[Adopted as Title 2, Ch. 2.66, of the 1986 Code; amended in its entirety 9-25-1991]
There is established in the City a municipal department to be known as the "Department of Code Enforcement," hereinafter referred to as the "Department," which shall be under charge and supervision of the Commissioner of Code Enforcement, hereinafter referred to as the "Commissioner."
A. 
The Commissioner shall be an architect or professional engineer registered under Chapter 112 of the General Laws and shall be subject to the residency ordinance of the City of Springfield. Said Commissioner shall be appointed by the Mayor for a term of five years and shall be subject to removal for cause in accordance with the City Charter. He shall not be subject to the provisions of MGL c. 30, § 9A, or Chapter 31 of the General Laws.
B. 
The Commissioner shall have all the powers and duties formerly vested in the Building Commissioner, Housing Code Enforcement Director and the Sealer of Weights and Measures.
C. 
In addition, he shall have such duties as may be established from time to time by ordinance, statute, or rule and regulation. The Commissioner or his designee shall enforce the following laws: MGL c. 40A, c. 94, §§ 176 to 180, c. 98, c. 99, c. 111, §§ 127 to 127L, c. 143, c. 166, Chapter 349 of the Acts of 1910, and Chapter 842 of the Acts of 1967.
D. 
The Commissioner shall have control and supervision of the former Building Department, Housing Code Enforcement Department and the Weights and Measures Department, its personnel, records, and equipment, and all drawings received with applications for permits.
E. 
It shall be the duty of the Commissioner to enforce Chapter 140, Building Construction, Article II, and this article, the State Building Code, State Sanitary Code, Plumbing Code, Wiring Code, Gas Piping Code, and the laws pertaining to the weights and measures, and all other related laws, regulations and ordinances; or as they may be hereafter amended, so as to secure their intent.
F. 
The Commissioner shall have jurisdiction and authority to perform any and all such acts or rights and powers which are prescribed to be so performed and exercised by him under the provisions of Chapter 194 of the Acts of 1991.
G. 
The Commissioner may, subject to the approval of the Mayor, engage such expert opinion as he may deem necessary to pass upon unusual issues which may arise.
There shall be an Assistant Commissioner of Code Enforcement, who shall be appointed by the Commissioner in accordance with the civil service law. The Assistant Commissioner of Code Enforcement shall, during the absence or disability of the Commissioner, exercise all the powers of the Commissioner.
[Amended 11-24-1992]
A. 
There shall be a Housing Code Deputy Director appointed by the Commissioner in accordance with the civil service law. The Housing Code Deputy Director shall be responsible for the administration of the housing code enforcement operations of the Department of Code Enforcement under the supervisory direction of the Commissioner.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Housing Code Deputy Director to enforce the provisions of Articles I and II of the Sanitary Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
C. 
The state sanitary code inspection user fee for the Housing Division-Code Enforcement Department to inspect rental dwelling as required under the Massachusetts rental voucher program shall be $75 per inspection (including reinspections if necessary) of the same rental dwelling unit. The cost of the inspection shall be borne by the owner or the owner's agent. Payment of the fee must be made before an inspection will be conducted. Upon compliance with the State Sanitary Code regulations, a letter of compliance shall be issued for said rental dwelling unit to the owner or his agent.
A. 
There shall be a Sealer of Weights and Measures appointed by the Commissioner in accordance with the Civil services Law. The Sealer of Weights and Measures shall be responsible for the administration of the weights and measures operations under the supervisory direction of the Commissioner.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Sealer of Weights and Measures to enforce the provisions of MGL c. 94, §§ 176 to 180, c. 98, c. 99, §§ 1 to 5, and ordinances and regulations relating to the testing, adjustment, sealing, or condemnation and collection of fees for sealing all types of weighing and measuring devices.
C. 
Fees.
[Added 4-15-1992; amended 2-24-2004]
(1) 
The fees of the Sealer of Weights and Measures shall be as enumerated in MGL c. 98, § 56, except as follows:
Sealing Fees
A.
Balances and scales
(1)
Over 10,000 pounds
$250
(2)
5,000 to 10,000 pounds
$200
(3)
1,000 to 5,000 pounds
$175
(4)
100 to 1,000 pounds
$100
(5)
10 to 100 pounds
$50
(6)
0 to 10 pounds
$85
B.
Weights
(1)
Avoirdupois
$2
(2)
Metric
$2
(3)
Apothecary
$2
(4)
Troy
$2
C.
Capacity measures
(1)
Vehicle tanks
$15
(a)
Each indicator
(b)
Each 100 gallons or fraction thereof
$10
(2)
Liquid
$5
(a)
1 gallon or less
(b)
More than 1 gallon
$10
D.
Liquid measuring meters
(1)
Oil and grease
$20
(2)
Gasoline
$50
(3)
Vehicle tank, pump
$100
(4)
Vehicle tank, gravity
$100
(5)
Bulk storage
$125
(6)
Company supplies prover
$100
E.
Price verification inspections
(1)
Fewer than 4 scanners
$75
(2)
4 to 11 scanners
$150
(3)
More than 11 scanners
$250
F.
Pumps
(1)
Each stop on pump
$15
G.
Other devices
(1)
Taximeters
$65
(2)
Odometer—hubodometer
$35
(3)
Timing devices
$40
(4)
Fabric measuring
$40
(5)
Wire-rope-cordage
$40
(6)
Mass flow meter—gaseous
$100
H.
Linear measures
(1)
Yard stick
$10
(2)
Tapes
$10
I.
Miscellaneous
(1)
Dry measures
$10
(2)
Minimum charge
$30
J.
Adjusting—ordered repairs—not sealed—condemned charges = 25% of sealing fee
(2) 
The payment of the fees shall be made at the time of the device sealing. The fine for violating any provision of this subsection, including the nonpayment of the listed fee, shall be $300. Each day on which any violation exists or continues to exist shall be deemed to be a separate offense.
A. 
All permits issued by the former Building Commissioner shall bear the signature of the Commissioner of Code Enforcement, which signature shall be affixed by said Commissioner or by a member of the Department thereunto specifically authorized by the Commissioner.
B. 
The Commissioner shall cause to be kept a record of business of the Department, and shall submit to the Mayor and City Council, on or before the first day of September of each year, a report on such business. The records of the Department shall be open to public inspection.
The Commissioner may appoint such number of inspectors, assistants, deputy sealers and other employees in accordance with civil service law as shall be authorized by the Mayor and the City Council from time to time.
No officer or employee of the Department, except the Board of Appeals, shall engage in any work on any building or structure located in the City, nor shall he furnish any material for construction, repair, or maintenance, nor prepare plans or specifications therefor, unless he is owner of the building or structure, provided such activity does not interfere with his duties and responsibilities to the Department.
[Amended 9-30-1993]
No Housing Code Inspector whose principal work involves the inspections of dwelling units under the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code or the ordinances of the City of Springfield, as amended, shall be involved in the inspection of any dwelling unit owned by himself, his immediate family or partner, a business organization in which he is serving as officer, director, trustee, partner or employee within the boundaries of the City of Springfield. No Housing code Inspector shall be involved in the property management operations of any dwelling unit, building or structure located within the boundaries of the City of Springfield, unless it is his principal residence.