Yachats contracts with Newport security company for code enforcement

The city of Yachats has hired a Newport security company to provide code enforcement services, initially working two days a week.

The contract, agreed on in late February, will pay TCB Management Group $32 an hour. The company provides a range of services ranging from security patrols for businesses and homeowners, crowd control at events, to municipal code enforcement. It already handles the after-hours answering service for calls to the city of Yachats.

TCB currently provides code enforcement for the city of Toledo, working in its police department two days a week. Tony Bour, the TCB employee assigned to Toledo, will also handle code enforcement duties in Yachats, working Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Code enforcement in Yachats has been a hot-button issue for many residents as the city contracted with four individuals the past three years with months-long gaps between contractors when city staff filled in. Those people were paid $27 to $40 an hour. Matt Phillips, who had worked as the city’s code enforcement officer for six months until leaving in early February, was paid through an employment agency.

Some residents and Planning Commission members have pushed for the position to be filled by a full-time employee. Others, including City Manager Shannon Beaucaire, don’t think there is enough work or issues for a full-time employee and therefore more cost effective to handle it through a part-time contract.

In an email to YachatsNews.com describing the contract, Beaucaire said the city has the option to expand the code enforcement work to three days a week, should the workload require it. She also said if the city is not satisfied with TCB’s work, it can cancel the contract.

“While the City and TCB endeavor for a mutually beneficial relationship, if it is not a good fit, the contract does contain a termination clause and other options can be explored,” Beaucaire said in her email.

TCB’s proposal to the city also included establishing a 24/7 complaint hotline. But Beaucaire said whether the city goes ahead with that and how it operates hasn’t been determined yet.

Under the contract, TCB’s employee will help enforce compliance with zoning, land use, nuisance housing, building codes, health and safety, weed abatement, abandoned vehicles and complaints from residents. The officer is also supposed to schedule and perform follow-up functions, including letters, inspections, calls, meetings, discussions, and negotiations to ensure compliance with appropriate codes and ordinances.

The city also wants the code enforcement officer to attend meetings and serve as a resource to other departments and the public, develop a code enforcement task force with other departments, provide research and documentation for city meetings, and conduct inspections of licensed vacation rentals.

In Toledo, population 3,600, the code enforcement officer works in the city’s police department. Bour has been there for two years and Police Chief Mike Pace told YachatsNews.com that he couldn’t be happier with his work.

“Last year Tony did not write one citation,” Pace said. “He’s been able to resolve issues by working with people. Tony’s had a really good success rate. We don’t want to issue citations.”

Pace said Bour handled 63 cases last year, ranging from junk and overgrown yards, to vehicle violations to business license issues.

Bour is especially effective when it comes to working with landlords or building owners to resolve issues, Pace said, including two instances last year when the city had to condemn a dilapidated and unsafe house and another structure being used improperly as an apartment building.

“We’re 100 percent happy with the situation,” Pace said. “It really has helped with city beautification as well.”