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CHAIR: So you're seeing this as both a money- saving -- cost - savings, because you
<br />wouldn't have all these divisions in different departments, but also revenue - generating,
<br />because fines would be issued and things would be tracked on?
<br />LEONARD: That's correct, that's correct. But then I mean, this has a domino effect,
<br />because when we're already we're talking about changing codes, changing the Charter.
<br />We're looking at changing some processes, implementing technology, and then we look
<br />at well, are our fines reasonable? Is it reasonable to charge somebody a hundred dollars
<br />a day and then for the next, 30 days, 90 days later, it goes up to two hundred? And
<br />before you know it, you've got some fines up in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
<br />That all needs to be looked at as well, to find out where is the reasonable threshold of
<br />where fines should go, and how should we start out with our fines. Just to give you an
<br />example with regards to fines. There was a gentleman who built a fence in Hawaiian
<br />Paradise Park, and it was seven feet tall. The code is six feet. He's got to cut it down.
<br />He's in a setback, so we sent him a letter. So he removes the fence material, which is
<br />satisfactory, but he still has a post and some metal framing in the setback. That's got to
<br />be removed. He currently has $17, 000 in fines, okay, for a stupid fence post and metal
<br />framing, okay. And I sent him another letter, and I said, you know, this is just take this
<br />down and then let's resolve this issue with the fines and we'll reduce them. Let's just
<br />close this case. But I have a choice. Now I either can send it to Corporation Counsel to
<br />follow up on, or I can wait a year and place a lien on the property, because the Code
<br />says I have to wait for one year while his fine accumulates before I can place a lien on it.
<br />Well, that means when I place the lien when I'm allowed to place a lien on that
<br />property, his fine is $127, 000. So we should probably change the Code, that once we get
<br />into fines, then we can place a lien on the property. And do we really want to place a
<br />lien, or is there a better method of tacking that fine, perhaps as a fee, onto the tax bill? Is
<br />that a better way? So there's a whole gamut of things that we need to look at here as to
<br />how we do business. But I think the first thing to do that's within our immediate control
<br />is we can consolidate the enforcement process and then start addressing all these other
<br />little issues. If we consolidate the enforcement process, we find a way to automate that,
<br />then these high fines that we get into can be avoided, because we've streamlined the
<br />process and we're dealing better with the public. Yes?
<br />O'HARA: In most cases, when you have a fine like that, is it not the practice to negotiate
<br />that fine?
<br />LEONARD: Yes, it is. Because I have an automated tracking system, I have issued
<br />$487,000 in fines. I've collected $3,800. If the fines were more reasonable, maybe I
<br />would have collected more. And then I think last time I talked to Glen and Gloria, was
<br />we have on the books a requirement that if you do not have a street number on your
<br />house, it's a $25 fine. I'm responsible zoning inspectors are responsible for enforcing
<br />that. You know how much it costs to get a letter out of our office? I figured it, because
<br />we're pretty streamlined. We have our letters pretty automated, and it's easy to get a
<br />letter out. But I still figure that it's about $47 just simply to get a letter outright away.
<br />So here's a $25 fine, and here's a $47 letter that's going to go out. Now how's that letter
<br />have to go out? Notice of Violation and Order, restricted, certified mail. That's going to
<br />cost us 8 bucks in postage to get it out. What happens if they don't answer that letter or
<br />pick it up? Then now I have to send a civil deputy. For 25 bucks, we don't enforce it.
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