Quincy City Council gets update on cleanup conundrum

QUINCY — A week after an open discussion about how much effort was being put into cleaning up Quincy, the conversation turned into how to fix the problem.

At Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting, Director of Public Works Jeffrey Conte discussed staffing changes and nuisance abatement strategies to be conducted by Central Services.

Conte said Central Services staffing increased from 13.5 full-time employees to 19 over the past few years and the city has also been using contractors and borrowing equipment from other departments to help with nuisance abatement projects.

This summer, we have been using our part-timers to help out as well as hiring contractors to do the nuisance lawn mowing,” Conte said. “I know that is something that city probably used in the past but we hadn’t used it in recent years. But we are using that to try and get caught up especially in the summertime.”

Conte said the City cannot address some issues without going through legal channels, which does not expedite the process.

“Projects are prioritized,” he said. “But if a nuisance is turned in and that nuisance property is fenced and gated, we cannot go in there and clean it up without permission. So there are some that get turned in and sit on the list.”

Alderman Jeff Bergman (R-2nd Ward) said the end result should be getting the property taken care.

“If it’s out of tolerance with our codes, at the end of the day, technically, we will go to court and we will get it cleaned up,” Bergman said.

Conte said City Treasurer Kelly Stupasky has been working with the legal department on the process. Alderman Jack Holtschlag (D-7th Ward) asked about simply issuing tickets without going through court first.

“We’re reviewing both the process of getting them into the court so that can be addressed as well as fines and the charges that we’re incurring because right now, we collect about 20 percent of what we actually bill and e’re wondering if some people are just not paying the fine just getting the free cleanup, essentially,” Conte said.

So with the focus cutting tall grass, fixing sidewalks and picking up trash, Alderman Ben Uzelac (D-7th Ward), asked for a report on the time it takes to clear up nuisance issues. Conte said he would have that report soon.

Alderman also approved the proposed construction of 300-megawatt battery plant in the 4000 block of Koch’s Lane that falls within the city’s mile-and-a-half zoning boundary. on two plots straddling Koch’s Lane. This allows the city to now review compliance and issue a building permit.

In other action, the City Council approved:

• The purchase of 25 desktop computers from SHI, of Somerset, NJ, in the amount of $30,431.25.
• Paying an annual fee to STARCOM21-Motorola Solutions in the amount of $12,168.00 for a communication back up system.
• Two Fix-Or-Flatten Program demolition bids of $23,500 from R.D. Shaffer Trucking at 1001 Chestnut St. and 924 Payson Avenue.