YORK, Pa. -- Officials in two York County communities are talking trash, and cracking down on cleanliness.
Inspectors in both the City of York and the Borough of West York will be going after people who leave a mess outside their homes or dump materials illegally.
West York mayor Shawn Mauck said the borough saw a drop in public drunkenness, noise violations and other nuisance issues after police recently passed out fliers warning of a crackdown.
Saturday, West York will be trying that approach again, but this time focusing on cleaning up trash and debris.
People who live in both York City and the Borough of West York soon will have an incentive to pick up after themselves.
West York Mayor Shawn Mauck (D) said "we're basically giving them a heads up that enforcement has always been there, but we're going to take an extra effort, cracking down, whether it's fines, penalties, court costs, going to court. Nobody wants to see the judge, right?"
The two communities are making an effort to inspire people to give their neighborhoods a clean sweep.
"Their responsibility is to take care of their property and be a good neighbor, clear the rubbish, clear the high grass, clear the weeds, if you have a fallen down fence remove it or replace it," Mauck said.
In York City people who fail to maintain their property, or put trash out days before collection, could face fines from $25 to $300.
The crack down on trash violations and illegal dumping will be equally costly in West York.
"Once you start getting into a very deplorable property with rubbish, refuse all over the place, falling down, unsafe for occupy issues, it can go up into a thousand dollars," Mauck said.
Meanwhile, Downtown Inc's Downtown Clean-Up crew gives York City a helping hand to clean up part of the community.
Downtown Inc. project administrator Adam Walters said "with the cleanup crew making it a more cared for environment in the 26 square-blocks which we operate, I think that an ordinance like the one we're talking about, would be a really good opportunity to make the rest of the city have the sense that it's a more cared for space."
Inspectors in both municipalities will hand out citations to violators to ensure that's the case.
"When residents are here, and when visitors come downtown, we want them to kind of see the impact of our work," Walters said.
"West York is a really beautiful place. If neighbors can have a little more respect for each other, try to take care of their little piece of the pie, we'll all be better off.
Officials in West York will go door to door at homes in select areas Saturday, posting fliers about the crackdown while inspectors in York City will begin enforcing its ordinance on July 15th.