Scottsburg Board updates fees for mowing and property cleanup with Resolution 25-R-1

The Board of Public Works and Safety of Scottsburg City on June 25 adopted Resolution No. 25-R-1, establishing a revised schedule of mowing fees and labor costs for nuisance, unsafe and garbage property cleanup.

The change updates a schedule the board last set in 2013 and adds hourly labor and trash rates, city staff said, to reflect higher salaries, administrative costs and the full staff time involved in cleanup work.

Joshua, city staff, said the update was intended to capture the city—s full costs. "It's not just the employee that's sitting on the lawn mower," Joshua said. "It's the employee that takes the phone call in the utility office, and then it's the work of it. There's a lot more on it that goes into it than just the person that's on the lawn mower." He said the board calculated a $40 per-hour labor rate and considered that multiple employees may be involved on a single cleanup.

The resolution broadens an earlier schedule that addressed only mowing to include trash rates and other labor charges tied to the city—s unsafe building ordinance. Under that ordinance, the city may perform work using city workforce and bill the property owner; if unpaid, the costs may be placed as a lien on the property tax roll. Joshua said the board would provide an estimated cost to owners before performing work.

Board members also discussed the effect on landlords. Joshua said the owner of the property remains responsible and that landlords with problem tenants could pursue eviction; the city—s lien authority attaches to the property owner if the bill is unpaid.

Board members said they want to review the fee schedule annually; Joshua recommended evaluating the charges each January to keep them current with administrative and wage costs. The board approved the resolution by voice vote.

The resolution takes effect as adopted; the board asked staff to bring the schedule for annual review beginning next January.