Councilors asked how the city handles illegal dumping, high-grass and nuisance properties and were told the Department of Public Works funds a violation-remediation program that can send contractors to clean properties after notices.

A DPW staff member told the council the city has $75,000 budgeted for property-remediation contractors and that the item was being moved to a different internal line so it would appear in the correct account. The staff described the process: property owners receive a notice with a 10-day compliance window, and if they fail to remediate the property the city will hire a contractor to do the cleanup and then bill the owner.

Councilors asked about enforcement tools to deter repeat dumping, including raising fines and using mobile cameras. Staff and councilors discussed that fines for an initial short-notice violation begin at $75 and can be escalated up to $2,500 with police involvement. Councilors proposed using mobile cameras in dumping hot spots to reduce repeat violations; staff said the city has an existing violations-remediation program and three contractors who rotate on enforcement jobs.

Several councilors also raised neighborhood-quality issues — dead trees, overgrown common areas and street-level litter — and asked whether additional resources should be directed to ongoing cleaning and maintenance. Staff said some of that work is handled through the same remediation account and that city crews and contractors are deployed based on complaints and inspections.

Staff promised to return with clarifications on the relocated budget line and how the $75,000 remediation program will be administered.