LEESBURG – At Monday’s Leesburg Town Council meeting, members went over the unsafe building ordinance, cistern repair and the status of the sewage grinder pumps.
The hot topic of the night was the unsafe building ordinance. The council has reworded the ordinance to allow the town of Leesburg the opportunity to have recourse against those who own structures that are not up to code.
The wording in the ordinance was changed in three separate places. The new wording says that the Leesburg Town Council is the hearing authority for unsafe building matters, the building inspector is the enforcement for the ordinance and that the town council must appoint a building commissioner or inspector to enforce the ordinance.
Leesburg Town Council approved the additions 3-0.
The ordinance allows the town council to determine if a house is in need of an inspection or possibly further action that could lead to demolition.
Town Council President Tom Moore invited Ed VanOsdol, a certified building inspector, to speak to the council about the purpose of a building inspector.
VanOsdol informed the council that he could be available whenever they need him to inspect a house. He also told the council that the reports are extensive and document the condition of every area of the building through text and photographs.
The council did not decide to make VanOsdol the building inspector at this time, but the council will continue to move on with the ordinance and will look at other candidates as well.
The board also asked Leesburg volunteer fireman Derek Tenney what the status of the leaky cistern was. Tenney told the council that the fire department had purchased the liner for the cistern, but found out it was more work than they could handle.
The fire department received a quote from Butt & Timmons, Leesburg, to fix the cistern near the fire department and the town hall. The quote came in at $2,490 to fix the leak and reseal the cistern.
The council approved the work 3-0.
Derek Tenney, of Tenney & Sons Septic Tank Cleaning, and Tim Setser, of Fluid and Thermal Systems, Indianapolis, reported on the status of the repairs on the sewage grinder pumps.
Setser informed the council that the town has 228 pumps, and of those Tenney had fixed 37 and Environmental One, the company that made the pumps, fixed 191.
The repairs on the sewage pumps is complete and there have been no issues with the pumps since.
Moore thanked Setser and Tenney for fixing the problem with minimal cost to the town.
Leesburg Street Commissioner Brandon Queen gave his monthly report to the council.
Queen told the council that there were 25 tons of salt and sand mix left. He also informed the council that now that it is getting warm homeowners can bring their storm damage to the curb for pickup.
Queen also said that he is currently finishing fixing the storm damage and pot holes around town and after he finished that project he will start to paint the streets.
The Leesburg Town Council reminded citizens there is no parking on the street from the hours of 3 to 6 a.m.
The next meeting will be April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Leesburg Town Hall.
