When any obstruction or encumbrance of any kind shall be put, placed, or left on any street, sidewalk, alley, lane, or public thoroughfare in this municipality contrary to the provisions of the code of ordinances, the City Manager-Clerk or any police officer shall notify the person who put, placed, or left the obstruction or encumbrance on that street, sidewalk, or other public thoroughfare and the owner of the abutting property, if they are not the same person, to immediately remove the same. If the person fails or refuses to remove the obstruction or encumbrance within a reasonable time, the obstruction, or encumbrance, may be removed by municipal employees, upon the order of the City Manager-Clerk, and they shall make an itemized account of the expenses, if any, incurred in, or by reasons of, that removal and shall verify the account and file it with the City Manager-Clerk, and the expense shall be paid out of the General Fund of this municipality, which expense may be recovered from the owner of the materials by sending an invoice, and upon Council order by a civil suit.
(`74 Code, § 605:05)