01-11-2016 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 11, 2016 7:00 o'clock p.m. 19. CODE ENFORCEMENT (continued) Walsh stated in his view that is the broken window policy and that if the City is aware of violations, they should do something about it versus waiting for someone to complaint about it. Walsh commented he is not talking about Staff going in everybody's back yard either to see if there are violations. Mattick stated the typical process is that Staff would investigate the complaint, then prepare a report listing the code violations, and then ask for enforcement. Walsh stated if there are outstanding violations that the homeowner refuses to bring into compliance, it is the City's duty and obligation to take care of those, especially when the items have been red tagged. Walsh stated if the City chooses not to enforce its code, then there is no code and the City is picking and choosing who and when to enforce, which is bad policy from a general legalistic standpoint. Cornick stated if the system is not broken, why is the Council trying to fix it? Walsh stated the philosophical discussion is if there are these outstanding issues, the City has a duty to uphold the code. Walsh stated if there is not that agreement amongst the Council Members, he is not sure where it goes. Cornick asked if Council Member Walsh is saying there the City does not have that now. Walsh stated that is why there is going to be a vote tonight on the property where there are a number of outstanding violations. Walsh stated the Council has to decide whether they are going to keep up their end of the bargain as a City in dealing with the violations that have already been tagged and where letters have been sent. Walsh stated if the Council decides they don't want to do that, then the individual council members need to state why they do not want to do that. Walsh stated in his view the Council has a duty to protect the citizens and the Code so that when the next Council takes office, they have the same standards they follow. Walsh stated policemen have a similar duty. Cornick stated police also have discretion. Walsh stated the City has to be accountable to the citizens. Cornick stated the City's decision on this property was not to stop enforcing the Code but to put it on hold until something happens. Cornick stated eventually it will come back before the Council. Walsh stated the City is either upholding active things on the books that are creating problems or they don't, which is a decision the Council has to make. Printup asked if Council Member Cornick was referring to Item 1 when he made his comment about the system not being broken. Cornick indicated he was talking in general and that Staff generally deals with the complaints Page 21 of 24