Roachdale Town Council discusses abandoned property

ROACHDALE -- Town council members held a very short meeting Tuesday evening and discussed abandoned properties and how to deal with them.

An ordinance is already in effect giving homeowners a period of time to work on the property.

The biggest issue according to town clerk Martha Louk is getting banks to acknowledge ownership of the abandoned properties.

"According to the plat office, banks own the properties but are not acknowledging that ownership," said Louk.

City attorney Jim Ensley is sending letters to owners in accordance with the town's abandoned property ordinance.

In other business: Fire hydrants in the town will be flushed by the utility department on May 19.

Louk also reported the town has been running a notice in local papers regarding a bond issue for the town's gas utility. Complaints and comments about the bond issue can be sent to John McGee with the USDI Department.

The bond issue is a result of a report at the February council meeting by Anthony Everett with the USDI. He told council members that the current gas system had developed 20 to 30 underground leaks over the past three years.

More than 6 percent of the gas is unaccounted for and is causing a serious loss of revenue to the town. Gas mains are deteriorating faster than they can be replaced. The town could replace every line with plastic and be able to salvage what has recently been replaced if an application for the $1.1 million project is approved.

The Roachdale Town Council meets on the second Tuesday of the month at town hall at 6 p.m.