The City of Cushing has a commitment to provide safe and sanitary living conditions for all its residents. However,it takes a cooperative effort of investors, owners, tenants and the City to achieve success.
At this point in time, with budding growth in the area, the adoption of codes is an issue of great significance. The City’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the appearance, economic value and environment is built upon City Codes. While codes help lower insurance premiums and thus aid in the recruitment of new businesses, they also provide standards to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare.
After decades of nothing but status quo, Cushing may finally be on the verge of reclaiming some of the grandeur it once knew in the days of booming oil. In todays economic environment of business and industry, codes and the men and women responsible for upholding these codes are to play a key role in moving the community forward in a safe, organized, and responsible manner.
Some may believe these codes and the enforcement thereof too strict, and that there is no room for this in a community the size of Cushing.
The fact of the matter is that these codes are modern and widely accepted. They are in accordance with the International Code Council, and were adopted by the City Council in 2000. They empower our code officials to address citizen concerns on a daily basis.
Among the most frequent concerns is excessive weed growth,which is not only unsightly but can also pose health and safety issues. Trash, clutter, and miscellaneous junk stored improperly is yet another issue commonly dealt with by Cushing Code Officers. Code Officers permit those who call Cushing home to have someone to turn to when potential dangers such as these exist.
Working together with our officers, we can help rid our City of unhealthy or unsanitary conditions, safety concerns, fire hazards, and unsightliness that could be lurking in our neighborhoods.
Finally,there is the matter of code enforcement with regards to building construction. Over time, the country has seen numerous atrocious
disasters. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed four square miles of Chicago, killed hundreds and caused over $222 million in damages, which is roughly equivalent 14 billion today. The Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903 killed 602 people. The Coconut Grove Fire of 1942 killed 492 people.
These are only a few tragic examples of the devastation that occurred prior to the enactment and reform of fire codes and safety standards across the country. Codes, strict or not, exist for a very specific reason: to prevent devastating loss of life and ruinous loss of property.
The City is doing right by the citizens of Cushing by putting code officers on the street to work with residents, investors, and businesses,new and old. Let us support our City Code Department and the people who are working diligently to ensure the health and safety of the people of Cushing and the children who will inherit the City we are currently building.
Joe Hale
***
