Mike Olson, a city of Aberdeen employee, was named Code Enforcement Officer of the Year at the spring conference of the South Dakota Code Enforcement Association in Oacoma earlier this month.
He is the first recipient of the award.
Olson has been a code enforcement officer since 2003. His duties include inspecting properties to make sure they are maintained and safe, as well as ensuring that zoning rules are followed. He also notifies residents to remove junk vehicles or other items not allowed to be stored in backyards or alleyways.
During his tenure, more than 200 dilapidated houses, garages and other structures have been removed from within the city limits, Olson said. Many new houses and buildings have since replaced those that have been torn down, he said.
In addition to performing his work in Aberdeen, Olson is called upon to assist other towns in setting up code enforcement divisions.