NEWARK, Ohio -- A local mayor traded in his suit for blue jeans and a new role in code enforcement Wednesday.
In Newark, the number of foreclosures is increasing at the same time that more budget cuts are being made in the city.
Newark Mayor Bob Diebold is now a code enforcement officer, learning on the job in addition to his duties as mayor.
"You have so many foreclosures that it's just extrapolated itself. We cannot keep up," Diebold said.
In addition, budget cuts took the city building department from 22 to nine employees.
So whenever he has time, Diebold said he will grab a section of complaints and investigate them.
Diebold has started a land bank program to give the land to neighbors or organizations who have positive plans for the properties.
He estimates there are at least 200 vacant properties with half of them in serious disrepair.
Diebold said he tries to assure the nearby residents that something is being done.
Eventually, Diebold said he wants to transfer the work to the county. But until then, he's doing double duty trying to identify the bad homes and what can be done to tear them down.
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