Public has questions for the property code investigator
COSHOCTON – The new property code investigator position was once again a topic of discussion at the Coshocton City Council meeting.
During the public input time of council’s May 23 meeting, Karen O’Dell expressed concerns about the former country club site on Cambridge Road where condos are currently being built. She feels the owner of the property lets the grass there get way too high and sidewalk in front of the property is in horrible condition.
Both Mayor Steve Mercer and City Council President Cliff Biggers assured her that issues there are being taken care of and that when the property code investigator is hired that they would indeed be the person to address concerns like the ones she shared.
Tim Kohler also had questions about the new position. He was wondering if having a property code investigator will speed up the process of having complaints and violations dealt with especially when it comes to junk cars.
Service Director Jerry Stenner said they already move as fast as they can on junk car complaints, but sometimes they aren’t easy to deal with.
“Lt. Hettinger has assigned a deputy to handle junk cars and we move as quickly as we can, but sometimes we run into legal issues,” Stenner said. “There will be vehicles without plates and you have to search to find out who owns it and then you have to wait until the wrecker service can get it out.”
As for the country club property, Stenner shared that he made a call to the person in charge the same day O’Dell expressed her concern about the height of the grass and the next day the property was mowed.
Biggers encouraged the community to give the property code investigator position an opportunity to work.
“Administration hasn’t even hired anyone yet,” he said. “I think this position will benefit everyone in the city with the way it is written and looks.”
Mayor Mercer said they have received lots of applications for the position.
“We have some real strong candidates that seem like they would be a good fit for the position,” he said.
At the meeting council also gave a first reading to ordinance 21-16 that will establish regulations for towers in the City of Coshocton. The ordinance would give the city control over such concerns as where the tower could be located, its maximum height and the aesthetics of the area where it is placed.
Category: Government
