County staff propose converting temporary building inspector to full-time position

County operations staff presented a hiring-exemption-style request to convert an existing temporary combination building inspector into a county full-time equivalent. The presenting staff member said the conversion would be “almost a dollar-for-dollar swap” when factoring out agency finder’s fees and payroll/fringe differences for temporary staffing.

Carmen from the Planning and Development Department described a year-long reorganization and cross-training effort intended to maximize efficiency. She said the inspector in question had “proven to be valuable” and that, if the county did not convert the position, the department risks being shorthanded and unable to meet permitting demand. Carmen noted inspectors will be combination-certified and that hourly staffing provides flexibility if workload declines.

Commissioners expressed support but asked for safeguards. One commissioner emphasized that the building department generates permitting revenue that can offset the expense, and another asked that department heads and elected officials be given the proposal for comment before formal ratification by resolution. No formal vote was taken; staff were asked to proceed with outreach and return the item for ratification by resolution if appropriate.