SANTA PAULA : City Workers to Get Politeness Lessons; Complaints Cited

Employees of the city of Santa Paula will receive in-house lessons on how to be more polite to the public after citizens complained that city inspectors were heavy-handed in enforcing building codes.

The Santa Paula City Council on Tuesday approved a program to train employees who work with the public to make City Hall less intimidating.

At the same time, the council approved the formation of a citizens committee that will review state building codes and recommend how the city can better inform residents about regulations.

“It’s not easy to tell people they’re doing something that’s wrong,” said Councilwoman Margaret A. Ely.

The council’s move followed complaints voiced in August by some residents during a council meeting.

The residents appeared at the meeting in response to an appeal by Troy Helton, an airplane mechanic cited by the city for allegedly renovating a hangar at the Santa Paula Airport without permits. The city also cited Helton for allegedly living in the hangar and other code violations.

On Sept. 1, Municipal Judge John R. Smiley rejected a $24,300 small-claims case that Helton filed against the city over lost rent and income from the hangar, ruling that city employees had acted in good faith.

A hearing is planned Tuesday in Ventura County Municipal Court to hear the city’s 27-count case against Helton.

Helton said this week that he viewed the city’s response to the complaints as a partial victory. “They know they’ve made a mistake of over-enforcement, and they’re trying to correct it.”