by Justin Strawser
MOUNT CARMEL - The borough councilman who will propose a controversial new landlord registration fee at tonight's workshop meeting is also planning to introduce a "quality of life" ordinance.
It would allow the borough code enforcement officer and police officers to issue tickets similar to parking tickets when code violations - such as trash, high weeds, animal feces and snow and ice removal - are discovered.
The goal, said Councilman Joseph Lapotsky, is to resolve the issue of blight and problem properties that are keeping the town looking shabby, and reduce costs to both the municipality and violators. The tickets, if paid, can circumvent the need for court appearances and legal fees in relation to citations.
"We got to clean this town up; it's a mess," Lapotsky said last week. "I have seen discarded sofas and other types of furniture and TV sets right out on the sidewalks."
A ticket doesn't carry the same weight as a citation and would give people a fair warning to get their properties cleaned up before higher penalties are imposed, he said.
Shamokin, Coal Township and Kulpmont have all passed similar ordinances this year, but none has used the "quality of life" label.
Shamokin and Coal Township punish violators with a $25 fine for the first offense. The cost of the fines rise to $50, $100 and $300 for subsequent offenses, after which a citation is issued. 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 lengthy and costly process.
In Kulpmont, violators have 30 days to pay the fines before the issue is taken to the district magistrate.
Lapotsky said he wants the "quality of life" ordinance to have similar increments and payment periods before violations become higher offenses.
He has been researching the actions taken by Reading, and will be presenting that community's ordinance as a guide.
Reading has been successful in the implementation of the program, and so have Allentown, Pottsville, Mahanoy City, West Mahanoy Township, Shenandoah, Hazleton and West Hazleton. Allentown's mayor, who spoke about the ordinance, was the guest speaker during a local conference on blight. Girardville Borough Council was planning to adopt its "quality of life" ordinance this month.
Mayor J. Kevin Jones said he would reserve comment on the ordinance until the meeting.