Mullins City Council introduced an ordinance amendment, during this past week’s meeting, regarding unsafe buildings. Instead of condemnation, City Administrator Pete Rogers said dilapidated homes considered health hazards would be demolished.
Rogers added that if a building represents a health hazard, the matter could go before municipal court and have the owner correct the problem or remove the hazard. The city uses the Marion County Building Inspector to make the determinations, he said.
In other business, council introduced an ordinance to annex approximately 11.5 acres in North Mullins. Rogers said a local church expressed a desire to be annexed into the city for police protection.
Although the move doesn’t bring in additional tax revenue, Rogers said it has a potential for development and further annexation.
“It helps us,” Rogers said, adding that the city’s police officers can respond to the area more quickly. Rogers told council members that Marion County Council members had expressed a desire to meet with city officials for a joint meeting Jan. 29, to discuss pooling resources and addressing issues.
State budget cuts are having an affect across the board, as school districts and municipalities share the same fate of adjusting their own budgets because they get funds from the state. Rogers said the city is facing a cash flow problem, with the local option sales tax collections for the month of December down 17 percent.
Rogers called for a finance committee meeting to discuss the matter. “Every time the state cuts the budget, our aid to local governments is cut as well,” Rogers said.
Council members also discussed, at length, dealing with homelessness in the city. Several months ago Mullins Police officer Capt. Phil Mostowski presented to council the department’s course of action, which included researching and distributing contact information to help homeless individuals.
“It’s been a struggle,” Police Chief Russell Bass said, adding that his department works on trying to help the homeless and finding assistance outside the county. Bass said most individuals simply refuse the help.
“A lot of it is self-responsibility,” he added. Council agreed to examine the issue and find out if there has been an increase in homelessness in the city.
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