Revamp for junk rules

Moorcroft Council has initiated a revamp of the town’s junk ordinance, responding to concerns expressed by the police department. “The current one is so vague that it is hard for them to actually enforce,” says Mayor Dick Claar.

The present law governing vehicles and weeds has been in effect for at least a decade and has been enforced, but the process can take several up to several months.

“By the time you get through the court system, it is 120 days later,” says Claar. He says that, with the amendment, the process will be accelerated, allowing the police to take more immediate action.

Town Attorney Jim Peck and Police sergeant Bill Bryant have been working together to make the ordinance more imposing on those who choose to disregard the current law. However, Peck had previously advised the body, “I know you think that what you had was not good enough, but what you had is, so far, the only thing that has actually passed muster, upheld by the court in the sixth district. I’m a little reluctant to shy too far away.”

Imposing maintenance of peoples’ yards is also part of the amendment, though such enforcement may prove difficult. As Peck observed at a recent council meeting, “Who’s going to take a yardstick into peoples’ yards?”

Claar says he wants to see the town take pride in their yards; “Hopefully, yards will get cleaned up and not get overgrown. There is some concern that some properties have five, six or seven vehicles setting on their property,”

Claar thinks the modified law should address this issue as well, mitigating the unsightly “stockpiling” in town. He noted that Bryant had advised at one time obligating everyone within the municipal limits to have current tags and registration on each automobile kept on site.

Over the last couple of years, residents have approached the governing body seeking some type of junk ordinance enforcement and this amendment will assist the police in doing so. The amended ordinance will be brought before the council in the next couple of meetings to be read and approved.

The mayor asks neighbors to jump start cleaning up their space during Spring Cleanup Weekend the first week in May while the town is offering free dump day and the chamber is accepting appliances (except freezers, refrigerators and air conditioners). All people have to do is get it to the curb, says Claar, to, “Keep their areas a little cleaner and take pride in what we have.”