Committee debates building‑inspection contractor performance and options for remote inspections

LaSalle County staff reported the county currently relies on a vendor (SafeBuilt) for remote plan review and remote inspections after the county lost an in‑office inspector. The committee discussed contract language added by the vendor (including an annual Consumer Price Index fee increase provision), alleged performance problems, and possible next steps.

Brian told the committee the county "does have a contract in place, but the contract anticipated them having an in‑person inspector." He said vendors added new language tying fees to the cost‑of‑living index and had proposed both a modified contract and an hourly‑rate option. Brian also reported delays and communication problems with the vendor that have created daily operational issues.

Committee members said options include renegotiating with the current vendor, retaining the vendor only for plan review while switching inspection providers, or purchasing the vendor's software and contracting inspection services separately. Brian said SafeBuilt indicated the county could purchase software and pay an annual per‑user fee to retain it.

Members asked staff to prepare cost estimates for an hourly‑rate model, including plan‑review and permit‑technician time, and to investigate timeliness guarantees. The committee asked staff to present projected annual costs based on recent permit volumes at the next meeting.

No formal action was taken to terminate the contract at this meeting; members asked staff to return with cost comparisons and recommended next steps.