By Scott Mims

Thorsby town officials want to remind residents to clean up any rubbish or litter on their property.

A town ordinance includes fines for failure to maintain the appearance of private property. The ordinance prohibits overgrown weeds and visible trash on front porches or in yards.

Council member Neil Benson said people who rent property in Thorsby have complained about the appearance of neighboring properties. He said trash is more visible this time of year because there are no leaves on the trees.

“People coming through that are looking for a home, they don’t want to see all that,” Benson said. “It doesn’t look good.”

Several months ago, Thorsby had a problem with abandoned vehicles in yards, Benson recalled. This is covered by a separate ordinance. People were asked to provide a reason for the presence of a vehicle and were given a set number of days to remove it.

While the town does not hesitate to enforce its ordinances, Benson said a friendly reminder is usually fairly effective.

He added that council members and other officials are expected to follow the same standards as everyone else.

“It could even be some of our own (properties),” he said. “We all need to get out in the spring of the year and clean up a little bit.”

For more information on town ordinances, contact Thorsby City Hall at 646-3575.