Petition calls JR Services a hazard

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  • Refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners located in front of JR Services on Jackson Street. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
    Refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners located in front of JR Services on Jackson Street. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
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More than 100 call for business cleanup

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More than 100 residents, calling themselves the Putnam and Jackson Street community, have signed a petition demanding JR Services, a plumbing company at 310 South Jackson St. and 313 Putman St., to clean up what they determine are “a health and/or safety hazard.”

JR Services is listed in several places online alternatively as home improvement, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and drain and sewer cleaning. JR Services lists themselves on Face-book as an “appliance doctor” that buys and sells used appliances. Additionally, a Facebook post lists them as having a home for rent.

A petition from the Putnam and Jackson Street community alleges that, although the location is zoned as a business, JR Services is creating potentially hazardous conditions because “the condition of this property mimics that of a landfill,” the petition says.

Located on the property are, “old, used refrigerators, old, used air conditioners and parts, disarrayed various piping of multiple sizes, used toilets and parts, sharp metal objects not behind a fence, a large enclosed trailer positioned 11 feet or less from the adjacent home’s porch, used bathtubs, industrial stoves/ ovens, vending machines, washing machines, deep freezers, tin roofing materials and other miscellaneous objects,” the petition alleges.

An investigation by the News-Telegram was able to locate some, but not all of these items. It is possible not all items can be seen from the street.

“Per se it’s not illegal,” City Attorney Jim McElroy said, referring to the fact that the property is zoned commercial.

“But if he’s got a mess out there, it is…. First thing we do is we go out there and we talk to people, and then we start more formal enforcement methods.”

“Ninety-five percent of code enforcement, we get cooperation and compliance with our initial efforts,” McElroy said. “We follow up every time we get one of these complaints…but we’re going to resolve these issues so that businesses continue to do business and the neighbors don’t have a mess that devalues their property.”

The neighborhood petition states the issue was first brought up by Donna Washington with Jeff Redding, the property owner, and Jason Aimes, code enforcement, approximately a year ago.

“Since we bought over the building, it’s a lot nicer than what it used to be,” said Meghan Sanderfer, an employee of JR Services speaking on behalf of Redding. “It’s a business, it’s a shop. We’re plumbers, and we get messy and dirty sometimes…. We run out of room, but it’s in a fenced-in area, it’s not like it’s just sitting out in the front somewhere.”

At the time the News-Telegram visited JR Services on June 12, there were approximately five refrigerators, three washing machines and two air conditioners sitting in front of the business.

“We pay our taxes, we pay our dues,” Sanderfer said. “I can understand if it was a residential home, but we’re doing our best to clean it up better.”