Nelson issues Code Enforcement Appreciation Week Proclamation

On January 1st, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It's arguably the most important and well-known proclamation, impacting the course of American history.

While not as weighty as the Emancipation Proclamation, local proclamations are powerful tools in local communities. They provide a platform to honor our heroes, whose contributions inspire us and make us proud. These proclamations also help raise awareness about specific causes and celebrate our rich cultural diversity.

At the June 5th Apopka City Council meeting, Mayor Bryan Nelson issued a Code Enforcement Appreciation Week Proclamation for Apopka's code enforcement officers. Nelson highlighted the significance of the Proclamation, issued annually to set aside a week for Code Enforcement Appreciation.

In 2024, the Code Enforcement Appreciation Week was June 3rd-7th.

"I will tell you, these guys... they're what keeps our streets clean, the cars off the blocks, and the grass down below a certain height. It's not a job that everybody's cut out to do, so I applaud the guys out there that do this every day," Nelson said. "It's telling somebody, 'You need to clean up something and fix something.' It's not an easy job." 

Apopka Police Department Captain Stephan Brick, who heads the Code Enforcement Department, praised his officers' efforts.

"They work a thankless job and give 110% every day," Captain Brick said. "We should be proud of them. They keep the property values up and get compliance. Obviously, their goal is through compliance, not fines." 

"Code enforcement officers are unsung heroes that accomplish code enforcement compliance with their efforts and expertise," Nelson said in the proclamation.

Though rarely in the news, code enforcement became a focal point at the April 17th City Council meeting, when Commissioner Nick Nesta called for a new policy on foreclosure of chronic, out-of-compliance properties.

"I think formalizing some type of policy that says once a residential property hits a million dollars in fines, and as long as it's not a homesteaded property... if it doesn't have any other liens or clouded title, then we start the foreclosure process," Nesta said. "And everything else will start at $1.5 million."

Nesta's request triggered an editorial in The Apopka Voice calling on the City Council to foreclose on the Golf Group, owners of the defunct Rock Springs Ridge Golf Course, after amassing over $2 million in code violation fines.

"It's time for Code Enforcement, the Apopka City Council, and the RSR Homeowners Association to push back on the Golf Group with the authority and leverage it possesses. That starts with filing for foreclosure," the editorial states.

From The Apopka Voice to the Apopka Code Enforcement Officers, thank you for your service to this community. Yours is a typically thankless but important job.