After a first round of discussions regarding a revision to the rental property condition report, city officials are expected to take a vote on the changes later this month.

Councilwoman Lisa Quebedeaux presented a draft proposal of an updated rental property condition checklist to city council at a meeting Thursday evening, Nov. 5. She said she wants to propose an update because she believes the city’s code is not being communicated clearly enough.

“It’s not that the rules themselves are flawed, but our understanding and our clarity with those rules that are flawed. As I spoke about in our previous council session, my goal for housing in Butler is to consolidate and increase communication and clarity in what we’re already required to work in,” she said.

The proposed report would include additional items on a checklist, such as functional heating and plumbing, as well as a lack of structural damage. But none of those items will require new city code to be created. Pulling from the state’s Landlord Tenant Act of 1951 as well as the International Property Maintenance Code can cover them.

“If you’re a layperson, understanding those expectations is quite onerous. What normal tenant in the City of Butler is going to go through the process of reading a binder this thick with state law, with county law and with city law? It’s quite a barrier of entry for them,” Quebedeaux said.

It would also have two columns of check boxes for each item on the list — one for the landlord and one for the tenant — to make it easier and clearer for tenants and landlords to disagree with one another.

“What this does, in my mind, is it creates a snapshot for both sides, where you can’t go midstream six months from now one side says, ‘this was perfect when we walked in’ or ‘this wasn’t perfect when we walked in.’ Both sides come to clarity when they complete this form together,” she explained.

Councilman Bill Painter said he thinks including clear markers for which check boxes are for the landlord and which are for the tenant would also help alleviate confusion.

Councilman Dan Herr said he worries a landlord would not be able to reasonably prove every item on the checklist requires no abatement with just a walk-through of the property. Quebedeaux said the checklist includes an “unable to evaluate” column for that specific issue.

“I see your point that nobody can be an expert for everything. I’m not an expert plumber, right? That’s why I think it is important to have the column in there for expressing that one is unable to evaluate,” she said.

Councilman Troy Douthett suggested doing some trials with the new report to see how it would actually function in an applicable scenario.

Mayor Bob Dandoy said council will look into holding a special meeting sometime in the future to further discuss changes to the city’s rental policy.

A special city council meeting relating to the budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. The next regularly scheduled council meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23.