Angry residents went before the city council last week to complain about the conditions of their neighborhoods.
Beverly Minch, 116 East Perry St., and Rachel Riddle, 111 East Perry St., both had concerns about a house at 125 East Perry St. that they said was in poor condition and the front and back yards had become a haven for trash.
“There’s trash that high along the side of the house,” said Minch, holding one hand at waist level.
“That street is horrible. Nobody should have to live in those conditions,” Minch said. “I don’t care how they live inside that house, but I care how they live outside, when I live near it.”
No one answered the door when The News-Herald went to house.
At the city council meeting, residents asked why the city couldn’t condemn the house or inspect the inside.
David Lilly, Owenton fire chief, said he can’t go inside a house if someone is living there.
Police Chief Terry Gentry said the police could only a enter a house with a warrant.
Gentry said he couldn’t comment on the specific situation of the residents, since one of those residents, Carol Setters, is currently involved in a legal matter.
Setters recently plead guilty to unauthorized procurement of a controlled substance and will be sentenced on May 23
Gentry did say that he has cited the residents of the house before for high weeds, debris, or rubbish, but they always clean it up and get it back to code.
“They’ll clean it up just enough so I have to sign it off,” Gentry said.
“Once they’re up to code it’s out of my hands.”
Gentry said that when someone complains about the conditions of a neighbor’s home, he will always try to work with the residents, allowing them a chance to get the house back to code.
Mayor David “Milkweed” Wotier suggested getting the health department involved to see if something can get solved that way.
“We will do what is within our limits,” Wotier said to the residents in attendance.
Riddle also had another complaint, saying that there is a pond directly in front of her house, blocking walking access to and from her home.
The city council agreed to look into that situation to see how that problem can be fixed.
A third resident from the Jones Hill area went before the city council to complain about neighbors making threatening comments, playing loud music, revving truck engines and blocking parking access to their home.
“We are trying to determine whether or not we have city easement on that street,” Wotier said, saying that would determine whether or not the city could intervene with the parking problems.
As for the other problems, Gentry said the police need to witness the activities for them to write a citation or make an arrest, but that the resident could still file a charge of harassment.

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