Short-handed codes department to prioritize inspections
NORWICH – The Chenango County Public Health Department is prioritizing inspections of properties to determine if they are complying with New York State’s building and fire codes because it is shorthanded.
One code enforcement officer, two building inspectors and one clerical worker – who is actually borrowed from another department – just isn’t cutting it, said Director Marcas Flindt. There are numerous outstanding permits, and as a result, the department is down 72 percent for the year in permits and inspection fee collections.
Plus, a billing back program isn’t working. The program was created last year when some towns – led by the Town of Norwich – opted to hire or share their own code enforcement officer. The department’s director told members of the Chenango County Safety and Rules Committee this month that town supervisors aren’t willing to pay the $40 to $120 fee to send someone out from the county to conduct building and fire inspections on suspect properties.
“The billing back program is a flaming disaster,” said Flindt.
Town of Columbus Supervisor George C. Coates said, “It’s not good for the health of the community to leave places a mess.”
While Coates said his town board has been willing to pay the fee, and while some delinquent properties in Columbus have been partially cleaned up, meeting New York State’s codes often takes much more. It requires a strong town justice system, he said.
“We have a countywide problem working within the law. When these awful properties end up in front of your local justice, it’s often stops right there. We need to develop a legal chain that they have to go through and each portion of the chain has to support the other,” he said.
Coventry Supervisor Janice O’Shea said one property in her town has been tied up in the judicial system for 2 1/2 years. “It just goes on and on,” she said.
Flindt said he realized that adding more staff to his budget wasn’t feasible at this time. Revenues in the department are down 18 percent. County taxpayers will be faced with a substantial increase in the department’s estimated budget for 2010.
Code Enforcement Officer Richard Platt said if there were an emergency situation in a town, the county wouldn’t wait for a supervisor to fill out a form before taking care of it.
One code enforcement officer, two building inspectors and one clerical worker – who is actually borrowed from another department – just isn’t cutting it, said Director Marcas Flindt. There are numerous outstanding permits, and as a result, the department is down 72 percent for the year in permits and inspection fee collections.
Plus, a billing back program isn’t working. The program was created last year when some towns – led by the Town of Norwich – opted to hire or share their own code enforcement officer. The department’s director told members of the Chenango County Safety and Rules Committee this month that town supervisors aren’t willing to pay the $40 to $120 fee to send someone out from the county to conduct building and fire inspections on suspect properties.
“The billing back program is a flaming disaster,” said Flindt.
Town of Columbus Supervisor George C. Coates said, “It’s not good for the health of the community to leave places a mess.”
While Coates said his town board has been willing to pay the fee, and while some delinquent properties in Columbus have been partially cleaned up, meeting New York State’s codes often takes much more. It requires a strong town justice system, he said.
“We have a countywide problem working within the law. When these awful properties end up in front of your local justice, it’s often stops right there. We need to develop a legal chain that they have to go through and each portion of the chain has to support the other,” he said.
Coventry Supervisor Janice O’Shea said one property in her town has been tied up in the judicial system for 2 1/2 years. “It just goes on and on,” she said.
Flindt said he realized that adding more staff to his budget wasn’t feasible at this time. Revenues in the department are down 18 percent. County taxpayers will be faced with a substantial increase in the department’s estimated budget for 2010.
Code Enforcement Officer Richard Platt said if there were an emergency situation in a town, the county wouldn’t wait for a supervisor to fill out a form before taking care of it.
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