Concerned Citizen Contacts Tutty Regarding the Proposed Vacant Property Ordinance

Tutty received the following e-mail regarding the "Vacant Property Ordinance" proposed by the Gaulrapp Administration.  Here is the e-mail:

"I, a Concerned Freeport Citizen, wish to bring to your kind attention a pending ordinance that has had five readings in front of the Freeport City Council and is being championed by the Gaulrapp Administration.

Should we be concerned? The ordinance, as proposed, allows the city to adopt a “broken window” concept and identifies a public nuisance building many times and in many ways. I, a Concerned Freeport Citizen, will not burden you with all the definitions, but to highlight a few:

a.)    Any building that lacks sanitary sewage or plumbing.
b.)    Any building the building inspector determines to be unsafe.
c.)     Any building that is capable of being a fire hazard.
d.)    Any building that is unsanitary or littered with rubbish.
e.)    Any building that has overgrown weeds.
f.)     Any building that is in a state of deterioration or decay.
g.)    Any building with doors, windows or other openings boarded up.

The ordinance proposed states that if any vacant building is deemed by the building inspector to fall under the aforementioned categories (among many others), it is “detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare; unreasonably interferes with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other premises within the neighborhood; may pose an extraordinary danger to police officers or firefighters entering the premises in time of emergency; and detracts from the appearance and good order of the neighborhood; all of which effects are especially associated with such buildings that have been vacant for over two years…”

Should we be concerned…? That the ordinance proposes:

a.)    Remediation plans
b.)    Exterior lighting
c.)    Window replacement
d.)    Fines
e.)    Repairs
f.)     City code compliance

Should we be concerned…? The City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration are owners of three (Rawleigh building, Former City Hall, Former Public Library) of the largest vacant structures in the city limits?

Should we be concerned…? That the City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration, by their own definition, will be the owners of three facilities (Rawleigh building, Former City Hall, Former Public Library) that “may pose an extraordinary danger to police officers or firefighters entering the premises in time of emergency; and detracts from the appearance and good order of the neighborhood; all of which effects are especially associated with such buildings that have been vacant for over two years…”

Should we be concerned…? Mayor Gaulrapp stated at the last City Council meeting that replacing the windows in Rawleigh alone would cost in excess of $100,000.00.

Should we be concerned…? The owners of vacant properties considered derelict (or “slumlords”) must spend their limited resources to bring their buildings up to city code, all the while the largest landlord and owner of vacant or derelict properties is the City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration.

Should we be concerned…? If the ordinance is passed as written, the City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration will have to spend untold millions of dollars that we the tax payers don’t have to adhere to this ordinance?

Should we be concerned…? The City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration are proposing to re-write the pending ordinance to exempt City property and adopt a “do as we say, not as we do,” stance?

Should we be concerned…? That there have been five readings of this ordinance with a sixth planned and it appears the City of Freeport and the Gaulrapp Administration have not thought through what they have repeatedly read?

Without question, everyone would agree that our economy is struggling on a National level. On a local level, unemployment is excessive and families are struggling. New opportunities are limited and our future is bleak as our community leaders have not been able to foster a cohesive vision for the community in which we live.

As a Concerned Freeport Citizen, I ask each of you - if you are also Concerned, let your friends and family know that the liability that we face as Concerned Freeport Citizens. With the admission of the Freeport City Council and the Gaulrapp Administration that they are the largest derelict slumlord in Northwest Illinois, to be in compliance with their own ordinance could cost us untold millions."

Tutty thought the e-mail speaks for itself and will only add a link to the proposed ordinance, #2011-61, this ordinance, if approved, would add a whole new chapter to the City's Codified Ordinances.
http://www.cityoffreeport.org/Ordinances%20&%20Resolutions/abandoned%20property%20ordinance.pdf

Another problem Tutty sees is that the version of this ordinance being given to the  Freeport City Council, lacks designated page numbers.  So what stops the Gaulrapp administration from adding pages or taking pages away after the ordinance has been approved?

Tutty has some very serious doubts whether City Clerk Meg Zuravel is working for Freeport Citizens or the Gaulrapp administration.  All orindances and resolutions should have page numbers prior to City Council review.  Why don't they have page numbers City Clerk Meg Zuravel?

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com