Speeders, parking violators and other motoring infractions may soon be able to pay fines at town hall to keep driving violation off their record if an ordinance being considered by the Crothersville Town Council is approved.
Under the current system a traffic violator would appear in Superior Court and pay a fine with only $3 being returned to the community.
If the town approves the proposed ordinance, tickets written on Crothersville streets could be paid at town hall with all fees being retained by the town. Additionally, no record of the violation would be placed on motorists’ driving record nor to their insurance company.
Among the locally paid violations include speeding, parking violation, U-turns, passing violation and seat belt violations.
The council is to give further consider of the matter at their April 7 meeting.
Shae Young of the Indiana Main Street program was on hand to explain how local volunteers working in conjunction with her program can enhance the appearance of Crothersville and make is more attractive to business.
She said 75-80 communities across the state participate in the program including Seymour in Jackson County.
“There is no size limits or constraints,” said Young. “You can focus on a single building or an entire business district. What ever your local group of volunteers feels it can effectively tackle.”
Community members would spearhead the local program with some funding coming from Indiana Main Street and some from local and other private sources.
“I believe this can be a success in Crothersville,” said CARD (Crothersville Area Revitalization and Development) spokesperson Brenda Holzworth. “I don’t see why there shouldn’t be an interest. I don’t see how we could lose (by participating in the program).”
The town authorized CARD to be the local group to investigate and initiate the program.
In other business, it was learned that state officials have granted Crothersville Town Council an extension to fix problems with the town’s combined sewer system.
Council reported at its meeting Tuesday that the town needed until the end of 2010 to deal with violations stemming from the town’s ailing sewer system and was awaiting word on an extension from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Approval of the town’s agreed order came later Tuesday, Council President Ardell Mitchell said.
Mitchell said he received an e-mail Tuesday from IDEM acknowledging acceptance of the revised order.
Last month, the council discovered that only one of the five violations surrounding the system had been corrected, which prevents the council from starting to work on its long-term control plan.
Residents Rocky & Lyndia Huffine addressed the council concerning dogs running loose along Walnut Street & Seymour Road.
They said about five dogs are acting aggressive, barking and growling at pedestrians in the area.
“Our real estate agent was showing a home we have for sale on Seymour Road and the dogs barked and growled at the potential buyers. It may have cost us the sale of the home,” said Huffine. “Why won’t the town enforce its leash laws?”
He said postal carriers have confirmed that they have voiced concerns about the dogs. “But the complaints are falling on deaf ears,” he said.
The town has some live traps to capture dogs and cats and will purchase more to set in the neighborhood to attempt to alleviate the problem.
