Del City highlights heavy 'grow-season' code-enforcement workload; city clarifies abatement process
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Summary
Assistant City Manager Kelly Wilbanks told council two code officers logged 18 days of enforcement paperwork during the city's 'grow season,' handling roughly 60–80 tickets per day; council discussed courtesy notices, abatement timelines and support for residents who cannot afford yard work.
Assistant City Manager Kelly Wilbanks told the Del City City Council on Aug. 19 that the city is in the middle of a busy 'grow season' for code enforcement and presented a physical stack of cases representing 18 days of work by two officers. "This stack here, each single page represents 1 address," Wilbanks said, showing council the volume of recent complaints and enforcement actions.
Wilbanks said two officers — Jared Dupuis and Eric Stilwell — have been processing what she described as "60 to 80 tickets per day," including door-knockings, courtesy notices and abatement actions. She said the city recently suspended the five-day courtesy notice during peak growth to keep up with volume and that, after an abatement letter is posted, property owners have about 10 days to remedy violations before further action. Wilbanks estimated a homeowner-paid mowing might cost about $50, while a city abatement with fees can approach $500, and said the city tries to avoid liens when possible.
Council members pressed Wilbanks on how the city prioritizes calls. Wilbanks said top priorities include final non-payment utility cutoffs, unsecured or vandalized vacant homes, and active safety issues such as fire damage. She noted that some violations are addressable only when visible from a public right-of-way and that backyards behind privacy fences are not always eligible for enforcement unless they are observable from the street.
On assistance and community resources, Wilbanks said the city maintains a list of service providers but that demand often outstrips supply; churches and some contractors have occasionally assisted residents at low or no cost. She asked residents to use the city's online reporting form for faster response and provided the code office number (405-677-5741, ext. 7379) for volunteer or contractor offers.
The council also discussed signage and notification practices. Some members asked whether public-nuisance yard signs would help compliance; Wilbanks said signs can improve results in some cases but can also escalate tensions and pose safety risks for code officers.
The presentation concluded with praise from council members for the staff's visible work in neighborhoods and requests for continued outreach to residents about bulk-trash and other programs that can reduce code cases going forward.
