SILVERHILL, Alabama — The Silverhill Police Department wants those violating nuisance ordinances within the town’s police jurisdiction to know that they are being put on notice.

“We have had numerous complaints,” said Sgt. Michael Taylor, SPD’s chief investigator, “and we will be stepping up our efforts to actively enforce several of the town’s nuisance ordinances.”

Ordinances include those dealing with noise, animal control, health and sanitation and junk vehicles, Taylor said.

Officers will be issuing warnings and citations which will result in fines and could result in jail time for multiple offenses, Taylor said.

Taylor and Silverhill Police Chief Kevin Brock addressed the Silverhill Town Council at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 20.

In a related matter, the council passed a pair of amendments to the town’s ordinance concerning the keeping of domestic or farm animals or fowl, including cats and dogs, within the corporate limits of the town, adding language to the ordinance which will help in enforcement of the ordinance, officials said.

In other business, the council approved Ordinance 436-02-20-2017 concerning golf cart usage within the town limits.

During last year’s general election, an amendment to the Alabama State Constitution passed allowing individual municipalities to pass their own ordinances concerning the use of golf carts.

According to the ordinance, anyone operating a golf cart within the town limits must be a licensed driver over the age of 16 and the golf carts must comply with all applicable laws concerning motor vehicles.

The golf carts also must not be capable of speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour and cannot be operated on or alongside a public road or street with a posted speed limit of greater than 25 miles per hour.

The ordinance is only applicable on the town’s streets, which does not include state highways or county roads.

The council also addressed concerns with Brock that a local wrecker business that recently moved into town does not comply with the town’s zoning ordinance where the business is located.

“We have an ordinance in place and we need to enforce the ordinance,” said Stan Joy with the town’s Zoning Board. “He either needs to get a variance for operating that type of business or he needs to change the type of business he is operating there so that it is in compliance with the zoning ordinance.”

Brock stated that he would like for the town to work with the business owner, rather than just sending him a letter stating that he cannot operate his businesses in that location.

“He thinks he has done everything right up to this point and I just think it’s wrong that we’re going to just send him a letter,” Brock said.

Town officials said they would be willing to work with the business owner in whatever capacity they could.

Acting Volunteer Fire Chief Josh Rice also addressed the council at the Feb. 20 meeting, updating the council on several concerns with the Fire Department, including the purchase of new equipment to replace outdated equipment and repair of other equipment.