Officials working to clean city

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Russellville officials are doing what they can to clean the city, even if it requires some drastic measures.
Smoke billowed across the city early Wednesday as fire and building officials burned a vacated home on Tuscaloosa Street.
Building official Bill Fuller said his office is working to remove condemned homes across town.
"We have several that's being condemned," Fuller said. "We have already torn three down."
The new city administration ran last year on a platform of cleaning the area up.
"The building inspector identified 30 properties he considered condemnable," said Councilman Jeff Masterson.
"We agree with him, but more importantly the majority of voters asked us to address this issue. Not only houses, we hope everyone will address their own yards and vehicles. If they will get it to the road, the city will pick it up. We all need to work to make the city more presentable."
Councilman William Nale said the police department is also working to make sure people keep their property and yards up to standard.
"I think it's working well," Nale said. "Some of the properties' homeowners that have been condemned have already bought building permits to begin working on those houses."