The Slippery Rock Borough Council is considering removing current full-time zoning code enforcement officer Jesse Hines from that position.

The council would then replace him with either a part-time person or subcontract the position out on a part-time basis.

As a citizen of the borough, a local business owner and a member of the Slippery Rock Borough Zoning Hearing Board, I have asked the council not to make such a move.

I have lived in the Slippery Rock area my entire life. I’ve seen the deterioration of properties and the reduction in the quality of life when there was a lack of zoning code enforcement in this university town.

As a member of the zoning hearing board, I also know that once an individual property or area of town is allowed to become noncompliant, whether through a zoning variance or a lack of action or error by the code enforcement officer, the resulting deterioration of that neighborhood is quick and nearly impossible to reclaim.

About 10 to 12 years ago, the borough council contracted the zoning code enforcement position to an outside firm. It basically became a part-time position, with the expected results.

Since no one was in the office daily, citizens were not able to discuss zoning concerns with a code enforcement officer in a timely manner. Phone calls were not answered quickly, and responses to zoning complaints were not handled promptly.

That led to a multitude of problems, many of which resulted in positive outcomes for out-of-town landlords, but negative consequences for surrounding property owners.

Those problems have been substantially reduced and, in many cases, ended, due to Jesse Hines’ professionalism.

I urge the citizens of Slippery Rock Borough to contact their borough council members and tell them that this growing university community needs a full-time code enforcement officer.

Residents also should attend and speak at council meetings.