Oxford Township’s new ordinance enforcement officer started work Monday, so if you see Jim Lehtola out and about, stop and say hello. Don’t worry, he won’t ticket you.
Lehtola, 59, is certainly no stranger to this community.
‘We’re kind of newcomers. My wife and I have only lived here for 36 years now. According to some people around town, that’s still newcomers,? he joked.
As ordinance enforcement officer, Lehtola is responsible for investigating potential ordinance violations; enforcing all township ordinances and zoning regulations; and patrolling the township to locate any ordinance violations. It’s a 20-hour-per-week job that pays an hourly rate of $15.12.
Enforcing ordinances can be tricky work because the officer is always walking a tightrope between residents who demand strict adherence to local regulations and folks who favor a more relaxed approach.
Lehtola made it clear that he’s going to do his job, but he’s not going to do it in a heavy-handed manner that makes people resent him or the township.
‘The way I view it is I’ve lived in the community a long time and you have to treat everybody in the township as a friend and neighbor,? he said. ‘It’s a matter of getting things done, but at the same time you don’t want to do things in such a strict fashion that it’s unreasonable.?
Having a job that involves investigating things and dealing with people is right up Lehtola’s alley given he worked for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department for 34 years.
He spent 21 of those years working as an arson investigator before retiring in 2006.
As a retiree, Lehtola likes the fact his new job is flexible and as a longtime Oxford resident, he’s looking forward to translating his concern for what’s going on in the community into some positive action.
‘It’s a number of opportunities all rolled into one,? he said.