YOUNGSTOWN Council's safety panel approves report from task force on housing

The committee chairman called the document 'a magnificent report.'
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Housing reform got a major boost Wednesday when city council's safety committee approved the report of the Housing Code Enforcement Task Force.
The full council will consider adopting the report at 5:30 p.m. May 21, said Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, safety committee chairman. If lawmakers adopt the report, "The mayor has to enforce this because he is the CEO of the city," Gillam said. "We will make sure we give him all the assistance that he needs so that this can be done."
"I think it is a magnificent report as far as I'm concerned. These are some things that we should have had 10 years ago," Gillam said of the report's recommendations. He also said he didn't think adopting the recommendations of the report would cost the city any additional money or require hiring new staff.
"I think the document is well-written and has a lot of good suggestions that we need to do," said Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd.
"What it takes is follow-through. Someone needs to be made accountable," said Norma Stefanik, a task force member. Stefanik said almost all of the forms needed to carry through the housing code enforcement process are contained at the end of the task force report. They are drawn from forms used by the Akron Health Department, she said.
"We do need to have a focused, functioning housing department where everyone performs the job in a similar way," said Maureen O'Neil Farris, task force chairwoman.
Recommendation
Among other things, the task force recommended that the city replace its housing code with an internationally recognized property maintenance code and incorporate the city's dormant rental property registration program into the code. The task force also recommended adoption of administrative penalties and creation of a housing code appeals board.
Atkinson and Gillam said they hope local bank officials can meet soon with the safety committee to discuss grass mowing and property maintenance at vacant structures owned by banks and other lending institutions.
The safety committee also discussed the problem of dogs running loose on city streets. Gillam said he plans to ask Mahoning County Commissioners to explore ways to bring Sean Toohey, a laid-off county deputy dog warden, back to work for dog control in the city during evenings and weekends.
Because of county budget cuts, Toohey was laid off three weeks ago. The cost of his compensation was being shared equally by the city and county.
Because of the loose-dog problem in Mill Creek Park, Toohey suggested the park board might contribute toward his compensation.