PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND NUISANCE BYLAW 5484
i) affect or may affect the safety, health and welfare of people in a neighbourhood;
During my career I’ve met with Premiers, Cabinet Ministers, MLAS, Mayors, Councillors and the list goes on. Only now to have to deal with Moose Jaw city officials.
A very wise gentleman taught me, your first impression tells you all you need to know about an individual. I met both these individuals – [Fire Chief] Rod Montgomery September 2018 and [City Manager] Jim Puffalt in October 2018. Not Impressed! [I was] not too impressed; here were two more officials.
Appeal of Order for 1511 Hastings Street West
DATE: August 10, 2020
The hole in the roof was “boarded over” and tarped to prevent water from entering. Some items were removed from the house, but interior demolition was not completed. (I’ve been in the house and there are two large holes in the roof not one. One is in the kitchen and one is in the back bedroom. Insulation and drywall were evident on the floor due to the serious “water damage”. (“2 feet at one point”)
The work required to be completed consists of:
- Remove any material that creates unpleasant odours. This may require contents of the interior to be removed and may also have to include interior finishes that have been affected;
- Replace front shingles and complete replacement of rear shingles. Where roof sheathing is rotted or broken, the sheathing shall be replaced to ensure a water-tight assembly.
Report written by “ex-city building inspector” sadly no longer in that position.
Reviewed by:
Jim Dixon, Manager of Economic Development
Tracy Wittke, Assistant City Clerk
Approved by: Jim Puffalt, City Manager
Approved by: Fraser Tolmie, Mayor
There wasn’t 1 sheet of plywood or OSB taken up on the roof to repair the 2 large holes, the contractor shingled over the damage.
How many of the letters’ authors have inspected the roof or interior of the property?
July 22, 2020
Carter Currie
1507 Hastings Street
Moose Jaw/SK S6H 6X5
I have been advised that the City continues to monitor the property in question and has been working toward the goal of returning the property to a livable state or having it demolished. The most recent order issued on Friday/July 10/2020. (Myron Gulko-Tiechko, City Clerk/Solicitor now retired.)
Copy to Assistant Ombudsman
Andrew Svenson City Solicitor/Office Department of Legislative and Enforcement Services council meeting September 21, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Response to Ongoing Letters to the Editor, be received and filed.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The intent is to outline the City’s communication with the public regarding the City’s work in dealing with derelict properties. For years, the City took minimal steps to deal with derelict properties and the issues added up. Since the City has focused on dealing with derelict properties over the past two (2) years, the City has demolished approximately thirty (30) derelict buildings, which is a significant achievement.
BACKGROUND
Moose Jaw’s focus on addressing derelict houses in the City arose from complaints from a resident of Moose Jaw regarding the state of a neighbouring property. The issues of the subject property that spurred the City’s focus on derelict houses have been remedied.
Further, City Council and City Administration have spent innumerable hours over the past few years trying to find a resolution for this individual.
However, complaints from this citizen continue to be sent to the City and to news outlets alleging various things, including the allegation that the City fails to enforce its Property Maintenance Bylaw and that the City fails to respond to requests from its citizens.
DISCUSSION
However, the City can act to remedy misconceptions about the City’s enforcement of property bylaws that may have arisen from this citizen’s complaints and to provide a procedure to address citizen requests or complaints that are unreasonable.
In addition to the information contained in this report, the City can implement a policy for managing frivolous, vexatious, or unreasonable requests from citizens to help ensure consistent messaging from the City and limit the ability of a citizen to unreasonably monopolize the City’s time and resources.
Mr. Svensen, did you ever explain “my misconceptions” of the bylaws? Answer: no. Would it be fair to say the Oshawa policy doesn’t provide answers, but steps on a citizen’s rights to have an “opinion.” (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom)
So, as citizens we should pay taxes and be “silent and especially not write editorials”. Mr. Svensen wasn’t it my editorials that got action on derelict properties.
When there are numerous city officials involved with this property and other derelict properties and they didn’t see the need to update the bylaw?
Why are taxpayers paying salaries to various city official that do little or nothing to protect our health and safety and “deal with these derelict properties in our neighbourhoods”?
I was in my late thirties when I contacted the city I’m now in my seventies. Shame on the city.
To the new city manager, you seem to have two city solicitors in a contradiction of “the property next door,” and one wants me to be silent.
“History matters.” Any wonder why I started writing editorials.
Take care,
Carter Currie
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
