Another property with high grass and weeds has spurred Coplay Borough Council to make changes.

During council's meeting Tuesday, Mayor Joseph Bundra said he has received several complaints regarding a vacant home at 19 N. Seventh St.

"More and more people are coming up to me and saying to me, 'What's going on with that house?'" Bundra said. "The grass is about a foot high."

Councilman Charles Sodl said the borough should hire someone to cut the grass and bill the property owner.

At the June 4 meeting, resident Ron Gollie asked council what could be done about an ongoing problem with high grass and weeds at 1022 Center St.

Code enforcement officer Ron Helman told Gollie the borough has to provide the property owner with written notice that grass and weeds need to be cut and then give the property owner 30 days to comply.

Sodl urged council June 4 to give the ordinance more "teeth."

The complaint with the North Seventh Street property was filed Aug. 19, more than three weeks ago, Sodl said Tuesday.

"We have this mechanism set up to address these matters. We can't wait till the grass is that high," said Councilman Bill Leiner Jr.

"That was my point a couple months ago," Sodl said. "We don't have the teeth to do it."

Solicitor James Preston said the borough has the right to cut grass and weeds after giving the property owner 30 days notice.

If the property owner doesn't pay the bill, the borough can put a lien on the property. However, the lien will not be satisfied until the property is sold, which could be many years, Preston said.

Part of the problem with the North Seventh Street property is the fact that foreclosure requires several months and, during that time, it's unclear whose responsibility it is to maintain the property, said borough Secretary-Treasurer Sandra Gyecsek.

"[The former owner] has left but the bank doesn't technically own it yet," she said.

Preston said written notice should be sent to the address listed on tax records as the property owner.

"It doesn't matter who says who owns it," Pres-ton said. "Somebody's name is on there. You can't take your name off."

As the mortgage holder, the bank does have the right to mow the grass but won't make mowing a priority.

"The problem is banks don't care about your grass," said Preston. "They won't come there when they don't own [the property] and it's not likely they're going to come there when they do own it. They just want to get rid of it."

Preston recommended amending the borough ordinance to reduce the 30 day period.

"You should also have a piece in there that deals with repeat offenders," he said.

Preston recommended adding penalties for the third and subsequent offenses.

"In the future I'd like to see if we can do something rather than just sitting back and just looking at this mess," Bundra said.

Leiner said the process can also move faster if the code enforcement officer responds immediately rather than waiting after receiving a complaint.

"Council President Lou Bodish said the committee should get together to discuss the issue and recommend changes to the ordinance, to be considered at a future council meeting.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Sodl said.