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The Florissant City Council has approved a 2015 fiscal year budget that adds six full-time employees to the City’s Public Works Department. The addition of extra employees is necessary in order for Florissant to maintain its standards of code enforcement for residential and commercial properties, said Mayor Tom Schneider. Additional inspectors, along with technical, clerical and field support staff, have been or will be hired.

“Since the low point for the housing market in 2008, we’ve seen a steady growth in both commercial and residential real estate development that was topped with one of the busiest summers we’ve ever experienced,” said Lou Jearls, Director of Florissant’s Public Works Department. “In order for us to vigilantly maintain Florissant’s high code enforcement standards, we are adding six more employees to our Public Works staff for 2015.”

Challenges outlined by city officials for 2014 included multiple, large commercial building projects; a spike in residential building and renovation; continued investment in residential rental property; a monitoring and inspection program for vacant properties; added programs such as Florissant’s Priority Need Home Repair Program; and a growing data management system requiring increased data input.

Declared construction costs more than doubled from $27.3 million in 2012 to $58.8 million in 2014, with a rise in generated permit fees from $318,000 in 2012 to $402, 000 in 2014. Large building projects started or finished included Walmart ($17 million), CVS ($1 million), Culvers ($1.5 million), Brite Worx Car Wash ($750,000), Dollar Tree ($700,000) and Florissant Center-Club Fitness ($575,000).

Projects already slated for 2015 are another CVS pharmacy, a stand-alone Imo’s Pizza, a Jimmy John’s and several others still in the property assembly stage.

“The protection and safety of our residents and businesses by our vigilant Police Department remains the top priority for the City of Florissant,” said Schneider. “However, in order to maintain Florissant’s reputation as an excellent place for people of all ages to live and work, we require our dedicated Public Works Department to continue to excel in providing the many infrastructure and health services we need, with an increased emphasis on code enforcement inspections of both residential and commercial properties.”

Schneider continued, “With the continuing improvement of the area’s real estate market, mwe believe it is necessary to give our Public Works Department the personnel it needs to address code enforcement challenges by restoring positions that were eliminated during previous economic decline.”

Residential occupancy inspections rose from 4,116 in 2012 to 4,965 in 2014 to date, with an increase in violations that require follow-up, according to the city. Exterior inspections resulting from service requests also increased, which resulted in even more violations that required time and follow-up. The city also increased efforts to monitor vacant property.

The mayor outlined Florissant goals for the new fiscal year: increased, pro-active inspections of commercial building exteriors; doubling inspection of exterior property maintenance; increased tracking and enforcement of vacant home codes; closing of outstanding court cases; and continuation of the city’s successful Priority Home Repair program, the press release from the city stated.

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