Has Anyone Seen Kenneth A. Ellsworth Recently? Has Craig Haigh Returned To Save Us? Hello, Is Anyone Working Today?

While the front door to the Code Enforcement Department offices on Washington Street was open yesterday at noon when I stopped by, nobody was inside to greet me.  Even though this hasn't been an unusual occurrence of late, yesterday it was a bit of a surprise to me if only because a new receptionist (full-time?) and a full-time code officer were recently hired to help Nick Fox straighten out the city.  Well, not only was Nick out, but so were his two new hires.  And where was part-time code officer James Schermerhorn and the other part-timer that has been around for a few years?  Do they both still work for the Code Enforcement Department?  It's difficult to know what the heck is going on there -- or who works there -- especially when no one is available to answer any questions or take complaints and you can hear a pin drop in the hallway.   Imagine if the City Clerk's Office were regularly "CURRENTLY OUT OF OFFICE"!

Fortunately, there were several permit and complaint forms to pick and choose from on the wall outside the vacant Code Enforcement Department offices while I waited for a human being to respond to my "Hello, is anyone working today?" calls of desperation.  Pictured below is the standard Plumbing Permit Fee schedule that the department offers the public (the fees were discussed at a recent council or committee meeting*).  Click on it to enlarge, read, then weep.   

You may still have difficulty reading the words in the upper right and left corners, so I'll give them to you here.  CRAIG HAIGH CA CEO   KENNETH ELLSWORTH ASS'T CEO   751 WARREN ST.  TEL. (518) 828-3133   FAX (518) 828-9241. 

Evidence of the new and improved  
Code Enforcement Department

Now, we all know that our beloved Craig Haigh left us in a huff this past January.  But does anyone know when a Mr. Ken Ellsworth stepped away from the Code Enforcement Department? Was it perhaps in the year 2011 while the Code Enforcement office was located at 429 Warren in what had the aura of the Munster's house?   (751 Warren was the department's short-lived rented location, after 429 Warren and before the current location on Washington Street.)

Suffice is to say, there is no such things as a Department of Code Enforcement in our dear city... where nearly everything is backwards.  Hey, at least the telephone and fax numbers are still accurate!

Late last week, I met the new full-time officer at the Code offices on Washington Street.  He was there alone (no receptionist), and I'm pretty sure he had been hired the previous week (I failed to inquire).  I asked the friendly fellow if Nick Fox was on vacation.  He told me that Nick was indeed on vacation and had been for the past week.  Nick Fox was hired in February, just over 6 months ago.  Does every city employee get a week's vacation every 6 months right out of the gate?

At least 4 months ago, probably closer to 5, over the phone, I let a part-time code officer (who may or may not still be an employee) know about several mattresses scattered behind the apartment building at 720 Columbia Street next to the gas station, an obvious code violation, quality of life issue, disgusting eyesore, and fire hazard.  The code officer was surprised, as if he was already aware of the situation, saying, "You mean there's more than one mattress?"  He then told me that he would "have a look."  Two or three weeks ago, the mess of mattresses were put into a neat pile directly against the building, creating an even worse, though tidier, fire hazard.  Not that the Department of Code Enforcement and the Department of Fire give a crap!  (The apartment building with the mattresses out back, possibly there since Nick Fox was hired, is owned by Mr. Lucky and is likely filled with code violations and fire hazards.)

The job description for the recently created full-time code officer position at the Code Enforcement Department is still up on the city's website.  Still difficult to find, but still there, and still giving the impression that the position is available for anyone willing and able to help our ailing city.  Except that the position was filled two or three weeks ago.  Go figure!  Backwards, upside down, inside out, outdated, inaccurate, poor grammar, WTF, you name it -- we've got it all!