Wega considers ordinance enforcement
The city of Weyauwega's 2013 budget may include funds to hire a community officer.
During a joint meeting of two committees on Monday, Oct. 8 - the Ordinance Committee and the Police, Fire and Ambulance Committee - a motion to recommend budgeting sufficient funds in 2013 for a community officer was approved.
The recommendation was scheduled to go before the city's Finance Committee when it met Tuesday, Oct. 9 to discuss next year's budget.
Ald. Amy DeSantis brought forward the proposal.
DeSantis, a member of the Finance Committee, was invited to speak about her idea.
"I'd like the city to take a proactive approach," she said. "I think it's something that needs to be done."
She and other members of the Common Council said many taxpayers have asked the city during the past year how the ordinances are enforced and who enforces them.
In her proposal, DeSantis wrote, "In the past the city has taken on ordinance enforcement as a complaint process only, which brings up other issues as to only those that have a complaint filed against them will have to abide by the ordinance but others may not have to."
She is in favor of the city hiring a limited-term employee to record and enforce ordinance violations within the city.
The community officer would report to the city administrator but work jointly with the police department on any complaints.
She said the community officer could work 10 hours every two weeks at a rate of $12 per hour.
The community officer would report monthly to the Ordinance Committee for a review of violations. The committee would then update the Common Council.
Under this scenario, the Ordinance Committee could decide at any time that the services of the community officer were no longer needed and terminate the employment.
"It is my hope that once the residents realize the city will enforce the ordinances that they will start abiding by them and eliminating the need for the community officer," DeSantis wrote.
The community officer and administrator would work together to decide which ordinances to work on, and the community officer would then go out into the community to visually look for those ordinance violations.
The violation would be documented, and the property owner would be given a written warning, stating a time frame in which the violation would need to be corrected.
Two weeks later, the community officer would follow up.
"We currently have a written letter process which needs to be evaluated to determine if it has the right language and implications if the violations are not corrected.
"We will also need to prepare some type of logs the community officer would use to document violations and adherence. The community officer would also need an identification badge/uniform," DeSantis wrote in her proposal.
Council members Donna Allenstein and Scott Rasmussen and Mayor Don Morgan believe it is a good idea.
"I think it's a good first step," Morgan said.
During a joint meeting of two committees on Monday, Oct. 8 - the Ordinance Committee and the Police, Fire and Ambulance Committee - a motion to recommend budgeting sufficient funds in 2013 for a community officer was approved.
The recommendation was scheduled to go before the city's Finance Committee when it met Tuesday, Oct. 9 to discuss next year's budget.
Ald. Amy DeSantis brought forward the proposal.
DeSantis, a member of the Finance Committee, was invited to speak about her idea.
"I'd like the city to take a proactive approach," she said. "I think it's something that needs to be done."
She and other members of the Common Council said many taxpayers have asked the city during the past year how the ordinances are enforced and who enforces them.
In her proposal, DeSantis wrote, "In the past the city has taken on ordinance enforcement as a complaint process only, which brings up other issues as to only those that have a complaint filed against them will have to abide by the ordinance but others may not have to."
She is in favor of the city hiring a limited-term employee to record and enforce ordinance violations within the city.
The community officer would report to the city administrator but work jointly with the police department on any complaints.
She said the community officer could work 10 hours every two weeks at a rate of $12 per hour.
The community officer would report monthly to the Ordinance Committee for a review of violations. The committee would then update the Common Council.
Under this scenario, the Ordinance Committee could decide at any time that the services of the community officer were no longer needed and terminate the employment.
"It is my hope that once the residents realize the city will enforce the ordinances that they will start abiding by them and eliminating the need for the community officer," DeSantis wrote.
The community officer and administrator would work together to decide which ordinances to work on, and the community officer would then go out into the community to visually look for those ordinance violations.
The violation would be documented, and the property owner would be given a written warning, stating a time frame in which the violation would need to be corrected.
Two weeks later, the community officer would follow up.
"We currently have a written letter process which needs to be evaluated to determine if it has the right language and implications if the violations are not corrected.
"We will also need to prepare some type of logs the community officer would use to document violations and adherence. The community officer would also need an identification badge/uniform," DeSantis wrote in her proposal.
Council members Donna Allenstein and Scott Rasmussen and Mayor Don Morgan believe it is a good idea.
"I think it's a good first step," Morgan said.
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9 Comments for "Wega considers ordinance enforcement
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JustBecause Oct 10, 2012 3:00 PM
And the police are officially relieved of enforcing these ordinances for all time. Maybe we should use part of the PD's budget to pay for the new position.
It would be cheaper to hang the (humanely dispatched) chickens from the light poles, as a lesson for all other ordinance violators.
lastpercentile Oct 10, 2012 7:05 PM
Weyauwega has an interim police chief and an interim city administrator. Sad state of affairs.
Isn't DeSantis the one who said 'this is a big waste of my time' during the great chicken debates? Apparently that woman had ducks and chickens for years and no one ever complained yet they had no time for her request to change the ordinance. This is a democracy isn't? And isn't the board compensated for their time?
Also, I understand that DeSantis pushed for buying overpriced laptops for the city from the overpriced computer shop on main street across from city hall. Same shop that is flying a large ugly and illegal banner selling high speed internet.
Why is there a billboard on Main Street and the cheese store selling the same internet service?
Who is running that town? The cheese store and the computer store???
Something sure stinks in Weyauwega and it ain't the cheese.
goonsquad Oct 11, 2012 12:27 AM
Excellent!
ifall2pieces Oct 11, 2012 8:56 PM
So Mr. Percentile, what do you suggest they do with the horse? Gut it and place it at the feet of the statue since they are in violation?
HKPhooey Oct 12, 2012 8:33 PM
JustBecause Oct 13, 2012 7:42 AM
Your current police force should be doing their job. You don't take taxpayer money & create a new position.
JustBecause Oct 13, 2012 7:44 AM
Your current police force should be doing their job. You don't take taxpayer money & create a new position.[/quote]
It is my hope that residents realize what is going on in this town and realize they no longer need DeSantis.
Yo DeSantis! Why don't you start by calling attention to the violations up and down Main Street and directly across from City Hall? Oh, I forgot, you've got your blinders on.
Someone should bring some public attention to what is going on in Weyauwega.
Hint, hint WPC!
goonsquad Oct 13, 2012 8:30 AM
Morgain Oct 13, 2012 2:50 PM