The Town of Waterford Police Department has announced the start of Clean Up the Town (CUT) 2012. This is the fifth year for this initiative.
Each year since the program began in 2008, the number of complaints has decreased.
In 2011, the police department received 19 public nuisance complaints, down three from the previous year. Three properties came into compliance before citations were issued. Citations were issued for 14 violations, up three from the previous year, with a variety of dispositions in court.
Citizens are concerned about the danger that junk in plain view poses to the safety of the public and the adverse affect on their property interests. Junk is an eyesore, and keeps property values down.
The CUT initiative gives offenders until May 31 to clean up their properties. At that time, all remaining violators will be issued citations with fines of $177 for violation of the Public Nuisances ordinance (5.06).
Multiple citations will be issued at the officer’s discretion when no cleanup progress is observed. No warnings will be issued.
Property owners who believe they have brought their properties into compliance before the court date can call for a Town of Waterford police officer to perform an inspection. The officer will record his observations on a Compliance Verification report and submit it to the court. All persons issued citations are required to either pay the citation or appear in court.
Officers will be looking for the following violations:
• Buildings or structures so old, dilapidated or out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise unfit for human purposes;
• accumulations of junk that adversely affect the property interests of others including tin cans, rope, wire, metal, rubber, bags, glass, cloth, paper, plastic, earth, wood, ashes, inoperable boats or motors, etc.
• motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts which have been abandoned, dismantled, ruined or otherwise not in running condition and/or not legally operable and licensed for use on public highways.
Citizens who would like to assist in the CUT initiative should call the Town of Waterford Police Department at 534-2119, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Property owners with violations that are identified by citizens will be cited first. No citizens who report violations will be identified
When property owners refuse to remove the junk, abatement action in Racine County Circuit Court will be initiated at the direction of Town Chairperson Robert Langmesser. All costs associated with the cleanup will be assessed as a special charge on the owners’ property tax bills.
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