B

The Morristown City Council managed to meet Tuesday night in between bouts of cold and wintry weather.

They approved the creation of an administrative hearing officer, a role that will let the city address ordinance violations and brings a bit more “teeth” to situations that previously did not discourage compliance.

“The administrative hearing officer is very similar to the city judge (though) it doesn’t replace the city judge,” Morristown Development Director Steve Neilson said. “The major thing about the administrative hearing officer is its ability to levy higher fines. Under the current statutes, cities can only levy $50 a day for a violation. What we’ve found is that it is not much of a deterrent to some builders. In one case, I had a developer just ask me if he could write a check at the end of the month.”

Neilson said the larger fines, and expedited hearing process allowed by the administrative hearing officer process, should be more of a deterrence against ordinance violations.

“We can actually, at request, hold kind of an in-house hearing where you get all the sides together and resolve these (violation questions) at a much quicker rate. ‘We find this, if you resolve these by this date, there’ll be no fine.’ So we’re very hopeful that that will be a deterrent and that we’ll get compliance much quicker.”

The role is regulated by state law and requires annual training and specific qualifications in areas like building/plumbing/electrical inspection, law, architecture or engineering.

And while the officer will address building code or other similar violations, matters subject to state fire marshal jurisdiction are not covered.

If the Council passes this ordinance, staff would look to hire someone from the legal profession,” a memo from the Community Development and Planning Department said. “Administrative hearing officers must also complete initial training within six months of appointment and six hours of annual continuing education.”

A change order for work on E. Morris Boulevard was approved by the Council so that work can begin immediately on the resurfacing/improvement scheduled for the road that goes through the city’s eastern industrial park.

The project is extensive and covers the section of road from the U.S. Highway 25E to just east of Jones Franklin Road.

Some of the improvements include:

• Resurfacing

• An extended exit from 25E to E. Morris Boulevard

• An access point from that exit to Thompson Creek Road

• A new intersection traffic signal at Dover Road

• A new intersection traffic signal at Jaybird Road

An eastbound turning lane addition to Pope Road to provide better/safer access to Frank Lorino Park

Continued improved access to Thompson Creek Road and the new traffic signals underscore the residential developments in the area, and officials are optimistic about improvements in safety and travelability along the city’s eastern corridors when the work on the boulevard and the expansion of the nearby 11E project are completed.

In other action the city approved the annexation of 863 Central Church Road with a Mobile Home Park District zoning designation.

Land to the northeast intersection of Buffalo Trail and Cherokee Park Road was zoned to R3, a high density designation. Early reports indicate development of multi-family units will take place.