Galveston

May 09, 2009 06:40 pm

— You have to give the folks in Galveston credit for their tenacity.
For three straight months, they have turned out in huge numbers to demand that their elected leaders help them in cleaning up the town. A meeting last week drew more than 200 people.
Thankfully, the town council finally seems to be listening. After 90 minutes of discussion, the council agreed to consider joining an alliance with the Logansport and Cass County plan commission.
That would be a great first step.
Clearly, council members have been slow to grasp the situation. More than one has been heard to say that what one property owner does really should have no effect on anyone else.
That is clearly not the case. One house with a sofa on the front porch can create a negative image for the whole block. One business with junk piled in the parking lot can reflect poorly on the whole community.
Particularly when that business is owned by a member of the town council.
A representative of the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development turned out for last week’s meeting to explain new state laws that can be used to help clean up properties and to demolish or reuse abandoned buildings. The new laws speed up the process for communities to take over abandoned property. There are even grants available from the federal government to help with the costs.
First, though, the town needs a plan. That’s where the city-county planning commission comes in. The planning department says the town can obtain its services for $500 a year. All it takes is an application that could be approved in a matter of months.
The council should take that step. It should also get serious about addressing the concerns brought forward by local residents.
A committee formed last month to examine the issue of blocked sidewalks didn’t get around to having its first meeting until the day of the council meeting. That’s an insult to this group of concerned residents.
Perhaps town officials believe that if they drag their feet long enough, these unhappy residents will simply give up. Based on the size of the crowds at recent town council meetings, our guess is that’s not likely to happen.