For most of his life, Mike Johnson has been in public service. For 25 of those years he worked with Fulton County Fire Department. Today, as the City of Palmetto’s code enforcement officer, Johnson supports the idea of helping people to help themselves in cleaning up the city and making it more attractive.

“Spring is here and I’m here to help. I’m not punitive in my approach to code enforcement, but I do want to be a part of neighborhoods working together to keep areas clean, free of litter and free of junk cars,” Johnson said. “This would help make the communities of Palmetto more attractive.”

Regrettably, said Johnson, some neighborhoods are in sad shape, but this is a situation that need not exist. And rather than stating his concern without offering a solution, Johnson was quick to point to an approach that would help bring more visual appeal and foster unity among neighborhoods.

“We are a diverse city. We need to come together as one community,” Johnson said. “And code enforcement can play role in that. I have met and will continue to meet with neighborhoods, home owners associations, even individual streets, to do whatever it takes make Palmetto more attractive. And if people will come together it could create a domino effect to have a greater impact across the city. That way we are working together for the good of the entire city.”

Johnson said there are three keys to code enforcement. Those are education, eradication and, when necessary, enforcement. Johnson said his preferred approach is to work with people rather than having to go the enforcement route.

Johnson can be contacted at Palmetto City Hall at (770) 463-3377.

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