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Vandenberg County commissioners approve property-maintenance code, unsafe-building process and several administrative actions
Summary
The Vandenberg County Board of Commissioners on July 8 adopted a county property maintenance code and approved multiple administrative actions, including an unsafe-building ordinance, a Motorola body-camera contract extension, acceptance of road-repaving bids for review, a condemnation settlement and an interim highway superintendent appointment.
The Vandenberg County Board of Commissioners on July 8 approved several ordinances and administrative actions intended to streamline property enforcement, continue law-enforcement equipment contracts and advance local roadwork and right-of-way projects.
The board adopted ordinance CO.6-25-11 to establish chapter 15.15 as the county property maintenance code. County staff said the measure reconciles inconsistencies among departments, clarifies what constitutes unsafe property maintenance and aligns county code more closely with neighboring jurisdictions. Craig (staff member) said the change enables the county to establish a hearing authority that can hold administrative hearings and issue self-effectuating orders, a process he described as faster and less costly than filing individual lawsuits in circuit or superior court.
The board also passed ordinance CO.06-25-012 establishing an unsafe-building ordinance and related provisions, and waived a second reading to approve it on first and final reading. Commissioners said the pair of ordinances together creates a streamlined administrative enforcement path for repeated neighborhood complaints; staff estimated the hearing authority could hold multiple hearings each month rather than pursuing individual court cases.
Related to that change, the board approved a set of building-commission forms the county will use under the new process, including emergency notice to vacate, order to seal and secure unsafe premises, emergency demolition order, notices of public hearing for fire-damaged houses and certification of unpaid costs as a special assessment.
On law-enforcement procurement, the board approved an extension to the county's contract with Motorola to continue and expand body-worn camera equipment and software for the sheriff's office. Craig said the extension is structured as two three-year agreements (six years total) that lock in a rate for the last three years; he confirmed there is an increase in pricing but said the sheriff negotiated a favorable locked rate. The sheriff was not present at the start of the meeting; staff said the contract continues a 02/2022 agreement.
The board accepted three bids for VC25-06-01, repair and repaving of county roads, and took the packages under advisement pending a full review. The bids were: E and B Paving Inc., $506,847.30; David Enterprises Inc., $554,714.02; and JH Rudolph & Company Inc., $665,578.
In an eminent-domain matter tied to the Oak Hill Road project, the commissioners approved a mediated settlement of $64,500 for the condemnation of 0.102 acres of frontage from parcel 35 (owners listed as Jimmy and Karen Young and Randall and Connie Ulrich). County counsel Lisonbee Breeding said conflicting appraisals put the county's offer near $25,000 while the owners sought about $105,000 to replace 25 large trees; mediation produced a $64,500 agreement.
The board appointed Jeff Bird as interim County Highway Superintendent following the recent retirement notice from the incumbent garage superintendent; the board said it will accept applications and conduct interviews for a permanent replacement while Bird serves in an interim capacity.
Each of these items was approved by recorded voice votes of the sitting commissioners; the board did not receive public comment on the ordinances at the meetings where final readings were taken.
