05/06/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 5/6/2008 LETTE_ D ~OMM[~N,~,CAT ,DNS A letter from resident Mr. Jim Kennedy was read: "I was happy to learn recently that at long last, North Olmsted City Council was considering passage of strong property maintenance inspection and enforcement legislation. Asa 32 year resident of the City, and, as someone who has witnessed some surrounding neighbors violate current and previous ordinances with impunity without feaz of consequence, I applaud your efforts, in spite of the fact they are really long overdue. Five years ago, I discovered quite by accident, in the course of reporting a routine violation to the Building Department, that there was virtually no property maintenance inspection program of any kind. Because of my position with the City of Fairview Park (I am the Director of Public Service and Development and the Building Department here is under my supervision), I was able to acquaint N. O. City officials with the program in Fairview that has been in place and has worked successfully since 1989 in the hopes they would follow suit. After much wrangling and arm wrestling with the previous administration, the then existing legislation was updated and amended in 2006. In spite of these efforts, largely, I might add, by Council, there was insufficient and inconsistent enforcement in the aftermath. Tonight, you will make a decision regarding this important ordinance. Tn the broadest, and yes, truest sense you could well be deciding the future of the housing stock in North Olmsted. In the end, it is about the prevention and elimination of blight in the community and the value of all of our homes and properties. This is all the more important during this period of depressed sales and values and ever greater foreclosures. When I came here in 197b, North Olmsted was a MAJOR destination point for young families. There was a time when you needed to be on a waiting list to even have half a chance to buy a home in Canterbury Woods. In the interim, much has changed regarding demographics and the like. And the housing stock is getting older and in need of more maintenance anyway. Its time the City implement a consistent, uniform inspection and enforcement program if we hope to remain an attractive community of value in the future. I urge you to pass this legislation." Mayor O'Grady commented that soon after he took office in 2005 he went to Fairview Park to meet with Mayor Patton and Mr. Kennedy to discuss their property maintenance programs. That was the evolution of the property maintenance program as it has come to be shaped in North Olmsted. It's a good program, a growing program, but it needs more. Especially as was very accurately pointed out from the report of Councilwoman Dailey Jones, we have a foreclosure crisis where the most critical thing we have to address right now is the housing stock in North Olmsted. It's a matter of utmost seriousness. The legislation was delayed tonight. He would again encourage Council, if they have a question, please pick up the phone and call the administration. But at the eleventh hour to pull something off the agenda, that's not good government. AUDIENCE PARTICIPr AT~„QN Charles Dial, 27959 Gardenia, thought the discussion of keeping minutes could possibly involve a public records law issue, and he hopes all major decisions and discussions are being recorded. Expressed continued concern about the foreclosure issue. Lawyers are being trained to do pro- bono foreclosure work, but there is a huge number of fraud cases and they are very involved. Unless there is a change of thinking in the way these cases are being handled, it is just going to go on and on and on. There is no easy answer, and there has to be some thinking outside of the box in the legal profession. 12