UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Call it a loophole or lack of responsibility, but the one question no one can seem to answer regarding the James Street fire has to do with fire code enforcement.

Monday at a news conference fire officials said building owner Timothy Klotz (102 James Street) did not have the property registered for fire inspection and was later fined.

A judge told NEWSChannel 2 after sentencing was later fined and adds that once sentencing was complete, enforcing code violations was the city's responsibility. The city could according to the judge, have issued a bench warrant could have been issued by the city.

"...Since I am the mayor and I oversee everything, the buck stops here, but the bottom line is that they've got to do their job too. I can't go out and put out a fire as the mayor and I can't go out and write the codes inspections, and I can't go out and sweep the streets. You have to rely on your staff and right now I'm going to look into the whole situation and make them put in place preventative measures that this doesn't happen, says Utica Mayor David Roefaro."

Utica Chief Fire Marshal Ray Beck declined to comment on any questions pertaining to the James Street Fire.

When asked if any proposals for new legislation to tougher codes enforcement or close loopholes was in the works, Common Council Majority leader Bill Phillips said he hadn't heard anything, but did say Utica Fire Chief Russell Brooks wants to form a committee to review the matter.

According to Phillips, the committee would hold six meetings over thirty days. Brooks was not immediately available for comment.