Council Will Discuss Property Maintenance Wednesday Evening

City officials will discuss their options for cleaning up, and in some cases condemning, several properties throughout Washington.

The city council and staff will hold a discussion about this issue at the administration/operations committee meeting this Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the city council chambers.

Mark Piontek, city counselor, is expected to offer his advice and employees with the city’s building department, including inspectors, also are expected to attend.

City staff and several council members have noted there are several residences and properties throughout town that are not meeting the city’s property maintenance codes.

They also noted that some property owners are using their backyards as junkyards. In addition, there are several homes that have condemnation notifications posted.

The city will look at their options for condemning those homes and what courses the city can take as far as making sure property owners are keeping up with their property maintenance.

At last month’s administration/operations committee meeting, Jeff Mohesky, councilman, requested the city change the way occupancy inspection fees are collected and increase fines for property maintenance code violations.

Councilman Mark Hidritch also asked to discuss derelict vehicles at the workshop, noting that there are “a lot of vehicles sitting out there unlicensed.”

Other items on the meeting’s agenda include a change order for the final payment to the Peterson Group for library furniture and a discussion of updates to several park projects.