JOB DESCRIPTION

The Code Enforcement Officer is responsible for enforcing the Town of McCandless’s property maintenance regulations. This includes the development of solutions to remediate properties of concern, investigating code violations, issuing letters of abatement, and administering violation warnings.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

1. Reports to: Planning and Development Administrator

2. Directs: This is a non-supervisory position.

3. Other: Has frequent contact with the public. Receives guidance from and interacts with other Town staff including the Building Inspector, Fire Marshal, and Public Works staff. Interacts with the local magistrate’s office and other judicial entities as applicable when issuing citations and pursuing legal action.

JOB SUMMARY

This is a technical non-supervisory full-time position. The code enforcement officer is responsible for the inspection of vacant, developed, and undeveloped properties for the purpose of identifying and documenting Town code and ordinance violations. This employee will complete notices of violation while working proactively with property owners to achieve ordinance compliance. They will prepare case files and provide municipal court testimony regarding code and ordinance violations; and report to supervising staff and Town Council on such activities.

Exposure to chemicals and/or hazardous materials can occur. Physical work involved with this position includes those activities required for investigation and enforcement of code violations. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job function.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· Comprehensive knowledge of general principals and standards of property maintenance code enforcement, and ability to learn those that are unique to the Town of McCandless.

· Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment as to when an enforcement issue should be escalated to supervising staff.

· Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, to firmly, tactfully and objectively enforce Town code, ordinances, and other adopted regulatory requirements.

· Ability to prepare reports or business correspondence and maintain related records while establishing effective working relationships with fellow employees, contractors, property owners, officials and the general public.

· Ability to learn and utilize computer and tablet-based permitting/project management systems.

· Ability to learn on the job and use the environment, tools, and training available in the workplace to develop additional abilities.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

The Code Enforcement Officer is responsible for ensuring that all property maintenance and safety laws including Town codes, ordinances and rules are enforced. The Code Enforcement Officer must be capable of working independently and self-managing time in order to meet productivity goals. The specific duties include:

1. Public nuisance abatement: Perform regular property inspections throughout the Town, both self-directed and in response to resident complaints. Initiate enforcement actions for violations of property maintenance, public nuisance codes, and ordinances. Perform follow- up inspections to ensure compliance. Secure clean-up services for properties whose owners are non-responsive and ensure that clean-up notices are sent, and liens filed.

2. Substandard building abatement: Identify vacant and substandard buildings. Ensure that vacant buildings are secure in order to prevent them becoming attractive nuisances. Initiate condemnation demolition of substandard structures, including maintenance of all necessary records. In cases of Town initiated demolition, the code enforcement officer will work with the Finance Department to ensure that property owners are billed and/or property liens filed.

3. Court testimony and legal action: Prepare case files and file citations for matters that must be referred to court. Provide testimony regarding violations that have been taken to court for resolution.

4. Performance reporting: Produce summary reports for supervising staff and Town Council on new, pending, and resolved code enforcement matters on a monthly basis or as otherwise directed.

5. Building code enforcement: Serve as a back-up for the Building Official on residential building code inspections when the Building Official is unavailable.

6. Zoning violations: Assist with enforcement actions relating to zoning violations at the direction of the Planning and Development Administrator/Zoning Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS

Prior experience with code enforcement and public nuisance abatement preferred. Additional education and training may be accepted in lieu of experience. Residential building inspection or other related building inspection certifications strongly preferred. If hired without the applicable inspection certifications, the applicant will be required to earn them within one (1) year of employment.

· High school diploma or equivalent

· Proficient in Microsoft office applications

· Knowledge of Code enforcement duties and applications

· Valid Pennsylvania vehicle operator’s license

· Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing

· Ability to read, analyze, and interpret legal documents and apply Town codes and ordinances

· Ability to perform & meet physical demands

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with ADA disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work is performed mostly in office and field settings. Considerable outdoor work is required in the inspection of various land uses and other matters. Hand-eye coordination is necessary to operate computers and various pieces of office equipment.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to stand, stoop, walk, sit, bend, kneel, squat, crawl, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit, bend, kneel, squat, or crawl.

· Ability to lift and carry twenty-five pounds regularly

· Ability to respond quickly to sounds

· Ability to move safely over loose soil, sloped surfaces, uneven terrain and/or in confined spaces

· Ability to see and respond to dangerous situations

· Ability to safely climb ladders

· Ability to work in extreme weather conditions

· Ability to operate office equipment that requires repetitive hand movement and fine coordination.

· Ability to traverse uneven terrain, loose, soil, and sloped surfaces

· Ability to pass specific vision and hearing testing.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to employment@townofmccandless.org. Resumes will be reviewed immediately and continue until the position is filled. The Town of McCandless is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, are be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. The Town of McCandless does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.