By Adam Prudhomme
Staff Reporter
Residents of Deseronto be forewarned: break a bylaw and run the risk of getting a ticket.
That’s the message town council issued on Thursday as they officially signed a five-year contract with Frontenac Municipal Law Enforcement Inc. The contracted bylaw officers now have the power to issue warnings and ultimately tickets to anyone they see committing an infraction against the town’s bylaws.
They’ve been ordered by the town to be on the lookout for things such parking violations or unkept properties, as well as providing animal control services.
“The proactive approach that Deseronto has asked us to implement is very easy to do because everybody’s treated exactly the same,” said Ken Gilpin, bylaw enforcement officer with Frontenac Municipal Law Enforcement Inc. “It makes for a more fair approach for everybody.”
In the case of an overgrown lawn, homeowners will be issued a warning to comply with property standards within a set number of days. If nothing is done, the bylaw company will arrange to have the lawn mowed at the expense of the homeowner. If the homeowner refuses to pay for the service, the bill would simply be added to their municipal tax bill.
“Deseronto’s a beautiful little town,” said Gilpin. “It has all kinds of potential. We’ll go in and survey the whole town, not just half the town, go door-to-door and see what the issues are whether it be grass or unlicensed vehicles or whether it be a zoning issue or properties with derelict vehicles or whatever. We’ll take some time to educate the public as well as council but certainly it’s a positive step for the town of Deseronto.”
Council has also asked the company to put together suggestions for any bylaws they feel should be added to their existing ones.
“One day last year there was 33 cars parked on a small street off Main Street,” said Deseronto mayor Norm Clark. “The public works had to plow in and around them and then come back later on when people had gone to work. So it’s causing an expense as well.”
Council felt the decision was necessary as the amount of complaints they received were simply too much for town staff to manage.
“The OPP, unless it’s part of their contract, they don’t enforce the bylaws,” added Clark.
“It’s a big headache off of council,” said Clark. “Over the last couple of months, especially this last summer, we’ve been getting more and more complaints about bylaws. I’m not saying that every house in Deseronto has to look like a palace, but we have to keep our residence looking decent and be proud of the town so the town looks nice and people will drive through town and go back and say to their neighbours ‘if you’re out on a Sunday afternoon, take a drive to Deseronto.’”
All bylaw enforcement officers will be in well-marked cars and in full uniform while on patrol. They’ll make frequent checks throughout the town, though they won’t have any set hours for when they will be in Deseronto.