Cambridge City’s town council continued efforts to stay on top of blighted properties and other eyesores during its Nov. 11 meeting.
Public works superintendent Ken Risch said that several properties on Front Street are seeing progress, and that he’s in the process of writing letters related to other properties that may need to be torn down. Risch said some cleanup efforts have revealed misunderstandings about property lines, which further complicate the work.
Council asked Risch about the status of 314 W. Main St, a property the group has been talking about for nearly a year now given its potentially unsafe status. Risch said in December 2023 and again in May 2024 that he’d be attempting to contact the owners, believed to be from out of state. Risch told council last week that some of the letters have come back and that the building may have changed ownership.
In general, council and Risch agreed that bringing attention to individual blighted properties seems to be making a difference, and that they’ll continue to evaluate an escalating fine structure and to discuss when to file lawsuits to get legal judgments on delinquent owners.
Town Attorney Bob Bever reported finishing the legal work to redefine what “livestock” is for purposes of the rules about livestock in town limits, with an eye on accommodating Tony Smith’s potbellied pig, Oscar. Those entering public service may not imagine themselves discussing pig weight limits (“How big can we go?”) or how many pigs are appropriate for a household, but council members took the business item in stride and approved the new ordinance.
Efforts to bring wireless internet access to Creitz Park continue, with quotes coming in for service and equipment. In addition to providing Wi-Fi as a public service, the hope is to also use it to increase security camera coverage there. There are also plans to work with Duke Energy to increase lighting in the park so it is not so dark in certain spots. Council will review updates at its December meeting.
Council approved and signed the final contract with Pridemark Construction in Muncie for work on the new performance venue. Their project total is $586,800 which includes the concrete work, a metal pavilion, some handicapped accessible parking and an outdoor seating area. Council also reviewed how various town-contributed funds for the project would be sourced from different accounts.
Council noted that Cambridge City will receive some of the $186,520.26 allocated to Wayne County in the awarding of the Community Crossings matching grant, aimed at improving road and bridge infrastructure. The town will use the funds to help with street paving in 2025.
Council heard about a resident complaint regarding a possible temporary residence set up in a camper on the street at 513 E. Church Street and agreed that more information was needed.
Fire Chief Jeff Gabbard said he’s still working on making sure the town’s tornado siren works. He said right now the communication between Wayne County’s communications tower to the Cambridge City siren site is not functioning. In a separate matter, Gabbard noted that new fuel tanks have arrived but have not yet been installed.
A version of this article appeared in the November 20 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.