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City Council Minutes <br />May 13, 2002 <br />Page 5 <br />given to the Building and Standards Commission. Councilman Bell said <br />someone is going to have to go to the Courthouse and look up the deed and <br />deed of trust. The City Attorney stated that is what state law says we have to <br />do, and if you do not notify them, the city has wasted staff time. If this is not <br />done in conformance with the ordinance, then the work will not count. <br />Mayor Pfiester asked Police Chief Karl Louis how much and what types of <br />illegal activity happens in vacant houses. <br />Chief Louis came forward telling the City Council that there is a significant <br />amount of illegal activities occurring in vacant houses, but it depends where the <br />house is located and whether it is a high crime rate area. He said they do work <br />crack and dope houses, and they do have a considerable amount of activity in <br />vacant structures. <br />Councilwoman Neeley questioned the process that the police and the Code <br />Inspectors will use in dealing with these types of activities. City Attorney <br />Schenk said the Code Inspector will fill out a case file and they will go and look <br />at the property from the right-of-way, which is what they have to do now with <br />weeds, junk, and litter. If the property appears to be dilapidated and the code <br />inspector feels that there is sufficient evidence to show it is a risk and if there <br />has been a complaint from a neighbor, they will fill out an affidavit, assuming <br />that this ordinance is approved, and they will seek an administrative warrant <br />from the Municipal Court Judge. The Judge will look at that information and <br />if he finds that there is sufficient evidence to justify going on to the premises <br />of the property, he will issue the administrative search warrant. The Code <br />Inspector will then go on to the premises and inspect the interior of building. <br />City Attorney Schenk said if there are other serious code violations, the Code <br />Inspector will document those problems, tag the building as being dangerous, <br />and complete the file. He said the Code Inspectors will issue the necessary <br />notices after researching the ownership. The Code Inspectors will bring that <br />information before the Building and Standards Commission. City Attorney <br />Schenk read the section regarding Notice - Dangerous Building of the proposed <br />