Franklin County begins trial transfer of code enforcement to Sheriff’s Department

The Franklin County Board of County Commissioners approved a trial transfer of county code enforcement duties to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department on April 15 to test whether enforcement and case management are more effective under sheriff oversight.

County Coordinator Michael Morón told commissioners Sheriff Smith expressed interest in absorbing code enforcement responsibilities, and staff proposed a time‑limited trial run for the second half of the fiscal year so any operational issues can be identified before budget decisions. Morón said the board will continue to fund department expenses during the trial, including new software and administrative support, unless the Sheriff elects to use sheriff’s department administrative staff. Code enforcement officer Wendolyn “Sissy” Smith supports the trial transfer.

Commissioners discussed the benefits of consolidating enforcement responsibility within law enforcement (single supervisory chain, quicker enforcement response) and the risks of losing institutional continuity; they asked staff to meet with the Sheriff’s office and Commissioner Amison (who has worked on code enforcement matters) to work out operational details and a start date. The board authorized the trial run unanimously and directed staff to report back with implementation details and a proposed schedule for review during budget preparation.

The County also approved publishing a Request for Qualifications to pre‑qualify contractors for residential property cleanups that may be needed following magistrate adjudications; the RFQ will be posted after attorney review.