A former Marion County superintendent of education says his property was targeted by the city of Columbia for cleanup because of a longstanding grudge, but officials say he’s been treated like everyone else.
Craig Robbins spoke recently with aldermen and Building Inspector Lonnie Stringer during a discussion of 12 properties that have either been cleaned, need cleaned or need demolished.
Robbins, who has been cleaning up his former tire shop at 202 S. High School Ave., said his property was singled out because of “a grudge Mr. Stringer held since I was superintendent.”
Alderman-at-Large Edward Hough denied the accusation, saying the board, not Stringer, authorizes the letters.
“The fact is that your property has been discussed several times down here about all of those tires down there collecting water,” Hough said. “We could have sent you a letter back in March, April, May, June or July, but we didn’t. You’ve gone in there and cleaned up and I’ve had people notice it. All we’re trying to do is get a mosquito den eliminated.”
Robbins said he had hauled out about 1,000 junk tires and the remaining ones were used tires and that he still sells some of them.
“I don’t care if they’re used or brand new,” Hough said. “It’s a situation where you have tires on the outside that aren’t covered that get water in them, and we all know it’s a mosquito den.”
Robbins then told Hough he would dispose of the remaining tires.
“I’m not questioning whether they are good, bad, or whatever,” Hough said.
Robbins spoke about cleaning up the property, which he has done over the past several months.
“I spent a long time in education,” he said. “When I was at Southern, getting my master’s in school administration, my advisor was 80 years old. I remember the first thing he said to me. He said, ‘The majority of the people in a city or county will never enter your buildings, but they will drive by and they will assess how good the facilities are and how good the school district is and how good the city is by driving through the town.’ I’m not angry or anything, but the last time I mowed it, I picked up all the paper and trash that was there. I got down there and we cleaned it again, all except the tires. But after I got Mr. Stringer’s letter, I began to look and I thought about what Dr. Owens had said about people coming into town.”
Robbins replied saying that City Attorney Lawrence Hahn had said the business was treated like all city businesses. Hough said the city’s bulletin board was filled with copies of letters sent to other property owners.
“I know a couple of places where they’ve had broom straw for 10 years,” Robbins replied. “They’ve never been cleaned. I would ask that somebody get in a city vehicle and drive around and look. I doubt that some of those businesses are on that board. If they’re on the board, then somebody’s ignoring it. I will be the first to say mine needed cleaning up.”
Hough then said another property near Robbins’ old tire shop was also on the list.
“We have one that’s on the list for tear down,” he said. “We appreciate your efforts.”
Mayor Justin McKenzie said Robbins’ work had been noticed.
“I think the mowing was a huge improvement,” he said.
McKenzie said one of the properties on the list, the former Cheepo Depot on South High School, has a collapsed roof. The board scheduled a demolition hearing for Dec. 18.
The list also contained a property at 515 S. High School Ave. which needs mowed and cleaned.
Robbins said the amount of trash strewn along South High School Avenue is a problem.
“When I mowed in the spring I cleaned up a lot of trash,” he said. “We came back in there last week and we picked up four garbage bags of trash that came in over the fence. The wind isn’t blowing it over the fence; people are throwing stuff over the fence. Set up a camera down there, catch them, and there’s a ticket for littering you can write them.”
McKenzie said the city was working on the litter problem.
“We’ve come in with a lot stiffer penalty,” he said. “The night that went into effect, there was a guy locked up for DUI because he threw a cup out into the road. We’ve been making efforts, and they’ve been writing tickets for it.”
McKenzie highlighted the fact that the agenda had 12 properties listed that Stringer was bringing before the board for further action.
“We are gradually taking those steps trying to make that happen,” McKenzie said.
“Let’s clean them all,” Robbins said.
Hahn responded that it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
“In a perfect world, you would be able to do that,” he said. “Every property was contacted. You have to send notices to them. You have to have hearings. The law is very cumbersome, as it should be because it’s private property. Over the last nine years, Lonnie comes in every second meeting of the month and brings in different properties for the board to consider looking at. Over the last nine years, there have been literally thousands of properties that have had letters sent. It cycles through over the years.”
During the meeting, the board learned that properties located at 1209 Meadowood, 610 Oak Ave. and the former carwash on Mississippi 13 North had been cleaned.
The board took action and passed resolutions for 1399 Benjamin St. to be mowed and cleaned, 217 George Drive for a mowing and cleaning and 406 Short Owens St. for a demolition. and mow and clean hearings for 1115 Mobley St., 1216 Bell St. and 411 Bay Ave.
Pictured Above: Craig Robbins has been cleaning this former tire shop at the corner of Lumberton Road and South High School Avenue but said he has concerns about the way the city is enforcing ordinances. Photo by Mark Rogers
