Staff writer
City ordinances are public documents viewable by anyone. Peabody city ordinances and all of their modifications and changes are kept in two four-inch thick binders at city hall. Following an individual city ordinance from its beginning through decades of changes and adaptations can be a daunting process for a resident who just wants to know if there are rules about keeping his trees trimmed or his house painted.
Peabody City Council approved hiring City Code Financial to fix that problem after a presentation Monday night by municipal attorney Larry Kleeman, who works for the company.
City Code Financial will research, review, and organize each ordinance and any updates, changes, or adaptations to it. The final product will be available on the city’s website in an easy-to-use format. The work will take several months to complete at a cost of $3,750, plus an annual fee of $750 for additional changes or upgrades during a calendar year.
In other business:
- Council members voted to accept an offer of the property at 213 E. Division St. from Coldwell Banker. The house has been in foreclosure and the lending institution is willing to make a gift of the property with a clear title and all closing costs paid. The city will be responsible for prorated property taxes, the cost of insurance, and whatever cost is incurred to sell the house.
- Randy Dallke was present to tell the council that city employees had tackled the log jam under the South Olive St. bridge and had removed a great deal of it. He thought a heavy rain would wash away much of the remaining debris.
- Charles Orcutt also addressed the council to thank them for the extra work they did in the drainage ditch in front of his house at Eighth and Poplar Sts.
- Council members were told that Vogts Parga Company arrived Monday morning to begin street work in on the west edge of the 700 and 800 blocks of N. Olive St. The company will replace the curb and guttering in each block as well as dismantle and re-lay the street bricks.