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Resident urges fair, consistent code enforcement after receiving multiple city notices
Summary
A Middletown resident told council she received three letters from the city — including a 30‑day order to paint the rear of her building — and raised concerns about selective enforcement and communication; council members discussed improving response and walk-throughs by code officers.
Susan Priest, a Middletown resident and local property owner, told City Council on Sept. 16 that she recently received three letters from the city: an order to paint the back of her building with a 30‑day deadline, a notice alleging she did not file 2019 city income taxes, and a notice about prohibited parking in her yard. Priest said the painting order conflicted with her planned 2026 painting budget and that she had already invested in replacement windows.
Priest described past experience with a nearby building collapse in 2021 that led to an emergency posting on her property and $7,000 in immediate expenses; she said the city took nearly a year to address that dangerous condition and contrasted that response time with the 30‑day cosmetic deadline now imposed on her property. She said the mix of enforcement timing and what she perceives as inconsistent application of rules — including a neighboring business owner who “brags about being protected thanks to his connections” — has undermined trust.
“I simply want it noted that it appears the rules are being enforced differently, and I'd like to see fairness and consistency,” Priest told council. She asked for “reasonable timelines, consistent enforcement, and communication that treats property owners as partners.”
Council Member Horn later raised the same issue under unfinished business, saying several business owners reported confusion about maintenance-ordinance notices and that the city should improve communication. Horn urged that code enforcement officers be available to perform onsite walk‑throughs when requested so owners understand exact violations and how to come into compliance rather than relying solely on mailed notices.
Mayor and staff responses at the meeting acknowledged the complaint and Horn asked administration to improve clarity in communications and consider follow-up inspections when requested. The transcript records the complaint and the council request for staff follow-up; no new ordinance or formal policy change was adopted that evening.
