Numerous complaints and questions unanswered for Medaryville community

Many residents turned up at the Medaryville Town Council meeting to voice their concerns that were unanswered.
During a regular business meeting on April 20, the council was scheduled to address 18 trash ordinance violations, approve the second reading of the keeping of livestock within town limits forbidden ordinance and approve an amendment to the abandoned vehicles within town limits ordinance. 
Because there were more residents at the meeting than the town hall could hold, the venue was moved to the Medaryville Lions Club building. 
Council president Robert Schultz said the council would allow for those in the audience to talk for three minutes on one issue that they feel needs to be addressed. During the three minute time of the person speaking, the council or audience were not to interrupt them. 
He first allowed the council members to talk. 
Councilwoman Suzanna Wilcoxon was the first to speak. She said she wanted to know how the town felt about livestock such as chickens being within the town limits. 
According to her research, there are about 302 registered voters in town. She obtained 175 signatures regarding how the voters feel about the proposed ordinance. She said she wasn’t able to canvas the whole town, but most on the east side of U.S. 421. Only five were in favor of the ordinance, meaning that about 55 percent of the voters were against the ordinance. 
While she was speaking with the town residents, she said some have said they would move rather than get rid of their animals. 
Councilman Raymond Saltsman Sr. said he doesn’t understand why anyone would have chickens because the costs and effort of taking care of those animals is more than purchasing them at the store. 
He said he would have considered chickens or a rabbit to teach small children a “respect for life,” but that’s the only reason he sees to have chickens. He said there are some bigger animals in town such as a goat and horses. 
After Saltsman Sr. was done, Schultz gave the audience a chance to speak. He used a timer for the three minutes. He made it clear that it was not a time for questions and answers. 
Numerous people voiced their opinions regarding the animal ordinance and the trash ordinance. 
One woman, Kelly Jackson, said she has been cleaning up the property for the last several months. She said she’s very upset about the letter because they have been cleaning up the property since April of last year. Another woman questioned who determines what is trash and how long something can sit, such as a car, before it needs to be removed. 
Others said they have animals and their children or grandchildren are learning responsibility with the animals. One family has animals in their yard for 4-H projects. Some said they moved to Medaryville because there was not an animal ordinance. If the ordinance is approved, one woman said she will have to move. 
Bob Baker suggested that if the council wanted to know how everyone in the town felt they could attach a survey to the water bill. 
Pulaski County Councilman Mike Tiede attended the meeting and thanked the council for addressing the trash issue. Tiede owns two properties in Medaryville. He said one of the renters has rabbits and they are some of the best renters that he has had. 
Two people voiced they were in agreement with the ordinance. 
One person said he understands the cleaning up of the trash but the council doesn’t appear to be addressing the abandoned homes that are collapsing. 
Deb Nezda said she would like to have a say in the community and a survey is a good way to hear what the people in town really think. 
She said she doesn’t think the fines are a good idea either because there are people who don’t have enough money to pay for the fines. She suggested that maybe the town help them to keep their property up.
There was also a question as to why the town bathrooms are never open.
After everyone had voiced their concerns, the council was given a chance to comment again. 
Schultz took time to address a few of the issues that he heard including cleaning up the trash, and why the town park bathrooms are not open. He said the bathrooms are not open because of vandals. 
He challenged everyone in the audience to drive around the town and look at all the trash. 
As for the animals he said the town might consider animals for 4-H projects but that would only be during part of the year. 
Former councilwoman Corrie Hauptli said 4-H projects are not only seasonal. 4-H members must keep record of the animals all year long. She commended the trash ordinance and suggested that the survey that Wilcoxon started should be finished. 
A motion was approved to approve the second reading of the keeping of livestock within town limits forbidden ordinance. 

See the full story in the Pulaski County Journal, available in print and e-edition.

Pulaski County Journal

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