DUBOIS – Sam Miles challenged DuBois City Council regarding the inquiry of registering rental properties. Miles asked why the city would want to do such a thing especially since it seemed to border on invading one’s privacy.
Miles asked the city solicitor, Toni Cherry, how she would look at the situation as an attorney, to which she said she wouldn’t comment. “I saw this when I got the packet on Thursday and it’s been sent to Planning. So, it’s really inappropriate to make any comments. You are too soon. Planning needs to look at it.”
Cherry said the Planning Commission needs time to look over the proposal before making any recommendations.
Miles said landlords are calling him to ask him about the proposal.
After being cutoff by Miles, Council member Dianne Bernardo took her turn to speak and said the city of Coatesville has had a similar order in place for 25 years. “Why would I ever entertain something like this? Number one issue, safety.”
Bernardo told Miles there are rental properties in the city that are not being inspected after tenants leave. In many cases the properties are not being maintained and are thus depreciating.
One example given to Miles was the recent fire in DuBois where a man lost his life. The firefighters did not know how many units were in the building which makes their job of finding people in a fire challenging.
“As a parent, I would like to know if my son or daughter is going into a rental property that has met the codes of the city,” said Bernardo, when referring to a recent rental property that is being leased to students.
“What is ten dollars to a tenant when your tenant is dead,” is the question Bernardo posed to Miles. “It has nothing to do with government knowing who’s doing what or wanting money. The bottom line is about safety.”
Miles responded to Bernardo by saying he was once a rental property owner and he had all the inspections done. He said he understood there are some who do not comply but, “I understand how part of this can be for safety and I understand what is going on in this country with the progressive move. But what I’m looking at here is basically the protection of the people. The people who are going to have to live with this, let them vote on it. Let them decide. Not you.”
Miles proposed that council make it some kind of a vote that they could be a part of in the May timeframe.
Bernardo argued that there isn’t a price tag that can be put on safety. She said there are rental properties constantly coming about.
Miles told council that there has to come a time in this country “when you let the people decide what they want.”
Cherry interjected the debate occurring between Miles and Bernardo to say that if the people do not want something they are welcome to come to the meetings and voice their opinions and positions on the matter. “To think this council isn’t going to be responsive to the wishes of the community, that’s not true,” she said. Cherry told Miles that he and his constituents, and all the landlords who do not like it, can come to the meeting when it is brought up for vote.
“You are premature,” said Cherry, referring to the timing of Miles’ concern regarding the issue.
Zach Lawhead, code enforcement officer, told Miles that he is not able to enter a property without consent. He would otherwise have to obtain a warrant to check the property.
Miles then told council these weren’t his concerns but they were concerns of others who asked him to voice them.
Mayor Gary Gilbert closed the debate by sayin, “We need to know how many people is in an apartment. We need to know.” He spoke of the fire that claimed one man’s life and how upon arriving at the scene, the firefighters did not know how many apartments or residents where in the building.
Council, and the solicitor, told Miles the concerned citizens he is speaking for should go to the planning commission meetings and to the city council meetings. Miles said he did not know the planning commission meetings were open to the public.
The planning meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month and the public is welcome to attend.
