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Houston council raises maximum code-violation fine to $2,500
Summary
At its July 11 meeting the Town of Houston council approved a Charter & Code Committee recommendation to raise the maximum fine for code violations to $2,500. The vote was 3–1 with Mayor Gregory Wingo, Vice Mayor Tina King and Councilman Gregory Gilmore in favor; Councilman David Mutter opposed.
The Town of Houston council voted July 11 to raise the municipality’s maximum fine for code violations to $2,500 after a review of Charter & Code Committee recommendations.
The move came during a committee review attended by Town Solicitor James Sharp, who advised the council on the proposed changes. Mayor Gregory Wingo moved the change; the recorded vote was Wingo — Yes; King — Yes; Gilmore — Yes; Mutter — No. The motion carried.
Council members discussed the committee’s proposed amendments with legal clarification from Sharp, and the council removed the Community Day Report (Consent Agenda Item F) from the consent agenda earlier in the meeting before taking the fines vote. The council did not record additional amendments to the proposed fine amount during the discussion.
Raising the maximum fine changes the town’s enforcement ceiling and gives code enforcement officials a larger penalty range to impose for violations. The council recorded the motion and vote but did not specify an effective date for the new maximum in the meeting minutes; the solicitor’s guidance and any required ordinance language were discussed during the Charter & Code review.
The council is expected to follow up with any ordinance drafting or administrative steps needed to implement the new fine ceiling.
