All communities should enforce their nuisance ordinances, or repeal them and face the consequences of that action.

Harmony Borough Council is on the right track for the serious manner in which it is pushing for compliance with its nuisance law. Even regarding damage resulting from the community's encounter last September with the remnants of Hurricane Ivan, the council is working to ensure that the weather crisis won't be the basis for long-term blight.

A story in Thursday's Butler Eagle reported on developments in the ordinance enforcement involving three properties, two of which were damaged in the flood. There are more than a handful of other properties damaged by the high water that are still of concern to officials and other borough residents.

The efforts to ensure ordinance compliance must not be relaxed.

The borough's nuisance ordinance authorizes the borough to fine property owners between $300 and $600 per day for each violation, if they are found guilty of violating the law. While it's doubtful that such a hefty fine would be assessed, except in extraordinary circumstances, the borough shouldn't be shy about fining to a lesser degree people who exhibit stubborn defiance of the law and consistently ignore their clean-up responsibility.

Blight lowers the value of properties around it. A blighted community is not a place to which most potential newcomers are likely to relocate.

Blight is a mark of poor community leadership.

Fortunately, Harmony officials are working to steer clear of such a perception by anyone.