Forest Park council authorizes county special assessments to recover grass-cutting costs

Forest Park city council voted 6-0 July 21 to adopt resolution 28-2025 requesting that the Hamilton County Auditor place special assessments against properties to recover costs and penalties the city incurred for grass cutting and property maintenance. The vice mayor explained the resolution authorizes the county auditor to levy a special assessment where property owners were unable or unwilling to maintain grass; the assessment will include the actual city cost and a penalty, and will be added to the property tax bill. Why it matters: The measure creates a method for the city to recover expenses for enforcing property-maintenance standards and ensures those recovery costs become a lien through the county tax process. Details: The resolution covers properties where the city performed grass cutting and property maintenance because the property owner failed to do so. Councilmembers did not discuss a dollar threshold or the specific penalty rate during the meeting; the resolution text was read into the record and adopted 6-0. Next steps: The city will provide documentation of costs to the Hamilton County Auditor for placement on tax bills as special assessments.