(a) If the owner, or person having principal charge of any building or the owner of any lots on which the same may be situated neglects or refuses to remove and abate the same within the time specified in the notice, Council may cause the same to be done and may sue for and collect the costs and expenses of the same from the owner or person having charge of such insecure, dangerous or hazardous building or the owner of the lot on which the same may be situated.
(b) If the owner or person having principal charge of a dangerous building fails or refuses to repair or demolish it after notice and within the time for compliance, as an alternative the Director of Public Safety and Service may be authorized by Council to take the necessary measures for accomplishing its demolition and removal. The Director shall advertise for bids for a contract for such demolition for a period of two weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the City and shall present such bids to Council for its acceptance or rejection. Only the lowest and best bid may be accepted by the City.
(c) At least thirty days prior to the removal or repair of any insecure, unsafe or structurally defective building, the Director of Public Safety and Service shall give notice by certified mail of the intention of the City with respect to such removal or repair to the holders of legal or equitable liens of record upon the real property on which such building is located and to owners of record of such property. The owners of record of such property or the holders of liens of record upon such property may enter into an agreement with the City to perform the removal or repair of the insecure, unsafe or structurally defective building. If an emergency exists, as determined by Council, notice may be given other than by certified mail and less than thirty days prior to such removal or repair.
(d) Any costs incurred by the City in accomplishing the demolition and removal shall be paid from the City Treasury out of the proper fund as designated by ordinance or resolution authorizing the contract for demolition. The City may appropriate to its own use any materials obtained in demolishing the building to compensate it for any part of the cost of demolition.
(e) The total costs of such demolition, whether such costs are incurred due to the use of employees, materials and equipment of the City or by contract for labor, materials and equipment or both, including the cost of service or publication of notice, together with a proper description of the premises, may be certified by the Council Clerk to the County Auditor to be placed by him on the tax duplicate as a lien on such premises, to be collected as other taxes and returned to the City, all as provided in Ohio R.C. 715.261.
(1993 Code 150.15)