HERKIMER, N.Y. (WKTV) - The organization Herkimer NOW is proposing legislation regarding landlords that live far away. The idea was presented to the village board during a meeting earlier this week.

The organization proposed that the board consider legislation that would require a landlord living more than 35 miles outside the village to appoint a contact person living close by.

Herkimer NOW is taking a page out of the law books in Dolgeville, where a similar law was passed last year.

The board members will look it over and decide if the legislation would work in herkimer- and then of course see what modifications would need to be made.

The primary concern is safety.

"You'd reduce response time for matters related to fires, codes, police matters," said Laura Powers, of Herkimer NOW. "But secondary to that would be mitigation against problems with absentee landlords which is unfortunately something a lot of the Mohawk Valley communities face."

Powers says that if a landlord does not appoint a contact person after some time they would face fines. That contact person would not have any extra authority over the property, this would simply be a way to contact a landlord who is out of town.

So far this is just an idea, it's up to the board members in Herkimer to decide if it is something that will work in the village.