GOWANDA — Larry Green, Code Enforcement Officer for the Village of Gowanda, has offered his resignation as of March 1. The announcement was made at the latest Village of Gowanda board meeting, Feb. 12, by Officer-in-charge Dennis Feldmann, and was later approved by the board.

“I’m filling in for Larry Green tonight,” Feldmann stated in his comments to the board. “Larry Green has offered his resignation for building code, (he) doesn’t believe he has enough time between personal service regulations, and also…pension system…the pension system only allows him to make so much compensation, so he doesn’t feel there’s enough time to perform his duties.”

Green, who has served as a police officer for Gowanda for over 30 years, was appointed Code Enforcement Officer in 2016. “In the mean time, the police department is going to step up and work the quality of life issues and any ordinance issues that’re already on the books,” Feldmann also commented. “We’ll be able to take care of those along with Gary Becker and Larry Stillwell’s assistance.”

Feldmann also noted that large-scale projects, such as the proposed Dollar General, won’t be directly addressed by the village for the time being, but options still exist with outside agents. “Of course we won’t handle the Dollar Generals, stuff that we’re not trained, or certified for,” Feldmann said. “We can reach out to other people, shared services, if we need any help through the system.”

Mayor Dave Smith, following Feldmann’s comments, made sure to emphasize that code enforcement is still available in the village. “For the public’s benefit…we still do have a licensed code enforcer, Gary Becker,” Smith said. “So if any action needs to take place which requires licensure, we are covered for that.”

Smith also announced the job opening that is slated to replace Green’s position. “The village will also, in the very near future, be posting for a 20-hour-a-week code enforcement official,” Smith stated. “That person will spend at least 10 hours a week in the village office, available to the public to meet with and bring concerns to him/her, and consult and work through various property-related issues. The other ten hours will be spent cruising the village and being both proactive and reactive to problems.”

The issue of zombie properties in Gowanda, which has come up at several prior board meetings, was also directly addressed in reference to the new hire. “It is our responsibility to assure that the deteriorating properties in the village, including zombie properties, are addressed firmly, fairly, consistently and rapidly,” Smith said. “The good tax-paying dollars that are coming forward deserve to be surrounded by properties worthy of that tax rate.”