Leaderboard

CODE ENFORCEMENT The code enforcement profession balances the community’s quality of life by using professional skills and techniques tailored to the community's factors for sustainable living. An effective Code Enforcement Division strives to prevent repeat offenses through education, effective communication, and enforcement. The divisions’ priority is to identify and abate violations of all applicable laws and code of ordinances related to: General Nuisance Property Maintenance Issues Solid Waste Hoarding Behaviors Abandoned Properties and Neglect Zoning Violations Soil and Erosion Building Regulations and Permitting Requirements Officers and Inspectors methodically use professional skill sets with deliberate intent to serve the community better in the areas of: Customer Service Complainant Listening to the complainant's concerns Gaining clarity of complaint Respond promptly Violator Communicate effectively to gain willful compliance. Assess the ability to comply. Correspond with positive solutions and explain the consequences. Co-Workers Teamwork Collaborate with other departments to better serve customers. Recognize each team member's strengths and abilities to serve the community effectively. Investigation Inspection Validating the complaint/ identifying violation(s) Communication and Compliance Written Communication Notice of Violation Layout is key Keep to one page if possible. Communicate the importance of compliance. Request-response Give timeframes Emails Keep Brief Keep Professional Maintain focus on the importance of compliance. Copy and Blind Copy important personnel as needed Verbal Communication In Person Speak Clearly Maintain eye contact Respond with clarity Stay on topic of Code Issues. LISTEN Respect Phone Calls Speak Clearly Stay on topic Be Brief Remain, Professional, A proactive code enforcement division recognizes the need for efficiency and time management. The division serves the community by meeting the need of ACCESSIBILITY: To the public Approachable department Convenient to public access Customer Service Area Education and Meeting Room Coordinating Compliance with other departments to serve the customer better To other departments Planning and Zoning Land Use Violations Zoning Conditions Commercial Vehicle Livestock Issues Sign Ordinance Revitalization Plan Parking Ordinance Historic Preservation Ordinance Building and Permitting Stop Work Orders Building and Housing Code Violations Fire Department Personnel Fire Burns Fire Safety Issues (Rental Properties) Environmental Health Department Environmental Waste Issues Septic Systems Overcrowding Bedbugs Mosquito and Larva Solutions Engineering Soil and Erosion Illicit Discharge Tree Ordinance Public Property Assessments The Right of Way Tax Assessors/Commissioners Office Property Records Ownership Issues Business and Licensing Commercial Property Issues Curb Stoning Rehabilitation and Developing Businesses Legal, Judicial Systems Court Cases Inspection Warrant Abatement Procedures To the leadership and other community-based organizations Special Projects and Community Outreach Projects Redevelopment Rehabilitation Revitalization Plan Disaster Relief and Recovery Effort A division with skilled personnel is dedicated and responsive to community improvement. Inspectors and officers work cooperatively with the public to ensure neighborhoods are educated and feel comfortable relying on code enforcement. The department proves to be a diversified group of subject matter experts who team up to make a difference. Educated and Experienced in: Management and Public Education Professionals who provide experience in code enforcement as it relates to and benefits the efforts of community improvement, sustainable living, and economic development. Needs for affordable housing and an improved standard of living. Ability to target subject matter to the needs of individual neighborhoods. Code enforcement experts recognize not all customers have the same needs or are on the same educational level. Trained Officers, inspectors, and specialists provide communication and educational needs to any target audience. Public Administration, Business, and Economic Development Provides the public with alternative solutions and effectively holds the subject of compliance as a must, Communicates effectively through written and verbal means, Recognizing the customer's ability to understand and adapt, Recognizes the potential for growth, Criminal Justice, Police Techniques, and Court Procedures Provides the community with a sense of security and assurance of active code enforcement Officers recognize that customer concerns are important and handled effectively. Code enforcement officers provide security for the non-POST inspectors to effectively gain entrance to open and often vagrant-filled houses. Officers and Inspectors provide effective, clear testimony bearing facts of a case before the Judicial Powers. Officers and inspectors of an effective division are well-versed and knowledgeable of the City and County Code of Ordinances. A team of experienced code enforcement professionals has a willingness to improve. Meeting the following needs will improve the division's performance. Employee Training Increase professional training opportunities for officers and inspectors. Verbal Judo Code Enforcement (GACE) Zoning (GAZA) Property Maintenance (IPMC) Community Development Internal Training Due Process Communication Techniques Networking Weekly partner ride-along (cross-training) Public Education Improve community relationships with the department. Target community/neighborhood meetings Specific to code enforcement Media Access Monthly educational topics Focused on improving customers' knowledge of ordinances relating to sustaining a healthy, safe, and clean community. Flyers, information packages, and message boards Equip officers and inspectors with handouts that educate and promote community pride. Improve enforcement methods by adding educational instruments to explain compliance processes and requirements. Target area informational notices and advisements Division evaluates violations. Sends education and advice literature. Documents progress and implements abatement procedure. Policy and Procedure update Improve policy and procedures for the division. Identify and chart the chain of command. Department/division Professional Meetings Implement by-weekly department communication meetings. Coordinate with co-workers to discuss cases presenting difficulty. Update and inform Court presentations. Develop strategic plans to have uniform code enforcement policies and procedures. Improve Monthly Reports Implement data relative to compliance activities. Report community involvement activities Implement quarterly summarized reports. Collective information Open and closed case stats Willful compliance stats Court action cases Chart violations Data by jurisdiction Improve and provide adequate equipment. Vehicles Replace those with high miles and high maintenance issues. Adequately equipped. Safety lights on all vehicles Improved radio communications Cameras Flashlights Phones and IPADS Update computer programs For code enforcement, one of the most important skill sets acquired through employee training opportunities is customer service. This skill set should be performed professionally and efficiently every day. Code enforcement professionals can strategically apply their skill sets with deliberate intent to serve the community better in all areas of Customer Service. Effective customer service provided to the three most valuable players in the code enforcement field will only improve a community's attitude. As a team-oriented staff, each member acknowledges, “Together, Everyone Achieves More.” As Teammates, they recognize each other’s strengths and abilities. Most, if not all, tasks can be achieved successfully when the team applies a more uniform approach. Complainants are treated as concerned citizens, and a professional staff serves citizens effectively by listening to their concerns, gaining clarity on the issues, and responding in a strategic effort to educate the citizens on how the division will proceed by assessing the situation and validating the need for action to be taken promptly and professionally. Most importantly, it is important to communicate effectively with the responsible party. Code enforcement professionals understand and practice customer service strategies to proactively engage customers who may or may not understand that they have violated an ordinance that negatively impacts community values. It is a priority of each team member to communicate with such efficiency as to gain willful compliance by assessing the customers’ ability to comply and correspond with positive solutions while being direct and confirming consequences for non-compliance. Those who take the Enforcement Techniques class receive this from me. I wanted to share. It is my hope it helps in some professional and personal way to grow your already super code enforcement department.

Effective January 1, 2026, a new profile setting was created to allow members to set their Certificate Level. This was due to an inquiry by the GACE president. To access this feature, you simply edit your profile to set you level of certification. Click on your name at the top of the screen, then select "Edit Profile". This will take you to the "Edit Profile" page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see the following. Click on the box below "Certificate Level" and you will then see 3 options: Level I Level II Level III None Currently Click on the Certification level that you have currently obtained. If you have not yet obtained certification, select "None currently". You will then click on the "Save" button. When you or another member views your profile, they will see a box located on the left side of the page entitled "Retained". This will include you "Full Name" and "Certificate Level". Your "Member Title" will also show, if you have completed that block.

Introduction to the New Forums EditorFirst let me start by saying, I absolutely hate the new editor. Ok, that being said, let's jump into the new TipTap editor. The editor used previously in the Invision 4 software was CkEditor. CkEditor is probably the most popular editor on the market. It is very configurable and very easy to add new features to it. For cost reasons, Invision decided to switch to TipTap. TipTap is exactly the opposite of CkEditor. You can't configure or add any features to the setup. Everything must be added by Invision, and they are VERY reluctant to do so. Here is the menu bar for CkEditor: And here is the menu bar for TipTap: Notice any difference? The TipTap menu has a lot of drop-down menus. That means all of the features are hidden and you must search for them. I use the editor quite often and I still have a problem remembering where a specific option is located. Ok, let's get started into the various options. INTRODUCTION TO MENU BAR PARAGRAPHThe first menu option allows you to create a new paragraph, code block and set the various heading sizes on each page. Please, do not use but one "heading 1" size per page. This should be the title of your page. Start at the top of your page with an H1 and drop down in size as you got down the page. A well-structured page will look similar to the "Main Heading" image below. The "Code Block" will probably never be used since we do not deal in programming codes on the GACE Forums. PLUS + DROP-DOWNThis drop-down has the options to create ordered and bullet lists, wrap your content in a box, wrap in quotes, place a horizontal rule and create a very rudimentary table. Here is an example of text wrapped in quotes and also using a box. The fist image is how it will look in the editor. The second image is how it looks after saving the post. This is actually a box inside of quotes. They can also be used separately. T DROP-DOWN The next drop-down option is for font sizing. You are able to increate one or more works to make a point or have an idea stand out. I think the smiley-face icon is pretty much self-explanatory. This is where you will find the various icons available to you to use in your posts. The bubble icon is only for Admins and Directors. it just gives up some options for pre-written emails and text for those often-asked questions. You should not see this option unless you are an Admin or Director. The GIF icon lists the various gifs you can add to a post. For example: The last menu option is the ellipses. This option allows Inline Code, Strikethrough, Subscript, Superscript, Default (Font selection), Text Alignment and Highlight colors. I have already opened the color selection. There is only a minimal selection of colors. The reason for this is due to the fact that Invision 5 has the option to switch from Dark to Light. These colors are supposed to work with both options. Once Again, the " Inline Code" will not probably get much use on here since we don't really have a use for code. You may also attach files and/or use stock images by selecting one of the file/image options at the bottom of the editor. The option on the left is for attaching an existing attachment and the one on the right for selecting stock photos. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. You can also change the size of an image by grabbing the resize handle on the lower right bottom of the image. Just click, hold and resize the image. 20250205-1806-52.5512106.mp4 I would advise that when you are finished with your post that you go to the bottom of your screen and view your post in both Light and Dark Mode. You will then know how everyone gets to view your post. The switch looks like the image below. In conclusion, play around with the various options and I am sure you will grow to hate the new editor as much as I do. 😁

The "STORE" Menu Option In this post, we are going to cover the "STORE" menu option and what each item covers. If the Store option is not expanded, let's start by clicking the STORE option. It doesn't matter whether you use the side or top menu system. The options are the same. ORDERS When the Order option is clicked, you will be taken to a page similar to the one shown. This page lists all of the orders that you have placed on the GACE Forums Store system. To view any order, click on the particular that you wish to view. Print Invoice You will then see a page similar to this one. In the upper right corner, there is a button labeled "Print Invoice". Click this button is you wish to print a copy of your invoice or receipt. MANAGE PURCHASES Click this option to manage the purchases you have made. Purchases you've made which have associated settings or data can be managed from this section. MY DETAILSAddresses Your saved addresses are listed here along with your default choice for billing. You can always use a new address when you check out. Personal Information Edit all of your personal information that is stored in the GACE STORE system Payment Methods Your stored payment methods make it easy to check out when purchasing and will be used automatically for renewal invoices. You can change or add new payment methods to your account. Alternative Contacts Alternative contacts are other users to whom you grant access to your account. Depending on the permissions you give, they may be able to pay invoices for one or more of your purchases, on your behalf. Dennis Maidon October 1, 2025

Participation Badges & Points Wow! There are many Participation Badges. You can earn these badges by actively engaging in the forums, not just by logging in to the system. Some badges might be challenging to get, but they are all possible with participation. Some actions, such as buying something from the store or downloading a file, do not give you a badge, but they do give you points. You can also get two points by following an item or a member. As you can see, earning points is easy. Each time you login to the GACE Forums, you get one point, just for logging in. Badge Name Requirements Points Badge Great Support Helpful Superstar Awarded manually 0-15 Moderator Discretion First Topic First Post 10th Post 100th Post Create first forums topic Write first post or comment Write 10th post or comment Write 100th post or comment 5 3 3 25 First Reaction 5th Reaction 100th Reaction First Like, Thanks, etc. 5th Like, Thanks, etc. 100th Like Thanks, etc. 2 2 10 Follow Follow first topic, post, album, etc. 2 10th Follower User has 10 followers 5 1st Poll Vote 2nd Poll Vote 3rd Poll Vote Poll or Survey Created Votes in first poll or survey Votes in 2nd poll or survey Votes in 3rd poll or survey Create first poll or survey 1 10 10 15 7 Consecutive Days 15 Consecutive Days Login 7 consecutive days. Login 15 consecutive days. (including weekends) 7 15 10th Best Answer Gives 10th best answer or solution 25

As I write this entry, Hurrican Helene has made it to Western North Carolina. It has brought a lot of rain the NC mountains but, nowhere near the devastation to Florida and Georgia. My hope is that all GACE Members and their families are safe and now out of harm's way. --- OK, now to the gist of this blog, "Let's Be a Follower". At the top of each forum, event, topic, Blog or whatever feature that you will find on the GACE Forums, there is a "Follow" button. This is a very important button. It allows you to follow that particular feature or topic and receive updates, if you want them. For instance, most posts on here are in the "Discussions" forum under "News & Happenings". Click on the Follow button on the Discussions forums and you can receive notification each time a new topic appears. Once you have followed a feature, the button turns to "Following". You have some options when you are a follower. Here are your options: You will receive a notification and an email whenever new contest is posted. The notifications will appear in the User Bar at the top of the screen. You can opt to receive a single email with all the content for that day, if there was any new content. Maybe you would only like one email each week. You have that option, if you like. You can also follow and not receive any notification at all. Choosing the first option is the beast as it will keep you up to date on the GACE Forums. Interested in checking on a new job or, just being aware of what your options are, follow the "Job Openings & Positions" topic. Each time you click the Follow button, you get 3 points added to your reputation score. The more points you get, the higher your rank on the GACE Forums. In short, sometimes it does pay to be a Follower.