By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—The Atkins-Porter Neighborhood Association learned Wednesday night a $15,400 USDA grant has been approved for the Association’s plan to create a neighborhood park at the lot at 311 Jackson St.
A two-story building that had become an eyesore at that location was torn down by the Association and the city of Paris earlier this year and plans have been in the works since then to turn the location into a park.
Park Committee Chair Annette Douglas said she was notified yesterday that the grant had been approved.
Plans for the park are still being formulated, she said, but early plans called for bricked walkways and park benches.
Paris Police Lt. Josh Frey and Officer Jordan Klutts appeared at the meeting and fielded questions from the members on a variety of topics, including what to do about problem neighbors, how best to report drug and other criminal activity and noise ordinances.
Frey and Klutts told everyone to always call the police department at its 642-2424 number to report problems. Klutts said, “When you say ‘problem neighbors’, that’s something we can’t always do something about because it’s a matter of perspective a lot of the time. What you think is a problem neighbor may not be a problem to everyone. But if you have suspicion of something going on criminal in nature, always call us and we’ll try to address it.”
As for drug activity, Frey and Klutts both cautioned that it may not appear that the problem is being addressed immediately even after the police are called. Frey said, “We probably won’t go and do something about that right then and there. With drug offenses, you have to build a case and we let our drug officers investigate. But don’t get discouraged if you don’t always see immediate results.”
The city does have ordinances that prohibit loud noise late at night and close to other residences, they said.
Klutts pointed out, “The same laws that protect good folks also protect the criminals and we have to be mindful of that when we’re doing our job.”
Photo: Lt. Josh Frey and Officer Jordan Klutts at Wednesday night’s Atkins-Porter Neighborhood meeting. Photo by Shannon McFarlin
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