SARANAC LAKE — The town of Harrietstown is scrambling to replace its former code enforcement officer, who is working out of Wyoming until they do.

Edwin Randig, the former code enforcement officer, is working for the town on an hourly basis until a replacement is found. Currently he is in Wyoming, where he is working on projects he was supervising before his departure. Town Deputy Supervisor Howard Reilly wrote in an email that Randig had left two to three weeks ago to move out west, in part to be close to his family.

“He had planned to leave for some time,” Reilly wrote. “His in-laws live out there.”

In a Harrietstown town board meeting on Thursday, Councilwoman Tracey Schrader said that the board should have been better prepared for the departure of Randig. She said there are applicants for the job, but it’s unclear when the next code enforcement officer will be selected.

For newer projects, the town has temporarily hired someone part-time. James Morgansen, the former code enforcement officer for the town of North Elba, came out of retirement to help with the signing of new building permits. He has been asked to take up the position full time but he has declined.

The issue of the vacancy was raised at the board meeting by a contractor named Jim Tyler, who is working on a project that Randig is supervising.

“I don’t want to do business in Wyoming,” Tyler said.

Tyler said he was frustrated that taxpayer money is going to Randig while he works out of Wyoming. He was frustrated he wasn’t able to work with him in person. Tyler said the town should stop hiring Randig and that the work should continue only once someone had been hired to replace him. Town Supervisor Mike Kilroy said that is unreasonable and that work should not stop, as it would halt construction projects during the limited months of the year while construction is possible.

When Reilly asked if Tyler wanted to apply for the position of Harrietstown code enforcement officer, he said, “Absolutely not.”