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Escalon council approves up to $30,000 for on-call code enforcement from Measure P funds
Summary
The Escalon City Council voted 3-2 to retain on-call code enforcement services from CSG with a not-to-exceed contract of $30,000, to be drawn primarily from Measure P funds; councilors debated timing, oversight and whether the Measure P advisory committee should be seated before spending begins.
The Escalon City Council voted 3-2 to retain an on-call code enforcement contractor, CSG, under a contract not to exceed $30,000, with the money coming primarily from Measure P funds.
City staff described the contract as a flexible, on-call service to address major corridor aesthetic and health-and-safety problems along Highway 120 and McHenry Avenue; the position would not be a full-time city employee and would be used primarily for complaint-driven, high-priority cases.
Council member discussion focused on timing and oversight. Council member Alves and others urged waiting until the Measure P advisory committee is fully formed before spending significant Measure P dollars; staff said the committee currently has three applicants against a council direction to appoint five and that staff intends to re-open recruitment and schedule interviews in September or October. Supporters of the contract said the service would free up city public works and police resources and address recurring problems such as overgrown weeds and blighted properties.
Public comment included opposition from resident Cody Fowler, who said the city should resolve expired contracts for existing officers before contracting with an outside Sacramento firm for code enforcement. Staff replied that the contract is complaint-driven and that the $30,000 is a not-to-exceed amount; if only $10,000 is used, the city will not expend more.
The motion to approve the consent calendar item covering the CSG contract passed by voice vote with three ayes and two nays. The council approved the contract as included in the consent calendar and directed staff to return to council with any additional details requested by members before full implementation.
Council clarified intended scope: the contractor will work complaint-driven and likely be in town a scheduled day (for example, half a day per week) but will not be used proactively except for major issues. Staff said the city’s newly adopted budget already includes Measure P receipts and that the administrative process for the Measure P committee remains in progress.
The council did not adopt additional directions tying disbursement to a completed Measure P advisory recommendation; several council members said they would prefer the committee be seated first but ultimately voted to allow staff to proceed under the established not-to-exceed limit.
