LANETT — At its Monday meeting, the Lanett City Council approved a contract with the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA), unanimously backed a proclamation recognizing Farm-City Week and declared 15 houses dilapidated properties.

The long-term contract with AMEA was extended for one year, from 2035 to 2036. To withdraw, a member entity must allow for a 10-year window.

Lanett is one of 11 members of the organization.

Farm-City Week will be taking place Nov. 16 through Nov. 22.

It’s been recognized nationally for more than 60 years.

The council approved the list of dilapidated houses following an executive session that lasted approximately ten minutes.

The list includes five properties on South Gilmer Avenue, two on North 6th Avenue, two on East 19th Street and single lots on North 12th Street, East 19th Street, East 3rd Avenue, South 1st Avenue, South 3rd Avenue, Veterans Memorial Parkway and East 1st Avenue. Eight of the properties are owned by William Sharp.

Code Enforcement Officer Lt. Lewis Hill reported to the council that each one of these houses had been partially burned or was in an advanced stage of deterioration.

“I have made every effort to get them repaired or removed,” he wrote the council.  “I have not had any success due to the owners being deceased or uncooperative. Therefore, I am asking the mayor and council to declare these properties a nuisance and approve them to be torn down.”

Once the city council designates abandoned homes nuisance property, it can have the structures torn down, the debris taken to the landfill and the site cleaned up.

The cost of doing this can be placed as a lien on the property.