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Council decides to tweak code unit
By ANNE LINDBERG
© St. Petersburg Times, PINELLAS PARK -- Council members, who have grumbled about code enforcement for more than a year, voted Tuesday to keep the system substantially the same. Three Pinellas Park council members declined Tuesday to move any part of the code division out of the Police Department. Instead, they decided to go with the least costly of three plans: Code enforcement will remain within the Police Department, but some changes will be made. The cost is estimated at $27,080 above the budget proposed for the coming fiscal year. The selected option includes changing the name of the department to the Community Compliance Section to "portray a willingness to work in partnership with the community to correct problems," according to a city memo that set out the proposal's details. Other changes afoot: Hiring more code officers to replace those who have recently retired or left the department. The eight-person force is down to five, and one of those is on temporary military leave. Providing cell phones for officers so residents can contact them more easily. Upgrading a police lieutenant to captain to oversee code enforcement, vice and criminal investigations. Instilling an attitude change among employees to reflect "ownership" for the areas they patrol. Requiring mandatory attendance at crime prevention meetings in their areas. Changing code officers' hours so they work when violations are happening. The other two plans cost more: an estimated $126,730 more than is budgeted for next year. One involved splitting code enforcement between the Police Department and the Community Development Department. The other would have completely moved code enforcement into the Community Development Department. "I just don't see moving the department," council member Patricia Bailey-Snook said. "I don't think it's really broke. I think there probably needs to be some tweaking." She added, "A violation of a code is a violation of a law. I think it ought to stay in the Police Department where they have a little bit of clout." Council member Chuck Williams agreed with Bailey-Snook that the department did not need to be moved. But he disagreed that it needed only to be tweaked. Williams said he did not understand how splitting or moving code enforcement would solve the problems. "I'm still looking for the magic reason to move them, and I haven't heard it yet," Williams said. The deciding vote to leave code enforcement where it is came from council member Ed Taylor, who last year had proposed moving it out of the Police Department. When Taylor was defeated then, he had said he would never again discuss code enforcement and would vote to leave it with the police. After Tuesday's vote, Taylor said he did not want to move code enforcement because the city is already "throwing" too much money at the department and service has improved recently after police Capt. Michael Haworth took over. Sharply opposed to leaving code enforcement in the Police Department were Mayor Bill Mischler and council member Rick Butler. Both wanted to split the department between the police and community development. "I think it is broken," Mischler said. That was a stark about-face for the mayor, who several months ago had opposed Butler and Ed Taylor when they wanted to move the department. Mischler wanted to give code enforcement six months to straighten up. In the meantime, Taylor and Butler began referring all the complaints they receive about code enforcement to the mayor. The tactic worked. It was Mischler who proposed Tuesday night's workshop to discuss moving the department. He said Tuesday that he had been wrong in the past when he opposed a change. "I don't think it's working," Mischler said. "I don't think our residents are happy." Mischler said he was not going to back down because of the higher cost of splitting the department. "I can't look at dollars all the time," Mischler said. He said he would hate to spend another $27,000 to leave code enforcement in the department but have nothing change. Williams asked what would happen if the council spent $126,000 to move it and still got nothing. Butler answered that the city is already spending $480,000 a year on code enforcement and that people are not satisfied. Then Butler joked that he and Mischler should refer all their code enforcement complaints to Williams to make him change his mind. Williams saw nothing funny about the comment, saying, "I don't have to be threatened to solve a problem." Butler answered that he was not threatening Williams. Williams: "Yes, you are." Butler said Williams replied that he would not return the calls anyway.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
