Does Jacksonville have an unwanted surplus of abandoned vehicles? Local aldermen say yes.
Alderman Tony Williams says the issue of abandoned vehicles isn’t new to the City of Jacksonville, however it’s reached a point where it needs to be addressed. Williams and several other aldermen expressed their concerns Monday night.
“We have gotten to the point we see so many abandoned cars in Jacksonville, ones that have weeds even growing up through them, it’s time to get something done to reduce that. Our plan of attack is to start being more conscious and for the aldermen to go around the neighborhoods and find out where we have abandoned cars. Even in a sense where we’ve seen cars that have been covered up for years, but just because you put a cover over a car doesn’t necessarily mean that it can be there,” says Williams.
Williams acknowledges this as a city-wide issue.
“Actually this is not just in one area, it’s all over the city, so it’s a big undertaking. The police department also is instrumental in having an individual go around the city. I’ve charged the other aldermen to actually start looking for abandoned cars, cars that have been covered up in yards for long periods of time, and turn them in to Chief Grootens,” Williams says.
Williams says the undertaking would help rid the city of blight and create a cleaner Jacksonville.
As for specific plan to reduce the number of abandoned vehicles, aldermen are working with Police Chief Tony Grootens on re-writing an ordinance.
According to Williams, the council is in agreement regarding the problem.