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Council refers nuisance-lien/city clean-up program to committee after concerns about charges
Summary
Council referred an ordinance assessing nuisance cleanup charges to the Building and Lands committee after councilors raised concerns about billing amounts and property-entry procedures.
Council referred an ordinance that would assess costs for removing litter, garbage and other nuisance materials to the Building and Lands committee after council members raised concerns about the city's lien and clean program. The ordinance, introduced on the floor, was moved to committee rather than passed.
Councilmember Springowski said she had heard complaints from a landlord about discrepancies and what she described as uncomfortable questions regarding whether crews had the right to enter private property and the accuracy of billed amounts. She cited a figure she had heard informally of $19,000 for a property and said she could not support approving the ordinance until the issues were clarified.
Other council members said they had received similar calls from residents who questioned charges on specific properties and asked that the matter go to committee for a more thorough review. Councilmember Nutt moved to send the matter to committee and the motion carried unanimously; the matter was assigned to the Building and Lands committee for a follow-up meeting.
Council instructed staff to gather billing records and procedural documentation for the committee so members can review whether current lien procedures, billing calculations and property-entry practices comply with city code and are being administered correctly.
