After hearing from a number of landlords following the announcement of a potential rental property inspection ordinance, Butler City Councilman Don Shearer heard from more residents and renters in the weeks after several landlords attended council.

The proposed program would implement inspections in rental properties under certain conditions. It is intended to prevent blight, improve property maintenance, reduce slum housing, promote tenant empowerment, strengthen the rental market and improve tenant-landlord relations, Shearer said.

There is no ordinance in place for the city to address rental property maintenance issues, but Shearer said at a meeting of Butler City Council Thursday, Oct. 12, he would like to have input from stakeholders prior to putting language in place.

“We want to give everybody a chance to voice their opinion,” Shearer said. “At this rate, I would say we’re not looking to vote on this until the end of November.”

Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy said the city may consider having open forum sessions regarding the proposal, so officials and landlords can talk back and forth about a possible ordinance. He said the city could model an open forum session after its meetings regarding the sale of Butler Area Sewer Authority last year.

The Butler City Farmer’s Market has been so popular this year its administrators have asked Butler City Council to use the space at Shore and Race streets every Saturday until the end of November.

Dandoy, who manages the weekly market for Butler Downtown, said some of the vendors requested the market continue each Saturday morning past its usual October closing date.

“There’s a lot of vendors down there that aren’t seasonal in the sense that they grow things — butchers, bakers, sometimes craft people,” Dandoy said at the council meeting. “The ones that are … growing in, like, a greenhouse. Because they are doing it there, they have produce still.”

According to Dandoy, extending the agreement won’t cost the city any money, and Butler Downtown will pay the cost of the market’s one expense, the portable restroom.

Council will vote to extend the agreement at its next meeting Oct. 26.

Also at the meeting Thursday, council voted to allow a few community events to take place at city parks, including two church trunk or treat events and a community day.

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church will have a trunk or treat event Oct. 21 at Father Marinaro Park; Butler Hip Hop’s Community Day will also take place Oct. 21 at Memorial Park; and First English Lutheran Church will have a trunk or treat Oct. 22 at the North Main Street parking lot.

Beginning Saturday, Oct. 14, Butler residents may dispose of leaves at a designated area in Memorial Park.

Signs will direct users to the designated area that will be open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The area is scheduled to be open through first week of December. Only the designated area may be used for leaf disposal.