Tougher penalties sought for gun violations

Mayor Mike Amyx wants city commissioners to consider rewriting an existing ordinance to make it tougher on people caught carrying a gun within 200 feet of a bar.

Amyx alerted commissioners at Tuesday night’s meeting that he wants to have a future discussion about rewriting the ordinance to include mandatory jail sentences for people caught carrying a gun near a bar. He said he could envision a 30-day mandatory jail sentence for first time offenders, with 90-day or 180-day sentences for repeat offenders. He said fines of more than $500 also could be imposed in addition to the jail time.

He asked staff members to look into the legality of writing mandatory jail time into the ordinance. The discussion comes on the heels of several incidents of the police finding guns in the downtown area.

Water treatment plant remains on course

Commissioners directed staff to continue moving forward on plans for an expansion to the Clinton Water Treatment Plant, despite the costs increasing by about $4 million.

Staff members still are reviewing whether the higher construction costs will require a larger-than-expected increase in water rates to pay for the project.

Demolition delayed on Kentucky Street house

Commissioners delayed action until March 6 on a request to demolish an 1885-era home at 1019 Ky.

Commissioners generally agreed that the home had deteriorated to the point that it could not be rehabilitated, but commissioners wanted to consider whether the property owner, Ellie LeCompte, should be required to build a new home on the site. The property is in the historic Oread Neighborhood. Historic preservation guidelines generally require that a comparable structure be built to replace historic buildings that are torn down.

Easement pursued along 23rd Street

Commissioners unanimously agreed to start condemnation proceedings to gain a sewer easement on property near 23rd and Louisiana streets.

The sewer easement would run through a piece of property that includes the Checker’s grocery store at 2300 La. The easement is needed to get sewer service to a vacant piece of property just east of the 23rd and Louisiana site that developers hope to use for 16-unit apartment complex.

The easement would not impact the operations of the Checker’s store. Although Checker’s is locally owned, the real estate is owned by a New York-based company, attorneys for the developer said Tuesday night. They said the New York company did not have an interest in selling a sewer easement.

The condemnation process could force the property owners to sell a sewer easement to the city. The developers have said they will pay for all the city’s expenses in the matter.