Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Manager
Forum Description: Discuss the city manager administration including all city departments.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942
Printed Date: Nov 22 2024 at 6:46am
Topic: Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report
Posted By: randy
Subject: Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report
Date Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 8:28am
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Taken from the September 13, 2009 city Managers Report Nuisance Assessments The Finance Department has submitted the 2009 nuisance assessments to Butler and Warren Counties for placement on the property taxes. The totals are approx: Noxious Weeds $333,000 Litter 78,000 In comparison, last year’s billing were $133,593 for Butler County. The increase is more directly linked to our increase in enforcement and abatement, but the downturn in the economy has not helped with blight. While this is capital upfront, it is well spent since we have made it a priority to aggressively enhance our city image. Staff requested an additional $25,000 for nuisance abatement; I decreased the request to $15,000, which was then appropriated by Council at a recent meeting. At the current pace of complaints and expenditures the additional funds will be exhausted in approximately 4-6 weeks. Our Chief Buidling Official did a great job of summarizing our 4 possible scenarios regarding the continued program of abatement: 1. “Begin a policy of abating the nuisance complaints for curb appeal only. In other words, only the front and/or side of the properties will be maintained. This policy is currently being implemented. From the first day of implementation, complaints regarding our contractors failing to “finish the job” have been coming in with some complainants calling multiple times to express their frustrations. 2. Abatement of only the complaint driven nuisances. Currently, there are a number of properties which are on an “Auto Recheck” list or if they have been previously contracted, they will be contracted again without the notification to the Property Owner/Tenant. Cutting out these auto rechecks and auto contracted properties may reduce the total number of complaints contracted; however there are so many properties in the City of Middletown that are vacant and/or considered abandoned for whom there is no property owner to take responsibility this will mean a great number of properties left unmaintained. 3. Continue to contract properties as before with no cut-back measures. As previously stated, the additional funds allotted will most likely be exhausted within 4-6 weeks at our current level of contracting. Once funds are exhausted, additional requests for funds may be required or a cessation of the program will be necessary. 4. Stop the abatement of nuisance complaints for city alleys. As the summer comes to a close, the tall grass and weeds at alleys have the potential to become a safety hazard. This year, Community Revitalization has stepped up its nuisance compliance program. Coupled with the ever greater number of vacant and abandoned properties due to the economic downturn the initial funds allotted for nuisance abatement was pushed beyond its initial limit. This office has made every effort to encourage property owners and tenants to abate these issues wherever possible; again, given the economic climate, those efforts were not always successful. Despite the approach of fall, nuisance complaint for trees, shrubs and tree limbs and trash will most likely continue to make demands on our budget.” We will do our best to balance the complaints against the nuisance abatement budget. We may have to return to council for an additional appropriation. Again, I believe that a couple of hundred thousand dollars per year (if we collect only a portion of the assessments from property taxes) is money well spent as we spruce up the city. To read the complete City Managers Report click here http://www.middletownusa.com/view_news.asp?a=4637 - Weekly Update To city Council From City Manager ------------- Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com" rel="nofollow - www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357 |
Replies:
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:01am
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#1- "complaints regarding OUR contractors failing to finish the job"- For clarification- are these contractors hired by the city to do work on these properties? If these complaints that the contractors are not finishing the job are legitimate, then the city screening of the quality of the contractors is poor or non-existent. If this is occuring, who in the city building is responsible for auditing the work done by these contractors?
#2- why can't the city find out who owns these properties? Aren't there records of ownership at the Butler County Auditors office? Can't that be researched by address of property? Surely the city can work with the Butler Cty. Auditor to find the answers.If the property is abandoned the property goes back to the bank that is holding the lien against the property, right? Can't the city contact the bank for property maintenance? City alleys- isn't the property owner responsible for the upkeep up to the alley, which the city owns? In the front of the property, the care and upkeep up to the sidewalk and the grass in the median between the sidewalk and the curb is the responsibility of the property owner even though the city owns the sidewalk out to the curb. Why isn't the property owner responsible for the back of the lot back to the alley and any weeds that are growing up to the edge of the alley? Just curious. Vacant and abandoned properties- gotta be owned by someone- bank, realtor, landlord- someone. Who has the deed? Why can't the city find out and enforce the codes on them? Can anyone with more knowledge on this clarify why these things can't be done? |
Posted By: Rail Fan
Date Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:36am
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From Nelson Self --
I recently promised never again to post anything on the MiddletownUSA blog. However, after reading the misleading information from Miss Gilleland in her weekly Misinformation report to the City Council, I felt that the citizens of Middletown needed to know the real truth:
http://www.middletownusa.com/view_news.asp?a=4637 - September 13, 2009 Weekly (Misinformation) Update From City Manager To City Council??
 Response to Nuisance Assessments Misinformation
Quotes from Judy Gilleland: The Finance Department has submitted the 2009 nuisance assessments to Butler and Warren Counties for placement on the property taxes. The totals are approximately: Noxious Weeds $333,000 Litter 78,000 In comparison, last year’s billing were $133,593 for Butler County. The increase is more directly linked to our increase in enforcement and abatement, but the downturn in the economy has not helped with blight. While this is capital upfront, it is well spent since we have made it a priority to aggressively enhance our city image. FACTUAL CHRONOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO MISS GILLELAND'S INACCURACIES
January 2, 2007 -- First day at work for Nelson Self; three CDBG-funded Housing Code Division staff members at that time: Annette Accurso, Housing Code Inspector, Cathy Walton, Housing Code Inspector and Debbi Fish, Housing Code Assistant
Fall 2007 -- Marty Kohler makes arrangement with Police Department to transfer Nuisance Abatement function to me; at that time there were two Nuisance Abatement Inspectors and one Nuisance Abatement Assistant; one inspector retires and Mary Jane Adams is transferred to the Planning Department; Police Department is allowed to keep Assistant (Secretary) on their staff.
November 2007 -- Cathy Walton resigns to take higher paying Housing Code Enforcement position in West Chester
February or March 2008 -- Marty Kohler hires Michelle Hoffman as full-time temporary Nuisance Abatement Assistant rather than hiring a second inspector; Mary Jane Adams voices complaints that Mr. Kohler hires a secretary rather than an inspector
July 2008 -- Roger Mahaffey hired to fill vacant position of Cathy Walton; Ginger Smith and Marty Kohler agree that I not participate in hiring process; position vacant for almost eight months
October or November 2008 -- Mrs. Hoffman's temporary position ends
January 2009 -- Nelson Self leaves city employment
The above provides ample proof that factors beyond my control impacted staff and program performance. Miss Gilleland should speak with Mr. Kohler first before disseminating misleading public information! How about it Ed Richter?? |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:49am
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Vet The house next door to me has been empty for two years. I mowed the grass last year. However due to a health problem I called in April and requested the City mow the grass this year. They came out in May and string trimmed the yard and left the mess. When I called the City and requested that the next time they did the yard would they please use a mower so it would look decent I received a nasty email from Mr. Adkins. They have never returned to mow the yard again. The above house is in foreclosure. Why can’t they find out who owns this property and or apply a lien against it? You would think that the homeowner should mow from the front curb to the back ally. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 12:06pm
Ya know Vivian, getting the grass mowed at the vacant house next door to you isn't as monumental as the city leads us to believe. For cryin' out loud, if the city is that strapped for cash and manning resources, create a summer mowing program that will hire high school or college kids trying to earn some tuition money and put 'em to work mowing the lawns of all these abandoned houses around town. Pay 'em and send the mowing bill to the landlord, bank or deed owner of the property to recover the funds. What happened to the idea of using cheap resources to solve a problem like this?  If the house next to you is in foreclosure, isn't it in the process of being returned to the bank that made the loan to the homeowner who vacated the property? The bank is holding the deed to the property. Right? Is the city pushing these banks that own all of this vacant property to maintain (mow-paint) their properties? If not, why not? Anyone know how this works?
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