WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) -- More help for the Wausau inspections department means more inspections performed this year, but also more problems fixed by residents.
Wausau Chief Inspector Bill Hiebert says the number of inspections reports sent to residents is up over the last quarter, but so are the number of fulfilled reports. "We added an additional property inspector that started at the end of March. We also had the community service officers helping us out with most of the exterior issues, you know, yard maintenance, mowing lawn, picking up furniture. So we did see an increased number, which is good to see." Wausau residents took care of over 1400 complaints by the city between June and September with only 50 complaints ever rising to the requirement of a citation.
Hiebert says his department is cutting down on the paperwork needed to get to a violation notice. "Instead of sending out three or four letters to get to that sixty day period, we're just putting it out there 'you've got 60 days to paint your house or paint your trim, and we're coming back then.'"
He says that's one reason they're seeing these results. "And that's a change in our philosophy. In the past, we looked at sending out a notice saying 'come back within 10 or 14 days telling us a time frame'. Now we've kind of said, 'Hey, this is an issue, you've got 60 days to correct it.'" Hiebert says that gives people a chance to get their repairs in order and make sure they have everything ready for future inspections.