SHAMOKIN - The city's code officer suggested council look into implementing a pair of measures undertaken in Coal Township to increase revenue and clean up blighted properties.
He's also requesting that council look into replacing the code office's rapidly aging pickup truck.
Steve Bartos, city clerk, said during Thursday's workshop session that the city can afford to pay $15,000 for a truck, considering it received about $100,000 in new revenue last month - an insurance reimbursement of about $60,000 and reimbursement from the federal government of $40,000 for expenses incurred during last September's flooding.
Bozza, however, appears to have no interest in spending even as much as Bartos suggested. He said he wouldn't even need a $10,000 vehicle.
If a vehicle purchase is made, it'd be council members who would decide what type of vehicle to buy and at what price.
Rental inspections
Regarding code enforcement measures, Bozza told council members that inspections of rental properties and the issuance of tickets for nuisance violations could increase revenue for Shamokin.
The township generated nearly $50,000 in rental inspections last year, Bozza said.
That figure could increase now that the township is undertaking inspections on rental properties annually and at the end of any lease agreement.
Bozza suggested council look to perform inspections before a lease agreement is struck between landlord and tenant, and perhaps consider annual inspections as well.
"There are too many properties where people are being moved in and shouldn't be moved in," he said.
Landlords in the city and township are under increased scrutiny with new or amended ordinances.
In Shamokin, the landlord-tenant ordinance calls for landlords to register with the city a list of tenant names for each property. That list could be used to find which properties are in need of inspection.
All city landlords were to register tenants by Feb. 15.
Bozza said he had yet to pursue unregistered landlords to fine them. He was given council's blessing to begin doing so.
Ordinance citations
Last month, township commissioners adopted an ordinance allowing code and police officers and other designated officials to issue tickets for violations regarding high grass, garbage, junk vehicles and the like.
The fines are $25 per violation for a first offense. The severity increases on subsequent offenses - $50, $100, $300.
Violators have 10 days to pay before a citation is issued and the matter lands in court.
The previous system saw nuisance violators issued a citation immediately - a potentially costly occurrence for both the violator and the municipality since a court appearance is needed.
Solicitor Robert Mattis said people who don't pay citations aren't going to pay a fine.
Bozza agreed that could be the case in some cases. However, he said some violators may be more apt to settle an issue with a lesser fine rather than a more costly citation and burden of appearing in court.
R. Craig Rhoades, councilman, said Shamokin and Coal Township are similar communities with shared problems in code and nuisance violations. He said the township should share with the city their intent to pursue plans like the nuisance tickets and rental inspections. That way, he said the city could pursue similar measures.
Mattis agreed, saying communication on such issues could prevent people from jumping from the township to the city, and vice versa, to get away with a violation.
The zoning application fee, currently set at $150, could double to $300. At Bozza's request, Mattis said he'd draw up a language for an ordinance authorizing the increase. The final approval would be council's.