Code Enforcement Officer - Town of Harpswell

Start Date: December 30, 2024 | End Date: March 31, 2025
County: Cumberland County
Job Type: Code Enforcement
More Information: Click here

Town of Harpswell

Alternate Code Enforcement Officer

GENERAL PURPOSE

Performs technical and administrative work to enforce in a uniform and equitable manner all municipal codes, land use ordinances, and other applicable federal and state ordinances coming under this jurisdiction.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the direction of the Code Enforcement Officer.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Clerical staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists the Code Enforcement Officer in the administration of the Codes Office.
• Checks building plans submitted with applications for building permits to determine that such plans and applications meet the requirements of the land use ordinance and/or planning ordinances, and issues permits as appropriate.
• Enforces the Town's shore land zoning ordinance.
• Enforces Wharves and Weirs Act.
• Maintains CEO files.
• Reviews all plans and applications to determine that they comply with all Local, State, and Federal regulations or ordinances, including FEMA flood plan.
• Reviews subsurface wastewater disposal applications to determine that they fully comply with both the local private disposal ordinance and the State's rules and regulations.
• Makes periodic inspections of building construction, including disposal systems, plumbing, and heating to ensure compliance with applicable codes, and issues notice of a violation or rejects any work that is improper.
• Inspects buildings and structures which may become unsafe and be subject to condemnation proceedings, after due notice has been properly served.
• Investigates any and all complaints filed with the office regarding violations of land use or planning ordinances, disposal systems, and all other code-related matters, with findings and decisions made known to the complainant.
• Prepares complaints for legal action in cooperation with the Town Attorney against violators of land use ordinances or planning provisions and other related ordinances.
• Keeps current on advances in technology as they affect the Code Enforcement function.
• Makes recommendations for changes in codes, ordinances, and regulations governing planning or zoning or building codes.
• Provides staff assistance to local Boards such as Zoning, Planning, and the Board of Selectmen, and cooperates fully with other Departments, Boards, or Commissions, as well as monitoring the construction of various projects for compliance to Board approvals or conditions.
• Answers questions from the public regarding the Town of Harpswell land use ordinance, site plan ordinance, and any other Town ordinances or adopted codes relating to land development and construction.
• Reviews construction progress through an inspection program up to the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance, to ensure compliance with the Town of Harpswell land use and site plan ordinance, State Plumbing Codes, and other relevant codes and statutes.
• Informs applicants of relevant state and federal permitting requirements.
• Collects fees authorized by the Town.
• Keeps a complete record of all essential transactions of the office, including applications submitted, permits granted or denied, variances granted or denied, revocations of permits, appeals, court actions, violations investigated, violations found, and fees collected.
• Attends necessary training sessions and relevant conferences in order to acquire and maintain Basic and Advanced Certifications in land use, shore land zoning, legal issues, subsurface wastewater, building standards, and internal plumbing inspection.
• Performs other work as required.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

General:

• (A) Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid State driver's license.
• (B) Ability to conduct field inspections, recognize violations, and obtain compliance.
• (C) Ability to work harmoniously with contractors, workers, building owners, other municipal employees, and the general public.
• (D) Possess or have the ability to quickly obtain all required State certifications in order to fully meet the requirements of a Code Enforcement Officer in the State of Maine.

Education and Experience:

• (A) High school diploma or equivalent supplemented by two (2) years of college-level or technical courses with a degree in a related field.
• (B) Minimum of five (5) years of experience in code enforcement.
• (C) Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• (A) Knowledge of pertinent municipal, state, and national building and zoning codes and ordinances and related laws and ordinances.
• (B) Knowledge of generally accepted proper construction materials and methods of building and plumbing work.
• (C) Knowledge of legal procedures involved in the enforcement of codes and ordinances.
• (D) Skill in operating the tools and equipment listed below.
• (E) Ability to analyze complex situations, problems, and data, and use sound judgment in drawing conclusions and making decisions. Ability to comprehend and articulate complex facts and relationships in detail and to summarize and write clearly, concisely, and legibly, and to testify in court in an objective, concise, and professional manner. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with citizens, subordinates, peers, the Town Attorney, and supervisors. Ability to follow verbal and written instructions. Ability to learn the Town's geography.
• (F) Ability to analyze and interpret construction plans and specifications; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical drawings; site plans; subdivision plans; aerial photographs; and zoning and tax maps.
• (G) Ability to utilize personal computers for spreadsheet analysis, word processing, databases, etc., with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access.
• (H) Skills to remain calm and professional in the field and in the office during stressful situations; skills to organize files, paperwork, field meetings, and maintain neat and thorough notes of meetings and conversations.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid State Driver's License, Certifications for Shore land Zoning, Land Use, Building Inspection, Plumbing Inspection, and Rule 80K within one year of hire.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

Personal computer, calculator, phone, copy machine, fax, camera, pop level, measuring devices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, hear, walk, to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms, and to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, climb or balance, and taste and smell.

Employee is required to make site visits and work in the field.

The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Correctable specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and may work near moving mechanical parts and moving vehicles and may be exposed to toxic chemicals, the risk of electrical shock, radiation, and vibration.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderately noisy while in the office, and moderately to loudly noisy while in the field.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

For more information or to apply, please visit
The Town of Harpswell's employment page
or contact the Town Office at
[email protected]
or (207) 833-5771.