SHAMOKIN - The city's code office generated $10,417.50 in permits and related fees last month, boosted by a substantial haul for rental property registration.
Landlord-tenant registration fees, which went into effect last year, totaled $4,687.50 - nearly the sum Rick Bozza, code officer, hoped to recoup throughout 2012.
As of March 1, the new initiative generated $8,312.50, easily besting the $4,900 Bozza sought to bring in. The figure topped $9,000 by Tuesday, with Bozza saying he expected to top $10,000 for the year.
There are 106 landlords registered now, some with multiple properties. Bozza said he's targeting between 50 and 60 more landlords for registration.
The revenue will slow throughout the year as more and more individual landlords become registered.
The landlord-tenant ordinance mandates, among other issues, that all Shamokin landlords obtain a $25 annual license registering each of their rental properties, and that they identify all tenants of each rented unit. This applies only to occupied units and does not have to be repaid within one year with a change of tenants.
The ordinance was enacted last summer and took effect in August under a prorated fee of $12.50 per license.
According to the monthly code report provided to city council Monday, the remainder of revenue created by the code office in February was: excavating permits, $2,250; amusement permits, $1,250; building permits, $930; health licenses, $500; market-stall permits, $400; Dumpster permits, $250; zoning applications, $150.
The code office received 48 phone calls and 22 walk-in complaints last month, with Bozza making 61 property visits with communication or visual checks. He wrote 43 warnings, issued three citations, performed five health inspections and visited two fire scenes.
Legion building
Steve Bartos, city clerk, said during Monday's city council meeting that council has applied to Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for a $25,000 grant to replace windows at the American Legion Building in downtown Shamokin.
According to the commission website, if the grant were awarded, it would require a $25,000 cash match from the city.
A number of repairs at the historic building have already been completed, including upgrades to emergency lighting and electrical infrastructure.
Remaining repairs are the installation of panic hardware on a door and installation of two additional lighted exit signs above two doorways.
Bill Milbrand, councilman and director of public buildings, said the last major safety upgrade needed is the installation of a fire alarm system.
City officials previously said a first-floor fire detection system would appease the city's insurance provider, Selective Insurance Group, while installation of systems specific to the second and third floors would follow down the road.
Bartos said an insurance representative would assist with selecting an alarm system.
Milbrand added that a member of Liberty Hose Company will develop a safety plan for the building as part of a firefighter certification requirement.
Council is seeking to lease the basement of the building to a commercial interest. The space is almost wholly gutted and the city would be willing to retrofit it to a potential client's needs, Milbrand said.
Police report
City officers responded to 3,070 calls in February, filed 44 criminal complaints, issued 496 tickets, 29 traffic citations, 25 non-traffic citations, 40 warnings and two parking citations, according to a monthly report filed by Police Chief Edward Griffiths.