Logo courtesy of Butte County

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) – Butte County recognized the officers whose work ranges from unsafe buildings and abandoned vehicles to zoning, cannabis and life-safety violations during Code Enforcement Officer Appreciation Week, Oct. 5-9.

The Butte County Board of Supervisors proclaimed the week during its Sept. 22 meeting, with Supervisor Doug Teeter reading the resolution recognizing their role in protecting the safety, health and welfare of residents throughout the county.

Development Services Director Paula Daneluk said the county’s approach focuses first on helping property owners correct problems rather than immediately turning to stronger enforcement.

“Our program runs on the primary goal of voluntary compliance,” Daneluk said. “And we are in the 90 percentile plus range of being able to accomplish that goal year after year.”

Daneluk credited officers with working directly with residents to explain requirements, identify available resources and help bring properties into compliance.

The program also works closely with other county departments and community-based organizations, Daneluk said, including the CAL FIRE Defensible Space Program, Department of Employment and Social Services, Environmental Health Division and Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

A county grant also funded 10 community cleanup events during the year, Daneluk said, helping residents remove accumulated waste, scrap metal and other materials that in some cases had remained on properties for years.

“The amount of success that those programs have had in removing things from people’s properties that otherwise have sat there for years and years and been accumulating has been tremendous,” Daneluk said.

Teeter described the officers as highly trained professionals whose work helps prevent neighborhood deterioration, improve safety and preserve property values through housing, zoning and nuisance laws.

Board Chair Bill Connelly closed the recognition by acknowledging the difficulty of approaching residents about problems on their property.

“What a tough job every day,” Connelly said.