Mayor Julie Schwetz and the Marshall City Council have issued a letter to the city’s residents regarding a possible proposed ordinance that sparked a passionate negative outcry from a standing-room only audience at the meeting on Monday, October 21.
The letter says, in part:
“The Mayor and City Council appreciate the feedback regarding a proposed occupancy inspection process. We’ve heard your concerns and are scrapping the current proposal as it is written. We will be deliberating on how better to address the driving intention, and that is property maintenance of non-owner occupied properties and a more productive and proactive process of enforcing property maintenance standards.
“For some time, concerned citizens have ranked at the top of their priority list “cleaning up the town”. What that means to each person is different and subjective, but there is a common desire to protect and help our city’s aesthetics, property values, and most importantly, those living in sub-standard conditions. The goal has not been nor ever will be to infringe upon property owners’ rights. The challenge in front of us is how to balance that with ensuring basic standards of property maintenance are kept and enforced.”
The letter also says they have taken one step in that direction, and that is returning to a second full-time employee in the Inspection Department. The city has asked staff to study the current ordinances and procedures, then decisions will be made as to whether changes are needed.
“As we work through this process, we will once again practice transparency and appreciate citizen input. There may be missteps along the path, however, we strive for the best for Marshall and its citizens whether it’s in the area of economic development, best uses and expenditures of City resources, or quality of life.”