Monessen threatens to cite Redevelopment Authority
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
Monessen’s code enforcement officer has sent a warning letter to the Monessen Redevelopment Authority about the condition of one of its properties on Sixth Street.
The city said in the letter that a recent inspection of the property revealed an “unmaintained, abandoned and unsafe building” and “the growth of high grass, weeds and obnoxious vegetation.”
Code enforcement Officer Todd Carter wrote that the conditions must be corrected before Sept. 30 to avoid citations and fines.
Redevelopment Authority Treasurer Ron Mozer said he thinks this action from the city is based on resentment toward himself and the authority’s President Lou Mavrakis.
Mozer and Mavrakis filed lawsuits against Mayor Matt Shorraw and councilmen Don Gregor and Gil Coles for what they believe to be Sunshine Act violations that allegedly took place during the council’s reorganization meeting Jan. 6.
Shorraw and Gregor, who oversees code enforcement in the city, said the notice the redevelopment authority received has nothing to do with the lawsuits and everything to do with the complaints the city has received about the property.
“It doesn’t (have anything to do with the lawsuits) and I will tell you flatly that we received multiple complaints about rodents and weeds and the condition of those houses on Sixth Street,” Shorraw said. “If we are going to cite properties from all the other property owners, why shouldn’t we cite redevelopment authority properties when they are out of code?”
Mozer said he felt it was bizarre that the city would cite its redevelopment authority instead of working together on blight.
“I really think they’re being vindictive against me and Lou because of the lawsuits,” Mozer said. “They’ve got lots of problems and I hope they can see beyond that to get them solved.”
“This is something that has not been done in years and it should be,” Shorraw said. “They own hundreds of properties just like the city does. We need to bring our properties up to code as the city, too.”
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