City outlines PLAP and litter operations improvements; inspectors, cohorts and data tools credited for faster responses

City officials told the Budget & Finance Committee they have reorganized and expanded private-lot abatement work and other litter operations, yielding measurable improvements. Assistant City Manager Billy Webber said the effort is a continuous-improvement project started after motions from council in 2024 and that the administration has prioritized data systems, organizational clarity and vendor procurement to improve responsiveness.

Director Art Dahlberg (Buildings & Inspections) said PLAP now handles roughly 13,000 complaints a year that produce about 40,000 inspections. He described structural changes: PLAP staffing grew to 63 inspector positions and the city now divides the service area into 28 districts; a building inspector academy has produced cohorts (13 graduates in '25, 25 graduates in spring '26) with additional cohorts in training. Dahlberg said initial-inspection on-time delivery rose from meeting goal 47% of the time to 77% after these changes.

Director Mark Riley (Department of Public Services) reported related gains in collections and corner-can service rates, and said bulk collection performance improved from 87% to 93% after scheduling and staffing changes. Riley proposed piloting a litter vacuum in FY27 to reduce manual pickup, and highlighted partnerships with ODOT and the University of Cincinnati for neighborhood blitzes and capacity support.

Council members pressed for clarity on public/private boundaries, the complaint-driven model, and whether outreach and education (including notices that explain potential city costs) are improving compliance. Administration said it will return with additional details and an implementation timeline for remaining items (e.g., code updates, vendor performance metrics).