I agree about having it in writing, but be careful about arguing it with an enforcement type.. they don't like it when you point out an error on their part. Disputes of that nature usually end up bad. It would be better to take the dispute to a supervisor, etc.
As an example, last year in marion county we had a burn ban for quite a while. On the day the ban was lifted, I dug a hole w/ the tractor, and piled up some shavings, and other safe burnables to burn. I had everything legally covered ( i thought ). I had heavy equipment on site ( tractor w/ boxblade ), a fire extinguisher on the tractor and two buckets of water near the burn pit... a pit to burn in, and a wire fabric material to cover the burn pit.
The rear of my acerage abuts an retirement community. The person that lives directly behind me ( beyond a tree buffer ) in the retirement community calle dthe fire department, and reported a fire in the community. The fire station shows up in force... on the other side of my fence, as it was called in in the other! community. I'm standing out in my field raking up some material when I notice emergency vehicles congregating at the far end of my fence. I head over there and am informed that there is a burn ban, yada yada yada. I point out that it ended this morning. The all get together and say that it wasn't... I retrieve the morning paper and point out the bold 2" print headline.."Burn Ban Lifted for Marion County"..
At that point they they all became very irritated, and looked for any excuse to harrass me. Every time they pointed out something I should have been doing, I had a come back... burn pit, cover for the pit, distance to other dwellings, or trees or fence... everything I did was by the book... you know what they finally got me with? The firman making the report said I was burning plastic.... and noted that I had plastic buckes set out near the fire... ( buckets of water )... I gave up at that point... they left me with a citation, and made me push the fire out w/ the tractor or they wouldn't leave. I called the fire chief the next day and argued for hours with them. Their position was that they had to go by what the person onsite saw, and that they were siding with them ( Their position was that I was burning the plastic buckets of water )..... In the end, they dropped the 50$ citation fee or whatever it was.( but let the citation stand ).. but I still lost that battle... Probably the only thing I could have done was gotten a lawyer.... but the cost just didn't seem worth the trouble..... but I should have I guess. That situation still bothers me.
Soundguy
<font color=blue>"I find the written word to almost always be safer to follow than a verbal response. Is the police officer going to believe "Mary" told you over the phone you could do what you're doing??? "