By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
My, what big teeth you have, Property Maintenance Code.
It seemed to be a case of Little Red Riding Hood coming upon the wolf when it came time to review the Health and Safety Committee’s report for its last meeting during the Bucyrus City Council meeting Tuesday night. The teeth Law Director Rob Ratliff gave the Property Maintenance Code with the proposed penalties for violations seemed just a little too big and a little too sharp for some council members.
Councilman John Walker had been leery of the penalties when they were reviewed at the Jan. 27 Health and Safety Committee meeting. He brought those concerns up again Tuesday night.
He asked Ratliff what would happen, for example, if an elderly woman was unable to mow her lawn and had been in violation numerous times. He couldn’t see penalizing the fictitious elderly woman with fines or jail time.
Ratliff was quick to assure that any penalties enforced would be because all other avenues would be exhausted. Even then, it would be up to the prosecutor discretion on which cases would be prosecuted.
“As a last resort, the city will now have the authority” to pursue the violator criminally or civilly, Ratliff said. He added that the penalties were being set in place for the habitual offender, those who ignore the city’s notices, and those who have simply walked away from the property.
“We’re not looking to lock up old ladies who can’t mow their yard,” Ratliff stated. Rather, the city would go after those who warrant prosecution.
The language of the proposed penalties was enough to have some council members back away and ask for it to be sent back into the Health and Safety Committee for further discussion. Council woman Wanda Sharrock suggested changing the wording from “shall” to “may” in order for the penalties to be more open to certain cases.
The legislation pertaining to the penalties was taken off the agenda for the night.
The Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District’s Mike Hall attended the Council meeting to inform the council members about the Sandusky River Storm Water Reduction Grant available to city residents. The Crawford SWCD was awarded a $15,000 cost-share grant that enables individual landowners and business owners to install a rain garden.
After an owner applies for an application and are approved, they can install, or have a landscaper install, a rain garden, which helps reduce storm water runoff into the Sandusky River. The SWCD will, after successful installation, reimburse the landowner 75% of the cost of the project or up to $500.
Hall said the grant money was awarded on a first come, first serve basis. He hoped that the project would help educate the community.
“I think it will be well received,” said Hall.
“It’s a great idea and it’s a great opportunity for the city,” Council President Sis Love added.
More information on the rain gardens can be found on the SWCD website at www.crawfordswcd.org.
Four pieces of legislation were passed by Council Tuesday night. Those pieces included:
An appropriation in the Waterworks Funds in the amount of $24,115.50 to the Capital Outlay Fund. This appropriation would pay the next bill on the Walnut Street Waterline Project.
A reimbursement of monies to benefit the City’s General Fund in order to defray 2013 operation costs.
Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with the Ohio Regional Development Corporation to oversee the 2014-2016 Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) grant.
Authorizing the Service/Safety Director to advertise for annual material bids and enter into a contract for various materials and supplies.