Logansport — The Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety on Sept. 17 voted on a series of property cleanups, fines and appeals after code-enforcement staff reported repeated trash, mattresses and vehicle-related violations at several addresses.
The board acted on multiple cases brought by Randy, the city’s code-enforcement officer, approving fines, granting appeals when owners demonstrated corrective plans, and placing conditions and a probationary period on repeat offenders.
Why it matters: The board's actions address recurring public-health and nuisance issues that city staff said were creating repeated enforcement burdens and citizen complaints. Several properties carry tiered fines that can escalate if violations recur.
Randy, the city code-enforcement officer, told the board that 1314 North Street had been cleaned after an earlier hearing: “She finished it completely as we asked.” The board did not impose a fine on that property after confirming the cleanup and the owner’s plan for ongoing maintenance. The board approved an appeal for 1218–1220 High Street, which staff characterized as a tenant-driven problem, and for 1421–1423 Astor Street after a large forced cleanup earlier in the month; both appeals were approved by the board.
A more contested case involved 27 East Columbia Street, described by Randy as a multiple-violation property where the owner had added a temporary carport to hide yard clutter. The board required the owner to check with the building department about any permit requirement for the carport, remove three lawnmowers from public view, and keep the property violation-free for six months. Board members voted to place the property on a six-month probation with the condition that “if there is another violation in 6 months, an automatic $2,500 fine will be placed on the property,” a motion the board approved. Randy explained the concern about equipment left in yards: “If it was a vehicle, we would have tagged it in 21 days and pulled it out.” The owner said he planned to clean the garage and place a dumpster temporarily.
Other actions: the board placed a $500 multiple-violation fine on 616 West Martin and 1215–1217 Ash Street; assessed a $1,500 fine on 123 Lockwood Street (tier 3); approved a $500 cleanup fine for 110 West Miami Avenue; and tabled 511 Schultz Street to Oct. 1 to allow more time for the owner to address problems. Several motions passed unanimously by recorded roll call votes from Mayor Chris Martin, Levi Jones and Jacob Palmasol.
Discussion vs. decisions: The meeting record separates staff reports and owner statements (discussion) from formal board action (motions, votes). Where owners presented plans or where staff reported completed work, the board either denied fines or imposed conditions instead of immediate penalties. For repeat offenders the board used probationary periods and escalating fines as formal enforcement tools.
The board asked staff to continue routine checks on recurring problem properties and emphasized interdepartmental coordination with the building department on permit questions.
Planned next steps: The board will recheck properties on the timetable set in each motion (two weeks for some, six months probation on one). Several cases carry unresolved fines that will remain on property records until paid or appealed.