The Ordinance Enforcement Department shall be composed of one or more hearing officers, appointed by the Village President with the advice and consent of the Board of Trustees, an Ordinance Enforcement Administrator, a system coordinator, and hearing room personnel, all appointed by the Village Administrator or his or her designee, with the powers and authority as hereinafter set forth:
(A) Hearing officer. "Hearing officer" means a municipal employee or an officer or agent of the village, other than a law enforcement officer, whose duty it is to:
(1) Preside at administrative hearings called to determine whether or not a municipal ordinance violation exists;
(2) Hear testimony and accept evidence from all interested parties relevant to the existence of a municipal ordinance violation;
(3) Preserve and authenticate the transcript and record of the hearing and all exhibits and evidence introduced at the hearing; and
(4) Issue and sign a written finding, decision, and order stating whether a municipal ordinance violation exists.
(B) Hearing officer qualifications.
(1) Prior to conducting proceedings under this chapter, the hearing officer shall successfully complete a formal training program that includes the following:
(a) Instruction on the rules of procedure of the hearings that they will conduct;
(b) Orientation to each subject area of the municipal ordinance violations that they will administer;
(c) Observation of administrative hearings; and
(d) Participation in hypothetical cases, including rules on evidence and issuing final orders.
(2) In addition, every hearing officer must be an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois for at least three years.
(C) Ordinance Enforcement Administrator. The Ordinance Enforcement Administrator is authorized and directed to:
(1) Operate and manage the system of administrative adjudication of village municipal ordinance violations as may be permitted by law and directed by ordinance;
(2) Promulgate such rules and regulations reasonably required to operate and maintain such system;
(3) Supervise the distribution and processing of notices as may be required under this section or as may be reasonably required to carry out the purpose of this section;
(4) Supervise the collection of monies paid as fines and/or penalties assessed after a final determination of liability; and
(5) Pursue all post judgment remedies available by law.
(D) System coordinator. The system coordinator is hereby authorized and directed to operate and maintain the computer programs for the administrative adjudication system of the Ordinance Enforcement Department hereby created, on a day to day basis, including, but not limited to:
(1) Input of municipal ordinance violation notice information;
(2) Establishing court dates and notice dates;
(3) Record determination of liability, fine and penalty assessment and payments;
(4) Issue payment receipts;
(5) Issue succeeding notice of hearing dates and/or final determinations of liability as directed by the Ordinance Enforcement Administrator in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
(6) Keep accurate records of appearances and nonappearances at administrative hearings, pleas entered, judgments entered, sanctions imposed, if any, and fines and penalties assessed and paid;
(7) Collect unpaid fines and penalties and direct the pursuit of all post judgment remedies available by law; and
(8) Perform such other duties as directed by the Village Administrator or Ordinance Enforcement Administrator.
(E) Hearing room personnel. The hearing room personnel shall be qualified off duty, full time, part time or auxiliary police officers who are hereby authorized and directed to:
(1) Maintain hearing room decorum;
(2) Perform such other duties or acts as may reasonably be required and as directed by the hearing officer or Ordinance Enforcement Administrator.
(Ord. 24-01, passed 1-22-24)