Stonington — The town is seeking to strengthen its blight ordinance as it deals with a dramatic increase in the number of complaints it receives about blighted properties.

First Selectman Rob Simmons said Tuesday that complaints have increased from 10 in 2014 to 20 last year and 22 so far this year.

Simmons said he has asked Director of Planning Jason Vincent to make recommendations about updating the ordinance and present them to the Board of Selectmen at its Sept. 14 meeting.

In addition, Vincent has been appointed as the town’s blight enforcement officer.

Simmons said the ordinance was weakened several years ago. He said state law now gives municipalities more leverage when it comes to taking enforcement action against owners of blighted properties.

At the Aug. 24 selectmen’s meeting, Selectman Mike Spellman recommended the town talk to Groton and Norwich officials about their blight ordinances while Selectwoman Kate Rotella recommended reaching out to the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

Simmons said one of the properties the town has received complaints about is a dilapidated vacant home on North Stonington Road. He said efforts to force the owners to make repairs have been unsuccessful.

In 2010, voters approved the blight ordinance at a town meeting with fines for violations set at $100 a day.

The town took some initial enforcement action against some long blighted properties in Pawcatuck but some of them remain unchanged, such as the former Connecticut Casting Mill and a long vacant building at 34 W. Broad St. just before the Pawcatuck River Bridge.

j.wojtas@theday.com