During the 2021 Mayor Election race, Mayor Westmoreland during the race made the following statement. “Over the last 4 Years, Established a Health and Safety Compliance Department.” I had not heard of this new department that was created, so I asked the Mayor for some additional details. He put me in contact with Dwight Payne, the staff member that was hired in 2018 to oversee Environmental Compliance.
Dwight emailed me back and explained his role and what this department oversees.
Mike,
The department that Mayor Westmoreland was referring to in his Facebook post is Environmental Compliance which includes health and safety. I was hired in 2018 to oversee that Environmental Compliance was being met throughout the city. I work closely with other City departments such as Engineering, Building, Neighborhood Improvement and Storm Water. I also work closely with land developers, building contractors as well as TM Crushing and Staker-Parson in regards to their gravel pit operations in the city. Here is what my department does.
SWPPP Construction Compliance: Code compliance – dirt on roads/unprotected storm drains/etc., pre-SWPPP inspections, permitting compliance, pre-construction meeting attendance, on-site dust monitoring, levy fines for non-compliance.
Compliance Enforcement: Receives daily complaints from citizens regarding alleged blasting, mining, and SWPPP violations of city ordinances, codes, and regulations; determines nature of the allegation and apprises callers of possible investigation schedule.
Monitors Blasting Operations: Post–Blast Reports; air quality monitoring and other monitoring results, list of fees charged and received. Levy fines for non-compliance (including shutting projects down).
Monitor Mining Activity: Long haul tickets, dust control monitoring, on-site safety conditions monitoring (neighborhood/infrastructure – not MSHA), compliance with all state and municipal codes, permitting compliance, reclamation verification (post-completion), levy fines for non-compliance.
Assists City Neighborhood Improvement Officers with code compliance as needed and as time permits.
Advises property owners, builders, contractors, architects, or developers as needed to apprise appropriate parties of concerns and potential violations; searches tax records; obtains facts necessary to determine proper course of actions; coordinates and monitors solutions.
Coordinates code enforcement activities with other city departments as necessary; works closely with Engineering Department regarding interpretations and enforcement of codes.
Conducts regular review of codes, ordinances and regulations; receives legal interpretations as needed to direct enforcement of compliance; makes recommendations related to practical application of codes and ordinances; assists in adapting, modifying or rewriting codes as needed.
Prepares and provides written and oral reports to city council, boards, committees, and public interest groups as required to explain code enforcement activities and program needs; gives testimony in a court of law as an expert witness.
Feel free to contact me with any more questions that you may have.
Regard,
Dwight Payne
Email From: Dwight Payne <DPayne@emcity.org> Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2021 21:50:39 +0000
Environmental Compliance Officer
DPayne@Emcity.org
Mike,I appreciate the response from Dwight, and look forward to seeing the impact his position will have on the Future of Eagle Mountain. Doing a salary search on transparent.utah.gov shows that Dwight worked for Ranches Academy prior to working for Eagle Mountain City where he was a Custodian and Maintenance Worker. In 2020 Eagle Mountain paid Dwight wages of $46,490.69 with benefits of $14,622.41 or a total of $61,113,10.
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