I think we're okay. You're it. I'm it. Well good morning. Today. All right Good morning. So we want to go ahead and monitor. Yes sir Good morning. We're called the meeting to order of the Laphim hearing authority for March 18th 2025 and our first item is approval of minutes of the January 21 25 meeting. Does you have a motion? I'll make a motion to prove the minutes. Most minutes. Okay. Motion moved and seconded at any corrections. No, hearing none. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? All right. Thank you. First item is an appeal hearing and the description is for a clean, safe sanitary order appeal for 2518 main street and the owner is Mr. Norman Howard. All right. So on January 23rd, 2025, an order to take action was issued requiring the property to be brought into compliance by February 6th of 2025. Under the unsafe building law, a property owner may appeal order within 10 days of issuance. Mr. Howard did appeal this order on January 31st of 2025 and requested a hearing. And so I am going to ask that Jay Rosean come up and present on on the property and just what we've done so far in the current condition. Okay. My name is J. Rosine. I'm with the City Engineers Office. I'm in code enforcement. And I enforce codes for clean safe and sanitary. On January the eighth, I cited norm. Howard's property, it was January the 8th, 2025. It had excessive trash buildup. It also had cars out there that I went ahead and did some 15 day tote tags. Those cars were also inoperable and they were being used to store excessive trash waste and things of that nature. I included pictures here with the slide as far as different stages and different dates that I go and visit the property. The first two slides you see is the initial one. I just did a picture of the house. But this is what it looked like out there as far as the trash that accumulated onto the property. You'll see on February the 27th, I went and visited again. It was still in a state of excessive trash, rubbish. And I went ahead and gave him a notice of a hearing. Some of the vehicles were removed, but the trash as of March 15th, or I'm sorry, as of March 5th, 2025 is still there. And you'll see different pictures that I have trash and rubbish that's still been left behind. You know, that's some, I guess, from February also, as well as March the 5th. So I went by there yesterday and also took photos of Seabourre app before this hearing and this is what I still have there as far as on the property. I'm sorry is it more or is it about the same? It's about the same. So it could be more. I mean it's just I go there every every week until the problem's sold and I still have trash and rubbish so I I mean, I don't measure it by any means, but it's it's excessive. I can say that without any doubt in my mind and very affirmatively it's excessive. I went by there as early as this morning to see if anything had been cleaned up. It was dark outside. It did not take pictures, but that's still what it looks like. I mean, I drive by. I drove by this weekend, and it stands out as exceptionally covered up place with trash. So we would like to clean it up. We would like to, if Mr. Howard can't do it, we would like to do it for him and get that ball rolling. So. Can you also share how many notices were provided to Mr. Howard prior to the order being issued? Sure. I go by there every week. My date is on a Wednesday. That's when I go the day after the trash route so anyway his trash pickup is on a Tuesday I go the day after in that whole area and look at it different properties so norms I visit every Wednesday I saw it accumulating I should say the trash accumulating in the month of December. And anyway, I'm like, well, you know, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'll get it cleaned up. But then January, there was no progress. And it just seemed to accumulate even more. So that's when I started to take action. And here we are, March the, I guess it's the 18th today. But I've provided each week that I was there, I always provide a written letter of notification that I've been there and clean up your property. I give him two warnings. The first week is what we call letter to owner. So that would have been January the 8th. Following the following week, I would have gave him a second warning and that's a letter number two. The third week actually starts the fines. They start $50 fines. So I've been there since January 8th. I took one week of vacation so I would have been there up to present day now. At least 10 times. He would have received at least 10 notifications through the mail, as well as my left three notifications taped to his door. I've talk number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. I have a number of questions. picked up he says he's working on it. I said this hearings for you, Norm, are you gonna be here today because you've requested this hearing, he said yes. I asked him if he's gonna get picked up, he says he's working on it. But here we are today. So I mean, one of my, you just answered a question I had, which was, I mean, obviously we've got the documentation, which is what we need. In multiple notices, and you've even had conversations with him. not as if you're just normally I know one another on a first thing basis you bend to the door you smoke in and multiple notices and you've even had conversations with him. It's not as if you're just... Norman, I know one another. Yeah, the first thing basis. You've been to the door, you've spoken, and there can't be any lack of awareness of the problem on his part. There shouldn't be. Well, and I mean, I've talked with him in... You know, I mean, we've talked about bad weather. I've given him time to get some good weather. Norm talked to me about his vacation, he took to Bahamas, so it's like, hey, we need to get this property cleaned up. How did this come to our attention beginning with, is this to you driving by or do we have neighbors calling? How do we do that? I think Norm saw me talking to his neighbor yesterday, but it comes in through a variety of sources. People drive by, they call our office. I go by it on a weekly basis, I do see it. I mean, and then I get emails from not only people driving by, but also as neighbors in the community. I talk to a neighbor that lives across the street and I'm sure Norm saw me talking to him yesterday. And so anyway they express their frustration and I try to get the problem solved. Well this is one of those things where citizen engagement for us really helps to identify areas and properties that really need attention. So yeah. mean, typically that's what happens where we have people alerting us, right? And then we follow up on it. But we also, I know you're proactive too. So anyway, I just want to make that comment. Thank you. This is like this problem property for more than just been January, like, it's been a good year or so or that we've been. I've been in this position for three and a half years now and this property has been, I guess, an issue for lack of a better term since I first started this job and I mean, I've talked, and I mean, I'm just being open and honest and transparent but I've talked with you know business owners that go by it that actually get permits and and you know work permits and and people who I've actually you know had to find in whatever to get the property cleaned up and they point to me and say what about this property? As the city going on there and cleaning it up for? Yes, yes. At least, I think at least twice in norms had, at least one hearing, maybe two hearing, since I've been doing this. So we have cleaned it up before. Okay. Yeah, norms have been in front of you before too. So, all right. And what, and there's expense to the city for that? Well, what we do is we do have the expense. We give them an itemized bill and we turn it into our legal department. And then if it does not get paid, we actually put the expenses on as property taxes to where they will get paid on the following year's property taxes. Pater, not paid. They are paid, yes. Mm-hmm. This. Hey, Mayor. Thank you. You're welcome. And Mr. Howard is here today. Mr. Howard, if you'd like to come up. and Howard 25 Main Street, Lafayette. And what I wanted to bring up was my health issues is mainly why I couldn't get work done. And I got a letter from my doctor here if you all would like to see it. A couple of. I think the attorney would. And then that. And we were like, and we were out of country. When, when the first thing was issued, and I only got one of the notices, and it was taped to my door. Out of all the, she mentioned at least 10 notifications, you've only seen one. Well, I mean, I've got two of the, well, by mail, but he said something about putting. Yeah, but you've had direct conversations with him, right? Right, yeah. Just, it's not a matter of you're not aware. You have to be aware. Well, I'm aware of it, and I told him, I needed to get it cleaned up, but I needed more time and because of my health issues. And that letter states it there 10 hours because I was still working and I just went to the doctor the other day and then I'm going to get in Friday. So I just needed a little more time to get it cleaned up because I did work on it yesterday because I was home and today No, you need a commissary? Well the only other thing is people put that out there Somebody put some stuff out there when I was gone And I've had that happen before My buddy put some stuff over there one time, and I got to blame for it. Not much of a buddy, is he? Not much of a buddy, is he? No. No. But he thought it'd be OK. You know, putting it there. And nobody knew this. But I was out at, I wasn't even home. I wasn't even home, then. And I got all my cars cleaned up. got the amount of their i have any questions uh... I got all my cars cleaned up and got them out of there. I don't have any questions. On you. No, I don't have any questions. Thank you, Mr. Howard. So at this point, the board may affirm the order, the original order, so we can enter onto the property and clean it up or they may rescind the order based on the information provided by Mr. Howard. If the order is affirmed, a continuous enforcement order shall be issued, meaning that for the next two years we may enter onto the property without further notice in order to clean the property when it is, it falls below municipal code standards. And so we do provide 48 hours notice still as we want to be radius and transparent with these cleanups but we would no longer have to provide an official order and there would be no right to appeal moving forward if the order is affirmed today. I move the order be affirmed. I second that. It's moved and seconded any discussion. Hearing none all those in favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Same sign. So motion is affirmed. I think the only comment I would make at the end of that is I hope you're hearing what she just said, which is from now on, your past the point of notifications is just going to happen and you're going to have to pay for that. My health is getting better so hopefully trips to the Bahamas can restore your health. Well it was my heart. Yeah, I hope you're feeling better. Yeah, I am. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Okay, so I did want to just provide a few updates on the properties that we heard. We had in front of you last time. All of the properties 1600 Hart Street 2315 North 26th Street and 1402 South Earth Street. All the property taxes have been paid on those three properties today. I'm sorry. The 1600 Hart. 23 15. 23 15 north 26th street and 1402 south third street. So when the taxes are paid, which is what happened now what happens? So not only did we issue these abandoned property orders and tried to take action under the tax sale law, we also issued unsafe building orders as well. So as of March 11th, if the properties were not brought into compliance, we were able to issue a penalty. So we have been in communication with all these property owners as well. I'm sorry, I should modify that. So 2315 North 26th Street has a mortgage. We've been in communication with the mortgage company and not the property owner. But so we've been in communication with the property owner or the mortgage company and all of these properties. Permits have been requested, work is being performed, and we are actively communicating with these property owners. If at any time they cease progress, if we lose communication, we may issue a penalty up to $2500. And then a $1,000 penalty every 90 days after for noncompliance, all of those penalties are able to go on the property taxes. So we do have another enforcement mechanism for those three properties because we were aware that we are highlighting that their property taxes are unpaid. They're very easy to go take care of, but we wanted to make sure that we had other avenues to enforce compliance. So we have. Yeah. So we have taken those steps. As far as 1307 Washington Street, taxes remain unpaid on that property. But the owner has sealed the property. So it is sealed and we're just going to move forward with the tax sale process at this point. We may certify that property in May and it will be sold in September and there is no right to redemption on these properties. So hopefully and we did issue an unsafe building order with that as well. So whoever takes ownership of that property in September will be held to our unsafe building order also. So repairs will have to be made. So I guess just to summarize what I'm hearing is the process we put in places working. It is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I would say so. So yes. I'm just going to take a personal privilege here and get up and comment on that. So you're right, Gary. That's exactly what you heard from Cara, is that the process is working. And so I just wanted to take an opportunity to really thank Cara because we are doing great things now in our code enforcement and everything. And that is definitely due to the resources and skills that Cara is bringing to us. She is kind of spearheaded. She is in charge of code enforcement and hearing authority and she's taking the lead on all of this. So all of these new ideas that we're hearing that are working, that was our goal. We are. kind of spearheaded, she is in charge of code enforcement and hearing authority and she's taken lead on all of this. So all of these new ideas that we're hearing that are working. That was our goal. Our goal wasn't to sell abandoned properties or do anything like that. We will if we have to, but our goal was to get property owners to say, what are you doing? Like, what are you doing? This property is sitting here in the process worked. because you heard her say that building permits were applied for and taxes have been paid. And that ultimately is our goal to get these properties turned back over as productive properties. So I just... because you heard her say that building permits were applied for, you know, taxes have been paid and that ultimately has our goal to get these properties turned back over as productive properties. So I just want to say that I'm very happy with how things are going and to thank Kara for joining the team and helping us do all these great things. I think we'd just like to thank you both because this is a start that needs to happen as city gets bigger in the interior of the core of the city is at risk and so you're doing terrific work and everybody appreciates So that's just an update. We don't need to do any Yeah, that's just an update. Just wanted to the loop back to those property Okay, so I don't think we have new business. We do not. Is there any public comment at this time? Hearing none, move to adjourn. So moved. Moved and seconded. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Thank you. The meeting is adjourned. I vote not that I'm in the order for you to sign after next week. Okay. I'm going to be honest.