NORWICH – Few items were on the agenda for Tuesday night’s City of Norwich Common Council work session, but with the swearing-in of a new police officer and a public hearing on proposed changes to the city code, including the addition of the rental registration, the meeting, which started at 7 p.m., didn’t end until 9:15.
The meeting started on a positive note. Many members of the Norwich Police Department came to watch as Norwich native Brandon Clark was sworn in as a member of the City of Norwich Police Department. Police Chief Joseph Angelino welcomed him to the department.
“It’s so good to bring one of Norwich’s persons back to the city, to serve the city,” Mayor Joseph Maiurano said.
Then the meeting turned to other matters as the public hearing to amend Chapter 50 (Minimum Standards For Housing) of the City Code. Many landlords spoke out in support of the ordinance. Norwich resident Patrick McNeil was the first to speak. “Looking at the proposed changes, I believe this is a very good document,” McNeil said. That being said, McNeil proceeded to bring up minor issues with the document, including changes he would like to see in the wording in some places.
Fellow landlord and Norwich resident Kathleen Campbell had similar concerns, but took her complaints a step further. Campbell told the council that as an attorney, she has issues with the document in several areas, saying that it could be viewed as unconstitutional. Campbell specifically pointed to Section 1.6, which gives Norwich Police the right to act as an enforcement officer, inspecting buildings for code violations. “As an attorney, I’m concerned about the inclusion of any police officer (to act as an enforcement officer). It opens us up to illegal search and seizures.” Campbell also took issue with the wording in Section 2, which said enforcement officers would be able to inspect a rental dwelling with the permission of the occupant, but left out any notification or permission being given by the owner of the property.
Several of the landlords in attendance didn’t have any major issues with the document, but wanted to see the police department receive more power when dealing with bad tenants. “We’re giving everything to tenants and nothing for teeth to the landlords,” said Richard Boise. “We, as landlords, need more teeth to deal with tenants.”
The police chief addressed many of the issues that were raised by the landlords. “Over a year ago, we had people who were living next to some of the bad properties here, begging and pleading for something to be done,” Angelino began. He explained that Campbell’s concern over the inclusion of police officers as enforcement officers in Section 1.6 was not a problem. “It makes no difference if the wording is there or not, we still have the ability to enforce the codes,” Angelino said. He continued, saying that Section 2 was worded as it was because of bad landlords in the city. “Many times we have tenants calling about conditions that have deteriorated so badly that they want the property to be inspected,” Angelino said. In those instances, he continued, the police obviously would not want to call the landlord for permission, because they would be denied.
He continued, addressing Boise and other landlords’ requests that the police or the landlords be given more power to deal with problem tenants. “I wish there was more power you could give us, but there’s not,” he said.
After much more discussion, the public hearing was called to a close, and the ordinance to amend Chapter 50 was passed, with three minor wording changes to the problem areas. Copies of the amended Chapter 50 should be available by Friday at the City Hall Codes Office, City of Norwich Fire Department and on the City of Norwich Web Site at www.norwichnewyork.net. The city is also planning on holding informational meetings to explain what the ordinance means and to help fill out the registration form. More information will be posted as it becomes available.