GIRARD — Mayor James Melfi has had it with some landlords in the city.

He said some landlords who do a mass clean-out of their rental properties, in preparation for new renters, leave everything on the grass strip by the curb regardless of when the trash pickup is scheduled.

The debris sits there for days until someone complains and the trash company is notified to make a special trip to Girard, he added.

“These individuals who own these homes feel that the city must partner with them in their venture because they merely pull everything out and put it on the devil strip any day of the week,” said Melfi.

“If you are familiar with our city garbage contract, the garbage contract states that they will remove on a weekly basis two garbage cans from each residence. Our complaint is not with the garbage company. … My complaint is with the property owners, who do not live in that house, of course, and feel they have a right to dump the entire contents of that home into the devil strip.”

Melfi proposed to council that it allot money to go toward preventing this.

“We will then use city employees to remove that immediately. Not Thursday night, not Friday morning, not Saturday morning — immediately. We will then bill the property owner $500,” said Melfi. “We are not going to allow this to happen any more. So when these landlords, who don’t want to spend a couple hundred dollars to get a roll off and to do it properly, we’re going to do it for them and we’re charging $500. We’re liening that property $500 each and every time.”

Melfi said he came up with the $500 to cover the manpower, cover the roll off and possibly create a profit for the city.

The council was on board with idea and the health and safety committee will meet with Law Director Brian Kren to draft an ordinance for the council’s next meeting.

“I’m in agreement. I probably called (Service Director) Jerry (Lambert) more than anyone,” said Councilman Tom Grumley.

“I don’t have a problem putting additional pressure on a landlord. It is ultimately their responsibility, it’s their house,” added Councilman John Moliterno.