(A) If the landowner or occupant failed to abate the violation within the time prescribed, the City Code Enforcement Officer, or other designated City officer shall issue a written work order to the City of Mt. Vernon Motor Vehicle/Highway Department. The Motor Vehicle/Highway Department shall cut and remove, or have cut and removed, the weeds, grass or other rank vegetation. The Motor Vehicle/Highway Department shall, upon abating the violation, furnish to the Clerk-Treasurer and the City Code Enforcement Officer, or other designated City officer, a written statement of costs incurred in abating the violation. The City Code Enforcement Officer, or other designated City officer shall provide to the owner and occupant a certified statement of the costs incurred by the Motor Vehicle/Highway Department and the City Code Enforcement Officer, or other designated City officer for the cutting and removal, or the hiring thereof, of the weeds, grass and rank vegetation including administrative costs, attorney fees, and appropriate fine, which statement shall be delivered to the owner and occupant of the real estate by personal service or by first class mail. The owner shall have 30 days from the date of the notice within which to pay that amount at the Office of the City of Mt. Vernon, Indiana Clerk-Treasurer. The address to be used is an indicated in the records of the County Auditor as of the date of the notice.
(B) If the owner fails to pay the sum within the time prescribed, a certified copy of the statement of costs shall be filed in the Auditor’s Office of Posey County, and the Auditor shall place the amount so claimed on the tax duplicate of the lands affected by the cutting and removal of those weeds, grass, or other rank vegetation, and the same shall be collected as taxes are collected, and when so collected, shall be disbursed to the General Fund of the city. The costs due and owing to the City shall bear interest at the rate of 8% per annum from the date of the certification, if not paid within ten days, until paid in full, for the costs certified concerning cutting and removal of the weeds, grass or rank vegetation.
(C) The amounts collected hereunder, for the costs certified concerning cutting and removal of the weeds, grass or rank vegetation, shall be disbursed to the Mt. Vernon Highway fund and administrative costs, interest and fines shall be disbursed to the City’s General Fund.
(Ord. 1118, passed 6-12-67; Am. Ord. 95-26, passed 12-11-95; Am. Ord. 13-22, passed 10-3-13; Am. Ord. 2016-3A, passed 3-17-16)