Quick Hits: October 16, 2009
by Bill Dusty
FORECLOSED HOME DEADLINE
The City of Springfield announced this week that homeowners and banks have until November 1st, 2009, to register vacant or foreclosed properties with the City.
The Vacant and Foreclosing Property Registration ordinance, which was adopted in April of this year by the now-defunct Springfield Finance Control Board and Mayor Domenic Sarno, requires any properties that become vacant or foreclosed in the City of Springfield be registered with the city each year. Some of the requirements under the ordinance are listed below (courtesy the City Web site):
– Register their property with the City at a cost of $100 per year.
– Provide the owner’s name and mailing address (which cannot be a P.O. Box) so that the City has a good address for service of legal notices.
- Identify as part of the registration (and post on the property) the 24-hour contact name, number, and address for a local property manager (either a person or company) who is located within 30 miles of the property.
- Maintain the property on a weekly basis including keeping it secured.
For more information on the ordinance, click here.
Failure to comply with the registration requirement will result in fines of up to $300 per week, until either payment is received or the property is no longer vacant or foreclosing, according to the announcement.
PREMATURE ENDORSEMENTS
Mayoral candidate Bud L. Williams prematurely announced the endorsement of his candidacy by two sitting City Councilors. Councilors Timothy Rooke and Jimmy Ferrera said in a Republican story posted the other day that they have not endorsed either candidate for mayor (Williams or incumbent Mayor Domenic Sarno).
Williams did manage to pick up the endorsement of State Representative (known as “Congressman” by his Liberian constituents) Benjamin Swan.
Swan is apparently still miffed at Mayor Sarno for his role in terminating the City’s towing contract with the Springfield Towing Alliance, which was headed up by Swan’s good pal, Robert Jones. The STA had wracked up over a dozen contractual violations according to the City Auditor’s office.
As for the city councilors in question, Williams should at least expect to have Ferrera in his corner, since he’s had him literally at his side for the past several months.
HORRIFIC POSTINGS
Over at Mike Dobbs’s blog, Out of the Inkwell, meanwhile, Mike is attempting to post a piece each day about something horror related, in honor of Halloween. Mike is a movie nut, and his blog often features reviews and news about old favorites.
Stop by his blog, here.
NORTHAMPTON MEDIA
In another website plug, I was surfing the ‘Net the other day when I decided to swing by Mary Serreze’s latest online project, Northampton Media. The site looks terrific – it’s really looking like a destination for Northampton news hounds. Check it out here.
Serreze also writes print journalism over at the Valley Advocate.
PDF
Comments are closed
ADVERTISE AT THE SI
 |
 |
