(a) The Health Officer shall have the authority to order the owner, tenant or occupier of any ground covered with stagnant water, or on which offensive or unwholesome substances are permitted to remain or accumulate, to have such ground filled up, raised or drained or to have such substances removed therefrom.
(b) The Health Officer shall report any person failing to comply with an order issued under the provisions of subsection (a) hereof, to City Council. Council shall have authority to cause such ground to be filled up, raised or drained or to cause such substances to be removed therefrom. Before such work shall be done, the owner, tenant or occupier, or his agent, shall have reasonable notice of the intended action of Council and opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken, and to that end reasonable notice shall be given to such owner, tenant or occupier of the time of the hearing thereof. The expense of doing such work shall be assessed by Council against the owner, tenant or occupier of such property and shall be paid within thirty days after the completion of the work. Such cost, with interest at the rate of six percent (6%) after thirty days, may be collected by a suit at law in the name of the City before any court having jurisdiction thereof. In addition, the sum thus assessed shall be a lien on the property upon which such work has been done. Such lien may be enforced by a suit in equity in the name of the City in any court having jurisdiction thereof; provided, however, that in the case of nonresident owners who have no known agents in the City, such notices may be given by publication for one week in any newspaper of general circulation published in the City.
(c) Immediately upon the completion of such work as is provided for by this section, Council shall direct the City Recorder to cause to be published a notice which shall name and describe the location of the lot upon which such work has been done, and give the name of the owner thereof. If the name of the owner is unknown, such lot shall be described with reasonable certainty in order that it may be identified. Such notice shall state the amount assessed against such lot for the cost of such work and shall cite the owner thereof to appear before Council within thirty days of the first publication thereof to show cause, if any, why such assessment should not be final. Such notice shall be published once a week for two successive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in the City. Thereupon, proceedings shall be the same as are provided in the case of assessments for paving and sewers. (1972 Code §10-1-12)