Supervisors weigh in on codes enforcement

NORWICH – Two senior leaders of Chenango County government spoke out in favor of fully funding fire and building code enforcement last week during a meeting of financial decision makers.

Members of the Finance Committee themselves, Supervisor Alton B. Doyle of Guilford and Harry W. Conley of Sherburne said providing for the public’s health and safety is an important function of government.

“This has been grinding on me. I can’t think of another commitment in the state or the country that’s more important for us to do. Code enforcement has as much concern with the health, welfare and safety of the people and we are not budgeting for it,” said Doyle, a Republican, who was elected supervisor in 1996 and is in his seventh term.

“All departments are funded by taxation. This is one of the most important departments that we have.”

Conley said he agreed with Doyle, adding that many of his constituents had asked him why codes is not part of the county’s general levy. “We don’t understand why it can’t be,” he said. Conley was elected his town’s supervisor in 1996 and is also a seventh-term Republican.

Chenango County elected to make codes a Public Health Department function in 1984 when the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code Act was created. Codes functions were 100 percent covered by the state until 1992. The county later determined to have revenues from permits pay for staff.