VIDALIA — After years of discussions about overgrown lots and landowners who don’t always respond to letters telling them they’re not complying with parish ordinances, the Concordia Parish Police Jury may create the position of code enforcement officer.

Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said the proposal was discussed at the jury’s last meeting, but it’s been on his mind for several months.

“We have got so many ordinances in the parish that aren’t being enforced that we need to have someone on them constantly,” Ferrington said.

“It is something I feel very strongly about, and getting a code officer to take care of this will help.  I know some of the other jurors feel strongly about this as well.”

Of particular concern are the parish grass-cutting ordinance, the no dumping ordinance and no parking zones, Ferrington said, though those are by no means the only ordinances that have presented a problem.

Ferrington said he will ask the jury to go into executive session at its next meeting to discuss the issue as a personnel matter, and will suggest Parish Homeland Security Director Junior Tarver be sworn in as the code enforcement officer through the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The code enforcement officer will have the ability to write citations for code violations, Ferrington said.

“He won’t do speed limit violations or anything like that,” Ferrington said. “He will just enforce the parish ordinances. I know the sheriff’s office is very busy all the time, and this should cut down on some of what they do. It gives them a little more time to do other things.”

Tarver has a background in law enforcement, Ferrington said, and is already on the parish payroll, which will help keep things efficient.

Tarver said Ferrington spoke with him about the proposal and he agreed to do it if asked, but it would be premature at this point to discuss it further until the jury finalizes its plans.

The police jury’s next meeting is June 9.