WHEELING - Councilwoman Gloria Delbrugge spearheaded a campaign with fellow veteran council members Vernon Seals and Robert "Herk" Henry to clean up blight within the city that has taken one small step, but the work is far from over.
That first hurdle was cleared when crews cleared overgrown plant life from the sidewalk in front of 426 Warwood Ave. and the neighboring property.
"Oh my God! There is a sidewalk there," she told her fellow council members at the Nov. 16 Wheeling City Council meeting.
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This property at 442 Main St. is one of many properties Councilwoman Gloria Delbrugge said needs more care from its owner.
Prior to that action by the Division of Operations, the small stretch of concrete resembled a miniature jungle.
Nearby resident Jim Kobasko was not pleased with its condition.
"It's a disgrace," Kobasko said. "They (city leaders) want people to invest in property, but when you have areas like this, you can't sell property."
Though the abandoned property still remains an eyesore, both Delbrugge and Kobasko are delighted to see something done. Kobasko said last month that not only was the overgrowth ugly, but also unsafe for pedestrians who would need to cross into the street to avoid the impassable brush.
The next step for Delbrugge, Henry and Seals is to control a more animate problem - dogs and cats running at large.
"There are cats everywhere," Delbrugge said, noting felines have been more destructive than dogs. "They run the streets constantly. ... I think there are more cats than people in this city."
According to Article 507 of City Code passed in 1981, any dog or cat without a leash and loose could be seized by any humane or police officer and impounded at any time.
The article only states dogs need to be registered yearly with the county assessor. Delbrugge and Henry, however, at an October City Council meeting suggested the article be amended to include cats as well.
"I don't understand why it's one and not the other," Delbrugge said Friday.
Nonetheless, the cats of which Delbrugge spoke do violate sections of code indicating animals are in violation when running at large, discharging excrement on public or private property other than that of the owner and roaming without a collar. Section 99 of that article indicates the fine for an owner's first violation is $10, the second $35 and the third $100.
Without a city dog warden, council has been seeking a way to work with Ohio County Animal Control to assist in controlling unregistered or feral animals; however, an agreement has yet to be announced.
City Solicitor Rosemary Humway-Warmuth was not available for comment on the matter.
Another mission for council members is to enforce more strictly the cleanup of blighted properties throughout the city. One such property Delbrugge mentioned is 442 Main St. at the corner of Pike Street. The abandoned structure had been grown over with weeds, and the front door has been broken for several years.
"We have to start doing something now," she said. "It's unacceptable. ... Property owners need to care."
If a property owner is cited for allowing a property to turn into a blighted site, Director of the Economic and Community Development Department Nancy Prager said owners will receive a notice and must report cleanup efforts to the department's office within 21 days. If an owner fails to do so, the issue proceeds to court.