Code Compliance Educating Students How to Champion Great Neighborhoods
By Carol Weemes
Posted on November 30, 2018, November 30, 2018

Parents get ready. You may begin to see elementary school age children wanting to become more actively involved in helping keep properties clean, attractive and code compliant in The American Dream City.

Brian Daugherty, Code Compliance field operations manager is reaching out to Arlington elementary schools on a mission to teach youth the importance of being a good neighbor by doing their part to make neighborhoods a great place to live, work, learn, and play.

Daugherty enthusiastically displayed images of high weeds and grass violations and asked, "Would you want to play in this yard?" The response was a loud, resounding, "No-o-o-o!" in unison by each classroom where he presented at Career Day at Amos Elementary School with several other city departments during the third week of November 2018.

Kindergarten through sixth grade students participated in his interactive presentations with Daugherty adjusting the code related topics for each age level.

Students were taught about stagnant water in everything from swimming pools to potted plants and how to help prevent mosquito breeding.

Daugherty talked about the importance of not placing trash out too early, or too late - that it should not be placed out before 7 p.m. the day before scheduled trash pick-up, and not after 7 a.m. the day of pick-up so that stray or wild animals are not given as much of an opportunity to create a mess on the property, to help keep neighborhoods cleaner.

Students were awarded prizes for their participation responding with correct answers to questions about code compliance presented by Daugherty and Casey Hill, senior code compliance officer.

"Did you know that the city will remove graffiti for free?" asked Daugherty, "Let your parents know we will clean it up for free." Visit the city's Report Graffiti web page to learn more.

Career Day at Amos Elementary school was a rewarding day. One student asked Daugherty, "What do you love about your job?" and his response was, "Helping clean up neighborhoods."

Visit the Rapid Reference Guide for more information about making neighborhoods better.

Champion Great Neighborhoods, Clean Arlington
Code Compliance, Community, News