Local officials regularly hear requests to step up code enforcement efforts, so when a county department requested additional funding to keep up with the task, the Troup County Board of Commissioners listened carefully.

The Troup County Marshal’s Department requested funding for an additional deputy marshal to help the department become more proactive in code enforcement efforts, answering animal complaints and other duties.

“Now that we’ve got code enforcement, that is an increased [number of] calls right there for code enforcement,” Edmondson said. “We are getting anywhere from 10 to 20 calls a week on code enforcement, and we just need another person to help get things done.”

The Marshal’s Department already had one open position and another employee on medical leave, but Edmondson said an additional deputy marshal will be needed even when someone is in both of those positions.

In the past, code enforcement was often driven by citizen complaints, but Troup County has recently started using a more proactive approach.

“We are working really hard on follow through, follow up, being proactive,” County Manager Eric Mosley said. “As they are out, we are scanning left and right looking for things because we don’t want a commissioner or a citizen to have to call us with a complaint. We want to be out there being proactive. We don’t want it to get to that point where it is a complaint.”

The projected base salary would be $34,507, so adding the position would cost the county $60,978 total, including benefits. The Troup County Board of Commissioners did not vote on any budget items on Thursday.