She said she understands COVID-19 could have played a role in that, but she questioned the value of hiring more personnel at a time when the department has generated less money.
Town officials said they will review the situation to compare the number of tickets to how much is collected when the violations are heard in Town Court or Merrillvilleâs blight hearings.
Town Councilman Shawn Pettit said itâs important to stay on top of code enforcement issues.
âWe canât let this town go down the drain,â he said.
Clerk-Treasurer Kelly White Gibson encouraged the council to review all charges associated with code enforcement violations to ensure they are sufficient to cover Merrillvilleâs cost of handling the issues.
Councilman Jeffrey Minchuk, D-3rd, posted an apology on his Facebook page stating there was “no ill intent whatsoever with this idea or any harm meant” in his use of blackface.