E. Todd Tumbleston is Oroville’s Code Enforcement officer. Tumbleston, who normally works as an unpaid reserve officer for Oroville, is being paid through a grant from the state Department of Trade and Economic Development. Photo by Gary DeVon

OROVILLE – Those with hulk vehicles, trashed yards and other violations of Oroville’s municipal codes beware, the city has a code enforcement officer who might just cite you if you don’t clean up your mess.

Officer Ernie Tumbleston is normally an unpaid Reserve Officer for the town, according to his boss, Chief Clay Warnstaff. However, a grant from the state Department of Trade and Economic Development (CTED) has enabled Oroville to pay for an officer to enforce some of the laws that get left until another officer can free up time to make contact – often that comes second to the many other duties that keep Oroville’s police officers busy.

“We received the CTED grant as part of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” said Chief Warnstaff.

He added, “This allows us to pay Ernie some wages for doing code enforcement… something we normally do, but now we have an officer who can focus on things like hulk vehicles and trashed yards. Sometimes all it takes is one contact to have the issue resolved. It has worked out pretty good.”

Officer Tumbleston said those that wish to see if they are in compliance can see a list of the city’s municipal codes by going to the Oroville Web site www.Oroville-WA.com.

“They’re all there,” he said.

When the grant runs out, Tumbleston said he would continue in his Reserve position, unless the city can come up with another grant to extend his time.