Sunday, September 23, 2012

Wellsville's War On Drugs Continues


The war on drugs continues in Wellsville.   At this past week’s Council meeting Wellsville Mayor Susan Haugh issued a warning to unscrupulous Village landlords.   She advised she “contacted the Prosecutor’s office regarding landlords renting to known drug users and dealers.  As you know I’m fed up with it.  I asked what could be done?”

She proceeded to note that “A landlord who is renting to a known drug user or dealer could possibly be charged with complicity to trafficking, and using, in drugs.  Also, their house could be deemed a nuisance and be boarded up.  They will have to forfeit it over.”  If it continues she vows she will “push for that”.  If that happens, not only will landlords lose rental income, they will have to dig deep in their greedy pockets for legal fees to keep their butts out of jail. 

Before taking office Mayor Haugh promised she would lead the charge in cleaning up and ridding the Village of drug users and dealers.  It wasn’t just campaign rhetoric.  She has personally gone door-to-door handing out written letters of warning to known users and dealers.  She has invited several law enforcement agencies to town to assist the local authorities.  She even invited the Ohio State Patrol to join in.  Normally the unspoken rule of thumb for the OSP is to keep clear of being inside town limits and interfering with the local officers.  They have the authority to patrol anywhere in the state but like to be invited before they come to town. 

This lady means business and she ain’t giving up!  As one member of the CC Drug Task Force told us “use of illicit drugs will probably never be eradicated” but neither are they.  If we were landlords we would take advantage of the free background checks that can be done by just calling the Sheriff’s Office before renting to anyone unknown. 

Take heed…

 ole nib

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work!!

Anonymous said...

The landlords will have to dig deep in their greedy pockets for legal fee's if they rent to drug users? The houses will be forfeited for renting to known drug users? Did I read that correctly? Maybe the village can take over Independence Square and the scattered sites!

************* said...

The key word is "known". Taking over government sponsored housing for low income families is an extreme suggestion on your part. You're not looking at the whole picture. There are many privately owned places included in the whole scheme of things.

It's a long, up hill battle. Being aggressive and not turning a blind eye is a positive approach we're happy to support.

nib

DREAMER said...

Hats off to the mayor. Let's all adapat the attitude that "We are mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore."
Please don't turn a blind eye. Report landlords you know who rent to drug dealers. Let's stand united and not give up on the war against drugs in our beautiful village.

Anonymous said...

With all due respect to the mayor and her efforts to eliminate drugs from Wellsville, when was the last time, or even the first time, that the county prosecutor filed charges against a landlord for renting to a drug user/seller ? Don't think this would hold up in a court of law.As far as bringing outside agencies in to "raid" known drug houses, how many arrests were made from the July 3 raids ? None, except for a child support case.

************* said...

We do not know the history of the Prosecutor's Office. We do feel he is extremely cautious about the cases he takes to trial and wonder if he is more concern about his win/lose record. However, that is a different story.

In E Liverpool declaring a rental a nuisance and boarding it up because of drug usage happened not too long ago.

The raids in Wellsville was to locate suspects with outstanding warrants. We too thought they were drug raids at the time. Even though we were wrong it was clearly demonstrated that the various law enforcement agencies are more than willing to help where they can. It didn't happen overnight but the point was made.

nib

Anonymous said...

Pull over these school age youths and for the most part, they will tell you where the drugs are coming from and where they are going. OUR county has a YOUTH detention Center, PLZ, lets use OUR tax dollars wisely....

Anonymous said...

I agree....The local youth BRAG about what they get away with..