At the Student Senate’s External Relations Committee meeting Feb. 7, students, residents and city officials discussed a proposal that would allow city officials to investigate rental properties throughout the city.

Mayor Dan Cougill’s reasoning for the proposal was to ensure that living standards are appropriate in rental properties. He told the committee that, currently, city officials are only allowed to inspect a rental property by the request of the resident. However, Cougill said many students have never rented their own residences, and lack the experience to understand what issues warrant calling city officials in to inspect.

Cougill is right. Many students are first-time renters, and are unsure how to deal with problems that arise, and don’t know what to do if their landlord will not fix it.

Heavy opposition to the idea of inspections sits on the side of property owners.

Cougill has said he would like a workable solution to debate over the ordinance. The city council will delay a vote on the the proposal until students return to school this August.

While waiting for a good solution to present itself is, in theory, a good idea, waiting until August isn’t.

Cougill would probably try and push the proposal through the council in August, but he may not be the mayor by then. His opponent in the mayoral race, Clancy Pfeiffer, has made statements opposing the ordinance, and has the backing of many of the city’s landlords. If Pfeiffer is elected, the ordinance will probably die quietly.

In addition, the entire council could change faces by August, as they are all up for re-election, and it is unclear where all of the candidates stand on the issue.

Current council members need to realize that if they wait until August, it will leave out a group of renters who will move into shabby, unsafe housing conditions. If the mayor and the council truly have students’ best interest in mind, they should want to help as many of them as possible.

Cougill has already come this far by clearly proposing an idea that is not favored by anyone other than students and a few concerned city members.

Mayor Cougill and the rest of the City Council members should stop delaying a vote on this ordinance. If the mayor and the council truly believe in the rental inspection policy, then they need to act on it in a timely manner, not when it may be too late.