City staff recently updated the Garland City Council on a proposal to shift the hours of some Code Enforcement employees to achieve a degree of evening coverage. One of the reasons this plan is necessary is that numerous violations occur in the evening after residents return home from work. At this time, there are large work trucks and trailers parked on residential streets and unimproved surfaces. Additionally, many of these vehicles block sidewalks and alleys. One of the main concerns is the inability of emergency vehicles to drive on residential streets because of the problem.
Additionally, the evening coverage will enable Code Enforcement employees to help enforce upcoming parking restrictions that council will discuss and vote on in a future meeting.
The proposal to improve the situation can be accomplished with existing staff and will not create additional expense to the city. No additional staff positions will be required, but a currently open position will be filled.
The proposal is for up to five Code Enforcement employees to work a four-day week of 10-hour days. This plan will require some inspectors to work until 7 p.m. There were volunteers who wanted to work a four-day week. The shifts will be:
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- Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (two inspectors)
- Tuesday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (three inspectors).
The current open position will be filled to work 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. five days per week.
Hours for the evening shifts will be adjusted in the fall and winter when it gets dark earlier.
The plan expands the department’s hours of operation by 10-15 each week. Target implementation is Aug. 4. Code Enforcement employees currently available during weekends will not be affected.
Inspectors will address sidewalk encroachment, trailers parked on street, oversized vehicles parked on street, parking on unimproved surfaces as well as violations like water restrictions, overcrowding and home occupations.
Safety will be concern for inspectors working at night and it was requested that they only conduct inspections from a public viewpoint with limited citizen interaction. Council members also agreed that it would be advantageous for Code Enforcement employees who will work at night to meet with NPOs in advance of the start of the new schedule.
Mayor Scott LeMay is for the plan and asked staff for a status report in 90 days.
Council Member Aubin in favor of the plan and commented that he expects half of the people to be happy and half to be angry. Council Members Dylan Hedrick, Jerry Nickerson and Deborah Morris are in favor of the proposed schedule.
LeMay, Nickerson and Morris believe that residents should be informed about the new plan before implementation.
Consensus was reached.