Monroe County Commissioners rescinded on Thursday, Jan. 13 an earlier decision to approve a new Property Maintenance Ordinance.
County Manager Jim Hedges presented a version of the International Property Maintenance Code that had been edited by County Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Wilson to eliminate portions of the international code irrelevant to Monroe County. County Manager Hedges proposed on Thursday the future adoption of the “modified” document that included Wilson’s changes.
Sections in Wilson’s revised ordinance include: Unsafe Structures and Equipment, Exterior Property Areas, Exterior Structure, Rubbish and Garbage, Ventilation, Sewage Facilities, Heating Facilities, Mechanical Equipment, Electrical Facilities, and Power Source.
However, District 4 Commissioner George Emami said he preferred moving forward with approving the entire International Property Maintenance Code on Thursday rather than adopting a partial version with Wilson’s proposed changes. Commissioner Emami said he didn’t see a point in the county picking and choosing what it wants to enforce. He said Code Enforcement Officer Wilson needs to be able to properly enforce property maintenance regulations.
Commissioner Emami said, “At some point our code enforcement officer has to have the ability to call somebody’s bluff, and to be able to say, ‘Ok, if you’re not going to do what you’ve been asked to do by your community, we’re taking the next steps.’ In my opinion, I think we’ve waited long enough.”
Commissioner Emami then motioned to adopt the entire International Property Maintenance Code document at Thursday’s meeting. Despite County Attorney Ben Vaughn suggesting he’d rather remove portions of the document first that the county didn’t intend to enforce, Commissioner Emami said he’d rather approve the new ordinance immediately and let Vaughn propose amendments once it has gone into effect.
“Order has to be maintained in this county,” Commissioner Emami said. “There are people who pay taxes in High Falls specifically that need us to be able to enforce our freaking laws, period. And at some point, if we don’t, then we have no teeth at all as a Commission, period. If we have laws and we’re not willing to go toe-to-toe with those that are violating them in our face, then who are we? How are we doing our jobs at that point?”
After District 3 Commissioner John Ambrose seconded Commissioner Emami’s motion, it passed 4-1 with District 2 Commissioner Eddie Rowland opposed. Commissioner Rowland said he needed more time to read the document in its entirety and said he knows he’s currently violating at least one of the ordinance conditions at his own home.
Commissioner Emami said he didn’t realize Commissioner Rowland would vote against the ordinance adoption and said he’d like unanimous support. Commissioner Rowland said the only way he would vote for the ordinance is if Commissioners will slow down and allow him more time to review it and make suggestions.
With Rowland unwilling to pass the ordinance as is, at the recommendation of Vaughn, Commissioner Emami motioned to rescind the Board’s approval of the ordinance. Commissioner Ambrose seconded Commissioner Emami’s rescission, and the measure to rescind passed 5-0 after about 20 total minutes of discussion.
Commissioners are expected to review the matter again next month.
