During a meeting Thursday, Rush Township supervisors adopted the International Property Maintenance Code as the property maintenance code for the township. Before finalizing the ordinance, they had made numerous alterations and amendments.

"What we adopt, we research and adapt to fit our needs," Chairman Shawn Gilbert said. "That's our job."Zoning officer Bill McMullin said most of the amendments were made to adapt the code to more practical applications. For example, part of the code delineated the type and size of container that residents could use to store garbage. Instead, the supervisors amended that to read "utilize leakproof containers" for the storage of garbage.The new ordinance also gives a code official greater authority to condemn a property deemed unfit for human occupancy, such as structures which are unsafe, or not sanitary, or contain filth and contamination and are a hazard to the occupants or to the public. The code official can condemn the property, and condemned structures must be vacated.The supervisors had better news about the status of unpaid sewer and water bills. The delinquent garbage accounts continue to be the most difficult to collect, with the past due total starting at $63,394 at the beginning of the year, reduced to $56,126 at this time.However, the sewer bills have been greatly reduced. The supervisors have been issuing water shut-off notices to residences and businesses with sewer bills that are delinquent for several months. The Lake Hauto past-due sewer bills have dropped from $12,559 to $3,549, and the Hometown sewer bills have dropped from $113,134 to $24,861."That's a lot of money collected in five months," Gilbert said.In other action, the supervisors approved the purchase of four digital portable radios for the police department from Green Communications for $15,602. They will also advertise for bids on a 2008 Crown Victoria police car that has approximately 150,000 miles on the odometer.