BLAND — A Bland resident’s concerns over street conditions, code enforcement and other city issues led to a heated exchange with members of the Board of Aldermen during the Aug. 10 meeting.

Resident Jordan Durbin raised a lengthy list of concerns, including tall grass on city property, road conditions, building permits, visibility at intersections, police practices, stray cats and city park maintenance.

Much of the discussion centered on damage along Missouri Avenue, where Durbin said poor street conditions were damaging his vehicle.

He told the board he had previously raised concerns about severe road damage near the intersection of Missouri Avenue and Lyford Street and argued that he should not have to pay for repairs caused by the condition of a city street.

Mayor Merrilee Spurgeon responded that Bland does not currently have enough money to repair every street in town.

“As soon as we get the money to repair all the streets in town, we will do that,” Spurgeon said. “Until then, we won’t.”

Durbin also questioned what he viewed as inconsistent enforcement of city ordinances.

He said Bland’s grass ordinance prohibits grass taller than 12 inches but claimed grass surrounding a city storage building at the park had reached at least that height.

He also questioned why he had been required to obtain building permits while saying he had observed work being conducted at other properties without permits posted.

Durbin raised concerns about a culvert with what he described as a 10- to 12-foot drop that did not have a warning sign or fence and said trees near Missouri Avenue and Taylor Street obstructed motorists’ view of approaching traffic.

He told board members that several of the issues had been brought to him by other residents.

Durbin also questioned how the city handles residents who speak during public meetings.

“Why is it the majority of the people that come to the meetings get kicked out? As I was,” Durbin said.

Spurgeon responded, “You’re the only one that has gotten kicked out.”

Durbin disputed that and said others had also been removed.

Spurgeon said the individuals Durbin referenced had not been removed from board of aldermen meetings, but from court proceedings.

Durbin said situations like that could discourage residents from attending meetings and voicing their concerns.

“But that makes community citizens not want to come and voice their opinion,” he said.

Durbin also questioned why two Bland police officers sometimes ride together rather than using separate patrol vehicles.

Board members told him he did not know the circumstances surrounding those instances and suggested that if he had concerns, he should document the times he observed officers riding together and bring the information to the police chief.

The discussion later returned to the condition of Bland’s streets and the city’s enforcement of its ordinance concerning unlicensed vehicles.

Durbin argued that he was expected to address an ordinance violation involving his vehicles immediately while the city was not being held to the same standard regarding damaged streets.

“So basically, what I’m hearing is, after all this, is the city streets can be messed up,” Durbin said. “Everything that I’ve addressed is okay within the city, but my unregistered vehicles are not. I have to fix that problem immediately, but you guys don’t have to fix your problem.”

Spurgeon said the city simply does not have the money to pave every street.

“We do not have the money as a town,” she said. “If we had a billion dollars in town, we’d pave every street in this town, but we don’t have that kind of money. We’re doing it as we can.”

She said an unlicensed vehicle is an ordinance violation and residents are required to comply with the ordinance regardless of the city’s financial limitations.

“As far as your unlicensed car, that’s an ordinance violation, and everyone has to abide by it,” Spurgeon said.

Durbin responded that street conditions could damage his vehicle to the point that he could not afford to repair it and questioned why the city should not bear responsibility.

One alderman responded by telling him to avoid the pothole.

“Slow down and go around the pothole,” Alderman Joe Ridener said.

The exchange grew more contentious when another alderman told Durbin the city would not pay his repair bill.

“Well, here’s what you do: slow down and go around the pothole. If we had money to fill that pothole, we would,” Alderman Rex Ridenhour said. “I tell you what you do if you want to, go get the car fixed and bring us the bill, because it won’t get paid if you think we’re responsible for you driving like an idiot.”

Durbin asked whether there had ever been a report of him speeding through town.

Ridenhour responded that most city streets have a 20 mph speed limit and said if driving at that speed was enough to damage a ball joint, “then it was tore up to begin with.”

Durbin continued to argue that repeated travel over damaged pavement could cause vehicle damage.

Spurgeon eventually ended the discussion after saying Durbin had been allowed approximately 20 minutes to address the board.

“The time is up,” she said. “We give you 20 minutes now that you’ve been talking, so we’re done.”

Durbin again returned to his concern that city streets were damaging his vehicle.

Spurgeon responded, “Maybe you can move to a town where they have better.”

Durbin said he believed he was being required to immediately address problems with his vehicle while having to accept the consequences of street conditions he could not control.

“We all have to give something,” Spurgeon said before moving the meeting to the next item of business.