Residents press Tyrone council on persistent blight, call for proactive code enforcement

Residents pressed Tyrone Borough Council on the continuing problem of blighted properties, presenting photographs and asking why previous promises about rental inspections have not produced visible change.

At the April 14 meeting, Deb Moore of 422 5th Street read a prepared statement and presented recent images alongside photos from 2002, saying the side-by-side pictures show "not much has changed" and asking the Borough to explain its blight enforcement process. Marcia Loner and other residents raised specific unsafe properties, including a burned-out house on Washington Avenue; council was told owners are receiving citations.

Borough Manager Ardean Latchford told the meeting that the Borough can issue citations but cannot force owners to clean yards or make repairs, explaining enforcement limits while noting the Borough has arranged for Solicitor Dan Stants to act as a local prosecutor to speed up case handling. "The Borough could issue citations for all the blight; however, this does not solve the problem because we cannot physically make somebody cut their grass or clean off their porch," Latchford said.

Council noted a recent staffing and certification change: Code Enforcement Officer Colby Pannebaker, who started in May 2024, recently completed Building Code Official training and is now a certified BCO, which Council said gives him expanded authority to pursue violations without always requiring outside inspections. Councilmember David Snyder said he recognizes the problem and will continue to work on follow-up.

The meeting record shows persistent resident frustration with perceived slow progress; residents were advised to submit address lists to the Code Office so staff can prioritize enforcement and follow-through.