During the County Manager’s report portion of the Vance County Board of Commissioner’s meeting on Monday night, Commissioner Dan Brummitt discussed a citizen complaint he had received regarding an ordinance that is not enforced due to lack of funding.
The ordinance to which Brummitt was referring is the County’s Abandoned Structure Ordinance.
Brummitt stated that the County needs to support enforcement of ordinances.
Commissioner Deborah Brown, the chair of the Board of Commissioners, replied that there had been no formal request made by Brummitt’s committee.
Brummitt serves on the Planning/Environmental Committee along with Danny Wright and Terry Garrison.
Brown said that the matter should be taken up during the budget process.
Brummitt insisted that before more ordinances are put into place, the County needs to fund the ones it already has.
Brown argued that the staff should be directed to take the matter to the department head.
County Commissioner Danny Wright stated that the department head needs to do a better job of making the needs of the department known.
It is unclear as to which department within the County government enforcement of this particular ordinance falls.
County Manager Jerry Ayscue stated that it was his anticipation that funds would not be needed until the new fiscal year.
The County’s fiscal year begins on July 1.
When Commissioner Scott Hughes inquired as to what the money was needed for, he was told by Brummitt that it was for the legal process of document preparation in the course of nuisance property abatement.
Brown asked why the ordinance was not being followed.
“The money,” Brummitt replied.
Hughes observed that the expense comes at the end of the abatement process. He stated that it was not being enforced because of fear of the expense.
Brown told the board that she did not like taking action on items that the committee has not recommended.
A little later in the discussion, Hughes moved that the Commission support the enforcement of the ordinance by any means necessary. Brown did not ask for a second to the motion, but rather ignored it, telling the Board that she was looking for a motion from one of the committee members.
Commissioner Tim Pegram asked Ayscue if there was any money for the purpose of enforcement of the ordinance in next year’s budget.
Ayscue replied that his “plan of action” was to put money for that purpose into next year’s budget. He said that there has been money in the past.
“Sometimes it’s passed and sometimes it hasn’t,” Ayscue said.
Brummitt said that caution must be used when [the Commission] makes ordinances. He stated that [the Commission] needs to look at the cost.
“I think we can take care of the problem,” Ayscue told the Board.
Brummitt suggested that another look be taken at some of the other ordinances that the County is not enforcing.
“For now,” Brummitt said, “Let’s let the department head know we’ve got his back.”
Brummitt then moved that the Commission support the enforcement of the Abandoned Structure Ordinance and the expenditure of funds to support the enforcement of the ordinance. This motion was seconded.
Pegram told the Board that he would vote against the ordinance because he has to know where the money is coming from.
Garrison asked Brummitt what would be done if 50 requests came in with similar problems.
“We deal with them,” Brummitt said. “We made the ordinance.”
When the vote was taken, all Commissioners except Pegram voted for the motion. When Brown called for negative votes, Pegram called a late “aye”.