Code enforcement has been a topic of discussion at two recent Marthasville Board of Aldermen meetings as city officials have struggled to find avenues to issue tickets and enforce code violations within the city. 

Mayor David Lange asked City Attorney Mark Piontek to reach out to Warren County Circuit Clerk Tim Beard about issues the city has had recently with issuing tickets for code enforcement. 

Lange said the city’s tickets enforcing local ordinances like lawn maintenance are not being processed because when they are submitted by City Clerk Ravin Kersting they do not include individuals’ drivers licenses and birthdays. 

“We run into the issue where Ravin would write code violation tickets and they wouldn’t process them,” said Lange. “They wouldn’t process our tickets because it didn’t have the guy’s drivers license on it and his birthday.”

Lange said he felt those provisions were required for traffic tickets, but he did not see a reason why they would be required for municipal ordinances. 

“You already have our address, you know where to send the summons, you know. You send it to the owner of the house, they guy that’s in violation,” said Lange. 

He said he was advised to reach out to Beard by Warren County Sheriff Kevin Harrison during a conversation about contracting with the department for code enforcement. 

Alderman Chris DeVore had previously requested they reach out to the sheriff’s department to patrol Marthasville for traffic violations at the board’s June 18 meeting. 

DeVore has expressed his concern about children operating vehicles like mini-bikes and dirt bikes on Marthasville’s streets. 

“My main concern is that, they’re unlicensed, uninsured, the drivers are not licensed drivers and that they’re not obeying the laws of the streets. They’re blowing stop signs, speeding, it’s a public nuisance but also it’s a public safety concern,” said DeVore. 

He had expressed these concerns before and felt the city required law enforcement to help curb the issue and requested that Lange reach out to Harrison to discuss additional patrols. 

DeVore said when he had spoken to deputies about the issue they said they did not have jurisdiction on Marthasville’s streets and their hands were tied unless they actually caught one of the drivers in the act on a state road. 

Lange provided an update on that situation at the July 16 meeting. He said he spoke with Harrison about contracting with the department for code enforcement and Harrison was not in favor of the idea. 

“He’s not overly in favor of that, because he said he’d have to hire somebody new to strictly put him in town,” said Lange. 

Harrison was not available to attend the July 16 meeting but said he could attend the board’s August meeting. 

Aldermen felt since Piontek was already contacting county officials, they would see what the attorney could come up with before they reached out to Harrison again. 

“We already know how Harrison feels, let's see what Mark can come up with,” said Alderman Leo Meyer.