The Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety voted Sept. 17 to approve multiple property cleanup actions and fines after hearing the code enforcement weekly report and testimony from property representatives. The board also approved a conditional resolution for 27 East Columbia Street that puts the property on six months of probation and requires the owner to remove certain items from public view and verify any building permits for a temporary cover.

Code enforcement staff reported sending 15 trash notices last week, issuing three citations and conducting four cleanups. Several properties with repeat violations were on the agenda for either fines, appeals or follow-up inspections.

Randy, the code-enforcement staff member, told the board that the owner at 1314 North Street had followed a previously approved plan and “finished it completely as we asked,” and the board did not impose a fine after that compliance. For 27 East Columbia Street, staff said the owner had cleaned much of the property but had added a temporary carport and left three lawn mowers in the yard; staff expressed concern that hiding violations behind a temporary structure would not resolve recurring problems.

After discussion about precedent and enforcement, the board approved a motion to accept the property’s current cleanup on the condition that the owner check with the building department about permits for the temporary carport, move the lawn mowers out of public view, and maintain no new violations for six months; the board stated that an automatic $2,500 fine would be imposed if the property returns to violation within that period.

The board also acted on a slate of other properties: it approved an appeal for 1218–1220 High Street (noting the issue appeared to be tenant-related), approved an appeal for 1421–1423 Astor Street after staff described a large cleanup that had been completed, placed a $500 fine on 616 West Martin (a multiple‑violation property), approved a multiple‑violation fine for 1215–1217 Ash Street, approved a $1,500 fine at 123 Lockwood Street and ordered cleanup, and approved a $500 cleanup fine for 110 West Miami Avenue after staff said the property had repeatedly returned as an issue. Several properties (for example, 14 West Main Street and 717 Ray Street) were reported cleared; 511 Schultz Street was tabled for review on Oct. 1 because staff said the owner was actively working on cleanup.

Board members and staff emphasized the goal of balancing reasonable time for owners to fix problems with a clear enforcement standard. Staff repeatedly urged owners and out‑of‑town landlords to establish routine checks and local contacts so properties do not become repeated enforcement burdens.

The board’s actions on the listed properties were procedural — staff presentations, owner statements and motions to impose fines or table enforcement — rather than creating new ordinances or code changes. Follow-up inspections and fines will be enforced consistent with the city’s existing code enforcement process.