Kimball Mayor David JacksonKIMBALL, Tenn. -- When the grass grows too high on property owned by people who don't live nearby, Kimball officials give city workers permission to mow it to keep the surrounding area looking nice.
Vice Mayor Rex Pesnell said he wants to make sure those property owners are paying the bills for the city's efforts.
There are at least two properties within the city limits where the town has had to mow, Kimball Mayor David Jackson said, but the property owners are not sent a bill for the work.
"We put a lien on the property's taxes at the [Marion County] courthouse," Jackson said. "If somebody comes in to buy it, then that somebody has to pay the lien. That's how we handle it."
Each of those properties has been mowed by the city two or three times, he said.
"If they never try to sell it, then we've mowed their yard for them," Pesnell said.
Kimball Attorney Billy Gouger said the city can do more if the bill for the work becomes a serious problem.
"As a lien holder, you could put [the property owner] on notice that you're going to ask the court to sell the property to satisfy your lien," he said.
Officials did not provide any totals for the current outstanding mowing bills, but Jackson said he would find out what the current charges were so the Kimball Board of Mayor and Alderman could discuss the issue further at a future workshop.
"[The out-of-town property owners] just leave it and don't worry about it," Jackson said. "Out of sight, out of mind, and that's the way they look at it."
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.