§ 118-3. Citizen deputy program.

(a)

Be it resolved:

(1)

That the board of commissioners appoint designated members of the community as citizen deputies to aid and assist county employees in identifying illegal signs and other ordinance violations in Fulton County;

(2)

That citizen deputies be permitted to remove signs illegally erected or maintained on the right-of-way of any public road which is a part of the Fulton County public road system;

(3)

That the director of environment and community development accept nominations for citizen deputies;

(4)

That citizen deputies shall be approved by the board of commissioners;

(5)

That said citizen deputies shall serve at the pleasure of the board of commissioners;

(6)

That said citizen deputies shall act strictly pursuant to the qualification standards and regulations adopted by the board of commissioners to regulate the removal of illegal signs from state, federal, and public roads in the county road system;

(7)

That the board of commissioners adopt the qualification standards and regulations prepared by the department of environment and community development;

(8)

That the citizen deputy program be monitored for compliance and consistency with local, state, and departmental policy by the director of environment and community development; and

(9)

That the department of environment and community development staff continually measure performance and recommend program changes to the board of commissioners as deemed appropriate.

(b)

Qualifications.

(1)

All citizen deputies shall serve at the discretion of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

(2)

All citizen deputies shall be approved by the board of commissioners.

(3)

Appointees shall be law-abiding citizens with full-time residence or work in Fulton County.

(4)

Appointees shall be at least 21 years old.

(5)

Each citizen deputy shall in effect be an appointed volunteer who shall perform duty without the right to receive any salary, pension, insurance, or any other compensation or benefit.

(6)

Each term of appointment shall be for one year, renewable annually at the discretion of the department of environment and community development or the board of commissioners. Citizen deputy terms may be terminated at any time during the year at the discretion of the department of environment and community development or the board of commissioners.

(7)

Prospective appointees shall provide the department of environment and community development with names, addresses, and other general information as necessary to perform background investigations and assess suitability for appointment as a citizen deputy.

(8)

Appointees shall take full responsibility for any injury or damages incurred by them or their property in the execution of their duties.

(9)

Appointees must complete a citizen deputy training program which has been approved by the department of environment and community development. Additionally, citizen deputies must attend specific and periodic instructional classes to update citizen deputy training.

(c)

Regulations.

(1)

Citizen deputies shall identify illegal signs within the public right-of-way. Citizen deputies shall report violations to the appropriate county employee in a manner devised by the Fulton County Department of Environment and Community Development ("The Department").

(2)

Citizen deputies shall identify, monitor, and report violations of zoning, codes, and other ordinance violations. Citizen deputies shall report the violations to the appropriate county employee in a manner devised by the department.

(3)

Citizen deputies will not penalize, threaten, or admonish individuals upon identifying illegally posted signs or other ordinance violations.

(4)

If citizen deputy's participation in the program includes voluntary enforcement of the existing law concerning private signs placed within the right-of-way of all public streets and roads, enforcement shall be carried out logically and objectively. Citizen deputies shall not remove signs placed upon private property.

(5)

All sign removal shall occur during day light hours, under safe, favorable weather, and traffic conditions. Citizen deputies shall refrain from removing illegal signs if doing so is likely to result in a breach of the peace.

(6)

All illegal signs which cannot be safely removed by the deputy shall be referred to county employees for removal.

(7)

Citizen deputies shall dispose of all removed signs in a lawful manner as directed by the department.

(8)

Any citizen deputy who runs for an elected local, state, or national government position shall abstain from removing illegal signs of any nature during the campaign season.

Res. No. 98-0298, 2-18-98)

Cross reference

Zoning resolution, App. B.