The rules which govern the operation of a city are subject to change, or at least being amended. Codes, ordinances, and basic operations all come before the city council to be voted upon, and depending upon how that vote goes, an ordinance or code will be adopted or in some cases even be removed from that city’s ‘operational manual’ so to speak. Once in place, it is the job of the City Code Enforcement Officer to investigate violations and issue citations if warranted.
Joe Hammer serves as both the ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) Administrator and the Code Enforcement Officer for the city of Grayson, the latter being a position he has held for three years. “Code Enforcement covers everything from issuing building permits, planning and zoning, to making sure people cut their grass,” Hammer said. “Any type of city ordinance or city law falls under code enforcement.”
That is a lot of ground to cover, and Hammer said that he looks forward to any training that helps him do his job better. There are many variables in code enforcement, he said, including law and ethical behavior while enforcing that law.
“It isn’t popular,” he said. “But the codes are set in place to protect the residents of Grayson, even if they might not always feel they are being protected.”
Hammer recently completed level two of code enforcement training through the Kentucky League of Cities and hopes to have the final level of training completed by next year. There is a lot to learn, he said, and the training is the best way to stay updated and current with procedures. Being current allows him to fulfill his duties in the most effective manner, Hammer said. It also allows him to advise the city council on how best to enforce codes. This is especially crucial when a resident of the city brings a matter before the council. In those instances, Hammer’s training helps him to assist them in the resolution of the issue.
Ethics and the rights of the city’s residents are always at the front of his mind, along with the legal ramifications of any issue, Hammer said.
“A lot of what I do in the summer involves grass,” Hammer said. “A resident might complain that their neighbor has let their grass get too high, and there is an ordinance for that. Years ago, you could grab a milk crate to stand on to look over someone’s privacy fence to see if their grass was too high. But you can’t do that now. This is America, and every American has a reasonable expectation of privacy.”
Legally, Hammer said that he can only inspect what he can see from the city street, and that without some other factor such as criminal activity that would then involve the city police, he isn’t allowed to simply investigate private property at will.
“If the neighbors swear out an affidavit, I can work from that,” he said. “But I can’t just invade someone’s property.”
Hammer said that ultimately his job is all about what is best for both the city and the residents of the city.
“Laws and ordinances are meant to keep everyone safe,” he said.
And with every update to his training, he can be part of the solution and help eliminate the problems.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
