The position of Code Enforcement Officer is hereby established. The person shall be appointed and employed by the Town Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Code Enforcement Officer is to be considered a civilian part-time employee of the police department and shall report directly to the Town Marshal or his or her designee. Although not a public official, the Code Enforcement Officer does sign an oath of office, affirming to uphold and fairly enforce all town ordinances of the town.
(A) Before such Code Enforcement Officer shall enter upon his or her duties, he or she shall be required to take and subscribe an oath of office. The oath shall be filed in the office of the Clerk-Treasurer.
(B) The Code Enforcement Officer shall respond to and investigate complaints regarding ordinance violations, issuing such warning citations, validcitations or letters as warranted, following the progressive disciplinary process.
(C) The ordinances which the Code Enforcement Officer will be responsible for enforcing may include, but shall not be limited to: junk or non-operating vehicles, parking of recreational vehicles, boats and boat trailers, utility trailers and campers, truck parking, amusement game machine licenses, for sale signs (utility poles and parkways), garbage issues, unsightly properties, and frequency of garage sales. The Code Enforcement Officer may also be requested to assist the Building Inspector from time to time.
(D) The above duties and powers will require this person to meet with owners, tenants, contractors, developers, business representatives, and others to review and explain code requirements and violations or potential violations to secure code compliance, and to draft and distribute a variety of correspondence, memoranda, notices, flyers, brochures, media releases, and reports relating to code enforcement issues and actions.
(E) The Code Enforcement Officer shall keep a careful and accurate record of all warning citations, valid citations, issued letters and such other work product as may be generated in consequence of his or her duties. The Code Enforcement Officer shall provide such information as may be necessary to support the Town Attorney in court hearings and such other enforcement proceedings as may be undertaken and shall testify in court regarding such work product generated in consequence of his or her duties. If such testimony is required in deposition or in court, the Code Enforcement Officer must be fully prepared for such testimony, i.e. reviewing reports and notes, and meeting with other officers and representatives of the town to review and prepare the case presentation.
(F) The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed by the Code Enforcement Officer. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
(G) The Code Enforcement Officer shall be a high school graduate or GED equivalent, shall be at least 21 years of age and shall possess a valid Indiana driver’s license. He or she must possess the basic skills in operation of a computer and word processor. A personal history statement shall be completed by applicant on forms provided by the town for purposes of a background check which shall be conducted on all applicants.
(H) The Code Enforcement Officer shall be paid on an hourly basis according to the grade and rate established and in force and effect in the most recent wage and salary ordinance as passed by the Town Council from time to time. Any change in the compensation or any change in the position sufficient to affect the compensation of the Code Enforcement Officer shall only be effective upon proper action and authorization of the Town Council.
(Ord. 2004-8, passed 1-17-05)