Parkersburg Chief Joe Martin won't enforce "street basketball pole" remo...

Parkersburg, WV has a city ordinance that states specifically that portable basketball poles may not be placed where they use a public road or shoulder of a public road as part of a court. The reason for this is a safety issue as well as a traffic right of way. Recently at a town meeting a few people from the wood County Tea Party issued complaints in regard to the non-enforcement of this ordinance by the Parkersburg Police Dept. which is responsible for the removal of the poles.

At the meeting Police Chief Joe Martin was directly quoted as saying,"I'd rather see kids playin' basketball in the streets than "doing drugs". Joe Martin also told the people that some of Parkersburg's public throwaways are in his own words 'designated play places" (even tough there no signs stating so and there is heavy traffic on some of these roads). 0So City code enforcement in regard to these poles is open to PPD non-enforcement despite numerous documented complaints in regard to the street poles. The complaints encompass everything from right of way and property damage,personal safety issues as well as drugs being sold and used at a few of these nuisance eyesores.

 
The sound track for this video is found on the video by the Wood County Tea Party called Parkersburg Tea Party Fairplains Town Meeting. At around the mark observe the irritated Joe Martin and the other startled council member. At observe Martin cross his arms and laugh at one of the "petty complainers" (Martin's term for them). Martin just wanted these people to shut up! so much for addressing legitimate complaints.