201.02 OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS.
   (a)    There is hereby created an Office of Consumer Affairs, which shall serve under the direction of the County Executive, and perform the functions set forth herein. Said Office shall be organized as a Division of the Executive's Department of Law and Risk Management.
   (b)    The Office of Consumer Affairs shall be supervised by the Deputy Director of Consumer Affairs, who shall report to the County Executive through the Executive's Director of Law and Risk Management. The Deputy Director shall have thorough knowledge of local, county, state and federal consumer protection laws. In addition to the Deputy Director of Consumer Affairs, the Executive may employ such other individuals as he or she determines necessary to perform the duties and functions of the office, including, but not limited to:
      (1)    Outreach Specialist who shall respond to consumer inquiries and complaints, work cooperatively with consumer agencies, schools, media, and community organizations to educate consumers and businesses about consumer issues and predatory lending and who shall provide consumers with information and referral services to appropriate agencies on consumer related issues. For the purpose of educating consumers and businesses about predatory lending practices, indicators of predatory lending may include: failure to appropriately disclose required information, terms under which the outstanding principal balance will increase, financing excessive fees into loans, refinancing low interest mortgages at higher interest rates, loan flipping, charging higher interest rates than a borrower's credit warrants, loans made without regard to a borrower's ability to repay, prepayment penalties, falsely promising to provide additional financing in the future or to refinance at a lower rate, preying on the emotional needs of the borrower, property flipping, shifting unsecured debt into mortgages, balloon payments, and yield spread premiums.
      (2)    Investigator who shall investigate complaints to determine violations of consumer laws, conciliate matters between conflicting parties, and refer irreconcilable matters to the Deputy Director; and
      (3)    Administrative Secretary who shall respond to complaints, perform complex secretarial functions, and relieve the Office of routine administrative tasks;
   The Office of Consumer Affairs shall be subject to the County's Classification and Compensation Plan and the requirements and provisions of Chapter 169 of these Codified Ordinances as they exist and may be amended in the future.
   (c)    The Office of Consumer Affairs shall be responsible for performing the following duties and functions:
      (1)    Promoting the enforcement of all laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to consumer affairs and predatory lending as provided in the Codified Ordinances of the County of Summit, the Ohio Revised Code, and other applicable consumer law;
      (2)    Referring to appropriate governmental or regulatory agencies, either public or private, having jurisdiction over consumer protection matters, any information concerning an apparent or potential violation of any consumer protection laws.
      (3)    Undertaking activities to encourage local business and industry to maintain high standards of honesty, fair consumer sales practices and public responsibility in the production, promotion and sale of merchandise, goods and services and the extension of credit;
      (4)    Investigating and mediating complaints referred from the Investigator and referring to the County Prosecutor, Ohio Attorney General, Federal Trade Commission or other appropriate person for suitable action if necessary;
      (5)    Receiving moneys and issuing vouchers for the disbursement of moneys in accordance with the terms of any stipulated assurance of voluntary compliance or settlement agreement made pursuant to Section 201.05(c);
      (6)    Holding hearings, compelling the attendance of witnesses, administering oaths, taking the testimony of any person under oath and, in connection therewith, requiring the production of any evidence relating to any matter under investigation by the office. At any hearing, a witness has the right to be advised by counsel present during the hearing;
      (7)    Issuing summons to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents, papers, books, records, and other evidence;
      (8)    Issuing cease and desist orders with respect to consumer violations which violate the consumer law in the Codified Ordinances of the County of Summit;
      (9)    Establishing programs to inform consumers of practices and problems and representing the interest of consumers before administrative and regulatory agencies;
      (10)    Working with other city, county, state, and federal governmental agencies, professional associations and private consumer groups to insure the protection of consumers;
      (11)    Contracting with other agencies for mediation if necessary;
      (12)    Maintaining a consumer complaint database of cases filed within Summit County;
      (13)    Making an annual report enumerating the activities and recommendations of the Office of Consumer Affairs to County Council.
      (14)    Partnering with other county-based agencies and non-profit agencies for swift resolution of consumer-related problems;
      (15)    Enforcing such other ordinances as adopted by County Council and codified in the Codified Ordinances of the County of Summit, whereby County Council confers upon the Office of Consumer Affairs the authority to enforce said ordinances.
(Ord. 2004-618. Adopted 11-22-04; Ord. 2013-093. Adopted 4-15-13; Ord. 2018-236. Adopted 6-18-18.)