I know I usually blog on social justice, or things that make us think, or helpful ideas, but I simply must give accolades to Dekalb County Code Compliance!

Those officers are truly passionate about their jobs, and it’s showing in our county!

Have you noticed….

• Less of those trashy signs at the intersections and on telephone poles? (OK, I admit, the Code Ambassadors work that, too.)
• County curbs being cut/treated for overgrowth?
• Foreclosed homes being cleaned up?
• Complaints being addressed? (if you knew just how many they received, you’d be amazed.)
• One-on-one contact between code officers and residents of the county?

Here’s what they’re doing:

• Sweeps for pulling those signs up/down
• Educating homeowner associations
• Working over and after allotted time, on their own, to enforce Code
• Working together with other officers to get the job done

Let me just tell you, they signed up a bunch of people as Code Ambassadors.  I am one.  It is our duty (actually, it’s ANY citizen’s duty) to scope out code violations and report to Code Compliance. Well, as if it wasn’t bad enough before the Ambassador program, now they have all of us sending them as well, with the same 22 officers handling the added work. They are expected to take the complaints (some Ambassadors submit multiple complaints all at once, on different properties), do background research on the complaint location, make contact with and go to the violation location, possibly contact the complainant, write citations, if any, go to court, if needed, follow-up and re-visit the location, and do the paperwork required to open, work and close the complaint.  That’s a lot of work….a LOT.  I have personally witnessed what they do…. on county pay.  It seems a thankless, tiring, never-ending job, but these guys and gals are diligent and passionate about their jobs, all for us.  We are truly blessed to have these folks in our corner.

Now, just like police, some folks don’t like code officers, probably because they got caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing.  I’ve seen the officers in action.  They are all about educating the citizens of our great county, helping to make it what it once was. They are professionals, totally focused on our quality of life, and increasing the values of our properties.  Heck, we all have so much to lose!

So the next time you see a Code Enforcement truck, wave…blow your horn, smile and wave, and give thanks for the people on the street who are working fast and furiously for the betterment of Dekalb County!