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WHEELING - Answering questions and shuffling forms, Nancy Prager hurried Thursday to organize about 60 vacant building registration forms.

But Prager, Wheeling's Economic and Community Development director, said there are still about 50 structures citywide that meet the "vacant" definition that still need to be registered.

"This program is designed to hold people accountable for their property. ... If you come in now, we will accept your registration without penalty," she said.

Prager noted about 17 building owners made their way to her office to document their structures on the final day of regular registration. Wheeling was able to adopt the ordinance that registers vacant buildings because of its participation in the West Virginia Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program.

"We are now making a list of 'known' vacant buildings, and are going to mail letters to the people we believe own them to ask them to register. If we do not have compliance, then we will follow the ordinance," she said.

The legislation states, "The failure or refusal for any reason of any owner, or agent of an owner acting on behalf of the owner, to register a vacant building upon adoption of this ordinance or to pay any fees required to be paid pursuant to the provisions of this section, within 30 days after they become due, shall constitute a violation punishable upon conviction thereof by a fine in the amount of not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each failure or refusal to pay a required vacant building fee, as applicable. In such cases, whenever the minimum fine of $100 is imposed, it shall not be subject to suspension or reduction for any reason."

Prager referred questions regarding intentions to pursue legal action against property owners who don't register their buildings to City Manager Robert Herron. He declined to comment.

Though concerned about those who failed to register, Prager thanked and acknowledged those who made the effort to document their structures.

"Some have come in to register buildings that are not in all that bad of shape. Many of them are pretty well-maintained," she said.

The city defines a "vacant" structure as one that meets all the following criteria:

• No person lives or conducts business in any part of the building;

• The structure has one or more building code violations;

• No utilities have serviced the building for at least 30 days.

The fees for vacant buildings range from $200 initially to $1,600 for buildings that remain vacant for five years.

But Councilman James Tiu said the program's intention is not to generate revenue. "Our intention as a council is to make sure structures remain safe. I hope we don't collect any money. This is designed to regulate - it is not designed to punish," he said.

Councilwoman Gloria Delbrugge said the city should "take all steps to get these people to comply."

"I can promise you, the people who own these vacant buildings live nowhere near them," she said.

Prager said vacant buildings lead to many problems for Wheeling officials. "Statistically, the crime rate is higher where there are vacant buildings. Home values go down, hurting all of the neighbors," she said, noting such buildings are fire and safety hazards. She said drug dealers have also been known to hide inside some of the structures.