By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Abandoned, weed-infested properties have long been a thorn in the side of the City of Bucyrus. A number of the Bucyrus City Council members had had enough and requested that information from a timely article be reviewed in the Health and Safety Committee.
Law Director Rob Ratliff presented a packet of information to the Health and Safety Committee Monday afternoon detailing ways municipalities across the state have dealt with abandoned, foreclosed properties. Ratliff provided ordinances from Ashtabula and Canton, which not only gave detailed definitions for an abandoned home but also determined fees.
“From my perspective, the first step is defining what we want to do,” Ratliff said. “There’s so many things you can do.”
Depending on how the committee, and later the Council, would like to address the issue, Ratliff explained that they could tailor any number of the ordinances from the various cities to fit the Bucyrus’ needs.
Mayor Roger Moore was a little leery on moving too fast on the issue. He recommended that the committee allow Ratliff and himself time to review exactly what the problems are when it comes to abandoned homes in Bucyrus before presenting it back to the Health and Safety Committee.
The Health and Safety Committee passed a request for a liquor permit from Los Arrieros LLC. Chairman Steve Pifer said the Chief Dave Koepke had no problems with the request.
The Finance Committee met prior to the Health and Safety Committee. Auditor Joyce Schifer requested appropriation reductions for the monies that were put in for the computer request last year. The General Fund would be reduced by $11,100 and the Income Tax Fund by $17,000.
Schifer also requested that $500 be transferred within the General Fund from the Auditor to the Council Materials and Supplies line for Council Clerk training.
The Committee will be seeking legislation for the appropriations and the transfer.