A. The person or persons responsible for any nuisance within the town shall be liable for and shall pay and bear all costs and expenses of the abatement of such nuisance. Such costs and expenses may be collected by the town in any action at law, in connection with any criminal proceeding in the municipal court, in connection with any civil action to abate the nuisance, and/or they may be assessed against the property as hereinafter provided.

B. The notice required by this chapter shall, in addition to other requirements set forth herein, specifically describe the property where the nuisance is alleged to exist and shall state that if the nuisance is not abated within the time stated in the notice, the costs of such abatement may be assessed pursuant to the terms of this chapter as a lien against the property on which the nuisance is located, together with an additional fifteen percent (15%) assessment for administrative costs and the reasonable attorney fees incurred by the town in abating the nuisance, and that such sums may be collected in the same manner as real estate taxes against property. If the owner of the property is not personally served with a copy of such notice, then a true copy of such notice shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner of such property as shown upon the tax rolls of Summit County, Colorado, at the address of such owner as therein shown.

C. If, after the expiration of the period of time provided for in said notice, or as extended, costs or expenses are incurred by or on behalf of the town in connection with the abatement of the nuisance, and such costs are not otherwise collected, the finance director may thereafter certify to the town clerk the legal description of the property upon which such work was done, together with the name of the owner thereof as shown by the tax rolls of Summit County, Colorado, and a statement of the work performed, the date of performance and the costs thereof.

D. Upon receipt of such a statement from the finance director the town clerk shall mail a notice to the owner of said premises as shown by the tax rolls, at the address shown upon the tax rolls, by first class mail, postage prepaid, notifying such owner that work has been performed pursuant to this chapter, stating the date of performance of the work, the nature of the work, and demanding payment of the costs thereof (as certified by the finance director), together with fifteen percent (15%) assessment for administrative expenses, and the reasonable attorney fees incurred by the town in abating the nuisance. Such notice shall state that if the total amount is not paid within thirty (30) days after mailing the notice, it shall become an assessment on and lien against the property of the owner, describing the same, and will be certified as an assessment against said property, together with ten percent (10%) of the whole amount for costs of collection, and that the whole amount will be collected in the same manner as a real estate tax upon the property.

E. If the clerk shall not receive payment within the period of thirty (30) days after mailing the notice, the clerk shall inform the town council of such fact, and the council shall thereupon enact an ordinance assessing the whole cost of such work, including a charge of fifteen percent (15%) of said whole cost for administrative expenses and the town's reasonable attorney fees incurred in the abatement of the nuisance, upon the lots and tracts of land upon which the nuisance was abated, together with ten percent (10%) of the whole amount for costs of collection.

F. Following the passage of such ordinance, the clerk shall certify the same to the county treasurer, who shall collect the assessment in the same manner as other taxes are collected.

G. Each assessment made pursuant to this chapter shall be a lien against each lot or tract of land described in such assessment until paid and shall have priority over other liens and assessments, except general taxes and prior special assessments. (Ord. 22, Series 1993)