A city employee who works with landlords and tenants to resolve disputes is being prosecuted in Municipal Court for operating run-down rental properties.

Paul Winn, a human resources specialist with the city’s Human Relations Department, is charged with 10 violations of the city’s housing code at apartments that he owns at 1200 and 1202 New York St.

City inspectors recently turned the case over for prosecution after seeing no improvement in the properties following several letters that were sent to Winn, beginning in late February.

“It is an issue of noncompliance,” said Brian Jimenez, zoning enforcement manager for the city. “We’ve treated this case just like any other, and turning it over to Municipal Court is the next step in the process when we don’t see improvements.”

None of the violations was so significant that city inspectors deemed the apartments uninhabitable. Violations included a poorly constructed deck and stairway, weak flooring in one apartment, an extension cord that had been installed in the place of standard wiring, and rotted siding and window sills.

When contacted by the Journal-World, Winn declined to comment on the charges. As a human relations specialist, Winn doesn’t directly deal with housing code matters. Instead, he works with residents who believe they have been discriminated against by landlords or other businesses. Among his major responsibilities is informing landlords of fair housing responsibilities.

Inspectors found the housing code violations after responding to a complaint about the property. The name of the complainant wasn’t released.

Housing code violations have no set fines, but rather a judge can impose fines ranging from $50 to $500 or up to 30 days in jail for each day that an offense has occurred. City Prosecutor Jerry Little said it wasn’t exceedingly common for housing code violations to reach Municipal Court because violators are given ample opportunities to correct the violations before charges are filed. He estimated that about two cases per month came through his office.

Winn was scheduled to be arraigned in Municipal Court on Wednesday, but he did not show up for the proceeding, which allows a defendant to plead innocent or guilty to charges. Judge Randy McGrath issued him a new arraignment date of Oct. 5. Defendants sometimes are issued a new date – rather than having a bench warrant issued for a failure to appear – if there is reason to believe they weren’t fully notified of their hearing date.

Interim City Manager David Corliss declined to comment on whether Winn’s case would result in any personnel action or employment counseling for Winn.

“We do expect city employees to be held to the same level of accountability as any citizen,” Corliss said.

Winn was in the news in April when a citizen who was having a case handled by Winn at the Human Relations office complained that he inappropriately tried to convince her and her husband to become members of a church where he preaches.