WEIRTON – Members of Weirton Council will sit down next week to discuss concerns with, and possible adjustments to, the city’s property maintenance procedures.

A work session has been scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, in Room 201 of the Weirton Municipal Building, with an agenda to include discussion of “general property maintenance compliance, enforcement and procedures.”

The work session is open to the public.

The issue was among those touched upon during the Department Reports portion of Tuesday’s council meeting, with Code Official Nick Stewart noting some of the challenges faced by the city’s Inspections Department staff, in particular with uncut grass.

Ward 1 Councilman Tim Connell pointed to one particular property in his ward, located in the Kings Creek Bowl area.

“I’m constantly getting calls on it,” Connell said, explaining one woman described the grass as being up to her neck.

Stewart said he and City Attorney Vince Gurrera have been working on ways to address the issue as part of property maintenance efforts, including going through the municipal court system.

“We’re constantly battling that,” Stewart said.

Gurrera noted there have been instances where the city has had liens placed on properties left unattended or cared for, especially in instances where the city has had to take over oversight of the grass.

Several members of council noted many of the situations involve properties where the owner doesn’t live in the city, or even in the area, while others only take action after they’ve been cited.

“A lot of people only cut their grass when they’re told,” Mayor Dean Harris said. “We’ve become everyone’s parents.”

Harris said the other issue is the amount of time being dedicated to grass issues takes away from time Inspections employees can focus on other responsibilities.

“They’re spending so much time on grass and weeds, they can’t address other needs,” Harris said.

The city department is tasked with the review and inspection of properties to “assure compliance with the State of West Virginia and the City of Weirton Building and Property Maintenance Codes,” according to the city’s website.

The department also enforces aspects of the city’s code, including the Unified Development Ordinance.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)