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MENTONE - Despite the fact that many of the issues listed by a group of concerned citizens last month were already addressed, a petition was presented to the Mentone Town Council Monday.
Leafy Hudson, who assumed the role of spokesman in the absence of other members of the unnamed committee, read the statement from the petition. Excerpts include that the group "feel(s) that our purpose in appealing to you, the Mentone Town Board, for help last month got lost someplace in a quagmire of misunderstanding." It also stated: "While compliance to solve some of the said problems naturally falls upon our police department, the problems are ultimately, undeniably, the responsibility of our elected town officials, our town board. To shirk this responsibility, laying it in the laps of others, is a gross dereliction of your sworn duty."
Hudson didn't agree with the council members' assessment that this presentation was negative, vs. last month's upbeat discussion which included suggestions that volunteer groups be organized to help clean up properties belonging to elderly or disabled homeowners. It was decided in August that the committee would draft a letter to residents that would be reviewed at the September council meeting.
"That isn't our job," Hudson said. "That's your job. Why are you expecting us to do your job?"
In response to Monday night's presentation, council president Forrest Kantner said, "My initial reaction to this is that it's totally negative ... I do appreciate what did transpire last month ... I had really thought that we had made some progress last month, but I guess I was wrong."
Among the "problems" the committee wants the town to address are curfew violations, loose and barking dogs, junk cars, unsightly houses, broken blinds in windows, rats from bad housing conditions, overcrowded houses, unmowed lawns, cars being revved and loud stereos blaring in cars.
"This is not a dictatorship," Kantner said. "We are not able to go out and hang a checklist saying you have to paint your trim or side your home ... I personally think it's an easy way out for people to think that the town board's going to solve all their problems for them."
Councilman Ed Rock agreed with Kantner and told residents that many of the violations enforceable by ordinances (such as junk cars) were being worked on before the committee came to the August meeting.
"The police department was preparing letters before the last meeting," Rock said. "There is a certain amount of regimen that must be followed. ... It is time-consuming to do paperwork and that takes away from the officers patrolling for revving cars and such."
Town Marshal Jim Eads said that 10 of the 21 properties with overgrown lawns have been taken care of and another five have been contacted and steps are being taken the rectify the problem.
The health department took care of a stagnant pool in town, the Saemann Foundation has been contacted to board up broken windows and solving other issues also has been initiated.
"From your statements," Kantner said, "I assume you think nothing's been done." As far as the 81-signature petition is concerned, he said, "I know when you go around and ask people for gripes, you're gonna get a lot of them. Why don't you ask what they think is positive about Mentone?"
In other business, the council:
• Voted to accept the low bid from Peerless Midwest and The Smith Group to proceed with phase one of wellhead protection. This portion must be completed by 2002.
• Gave permission for Eads to advertise for bids for a new police vehicle. The department is looking to purchase a sport utility vehicle to replace one of the cars.
• Approved spending $469 for a computer software program for the police department. The program contains state-required accident report forms.
• Announced leaf pickup begins Oct. 4 and continues through Dec. 3. Residents are asked to rake leaves to the edge of streets or alleys, but not onto the roadways.
• Set fall cleanup for Oct. 8. Large trash items will be collected; a list of acceptable items is available at the clerk's office.
The next meeting is at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in the town hall.
