The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

City Council looks at code violations again

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council looked at code enforcement issues again, while also approving legislation giving Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming the authority to seek bids for Issue 1-funded projects this summer.

Health-Service-Safety Committee Chair Bill Marshall displays annual information on city code violations.
Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

Councilman At-Large Bill Marshall, who chairs Council’s Health-Service-Safety Committee, talked about the increase in code violations from 2017 to 2018, noting there were 431 such violations two years ago, a number that increased to 540 last year.

Although there have been just 106 code violations this year, Marshall said that number will likely significantly increase once warm weather is here to stay, since weed/grass violations make up the bulk of violations each year, although junk vehicles, old furniture and appliances, scrap metal, televisions, toilets, old carpet, and many other items can litter city properties.

Marshall again pushed the city to hire at least a part-time code enforcement person, since Engineering Supervisor Bill Lawson doesn’t have the time or people to deal with violators. Unfortunately, City Auditor Martha Balyeat reminded Council, while the city is using a portion of the .22-percent Safety Capital Tax revenues to pay for police and fire salaries and benefits, no additional hiring can take place. 

Safety capital tax money has been used for a number of years as additional funding for the police and fire departments, since income tax and other revenues within the General Fund have not been sufficient to pay all General Fund expenses.

One problem with code violations, Marshall said, is the number of days it takes from the time a violation is found to the time offenders can be taken to court. That’s because violation notice door hangers need to be hand-delivered to each offending property, which can take 5-7 days alone. That means it often takes 3-4 weeks before the time allowed to correct violations expires and further action can be taken.

Of particular note are repeat offenders, which Marshall said had increased from 68 in 2017 to 94 last year, with repeat offenders split fairly evenly between property owners and tenants.

Balyeat also noted that the city often did not receive fine money if property is sold at a sheriff’s auction, since lienholders and others received their money before back taxes were paid.

The auditor did note that a better system needs to be put in place, adding that having Lawson, instead of a lower-paid city employee, mow lawns was not cost-effective.

Marshall asked for another meeting of his committee on May 29 to further discuss the issue.

Fleming said he needed a resolution, which was approved Monday, to seek bids for two projects to be funded with Issue 1 money. Those projects include painting the north water tower in Jubilee Park and replacing a blower at the wastewater treatment plant.

Council also approved advancing $75,000 from the General Fund to the Parks Capital Improvement Fund to pay for park projects that will be reimbursed by a state grant following completion of the projects, and also approved a then-and-now certificate for fire safety services totaling $4,517.73.

Council members also approved on third and final reading an ordinance authorizing amendments to the procedure for zoning changes.

Also approved was a resolution in support of the National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 11.

Fleming also talked about the first brush pick-up the week of May 13, noting that, although biodegradable bags can be used for that pick-up, workers will likely pick up brush first, and return later in the week for the bags.

He also discussed changes to the way city workers can take accrued vacation time prior to retirement, noting that doing so would likely lower the payout when the workers retire.

Balyeat said she had a concern, though, that some workers would take extra accrued vacation time, then be faced with time off for a catastrophic illness, and later retire, noting that city workers don’t receive long-term disability like non-government workers, but must use accrued personal time for that.

Fleming and Balyeat are to meet and come up with a plan they can both support to solve the accrued personal time issue.

The next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 13, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.

POSTED: 04/23/19 at 7:16 am. FILED UNDER: News