Annexation on Arnold Councilmen's Work Session Agenda

The Arnold City Council will have a long and busy work session, at 2101 Jeffco Blvd., on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Members will discuss annexing plans to expand the city, review claims about sewage spilling into residents homes, review red-light cameras and discuss safety concerns about vacant foreclosed homes.

Since Thursday night's meeting is a work session, where councilmen review information and publicly discuss the issues, no ordinanaces will be created or require a vote during the meeting.

Annexation

The city's comprehensive plan, which provides guidelines for Arnold's growth and development, defines fringe areas beyond Arnold's boundaries that can be used for new residences, industry or business in Arnold, says Chapter 4 of the city's plan.

The entire plan is posted on the City of Arnold website.

The difficulty of annexing any area includes, for example, the cost of an increased police force, extending sewer lines, and opposition from people living in the annexed area.

Blight from Deteriorating Homes

Councilmen will also consider the problem of foreclosed homes that are  deteriorating.

Many Arnold homes have been vacant and foreclosed for more than a year, states a memo from Arnold Community Development Director Mary Holden to Mayor Ron Counts and the city councilmen.

Without someone actively caring for the homes, the buildings deteriorate, are vandalized, and bills go unpaid.

Among the options city councilmen may consider are

• Whether to sue the banks owning the homes
• Buy the homes at a discount and repair them for resale
• or demolish the vacant building.

Review of Red-Light Camera Tickets

About 1,800 letters about unpaid red-light camera tickets were sent, in error, due to discrepancies between multiple systems, says a memo from Arnold Finance Director Deborah Lewis.

Lewis will provide possible solutions to eliminate those errors during Thursday night's City Council work session.