Eureka council reviews code enforcement hires, building-inspector coverage and nuisance-enforcement plan

EUREKA — Council members at a Eureka City Council work meeting discussed staffing for code enforcement and building inspections, certification limits for inspectors, and updates to the city's enforcement and fee schedules.

Mayor and councilors reviewed two applicants for code-related roles and discussed the resignation of the city's building inspector. Patricia read a short resignation acceptance letter dated 03/28/2025 for the previous building inspector, Chris Swenson, and councilors said the city has an applicant, Manny, for code enforcement and an applicant who goes by Alma for the building inspector role. "I saw that it was I think it's more you get on the list for future funding from the state... I'll follow-up on that and just see what we if that's also something we can use for additional funding for, like, our CIB," a council member said while discussing related funding opportunities.

The city's legal advisor (Brad) told the council it has authority to appoint and approve a professional-services contract for a building inspector. "...you're within your authority to appoint, and approve that appointment tonight," Brad said, noting that building inspection is a professional service and the city must ensure it meets inspection and plan-review deadlines.

Councilors asked staff to confirm the precise scope of Alma's DOPL (Department of Professional Licensing) certification; a staff member explained the difference between a "combination" inspector and a "limited" inspector, saying a limited inspector "may have one or more, but not all exams" and that the council needs to verify exactly what types of inspections the applicant is qualified to perform. Council members asked Scott to verify Alma's certifications before any formal appointment.

Members also flagged that the city's fee and ordinance set has components last updated at different times: the nuisance and beautification ordinance dates to 02/2017, impact fees were updated in 2020, and garbage fees were updated in 2022. Councilors directed staff to review and update the fee schedule and related ordinances to ensure enforcement actions, inspection fees, and abatement costs align with current practice.

Brad summarized how the proposed administrative code enforcement program would work: it sets a framework for stepped enforcement (starting with lower-level actions and escalating to civil or criminal remedies when necessary) and provides administrative processes separate from land-use procedures. The mayor and Brad asked councilors to review the existing nuisance ordinance and the draft administrative code enforcement program and to provide feedback in time for a public hearing the council intends to schedule. "Anytime you adopt an ordinance, you do need a public hearing... we put out the public notice on the website 10 days before," Brad said.

Councilors agreed to email the nuisance ordinance and had staff confirm whether the ordinance already adopted in 02/2017 needs amendment or whether the administrative enforcement document can be adopted to implement enforcement. They also discussed operational items, such as how cancellations of field testing affect staff time and whether the city should charge fees for repeated cancellations.

The council did not vote on appointments or adopt new ordinances during the work meeting. Instead, members directed staff to gather certification details for the prospective building inspector, compare the existing nuisance ordinance with the draft administrative enforcement program, and prepare materials (including public-notice language) for the council's next regular meeting and a public hearing on enforcement. The council also asked that the fee schedule be reviewed comprehensively to update inspection and enforcement charges.

Ending: Councilors plan to review the compiled materials and hold the public hearing at a future regular meeting; no formal appointments or ordinance adoptions were completed at this work session.