By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
Randall Bogue will continue to serve as code enforcement officer for the village of Urbancrest.
At the Jan. 8 regular meeting, village council unanimously approved the mayoral request to reappoint Bogue to the position that he has held since 2016.
While absent from the meeting, Mayor Joseph Barnes Sr. later said he was pleased with the council’s decision.
“I think Mr. Bogue has been a great steward for the village of Urbancrest,” he said. “He has advanced the village in regards to enforcing our code and he continues to research ways to improve the village.”
Bogue’s position with the village was put into question last month during a debate over mayoral appointments. During the discussion in December, council voted to suspend a request to reappoint him to serve as code enforcement officer due to their belief that such appointments should not come with the term ‘and to declare an emergency’ attached to the agenda item. Several council members said at the time that it was not personal, nor was it a reflection of his work, but they would like to have time to think about the appointment requests that were put before them. Barnes noted at the time December was when he made his job evaluations, as was required by village law.
With Bogue’s position now secured for 2019, council asked whether he knew about the now unmanned tent near the railroad tracks on First Avenue. He said at the meeting he was aware of the situation, had contacted the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and sent a notice out to the property owners who appeared to be unaware that there were people living in a tent on their property.
Councilwoman Deborah Larkins- Jackson said the tent tenants had left a mess on and near the property and wanted to know if the village could clean it up.
Bogue said the village is not allowed to address the trash issue as it is on private property.
Fiscal officer Kathy Thimmes said there have been some instances of volunteers cleaning up properties in similar situations and states, but Barnes later said he would like to see the property owners clean up their property.
In addition to the appointment of Bogue, council also authorized the mayor and fiscal officer to enter into a contract with Clarke Mosquito Services for the control and testing of the insects for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Like most municipalities, the village contracts with Franklin County Public Health who recently opened bids for their mosquito management program. The village will pay roughly $5,800 to participate in the program.
