FLUSHING — Village officials discussed a number of properties that have garbage piling up and agreed they should put an ordinance in place requiring that water and sewer bills be in the name of property owners rather than tenants.

Council members recently discussed what recourse they had to get residents to clean up garbage on their properties while new ordinances concerning property upkeep and structures are being developed.

Council President Chuck Nucci said it was a shame how many people exhibit a lack of pride and respect and that neighboring residents “shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

Mayor Preston Eberhart said that Police Chief Paul Leek would contact the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office to see if their “environmental guy” could do anything for the community and suggested it could also be a matter that could require the involvement of the Department of Health and Human Services, depending on the severity.

Meanwhile, Eberhart described a recent situation in which a couple who were renting a house in the village failed to pay their water bill before leaving town and ending up in jail in Indiana, saying the village needed an ordinance allowing the village to get paid for outstanding water bills through property taxes.

Nucci agreed, but said the village should also require that landlords keep the water and sewer bills in their names since they are ultimately going to be responsible for unpaid bills.

“If the tenant doesn’t pay the bill the landlord doesn’t know until we go to shut off the water, and by that time we’re $250 into it and the landlord’s still responsible,” Nucci said.

Fiscal Officer Jeryl McGaffick said she recommends to landlords that they keep the water bills in their names, but there are some who don’t.

Council passed Nucci’s motion to have legislation written requiring landlords to have water bills in their name with a stipulation that the $100 account transfer fee would be waived for 90 days after the ordinance is passed. After 90 days, the water service would be shut off and the property owner would be required to meet new EPA requirements as far as orientation of the meter pit and service line when reconnecting.

Nucci said he would contact Village Solicitor Gary Smith about preparing an ordinance to that effect and to check on the status of the property ordinances he was working on already.

In his monthly report, Village Administrator Kris Chini informed council that he and a village crew had been fighting through a number of lift station pump failures and that they had borrowed pumps and taken other measures to get by.

He said they needed two pumps at roughly $9,500 each to get back to proper operation and that it could take six weeks to get them once ordered. Council approved purchasing the pumps.

Nucci told Chini that he would like to be informed when there is a water break in town so he can better answer questions when residents call and ask him.

Mayor Eberhart noted that the village uses the Code RED mobile alert app to post boil orders and other critical notifications.

Council discussed with Chini a number of street signs missing throughout the village and he said he would put together a list and get prices so they could start replacing them a few at a time.

Police Chief Leek informed council that he was still getting information and prices about new computer tablets and body cameras for the police department, following up on the matter which had first been brought up during February’s meeting.

Council also discussed a situation in which a motorcycle had been left parked in front of a business on High Street for extended periods of time, with Nucci saying he believed there was space for tenants to park behind the buildings if the property owners would clean it up so it could be used.

Council briefly discussed the status of the pre-built shed which had been placed on Markatan Street a few months ago, prompting others in that neighborhood to address council concerning whether it was allowed by village ordinance.

Chini said he rarely sees anyone there, and that no water or sewer service had been ordered for the structure.

Council agreed with Mayor Eberhart that they should contact Belco Works Inc. to request a quote for cleaning of the village offices with all agreeing that having the cleaning done every two weeks would suffice.

Council also voted in favor of using a new formula that was put together by representatives from all county municipalities and townships along with the Belmont County Auditor’s Office to determine the allocation of local government money by the county.

Flushing Village Council meets again this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the village offices on High Street.