CONNEAUT —
Police seeking stolen property at a Harbor Street address late last week found something more repellent — outbuildings stuffed to the rafters with bags of garbage, City Council learned Monday night.
At the urging of Law Director David Schroeder, council unanimously approved a motion that deemed the mountain of trash an emergency. The action allows the city to immediately authorized the city to take action aimed at removing the garbage from the buildings. The motion allows the city to insist the owner and tenants remove the garbage immediately, waiving the usual 48-hour grace period given violators.
“There are hundreds of bags in these structures,” Schroeder said.
Given the amount and age of the garbage, rats and other vermin would certain be a concern, Schroeder said. “This is simply unacceptable,” he said.
Traditionally, the city health department investigates and acts on trash complaints. However, given the amount of garbage and the risk it poses to the neighborhood, city administrators asked council to act to speed up the recovery process, officials said.
“This is an unusual situation,” Schroeder said.
Late on Friday afternoon, police served a search warrant at 564 Harbor St., as part of an investigation into stolen property, officers said. Some stolen property was located, along with suspected methamphetamine, heroin, drug paraphernalia — and months' worth of accumulated garbage.
It was not immediately known if any arrests were made at the scene.
City law requires property owners to have trash collection service, and landlords must provide it for tenants. At the request of Councilman-at-large Neil LaRusch, Schroeder will review that ordinance at the next council meeting.
“I'm sure this isn't the only (garbage problem) in Conneaut,” LaRusch said.
Council President Thomas Udell agreed. “It's a shame we have to come up with a motion to take care of a trash problem,” he said.
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