ordinance.”
The final public comment was made by Dale Carter. Carter had recently moved in a mobile home from out of the area to 506 1/2 3rd street. Dale said he wrote out a check of $4,000 to the town for fees to hook up the water and sewer with documentation stating that the mobile home was compliant with the current town ordinance.
Sewer and water hookups were delayed because of the depth of the towns buried lines which required hiring an outside contractor. Further documentation of the mobile home showed that it was older than first stated.
Rowan said that the town cannot process Carter's check for a non-compliant mobile home and felt that the age of the home was initially misrepresented. Carter said he is currently unable to move into his mobile home and is living in a small RV.
In other council business, the previous months minutes, along with the treasurer’s and judge’s report were approved. Rowan updated the council with the many ongoing projects. This year the crosswalks will be repainted. Last year the paint for the crosswalks wasn’t available. The final day the public pool will be open is Aug. 13.
The Plains Public Works Departments planned projects have been delayed, waiting on contractors to complete the work with the sewer project building construction starting soon.
The mayor and the town council will review the Public Works department’s five-year capital improvement plan at next month’s council meeting.
The setback ordinance, for new commercial construction, had its first reading and was approved by the council.
Rowan asked the council members for the ability to authorize change orders on the sewer project of $5,000 or less. Change orders over $5,000 would still require authorization from the council members. The measure was approved by the council and should help keep the construction of the sewer project on schedule.
The new police chief in Plains, Brian Josephson, is settling into his new position. He was instrumental in installing a new records management system for the department. Josephson did say he has encountered a few issues, manly the departments phone system which has been repaired. The Plains Police Department is also looking to recruit up to a dozen new Reserve Officers. Those interested need to contact the Plains Police Department.