By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
The Yachats city manager and mayor hope a newly hired part-time contractor to concentrate on code enforcement will help calm some discontent with the program’s direction.
City Manager Shannon Beaucaire told the City Council on Wednesday night that Matt Phillips is quickly learning enforcement duties and will soon be reaching out to businesses and residents and tackling other neglected projects.
The council – three members present and one attending via telephone – discussed code enforcement issues Wednesday after councilors Leslie Vaaler and James Kerti contended the current program is not working well and that the council needed to give Beaucaire clearer policy directions on it.
Improved code enforcement has been a constant refrain in city meetings all year and during the months-long debate over vacation rental licensing. But only as Vaaler, Kerti and several Planning Commission members started complaining publicly did the city public announce moves to hire an additional contractor.
“We hear a lot about code enforcement … probably because it affects livability,” Vaaler said. “But it’s not defined and there’s no direction to the city manager.”
Vaaler said she believes the city needs to do more to educate people on issues, to make sure codes are clear, to listen for “common sense” approaches to solving complaints, and to be more proactive.
“Right now we have a complaint driven system, if there’s really one at all,” she said. “We do need a person who is in the community and is in touch with the community.”
Since January, code enforcement duties have been handled by the city’s contract planner, Dave Mattison of Tillamook. He is at City Hall on Tuesdays and is authorized for up to eight hours a week of out-of-office work. In 2018, three contractors did the work, but there was no one between September and the end of the year.
That turnover, the gaps, and slow start on code enforcement this year contributed to issues, said Mayor John Moore.
“One of the frustrations is the gaps in code enforcement,” Moore said toward the end of Wednesday night’s discussion. “Having Matt on board can help us get caught up …”
Phillips started last week and said Friday that he’s made the rounds with Mattison and wastewater treatment leader Dave Buckwald, looking through files, studying codes and already responding to complaints and issues. Phillips told YachatsNews.com he plans to carry the code enforcement cell phone 24/7 to respond as necessary to immediate issues.
Phillips, who is on a four-month contract, moved to Yachats from northern California with his wife and son.
Out in the community
Vaaler said she hoped the new code enforcement contractor would “walk the city” to talk to people, write items for the city newsletter and be “on call” to respond to problems. Vaaler – who regularly walks around town – said residents constantly complain to her about livability issues.
But Moore challenged her to encourage people to report those complaints through the city’s new website and its “Report a Concern” tool or pass them along herself.
Vaaler said that some people are reluctant to attach their names to complaints, to escalate a concern about a neighbor or simply do not go on the internet or the city website.
Planning Commission chair Helen Anderson, who managed the transition to the new website, said the site is not attracting as much activity as staff envisioned and the city should promote it more.
She also said that when the Planning Commission discusses new initiatives – such as a recently approved sign ordinance or upcoming lighting rules – it often asks “will this be enforced?”
“We can use as much time of the code enforcer as the city can afford to pay,” said Anderson.
The council seemed to agree that Phillips’ hiring – he’s on a contract through December – will give it time to develop expectations for the program.
But Moore warned that the policy-making council has to be careful with interfering with Beaucaire’s day-to-day management of staff and contractors.
“I would hope our city manager would appreciate this sort of guidance,” Vaaler replied.
Kerti, who was attending the meeting via telephone, pressed for a commitment to a half-time code enforcer. Beaucaire, Moore and councilor Max Glenn resisted an immediate decision on that.
“I would encourage the council to go slow … without data,” said Beaucaire, asking for time to develop a comprehensive plan.
Vaaler and Kerti ultimately volunteered to organize a community forum on the issue.
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Editor’s note: Quinton Smith worked from June 15 to Sept. 15, 2018 as the contract code enforcement officer for the city of Yachats. A retired newspaper editor, he started YachatsNews.com in January 2019.
