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Show DAVIS REFLEX JOURNAL, AUGUST 8, 1984 Carelesness, Absentee Ownership Mean Weeds By DONETA GATHERUM cult to get to cooperate. Often vacant lots have been sold several times in only a few months. Tracking down the current property owner is a problem. Land is purchased with the idea of developing it in the future when the sales market is good. Speculative buyers often live out of the city or out of state. They have little interest in a weedy lot in Clearfield, Sunset or Layton. Many developers just dont want to be bothered by weed removal. Weed ordinances are written to comply with the state legal code. The wording of the law usually defines weeds as a Nuisance, fire hazard, unsightly, hazard to health, source of contamination or breeding place for insects or rodents. Weed ordinances are tied in closely with laws controlling garbage and junk. - NORTH DAVIS COUNTY Weeds are a problem common to all home owners. Most people vote part of each day to the remov- al of these undesirable plants from flower beds, vegetable gardens, lawns and open spaces. - THOUSANDS of dollars are spent each summer purchasing r, products that will make the weeds die easier without physical labor on . the part of the home owner or members of the family. Most residents take great pride in the appearance of their home, lawn and gardens. They recognize weed removal is a necessary part of own-in- g real property. Some land owners refuse to keep - up their property in a manner that is acceptable to the standards of neighbors and the community. , THE PROCEDURE for enforcing the law varies little from city to city. The first step is receiving a complaint. Most often, a citizen calls the city to tell about the weeds near his home. Complaints start coming into the city offices in May, if weed growth is great. June is the normal prime month for weed complaints. Sometimes, the call is action taken because of a neighborhood dispute. Most often, the caller has a legitimate complaint. City officials sometimes observe weedy lots and issue a complaint without citizen requests. Weed complaints are handled by the fire department staff or the building inspectors depending on the city. WHEN LOTS sit through the .. winter months absorbing seeds carried by last years plants, wind storms and humans, all that is :. e needed to make a weed patch is sufficient spring moisture. , The weeds grow rapidly. Telephones ring almost as rapid-l- y at the city halls of North Davis first-rat- Countys eight communities. . Why . cant something be done ab- out the weeds? I take care of my place. Cant the city make the person down the street or across the : road get rid of the mess around his :,home or on his vacant lot? L UNFORTUNATELY, weed . ordinances are not easy to enforce. Frequently, summer is over and the weeds have dropped seedS for next year before the negligent property owner is brought to jus- WHEN A complaint is received, an inspection is made. Picture may be taken if the inspector feels court action will be part of the enforcement procedure. Most cities try to tice. , contact the property owner in person or on the phone. Those city officials contacted say this initial, personal contact and reminder is usually all that is needed to get the weed problem solved. If a kind reminder doesnt work, all cities have the power to enforce their weed ordinances. The method is to give the property owner notice in writing that the weeds must be removed. The time set to get the weeds off varies according to the different ordinances and according to the temperment of the The biggest weed problem areas are in two categories: 1. Careless home owners; 2. Absentee landlords (developers or land speculators). Most city officials contacted agree that a careless home owner usually just has to be verbally reminded that his property needs to be cleaned up. If there is a problem with sickness in a family or if a person is unable to take care of the problem, most city officials willingly work out a way for the property owner to get the weeds cut. DEVELOPERS are more diffi inspector and-o- city council. r Usually between 10 days and 30 days is given to get the weeds removed. CLINTON City sends a registered letter to weed offenders giving them 10 days to clean up. This early-o- n process saves many weeks of delay. If a property owner refuses to take care of the weeds, the city has the power to do one of two things depending on the wording of the individual ordinances. Most cities hire a private individual to cut the weeds and then the expense of the weed cutting and removal is billed to the property owner either as an itemized statement or as a lien on the property to be collected with property taxes. PTA 1 VVI n 1 SOME CITIES do not contract for weed removal. These municpa-litie- s take the weed offender directly to court. This is a more speedy solution to the problem unless the offender appeals. If there is court action, the decision may be rendered long after the weed season is past. A property owner has the right to appeal the weed complaint before the city council at any time from the first when a verbal or written request to remove weeds is made until the time when a lien is placed on the property or court action is started. ONE BIG problem with all procedures and ordinances used to control weeds is the time it takes to get the job done. A city employee is used for weed inspections when this person could be doing another job within his city department. The bureaucratic system of notifying property owners, doing paper work, keeping files, attaching liens to property, preparing court cases, getting money back that is spend for weed removal is time consuming and expensive. Citizens voice frustrations when they see the same vacant lot fill up with weeds year after year after year. Officers of the Davis Central parent Teachers Association are left to right Kathee Richardson, teacher representative; Pat McBride, first vice president: Dot I orp dario, legislative vice president; Etholene Cornaby, secretary; Diane harding, treasurer; Paula Barker, pref and Dale Barnett; sident; Ruth Barker, president-elec- t; principal representative. PTA OFFICERS ONE CITY official summed up weed ordinances by saying, teacher representative; Pat FARMINGTON - On April 5 in the Davis School District Administration offices building, newly elected and appointed members of the Davis Central Elementary PTA Council Region 3 were installed by Edrice Christensen, Region 3 PTA -- There must be a better way. Citizens living in North Davis County agree and urge elected officials to find a successful weed removal plan, dmg McBride, 1st vice president; Dot Fondario, legislative vice president; Etholene Cornaby, secretar-y- ; Diane Harding, treasurer; Dale Barnett, principal representative; Virginia Parry, historian. director. Load Increasing For (Comity Paramedics presses concern at figures over four minutes, indicating we are now finding medical calls are backing up, that units may rush through one call to get to another, that the ability of the two units to cover each other while the other is busy is reduced because of call committments. By TOM BUSSELBERG - North County Editor - In at least FARMINGTON one instance, Davis County isnt envied around the state: its two paramedic vehicles serve a greater population than any other area. ... . IN FACT, at an average 83,500 people between them, and an case load, that high ratio must change or, in the words of K.D. Simpson, sheriffs office captain coordinating paramedics, the situation will become overwhelming. Emphasizing its not to that point yet, Mr. Simpson has gained endorsement from the emergency medical services council and is ' already meeting with county to determine financing the way for a third paving strategy vehicle. Hope is that vehicle will be "on line, complete with a trained staff, ready to roll, Jan. 1, EMPHASIZING he doesn't feel service is being jeopardized Capt. Simpson said residents deserve the best and that points to need for a third vehicle. Citing national standards, he said its recognized a one vehicle per 50,000 population in an area such as Davis County is advisable. Even with three vehicles, population in the county will be above 170,000 by 1986, its projected, meaning thered still be about 56,000 served by each- - ever-increasi- rs initially. By comparison, r. THAT GIVES less than 18 he said in an in."months terview, and isnt as much time as ,jt may appear. Only two paramedics training courses are scheduled between now and then that .would allow completion of the class before Jan. 1, 86. crew State law dictates a must be ready or its no go, unlike when the county initiated the paramedics in January, 1977. Theres a lot more to the concern than just population vs. vehicles. In a detailed study, that includes comparison with other paramedics operations around the state, Capt. Simpson shows a response time that is climbing upward, forced by more calls vs. the same number of units. FOR THE more compact, south end, that response time has crept up from an average four minutes in June, 1978, to just under six mie nutes so far this year. The with and mor$ spread out people-averajust above 7 Vi minutes. The veteran sheriff s officer ex- lead-tim- vehicles average one per 41,000 while Weber, at 73,000 is the closest to Davis. WHEN FIRST implemented, it was figured 10 percent of the calls officers by the paramedics-latime would go for medical emergencies, Capt. Simpson says, noting that held true the first two years. By 1979, though, calls for medical help doubled and have climbed consistently since. He attributes that largely to awareness by residents and physicians cooperation. ' This year, the ratio of medically-relatecalls has climbed to 57 percent of those going to the para-- . medic vehicles and time expended has risen to nearly time e, 12-m- ; d one-fourt- h vs. less than a fifth for population- -concentrated north-mor- ges v includes those elementary schools in Farmington, Kaysville and Layton. A total of 15 schools are represented by the Central Council. New officers include Paula Barker, president; Ruth Barker, president-elect; Kathee Richardson, When the system was set up Dub Lawrence, a key factor was the ability to keep law enforcement personnel busy vs. having paramedics stationed at a fire departuntil ment, for example-waiti- ng called ITS FIGURED $300,000 is needed to start-u- p a third vehicle, by the time personnel, training and equipment are included, although that goes down as the vehicle is on line, he said. It costs to train a paramedic and cover their salary and benefits during the six months Weber State College course. By comparison, it only takes 10 weeks for a paramedic-trained staffer, say, to gain the law enforcement expertise to combine the two jobs. Paramedics are paid on the same Van Brocklin, individual development; Barbara Sutherland, membership and finance; Mary Pettingill, parent and family life;Tom Pad-docsafety and welfare. The main goal of the Central Elementary Council is to direct. k, Contest. ; COUNCIL BOARD meetings air held once a month. A month!;, meeting involving the Centra! Council and local unit PTA workers is held to intergrate PTA programs. dmg under Sheriff William Daspicy &d Decdime Thusday 12 Kfoost wage scale as other officers, Mr. Simpson says, receiving only a $125 incentive pay extra to $10-$13,0- Gerlach Sr., a member of that board, very supportive the commissioner notes funding must be worked out without fouling up the state law mandating tough limits on new budget ceilings. e Voters approved, by a margin, and less than a mill has been tapped, regularly, so far, leaving elbow room for the rest. maintain proficiency, including attending classes on their own time. nine-on- WHILE THE emergency medical services council has expressed support, with County Com. Harry if it can be financed without disrupting the tax ceiling limitation. POPULATION projections place the county well on its way to 300,000 people by turn of the cen- tury, meaning paramedics will be in more demand-f- ar above the 2,636 calls handled last year, he added. Mjpsdjmme H&ecowwy Mjpcowers? duties. IN ADDITION, HAFB Hospital, for example, is now utilizing the paramedics for all critical care transfers out of the county while physicians elsewhere are also often making use of their expertise and equipment, Capt. Simpson notes. That puts a crimp on coverage, as one vehicle must make up for two. On top of that, law enforcement patrol must be reassigned. developers whereby south Davis County residents may hae their garbage delivered (or deliver privately) for transfer by the developers to the burn plant; (2) Bountiful will have the option to pull out of the burn plant operation at a time when the plant is operating at full capacity (estimated five years); By GARY R. BLODGETT Clipper News Editor w hs THE COMMISSIONERS are Gloria Ator, health; Gloria Taylor, community involvement; Chris THE CENTRAL PTA Council and assist local units in reaching their goals. The council acts as ah information center. The officials provide training and serve as ii communication link between thg state PTA and school units. LEADERSHIP training is giveh through example and workshop1 : The Central Council is responsible for researching district needy Each year they sponsor a RelfeJ-tion- s Orems two vehicles serve an average of 30,000, Salt Lake Countys six 1986. Davis Central Parent Teacher Association Board ol Commissioners are left to right, Virginia Parry, histo1- ian an Publc relations; Gloria Ator, health: Gloria Taylor, community involvement; Barbara Satherlaml. membership and finance; Mary Pettingill. parent and family life; and Tom Paddock, safety and welfare. - Theres still a breath of life left in the BOUNTIFUL a resource recovery (burn for garbage countywide proposal but time is running out. plant) - j (3) ALL CONTRACTS for sale of steam, power and other agreements with the developers must be fulfilled; (4) that Layton BOUNTIFUL City Council kept the burn plant alive last Wednesday night by giving its approval to the proposed facility -but with certain stipulations attached. Earlier, the council had agreed to the burn plant proposal but left nine stipulations which must be met by the developers, Katy-Segher- J and Clearfield city councils change their votes and approve the project; and (5) the interest rate for sale of bonds be negotiable, but sold at a reasonable interest rate. City officials emphasized that approval of Bountifuls earlier and they are still skeptical stipulations was received second-hanuntil the proposals are approved in writing. s, Inc. d SINCE THEN, the developers have verbally agreed to all but one of the stipulations. The only stipulation not agreed to was a assume all liability for request by Bountiful that Refuse the Area Disposal (BARD) landfill site in closing Bay West Bountiful. Apparently the developers have agreed to all other stipulations, and Bountiful City Council voted 0 to accept liability of closing the landfill and left open negotiations for sale of Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) for funding tjie construction of the plant. Katy-Seghe- OTHER STUMPLING blocks" still facing the proposal include the necessity of the developers to operate a transfer truck 60 feet long between the shelter and plant. West Bountiful ordinance doesnt presently allow this large of vehicle on city streets. Also, time is running out for developers who must meet a Jan. 1, 1985 deadline for financing to gain tax shelters and other funding benefits necessary to make the operation feasible. rs 4-- BUT THE (Bountiful) council stuck fast to some other counter proposals made to the developers. These include: (I) A transfer station will be constructed and maintained by the I BARD MANAGER Elmer W. Barlow told the council that there is $638,000 in BARD reserve funds and this reserve amount could be increased to $2 million after five years and $5 million after 20 years if left in the bank to accrue interest. ; |