By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

BURKET — Cleaning up the town was a topic of discussion during the Burket Council meeting Thursday, Jan. 8.

Council President Bill Rayburn said they’ve had various comments that something needs to be done. There’s a lot of things like limbs and waste that need to be cleaned up.

Rayburn said he wanted the council to discuss what they could do to help clean up the town.
Councilwoman Debra Deniston asked if there was a town cleanup day where residents can “put out whatever.” Rayburn said he had other people ask about that and “that’s probably something we should take on.” He said the council should see if a company like Stafford’s or someone else provides a spring cleanup day service.

Rayburn said they need to be careful of telling residents what they can and can not put out for the spring cleanup day, as they may not pick up things like TVs. If the town brings in a dumpster, “it opens a Pandora’s box” to people possibly dumping things they shouldn’t. Rayburn said if they do a spring cleanup day, the company that does it will have to give the town a list of what they will pick up.

Rayburn said the town tried to address the issue by sending out newsletters saying Stafford’s will pick up mattresses or furniture if called and paid ahead of time.

Councilwoman Lena Ball said she thinks the idea of a spring cleanup day is a good idea, but she thinks items will be put out that shouldn’t be.

“Well, then it’s going to be sitting there. I guess we’ll have to deal with it,” Rayburn said. “Let’s see what services will take.”

Deniston said she could talk to Stafford’s. Rayburn said if Stafford’s can’t provide the service, he suggested Deniston could ask if Stafford’s could make a recommendation of who could provide the service.

Rayburn said he wouldn’t guarantee the town would do a spring cleanup every year, but would like the town to do it. He said the town should see how the first year goes.

Resident Marvin McClone questioned whether residents should be able to afford to get something like a mattress hauled away.

“I think what we’re wanting to do is clean up the town,” Ball said.

Rayburn said that opens up whether the cleanup should include things like limbs.

“I don’t know if we want to go there,” Rayburn said.

Rayburn said while he agrees people should be able to afford to haul away a chair or mattress, there has to be some encouragement to get things out.

Rayburn said the town still plans on issuing ordinance violations for people having things in their yard they shouldn’t. He said he has a list of people the town is keeping an eye on. He said he wants to send out letters for at least some of them.

Rayburn said he drove around town and identified a couple properties that probably needed to be addressed. Some he said were minor and some were worse than others.

Street Superintendent Brad Bibler said he has issues with a South Street property because there have been instances where a vehicle has been parked at the corner and he has had issues plowing in that area. Rayburn said he’ll try to arrange something in order to talk to the property owner.

Rayburn said the town has to separate some of the issues because some of the issues residents can be fined for and some of the issues can be hard to enforce. Rayburn said he doesn’t want to send out 50 letters, but would like to work on some of the properties discussed.

Rayburn also brought up a pile near the railroad tracks that drew concerns about burning due to its size. Rayburn said the pile can not be burned because it is on commercial property. The person is aware he is not supposed to burn the pile on commercial property. Rayburn said the person said he’d take care of the pile and Rayburn said if he doesn’t, a letter will be sent and the issue will go from there.

In other business, the council:

• Learned the town’s email was hacked last week. Rayburn said it has since been resecured.

• Heard from Bibler he is still making calls to the railroad company about fixing the railroad crossing on Walnut Street. He said a representative told Bibler some time in the spring it would get done.

• Learned the generators were installed at the Burket Fire Department and the Burket Fireman’s Training Center. Rayburn said he is just waiting on an invoice from the K21 Health Foundation for the town’s portion of the cost for the generator at the training center.