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Depoe Bay council approves 32‑hour community liaison to handle code complaints and nuisance follow‑up
Summary
The council approved creating and hiring a 32‑hour/week community liaison position to centralize code‑complaint follow‑up (strobe lights, tents, vegetation, trash) and relieve planning staff; initial funding will come from existing administrative services lines with a dedicated line next year.
The Depoe Bay City Council voted to create and hire a 32‑hour/week community liaison position to respond to code enforcement complaints and nuisance issues, a role staff described as focused on education and follow‑up rather than routine land‑use prosecutions.
City staff said the position would relieve planning and administrative staff, handle the large volume of public complaints (strobe lights, temporary structures, vegetation and trash complaints) and improve response times. Staff proposed using existing administrative services funds for an initial hire and adding a dedicated budget line in next year’s budget; the position’s hours were set at 32 per week with partial allocation across departments.
A councilmember asked about costs for benefits (PERS, insurance) and vehicle support; staff said the job could start on a probationary or limited‑benefit basis and could include a vehicle allowance rather than assignment of a city vehicle. Council members discussed enforcement tools (letters, fines, liens, and the possible use of collections agencies or attorneys if fines are unpaid) and noted that increased enforcement could also generate license and fine revenue.
Council approved the motion to proceed with hiring the community liaison. Unidentified staff framed the role as educational and discussed an oversight model in which minor complaints would be handled by the liaison with escalation to legal counsel or the planning department for bigger violations. The council asked staff to return budget details and a plan for implementation.
What happens next: staff will create the position description, set salary and benefits details, and begin recruitment with initial funding from the administrative services budget; the council expects to add a regular line item in next year’s budget.
