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WILKES-BARRE – The city has fined former mayoral candidate Betsy Summers $1,000 for alleged violations of the Rental Dwelling/Residence and Tenant Registration ordinances.
According to the city’s Department of Code Enforcement, Summers was fined $500 for operation of a rental unit without a license and $500 for not having a property manager.
Summers’ property is located at 52 S. Welles St.
“They can go to hell,” was Summers’ response when contacted Thursday. “There’s nothing wrong with my building. I guess I didn’t follow some rule, and I let a tenant move in before the unit was inspected. They will see me in City Hall soon.”
Summers ran as a Libertarian Party candidate in the November general election, finishing third behind Mayor Tom Leighton, a Democrat, and Republican Lisa Cope.
“It’s one thing if your property is uninhabitable or dangerous,” Summers said. “My building was just approved for Section 8 housing. As far as a property manager – I live in the city; in fact, I live across the street from the property in question. That rule, as I understand it, is for absentee landlords.
“I want a jury trial; that’s what I want,” she said.
Summers said she received the notice of the fines Thursday. The letter states “any person aggrieved by a decision or action of the inspector may appeal for a review of the decision to the Board of Appeals within 10 days after the filing.”
Each appeal must include a non-refundable fee of $100, payable to the city.
“Oh, I will appeal this,” Summers said. “It’s ridiculous.”