We have the technology, we can rebuild, but first let’s try some emails or a phone call. Many of you have expressed frustration with areas of the city that have fallen into terrible disrepair. Bloggers Speak easy and getsomethingdone, among others, discussed the means to make things happen. Contact Mr. Stephens with your concerns, and specific property locations. Tell your friends and other concerned citizens to do the same. Below is his email and phone number. He is the first step to start the ball rolling, and I believe he will take your complaints seriously.
City Administrator Wayne Stephens
51 E. Market St.
(419) 448-5402
cityadministrator@tiffinohio.gov
Filed under: Uncategorized
Commensurate with your suggestion is the fact that the City Limits are ambiguous. I can see myself registering a complaint, only to have Mr. Stephens advise me that the house I have cited is “outside the City Limits.”
Again — our signage sucks.
Oh Ken, JUST DO IT! Take a chance. Live dangerously. Put your money where your keyboard is.
Ken T.: Obviously there must be a dumpy house near the city limits somewhere in Tiffin. You can use the map on the Seneca County Auditor’s website to determine if that house is within Tiffin’s boundaries, and who owns it.
Do I look like the NIKE slash?
Mr. Tankerous: If we see a guy running around the city limits, we’ll know it’s you. The way you were talking I thought you already had a specific property in mind.
I hate to pop anyones buble but Tiffin does not have anyway to inforce any complants other then to inform the ofender. If it violates a heath concern they notify the health board who has no power to inforce eather.If it violates a safety law they can site them and if they do not comply they can be taken to court and if ordered by court and they still do not comply then the only opition the city has is to do the work and bill them witch is often not paid. Even design review law for main street can only act if the property makes changes and they are notified the property can set there and deteriorate and it does look around. I hate to sound so bleak but it is a battle I’ve fought for many years. Go back to my Fort Ball (Nab) Neighborhood Ass. Forgive my spelling.
Why can’t they enforce ordinances like Design Review? The ordinance contains language regarding failure to comply and spells out the penalties. The whole problem is that It’s very unpopular to enforce these types of ordinances, that’s why nobody at City Hall will press the issue.
The city has no building standerd .They only have vague rules with no inforsment. Even desgin review has no ordinance to make anyone fixup rundown buildings. Why do you think the Mayor warned about leans on forclosed property that is the finnal recourse the city has. Believe me I’ve been there. If we want anything to change we need to force cityhall to pass new legislation. Arron why don’t you weigh in on this.
The State building code applies to all buildings in Tiffin, except for 1, 2 and 3 family residences; and that’s where the “slum-lord” problem exists. The Design Review ordinance also exempts 1 and 2 family buildings. However, Tiffin has a maintenance code that covers all of this. We don’t need more legislation, we need enforcement.
Speak – I agree.
I DO have a property in mind.. It’s a few doors south of the “SUBWAY” restaurant on Perry St. At this writing, I do not know the house number, but —– the downspout drains onto the sidewalk!
Pedestrians have to be on-the-alert when walking there. It’s a white structure — west-side of the street.
How, pray-tell, is that allowed to exist? Do City officials travel that street with their eyes closed?
That kind of jakey rigging is a disgrace!
Speak: Let the people on the big salaries use the map to determine WHO live in, or outside, the city limits. As stated above, CODE ENFORCEMENT is the key here. I refuse to be the “enforcer.” [That's not my job!] I’m just here to credit and to complain.
Ken T: I agree with you completely, but you expressed a concern about filing a complaint, when the property might not be within the City limits. I merely suggested that you could investigate the situation ahead of time, and be sure your complaint was valid. City officials need to know that citizens such as yourself are watching, and are willing to file a complaint when necessary. Go for it Ken!
Post Script: The property you describe is certainly within the City limits.
Ken – They answer complaints, not patrol the streets. Make the complaint, they will respond.
What is the function of the “Field Services” staff person? Is it simply to have the truck visible in town, or does the staff person have a job description? I have not seen such services in other cities.
The field “services” guy has 2 main jobs:
1 – Scowl
2 – Write as many parking tickets as possible to chase patrons away from downtown businesses and the Tiffin Little Box Stores.
I had ………”wondered” …….. about that.
I wonder if we could enlarge upon his Job Description.
The Field Services guy is also responsible for stray dogs, animal traps, etc.
Has anyone tried to “read” the NO PARKING sign across Greenfield, across from Williard Hall at Heidelberg? The white sign is there. The imprint is there.. HOWEVER, 94% of the paint is weathered-away from the sign. I was WALKING past the sign and to check it three-times to discern it’s purpose. Maybe “Colonel Klink, the Field Services Guy” could update that sign.
Ken T: You certainly cover alot of ground on your walks. I nominate you for sidewalk inspector.
If you find a lost bicycle, the police department sends the field services guy out to pick it up.
No thanks. As INSPECTOR, I’d log so many violations on my chart that would not stretch-out for many strides.
There ARE those “thingies’ called vehicles.. I drive one of them. Sometimes I PARK, exit the vehicle, and walk toward a destination. It’s not a complicated procedure. Believe it, or not, I have actually WALKED in the locations I cited….
You asked for precise complaints. I offered them, and NOW you’re fed-up with my complaints.
You remind me of the complaint I had about vegetation covering a SPEED LIMIT sign. One of the wise-guy BLOGGERS recommended that I “pay my fine” and use a loping shears. I had no fine, but I do have a loping shears.. Trouble is, the homeowner may complain about my ‘vandalism’ to the beautiful tree. [Besides, I don't want a group of silver-haired Grannies protesting in front of my home!]
I will give you an example The old Gold Bound buliding on Washington St. Try and get something done about it there are safety,health and fire violaions to name a few anyone care to try and get anything done about it .
Here is my “unofficial” take on this:
#1 – There are State, Basic Code, City and Village Ordinances that address almost everything that is being discussed here.
Let me explain the process that SHOULD take place once a problem is recognized and directed to the right place. First off, contrary to popular belief, not all agencies speak with each other on a regular basis, and like any other workplace, you have the motivated and the un-motivated employees.
With that being said, most law enforcement agencies can and should take the initial report and if it is NOT something that they can enforce then they should either direct the complainant to the right avenue or forward their report to the right agency.
If it is something that is criminal in nature and the law enforcement agency can take care of it then this is the usual process. Normally law enforcement agencies take care of; Junk Vehicles, Litter/Debris, Trash, Pet complaints, failure to shovel snow, etc….
Once the complaint is lodged and officer or code enforcement officer should respond and look for themselves to make sure that their really is a violation and sometimes just because you and I would not live that way, doesn’t mean that it “shocks the consciousness” or is truly in violation. Those are the calls that get forwarded to human services, animal services, children services, etc.
If it is enforceable then most likely the person will get a warning and a reasonable amount of time to take care of the issue/problem (each agency is different but ranges usually are 7-30 days) unless they ask for extensions.
The problem can be that follow-ups are sometimes lost in the paperwork and trying to be reasonable to people, such as allowing them extended time to work on a vehicle since it is kind of hard to work on one in subzero weather.
Issuing citations should be last resort with the result of complaince being the ultimate goal. Even though the law says that a separate citation can be issued for every day the violation is not taken care of…..the courts frown on that and the prosecutor/judge wants you to wait until the first violation works it’s way through the court system. This is where Oldtimer is partially correct, it may seem at times that the laws are not enforceable but in reality they take time, resources, and motivation to stay on target and get the property cleaned up.
Scout is correct in that it all starts with a phone call to your particular agency. Whether that be the Sheriff’s Office, City Police Department’s, Village Police Dept.’s, council members, mayors, etc.
Remember, squeaky wheels get the oil so keep on phoning them in…..we all want to live under the same rules and in a nice, safe, area…..
Thanks Get. Now we all know how to “getsomethingdone.”
Get IS the man (or woman)
Different town – same gripe.
Dale Williams has had a full display of “YARD SALE” items on two tables on his front lawn in Bettsville since July… Yesterday he had drapes over his precious merchandise as a clue that the business was closed for the day. I wonder if he’s planning a “Christmas Discount Sale” there!
Don’t get me started on the Gold Bond building. I had a LOT of experience with that building some years ago, when it was owned by a couple guys up in Michigan. If you complained about something being broken or whatever, their response was “so what?” – when you could reach them. Usually they were in Florida on some sort of vacation.
The newest owners haven’t done much better with it, judging from the outside. I haven’t been inside since way back then.
Puddin: I agree, don’t get me started on that mess either. The front they put on the Gold-Bond building lasted what? About 4 years. If that’s any indication of the quality inside, yikes!!!! There’s a parking garage under the building which has been closed for at least a couple of years.
Senator, maybe if the “Field Service” individual would write more tickets there would be more space for patrons rather than employees who take up the spaces.