County staff reports progress on regional building permit transition, launches ambassador program and schedules building‑official interviews

County staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on July 17 about progress toward transferring regional building‑permit records and systems to the county, integrating Pueblo West and Colorado City, and hiring a new building official.

Staff said they continue to coordinate with regional IT and county IT to transfer PRBD permit history and to configure permit workflows in OpenGov. Carmen (director) reported the county received 20 qualified applicants for the building‑official position, selected five finalists and scheduled interviews for the week of July 28.

Staff also said an ambassador program has launched and been integrated into OpenGov to provide three touch points (beginning, middle and end) for applicants seeking zoning authorization and building permits. Staff reported meetings with Pueblo West and Colorado City officials to align payment and application workflows and said weekly configuration meetings with OpenGov are under way.

Why it matters: The transition affects how building permits, inspections and records will be processed across municipal and metro service areas. County staff said automated reporting and improved applicant touchpoints should reduce confusion and improve turnaround times.

Discussion vs. decision: The session was informational. Commissioners expressed support for the staffing progress and asked staff to continue coordination with metro partners. Staff noted action items, including IT reports and automation work.

What’s next: Interviews for the building‑official role scheduled for the week of July 28; county staff will continue OpenGov configuration and coordinate payment integration with Pueblo West and Colorado City.