By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal

The town of Fort Deposit is following up on an action to clean up town taken on Monday, May 9.

On that date the Town Council approved the sending of letters to people with buildings that need to be torn down and old cars that need to be taken care of to do so or face fines.

The letters, which were dated June 17, from Mayor Fletcher Fountain and the Town Council are directed to “All persons owning property in the town of Fort Deposit, downtown area and surrounding town.”

It states all vacant lots must be cleaned, all old rundown buildings must be renovated or torn down and all old cars (nonoperable) must be moved from the streets.

“If the town has to clean your lots or move old cars it will be at the owner’s expense,“ the letter states. “It is not the town’s responsibility to keep your property clean. We are trying to recruit new business to locate here. Please help us by cleaning and keeping your property clean. We are thanking you in advance for your cooperation.”

When asked what made this letter necessary, Fountain referred to possible automobile plant expansion in Alabama.

He said he felt such expansion would be in places where people show an interest in their towns.
“And in order to draw people to our town, we have got to keep our surroundings clean,” he added.