By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—At Monday night’s meeting, the Paris City Commission heard complaints from citizens involving dilapidated properties in the Lee School district and a chronic panhandler in the downtown area.
Carol Mannon and Sandee Green appeared at the meeting to voice complaints about properties in their neighborhood, namely a home at the corner of Hudson and Caldwell Streets. Mannon said the property is in deteriorated condition and has been for some time and poses a danger to others. She said there are six properties in the neighborhood are in very bad shape.
She said parking in the neighborhood also is a problem, with people parking on both sides of the street and even on sidewalks leaving little room for people trying to drive through or even walk through.
City Manager Kim Foster encouraged neighbors to call Paris Police when they see the ongoing parking problems.
Randall Perkins, who owns Perkins’ Drug Store, issued a complaint about a panhandler who has been increasingly aggressive with people downtown. Perkins noted that the problem is growing and that the woman is scaring shoppers and has tried to get in people’s cars.
He said people have given her food but she doesn’t appear to want the food. “She literally has received food from people and literally left it in door and continued to migrate up and down the street looking for more and she’s been trying to get in peoples’ cars,” Perkins said. “I’m really concerned because we’re trying to make downtown Paris what it is and she neutralizes everything.”
Paris Police Chief Chuck Elizondo said the woman has been cited, as recently as this week. “But it doesn’t really work. When you cite her, she just goes and does the same thing.” She was cited this week for being a traffic hazard by walking in the street, he said. He also said there are a couple businesses who have no trespassing orders against her to keep her off their property.
Foster said she would encourage business owners to educate their customers not to give her money because that seems to bring her back to ask for more. “The Paris Police are aware of this and it is a difficult situation,” she said.
In other business:
–Foster said the property on S. Market St. that is being improved for the Paris Police Department is coming along well. “The painting of the building, erection of the new fence, stabilization of the bank and grading of parking lot has been completed.”
The police department will begin utilizing the parking lot for holding confiscated vehicles and more interior work needs to be done before the department can begin using the inside of the building to any great extent.
City Commissioner Jackie Jones said the property ‘looks great. It looks brand new. What a difference it’s made.”
The property is located at the corner of Market and Veterans Drive and had been unused and was rundown for several years.
–Foster reported the bridge on Rison Street is in poor condition and qualifies for the Federal Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehab Program.
Photo: Carol Mannon speaks to commissioners. (Shannon McFarlin photo).
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