Logansport board affirms fines, orders cleanups and tables one contested cleanup

The Logansport City Board of Public Works and Safety on Nov. 5 heard a long docket of code-enforcement cases and voted to impose fines and cleanup orders on multiple properties, while tabling one disputed billing for further review.

Randy, the city’s code enforcement officer, told the board the office sent 21 notices last week, cleared 44 properties and still has 32 pending; five citations were issued and one cleanup completed. "We sent out 21 notices. We cleared 44 properties. We still have 32 that are pending," Randy said.

The board voted on individual properties as follows:

- 1408 North Street: Motion to place a $500 fine approved. Vote: Jacob Palmasol yes; Chris Martin yes; Levi Jones yes.

- 1220 East Broadway: Motion to place a $500 fine approved. Vote: Jacob Palmasol yes; Chris Martin yes; Levi Jones yes.

- 1105 East Market Street: Property owner Jenny Sarti Rivera appeared and described efforts to resolve tenant trash issues; the motion to impose a fine/cleanup was voted down (motion failed). Vote on the motion: Chris Martin no; Jacob Palmasol no; Levi Jones no.

- 20 East Linden Avenue: Motion to approve cleanup and assess a $500 fine approved. Vote: Chris Martin yes; Levi Jones yes; Jacob Palmasol yes.

- 721 West Miami Avenue: Motion to place a $500 fine approved; property was reported cleared at the time of the hearing. Vote: Jacob Palmasol yes; Levi Jones yes; Chris Martin yes.

- 706 High Street: Motion to place a $500 fine approved; the property required a small cleanup. Vote: Levi Jones yes; Jacob Palmasol yes; Chris Martin yes.

- 1421/1423 Astor Street: Troy Gilbert, partner of BKA Property Management, explained steps taken by property management to address repeated tenant dumping. The board voted to affirm an original $500 fine on the property (affirmation motion approved: Chris Martin yes; Jacob Palmasol yes; Levi Jones yes). A subsequent motion to vote on an additional cleanup/fine failed on a split vote: Chris Martin yes; Jacob Palmasol no; Levi Jones no.

- 200 Anthony Street: The owner cleared the mattress issue and the motion to act was voted down. Vote: Chris Martin no; Jacob Palmasol no; Levi Jones no.

- 512 Helm Street (listed in materials as Elm/Helm): Motion to order a cleanup approved. Vote: Jacob Palmasol yes; Chris Martin yes; Levi Jones yes.

- 407 Montgomery Street: Property owner Omar Handez attended to dispute a cleanup bill and said he had been actively remodeling the home and had not received the initial notices. Randy said the office received a returned certified notice for the "notice to appear" on this case but that billing was sent. The board elected to table the matter for further review and set the hearing for Nov. 19, 2025.

Randy told the board the cleanup at 407 Montgomery resulted in three loads taken to the landfill and that the enforcement office followed its standard mailing process; the owner said he only received the final bill and not prior notices. "We did three loads to the landfill," Randy said; Omar Handez responded that he had paid to rent dumpsters and taken material to the landfill during remodeling.

Mayor Chris Martin and other board members emphasized that enforcement aims at compliance rather than revenue. "We don't want the money. We want compliance," Chris Martin said when discussing repeat violations.

The board required continued communication between property managers and code enforcement, and encouraged property managers to increase monitoring of problem properties. The board set 407 Montgomery Street for continued review on Nov. 19.

Ending The code-enforcement docket consumed a significant portion of the meeting; several $500 fines were affirmed and additional steps were required of property managers and owners. One contested cleanup bill at 407 Montgomery Street will return to the board on Nov. 19 for a follow-up hearing.