The Orange City Council is ready to start a spring spruce-up of the city after Harvey. On Tuesday, the council instructed the city staff to start enforcing codes like no advertising signs on the street right-of-ways.
“We have so many activities and we want our city to look good,” said District 3 Councilor Terrie Salter.
In the six months since Tropical Storm Harvey flooded the city, the city was lax on some of the codes to allow people to put back their homes and properties. Advertising signs for contractors were placed along roadways, especially at corners of subdivisions that were severely damaged.
“We don’t even know if some of these companies (with signs) are still in town,” said District 1 Councilor Pat Pullen.
The council also wants codes covering clean yards and properties, like no overgrown grass, to be enforced. Pullen said he noticed that in the first weeks after the flood, people living in the area around International Drive were still mowing their yards, even though their homes were flooded and being gutted.
However, the council is sympathetic to people still rebuilding their houses after the storm. They voted for a third 90-day period to not charge for building permits issued on projects to repair storm damage. New construction has the regular fees.
At-Large Councilor Larry Spears said he wants other council members to join him in picking up trash along 16th Street to show business owners the city wants to be clean. If the area gets clean, maybe the business owners will keep it clean, he said.
City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said the city has picked up 155 loads of storm-related debris with the city’s two grapple trucks. FEMA will reimburse the city for storm demolition debris, but not for contractor trash.
He said the city has spend $18,000 to $22,000 to pick up with the grapple trucks. The city had a contractor in place before the storm to move in to remove debris. The contractor left when most of the debris was gone. However, the council agreed to use city employees and equipment to remove debris that was still coming from flooded houses.
The council also canceled the special election to replace the At-Large Position 6 on the council. However, the city will still have an election May 5 to choose a new mayor.
The Position 6 seat must be filled because Spears, who currently holds the seat, is running for mayor. That makes him ineligible to continue in Position 6, whether he wins or loses. Businessman Paul Burch was the only person to file to run for the two years on Spears’ unexpired term.
In addition, the city will not have an election for Single Member District 1. Incumbent Pat Pullen is the only person to file for the seat.
I the mayor’s race on May 5, incumbent Mayor Jimmy Sims is not running for re-election. Spears, who currently serves as mayor pro tem of the council, is running for spot. Pastor Charles Ray Thomas is challenging Spears.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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