Nesquehoning wants to get people’s attention in the borough’s fight to keep the town maintained.

On Wednesday, borough council took the first step in changing the fine scale for people who don’t take care of their property.

Councilwoman Abbie Guardiani, who has made it her mission in the fight against blight, said that notice of violations currently are only $25 and the borough has multiple repeat offenders because the fine costs don’t increase. Notices of violations are filed for various things, including uncut grass, not shoveling your snow and having trash all over your property.

Guardiani proposed raising the first violation to $50 and have incremental fines for each violation after in a calendar year (Jan. 1-Dec. 31).

For example, a person doesn’t cut their grass and gets a notice of violation for $50. A few weeks later, they are fined again for having trash not cleaned up on their property. That second violation goes up to $100. If they get a third notice in the same calendar year, it will be $200 and continue to double each time after.

“It needs to get people’s attention,” she said prior to making the motion on the increases. “... No one should have to be told to cut their grass. No one should have to be told to shovel their snow.”

Councilman Louis Paul, who has always been vocal about cleaning up the town, seconded Guardiani’s motion and applauded his colleague for the action.

In a related matter, if a person receives notices of violations for the same thing and refuses to rectify that violation, such as cut their grass after receiving the notice, then the borough will file a citation with the magistrate’s office.

Guardiani asked if she could speak with the magistrate regarding this because he has the authority to either enforce the citation, discount it or dismiss it. She wants to explain how the process works in the town in the hopes of having fewer citations reduced or thrown out.

She also asked council to support a measure to include on the citation a flat $250 fine with a maximum of $1,000 for repeat offenders who don’t clean up their property after receiving notices of violations.

“We’re paying a code enforcement officer. We’re paying to file the citation. We’re putting gas in the cars. We’re taking pictures. I think we could justify a $250 fine to the magistrate,” she said.

Council approved the change for the citation fees pending review from the solicitor on whether it needs an ordinance change or a resolution to put the action into effect in the borough.

For those who are experiencing hardships and cannot afford to properly rectify problems with their homes after receiving a notice of violation, the borough is working to establish a housing review board, which would be comprised of borough residents.

Letters of interest for the board are being accepted.

“We are looking for people interested on serving on a housing review board to hear hardship appeals for NOVs and citations on these violations,” council President David Hawk said.