Scott County commissioners approve adding code-enforcement duties to health department after public pushback

Scott County commissioners voted to add code-enforcement duties to a health-department position and scheduled a workshop to define the job’s scope and procedures.

The measure, presented by a commissioner as additional duties for the health department role rather than a separate new position, passed by voice vote. The board emphasized the change would not be implemented immediately and that the workshop will outline enforcement steps, ticketing, and legal processes before the health department starts taking complaints.

Public commenters urged caution. Geraldine Williams, a resident who addressed the board during public comment, said the county needed to review existing job duties and capacity before assigning enforcement responsibilities. “His plate is full,” Williams said of the county staff member under consideration; she urged careful vetting of workload, training needs and costs to the county, including benefits and equipment.

Marcela Campbell, another resident, said some properties have been on the county’s radar for years and questioned whether court actions and earlier enforcement steps had been exhausted on those cases. Commissioners acknowledged a history of unresolved properties, cited health-and-safety triggers as the primary enforcement concern, and said their new attorney will be involved in crafting enforceable language and procedures.

Board members said the workshop will consider whether the duties should be additional responsibilities for existing staff or a new position, what fines and ticketing processes to use, and how to ensure continuity when the current staff member leaves. The board noted that any replacement must be trained on both technical inspection tasks and legal steps needed for enforcement.

The motion to add code-enforcement duties to the health department position passed by voice vote; the transcript records the action as a carried motion without a roll-call tally. The board directed staff to arrange a workshop and to return with recommended job descriptions and enforcement language.