The City of Winona held its June 5 meeting at 5 p.m. with Ward 4 Alderman Charles Harris presiding as Mayor Pro Tem in Mayor Aaron Dees' absence. Ward 3 Alderman Archie Flowers was also absent, but the three remaining aldermen provided a quorum to proceed with city business.
The meeting opened with a public hearing on a variance request from Mary's Towing to place a permanent mobile building on Middleton Road. City ordinance currently prohibits mobile buildings in that area, but the business is seeking Board approval for an exception.
Attorney Ryan Taylor represented Marty’s Towing before the Board, along with the business owners. Ward 1 Alderman Mickey Austin noted that the company had significantly improved the property since acquiring it. However, several residents voiced strong opposition to the mobile building proposal during the public hearing.
Jeremy Black, owner of Parker Wrecker Service, was first to speak to the Board stating that there is also an ordinance that states that junk yards and wrecked vehicles are not supposed to be there.
“We’ve been told that there’s not going to be any junk showing, no junk cars out there,” Alderman Austin said.
“Well there’s not supposed to be trailer houses, and that’s what he’s got for an office,” Black responded.
Alderman Austin replied that the Board can make a variance for Marty's Towing if the Board votes to approve it.
“To that, I’ve talked to Marty about it. Everything will be in compliance, everything he’s going to do there is top notch,” Attorney Taylor stated.
Several other Winona residents voiced their opposition to granting the variance to Marty's Towing. Many argued that ordinances exist for a reason and should be followed unless the board wants to formally change them. Others stated they had been in similar situations with the city regarding mobile buildings and were denied permission to place them on their property.
Once everyone who wanted to speak had a chance to, Mayor Pro Tem Harris addressed the issue stating, “From my understanding, Mr. Marty had originally met with the code enforcement and the Mayor. I don’t know that verbiage, I wasn’t there.”
He went on to explain that he thought that it should be tabled until the new administration is in office in July.
“In the meantime it can stay there until a decision is made,” Mayor Pro Tem Harris said.
Attorney Taylor responded, “If that’s the Boards decision, then obviously I honor the Boards decision. But at the last meeting, the Mayor and I think [Code Enforcer] Mr. Johnson, both acknowledged that the unit was shown to the Mayor. The Mayor agreed to it, they even talked about a ribbon cutting ceremony, and after the fact. I think Mr. Johnson, who is here, the code enforcement officer, said that he was made aware after the fact that it might not be in compliance, after it made it to the lot, after the money was expended, and then told him that it had to come off the lot.”
Mayor Pro Tem Harris then explained that issues such as these must always come before the Board. This is not a matter that the Mayor and Code Enforcer can decide on their own without Board approval.
After the lengthy discussion, Alderman Austin made a motion to table the issue until the new administration takes office in July. Ward 2 Alderman Travis Johnson seconded the motion. Ward 5 Alderwoman Linda Purnell opposed. The motion passed by majority vote.
