I’ve heard a lot about “common sense government” and the term sometimes seems to me like an oxymoron. While I’ll be the first to admit that holding any public office is a difficult job, I have to wonder about the thought processes behind some who manage to get elected to hold some positions.
At the risk of being asked to shut up, I’m going to talk city condemnations.
The City of Prescott has established a committee to drive around Prescott and create a list of properties that are “unsightly.” That’s Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor’s word, not mine.
There’s no doubt in my mind that it would be fabulous to look around town and see only the well-manicured lawns and beautiful buildings of a Leave it to Beaver episode, but the sad truth is that we don’t live in Mayfield. In fact, there doesn’t seem to really BE a place called Mayfield other than on the sets of ABC and CBS.
Here’s my humble opinion. The city council has condemned the Christopher Oil Building located on Rosston Road. I’ve heard all kinds of rumors as to why that building was singled out, but I can’t substantiate any of them and I’m not really giving those rumors much credence. What I do know for a fact is that someone representing the Christopher family appeared before the city council with some promises and the council put a time limit on having repairs completed.
Almost two years ago, the council voted to go forward with the condemnation. The building was condemned and that, apparently was that. The building is still standing there, though there have been some bushes removed so that the building is more visible from the street.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think the city should rush over there and tear down that building. At least not before they look in their own front yard.
Almost directly across the street from city hall is an abandoned wall. I say wall because there’s no roof there, though it looks like a storefront from the street, complete with trees growing higher than the wall.
Or take a walk just a block in either direction from city hall. There are abandoned buildings in both directions, each with a potential health hazard attached. The former Prescott Hardware is a prime example. The building is not secured. Several times I’ve picked up debris in the street that was apparently tossed out of the upstairs windows. Or pass by the doorway where the trash can sits almost any Monday and note the smell.
So why isn’t the city talking about that building?
They have. The problem is elected officials have apparently come to the conclusion that the owner would simply ignore any command to tear the building down and that the city can’t afford to do the demolition either.
That almost sounds familiar. I’ve heard someone else just recently say they’d love to have a building removed from their property but can’t afford to have it done.
All that said, I fully understand that by projecting a good image, we heighten our chances of enticing someone to start a business in Prescott. How about let’s put a little more effort into holding onto what we’ve got.
Instead of having a city council that’s wealthy enough to pay council members for their service, why not give the local industries a break on utilities so that when their parent companies look at which plant to close, the Prescott facility won’t be among those selected.
Simplistic ideas on my part? You bet, but that’s the view from Wendy’s World.
(Wendy Ledbetter is the editor of the Nevada County Picayune)
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I’ve heard a lot about “common sense government” and the term sometimes seems to me like an oxymoron. While I’ll be the first to admit that holding any public office is a difficult job, I have to wonder about the thought processes behind some who manage to get elected to hold some positions.
At the risk of being asked to shut up, I’m going to talk city condemnations.
The City of Prescott has established a committee to drive around Prescott and create a list of properties that are “unsightly.” That’s Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor’s word, not mine.
There’s no doubt in my mind that it would be fabulous to look around town and see only the well-manicured lawns and beautiful buildings of a Leave it to Beaver episode, but the sad truth is that we don’t live in Mayfield. In fact, there doesn’t seem to really BE a place called Mayfield other than on the sets of ABC and CBS.
Here’s my humble opinion. The city council has condemned the Christopher Oil Building located on Rosston Road. I’ve heard all kinds of rumors as to why that building was singled out, but I can’t substantiate any of them and I’m not really giving those rumors much credence. What I do know for a fact is that someone representing the Christopher family appeared before the city council with some promises and the council put a time limit on having repairs completed.
Almost two years ago, the council voted to go forward with the condemnation. The building was condemned and that, apparently was that. The building is still standing there, though there have been some bushes removed so that the building is more visible from the street.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think the city should rush over there and tear down that building. At least not before they look in their own front yard.
Almost directly across the street from city hall is an abandoned wall. I say wall because there’s no roof there, though it looks like a storefront from the street, complete with trees growing higher than the wall.
Or take a walk just a block in either direction from city hall. There are abandoned buildings in both directions, each with a potential health hazard attached. The former Prescott Hardware is a prime example. The building is not secured. Several times I’ve picked up debris in the street that was apparently tossed out of the upstairs windows. Or pass by the doorway where the trash can sits almost any Monday and note the smell.
So why isn’t the city talking about that building?
They have. The problem is elected officials have apparently come to the conclusion that the owner would simply ignore any command to tear the building down and that the city can’t afford to do the demolition either.
That almost sounds familiar. I’ve heard someone else just recently say they’d love to have a building removed from their property but can’t afford to have it done.
All that said, I fully understand that by projecting a good image, we heighten our chances of enticing someone to start a business in Prescott. How about let’s put a little more effort into holding onto what we’ve got.
Instead of having a city council that’s wealthy enough to pay council members for their service, why not give the local industries a break on utilities so that when their parent companies look at which plant to close, the Prescott facility won’t be among those selected.
Simplistic ideas on my part? You bet, but that’s the view from Wendy’s World.
(Wendy Ledbetter is the editor of the Nevada County Picayune)
