Commissioners ask council to fund inspector, mirror city code process to speed up cleanup of dilapidated properties

Vanderburgh County commissioners asked the county council to appropriate money to fund a dedicated code-enforcement inspector and to adopt an ordinance mirroring the city's administrative hearing process so dilapidated properties can be addressed more quickly.

Commissioner Justin Elpers said the county has seen an influx of properties "that are not up to code," creating a burden on neighbors and county staff. "Over the last, I would say, year, the commissioners have seen a, an influx of what we call properties that are not up to code," Elpers said.

County Attorney Ryan Schultz, who has served as the city building commission's hearing officer, told the council the county's current process is slower and more costly because enforcement now requires demand letters and, when…