POTTSVILLE - Two new statewide anti-blight measures should help authorities in Schuylkill County fight decaying buildings, state Sen. David G. Argall said recently at a local meeting intended to encourage the battle against community eyesores.

Argall, R-29, Tamaqua, said that starting in January counties will be able to add a $15 fee to the recording of a deed or mortgage, with the money devoted to fixing or demolishing rundown buildings.Argall, the prime sponsor of the bill, said that alone should raise approximately $140,000 in the county, with more to follow in other anti-blight measures."There should be some good money flowing through the pipe soon," he said.The other measure, sponsored by state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, Mahanoy City, reduces the amount of time the buyer of a blighted property has to correct known code violations to 12 months from 18 months and imposes a minimum $1,000 and maximum $10,000 fine on the buyer for each uncorrected violation.The meeting, called by Schuylkill County District Attorney Christine A. Holman and attended by about a dozen local officials, is part of a countywide effort to combat blighted buildings. Many municipalities have been aggressive in trying to rid themselves of eyesores, and Holman wants to help them do so, saying her staff is available to help any municipality."Blight, in fact, is a crime. Blight is a serious problem in Schuylkill County," she said. "Schuylkill County really seems to be focusing on eliminating blight. There's an (assistant district attorney) on call 24/7."In meetings across the county, Argall has heard about some buildings that are too far gone to remain standing."We aren't going to be able to save every old miner's home," he said. "That means demolition."Holman said communities should try to go after individuals. She said that while many rundown buildings are owned by limited liability companies and corporations, people who control such organizations often do not follow the required legal formalities in forming or operating them. That, in turn, allows individuals to be held liable for the buildings owned by those entities, Holman said.David J. Petravich, Pottsville building code officer, said the city gets 10 to 15 calls a day about blighted buildings. He said he acts promptly on each call, immediately going to the site, taking photographs and starting the enforcement process.The meeting should help local authorities in their efforts to combat blight, Argall said."We're trying to give you more tools," he said. "We're talking about improving the reality."