Hello St. George Neighbors,

Here’s what happened on April 8th that directly affects our community:

🏘️ Code Enforcement Gets An Upgrade

The Change: Council unanimously approved expanding IBTS’s contract to include dedicated code enforcement officials starting May 1st.

Why It Matters: For months, residents have reported issues through 311 with inconsistent results. Several citizens (including a 13-year HOA president) shared their frustration with the current system:

“The problem is they’re like, ‘Well, your HOA is supposed to handle this’…but unless it’s mandatory, we can’t do that.”

What This Means For You:

• Dedicated officials will enforce city codes in St. George neighborhoods

• Clear accountability for addressing property maintenance, signage violations, and nuisances

• No more confusion about whether issues fall under HOA or city jurisdiction

What To Watch: This is a temporary solution through June 30th while a larger contract is developed. The true test will be whether response times and resolution rates actually improve.

🏡 Home Improvement Just Got Easier

The Change: Council approved simplifying outdoor kitchen permits, eliminating the Board of Adjustments approval process.

Why It Matters: This removes unnecessary bureaucracy for homeowners planning outdoor improvements.

What This Means For You: You can now get permits directly through the permitting office—saving time and hassle.

🏚️ When Disaster Strikes: A Community Case Study

The Council heard from a property owner whose fourplex at 433 Rue de la Belle Maison was damaged by fire last July. Despite being ready to repair the property, the owner has been caught in an insurance/mortgage company nightmare for 10 months.

The Decision: Council deferred condemnation for 60 days, provided immediate safety hazards are addressed.

The Bigger Picture: This highlights how systems can fail individuals after a disaster—exactly the topic of an upcoming SBA presentation on disaster preparedness.

📈 Our Growing City: By the Numbers

Our city continues to develop at a strong pace:

• 301 permits issued in March (up from 90 in October)

• $750,000 in occupational license revenue

• Consistent month-over-month growth in building activity

This growth brings both opportunities and challenges for infrastructure and services.

🗓️ Important Dates for Your Calendar

• Small Business Administration Meeting: April 16 at 6pm at City Hall

• Topic: Disaster preparedness and recovery resources

• Not just for business owners—valuable for all residents!

• Next Council Meeting: April 22 at 5pm

• Public hearings on budget amendments

• Five new ordinances including special events permitting and nuisance regulations

• Changes to group home regulations

• Municipal Runoff Election: May 3, 2025

• Early voting: April 19-26, 8:30am-6pm

• Races: At-large and District 4 seats

💬 The Most Important Takeaway

When Councilman Himmel said, “If you have a problem with 311, call me. I promise you I’ll get it taken care of,” it revealed an uncomfortable truth: city services sometimes require personal connections to work effectively.

My Vision: A city where every resident receives prompt, effective responses regardless of who they know.

How You Can Help:

1. Report issues through proper channels first

2. Document response times and outcomes

3. Share your experiences (good and bad) with your representatives

4. Vote in the upcoming election

5. Attend or watch the April 22nd meeting where critical ordinances affecting neighborhoods will be discussed

The most powerful check on local government? Informed, engaged residents like you.

Have a question about these updates or experiencing an issue in your neighborhood you want to shed light on?

Send me an email.

Your voice matters in St. George,

It’s your City Council

Shaunn Wyche