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The Harlan City Council ironed out some details concerning creating a Codes Enforcement Board during a recent meeting.

Harlan City Mayor Joe Meadors brought the issue to the table near the midpoint of the meeting.

According to Harlan City Clerk Carla Jones, the creation of a Codes Enforcement Board would allow the entity to handle issues related to city ordinance violations, giving citizens an avenue to pursue solutions to individual issues within the city.

“They are working on a Codes Enforcement Board ordinance,” Jones explained. “The ordinance would be to set up a Code Enforcement Board for things like the nuisance ordinance, parking tickets, and minor issues. Once cited for something, if somebody wants to appeal it, they can bring it to the Codes Enforcement Board.”

The Codes Enforcement Board may also deal with issues such as lawns not being properly cared for, litter, delipidated buildings and other similar issues. The board would also consider the circumstances around violations, giving citizens an avenue to present their individual circumstances to the board and come up with a workable solution.

The council approved a motion to begin the process of creating an ordinance establishing a Codes Enforcement Board to consist of five board members, and to pay each member $50 per meeting.
Jones stated once created, the ordinance must still go through the usual procedure and receive final approval by the council.

The council also approved the second reading of an ordinance exempting the city of Harlan from the city’s mobile home ordinance.
The ordinance states “the City of Harlan is specifically exempted from application of this Chapter with regard to any action or activity of the City upon its own property for any purpose intended to further the City’s goals in promoting tourism or promoting any other business activities of the City.”

Jones pointed out there are times temporary housing such as campers may be needed inside the city.

“If we had a disaster and we had to set up something temporary, it exempts the city (from the current mobile home ordinance) and lets the city be able to do things like that without changing the ordinance completely,” Jones said.

In other council activity:

• The council approved the minutes of the previous meeting;

• The council approved a motion to pay bills.