Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Building Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village says education, not fines, will guide building-code enforcement; offers social-media guidance
Summary
Trustees reviewed building-department procedures and emphasized outreach to achieve compliance, reserving fines (up to $1,000 per day for hazardous intentional noncompliance) as a last resort. The board also summarized training on First Amendment issues and advised separating official and personal social‑media accounts.
The Village of Montgomery board said it will prioritize education and collaboration over immediate fines in enforcing building codes, while reminding residents that the code includes penalties — up to $1,000 per day — for intentional noncompliance that creates hazards.
Chair opened a broad update on building-department practices, saying the village compared its fees and procedures with neighboring municipalities and found they are "in line" for a community of Montgomery's size. The board said there is not currently a need to change the fee schedule but that officials plan more outreach to help residents understand when permits are required.
On enforcement, the chair described the village's stepped approach: first, outreach and explanation from the building inspector; next, court when necessary; and fines only as a last resort for willful or hazardous noncompliance. The chair gave examples the board has encountered — an unserviced pool with stagnant water and expired permits — and said the goal is to get issues corrected "to the satisfaction of our building inspector," not to punish residents.
The discussion noted that the due process of issuing a ticket and pursuing the matter in court takes staff time and resources, and that the board will continue to try collaborative remedies before seeking fines. The meeting referenced the building inspector by name as the official responsible for inspections and follow-up.
Trustees also summarized training they attended on the First Amendment and social media issues related to public officials. The board said litigation in other jurisdictions has blurred lines between personal and official accounts and recommended maintaining separate official channels for village business so residents know where authoritative, archived information is posted. The chair reminded listeners that "any accurate or timely or unbiased information regarding the village" can be found at the village website.
The board plans to provide short, monthly outreach pieces explaining common permit issues and promote a training log to distribute attendance opportunities fairly among trustees and related boards.
What happens next: the board will continue monthly outreach and consider adding a modest training line in the budget and a training-attendance log so that opportunities rotate fairly among officials.
