7.4 Commercial Plans Examiner Building InspectorCITY OF SALINA
REQUEST FOR CITY COMMISSION ACTION
AGENDA SECTION ORIGINATING INATIN DEPARTMENT:
LENT:
:
ITEM Development Services
NO:
Page I BY: Gary Hobble
DATE TIME
03/14/2016 4:00 P.M.
FISCALPPo L:
B:
FINAL APPROVAL. -
BY:
ITEM:
Authorize the addition of a Commercial Plains Examiner/ Building Inspector position for the Develop-
ment Services Department, Building Services Division.
BACKGROUND:
The city of Salina Development Services Department employed eighteen staff members, net including
the department head, when l arrived in November of Zoo. During the nett fever years our construction
projects and grant funds were reduced requiring fewer plan reviews, inspections and housing
rehabilitation projects to take plane. Our staff began to reorganize priorities and our first process was
to not €ill vacancies when staff resigned and moved to other job opportunities outside our employment.
Our second process included moving Neighborhood Services into the Building and Planning work
area. Indicated on the enclosed chart (Exhibit 1 is the staffing positions as of November 2007 for our
department; please note the Development Coordinator who was and remains under the city
Manager's office organization chart but whose office is located in our department area.
Since 2007 department staff has reduced and absorbed job requirements within the existing staff
members. We have been able to maintain the work flow with limited overtime of hourly paid
employees by asking salary employees to fill in during off duty periods and by increasing the levels of
cross training staff to handle multiple task areas. The implementation of neve software has allowed us
to more accurately track various processes staff completes and through the Continuous Process
Improvement project we are completing the tracking of to t times for nearly Zoo processes ars well ars
working on specific projects for our department.
Indicated on the enclosed chart (Exhibit #2) is the 2016 staffing. we have reduced staff from nineteen
employees (eighteen full time and one part time) to a staff of fourteen full time staff members.
Reductions in staff includes: Neighborhood Services Supervisor, Part time code enforcement officer,
planning administrative assistant, commercial plans reviewer and a building inspector position. We
have moved the code enforcement officers to two full time property maintenance inspectors and
included them under the supervision of the building official; although, currently, those staff members
report most frequently to the department head due the building official's present workload. The
development coordinator position is also responsible for providing services as the planning
administrative assistant, in addition to the development coordinator duties.
Reports indicate the number of building projects # of perrntis issued) has remained stagnant over the
past few years; however the valuation associated with those projects has increased. The valuation for
a project is an indicator of the scope (size) of the project. There are many major projects that are
ongoing in our community, which have a direct affect on the workload in our department relative to
tasks such as plan review, inspections and producing all associated documentation by the
administrative support staff.
CITY OF SALINA
REQUEST FOR CITY COMMISSION ACTION DATE TIME
03/14/2016 4:00 P.M.
AGENDA SECTION ORIGINATING ATING I EPAF T SENT -IVO:
ITEM[ Development Service
N:
Page 2 BY: Gary Hobbie
Total Annual Building Valuations
Permits
Year issued Valuation
2003
3248
46,213,139.00
2004
3240
$ 38,581,179.00
2005
32.59
43,114,236.00
2006
3222
57,355,558.00
2007
4480
57,472,198. 00
2008
3171
36,817,543.00
2009
2900
$ 29,591,202.0
Permits
Year Issued Valuation
FISCAL APPROVAL:
BY:
FINAL APPROVAL:
BY:
2010
3010
57,358,547.00
2011
2678
27,9001579.00
2012
2265
$ 54,759,040.00
2013
1954
58,8451615.00
2014
1932
38,9641202.00
2015
1953
73,584,947.00
Staff recommends the hiring of a new staff member who will be capable of performing multiple duties
within our department, primarily commercial plans review and building inspections. As we continue to
Nook at succession planning within our department, we have to recognize the potential for five staff
retirements within the next five years; therefore we have begun to look at training opportunities for our
existing staff which would allover thea to move into administrative and support staff roles, only to cause
additional hogs off site for this training. The department plans to complete a national search for a
commercial plans reviewer and building inspector in a combination position and develop a job
description which allows one staff member to complete two job functions benefitting all staff members.
This search may take up to sic months to complete and will be just in time to fill this position as our
school projects are midway through their construction process and the proposed downtown projects
are underway.
FISCAL NOTE*
A review of the International code Council's website indicates multiple cities are locking for
commercial plans reviewers and building inspectors with multiple certifications with evidence of
experiences in the building inspection trade. staff anticipates upending between $60,,000 and
$70,000 for the annual salary for a certified commercial plans examiner with building inspection
background for salary and additional expenses for benefits.
CONFORMANCE WITH STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal #1: The city will create a community of mixed-use, quality development and re -development.
COMMISSION ACTION:
Staff has- identified the fol Iowin g alternatives for the City Commissioners! consideration:
1. Accept staff recommendation for the hiring of a new commercial plans examiner/building
inspector for the Development Services Department.
CITY OF SALINA
REQUEST FOR CITY COMMISSION ACTION DATE TIME
03/14/201 4:00 P.M.
2007 Development Services - Staffing
Exhibit #1
2016 e elopmen Services -Staffing
Deputy City
Manager
Director Community Development
Development Services Coordinator
Building Official Commercial Plans Development Services Zoning
Examiner Supervisor Administrator
Residential Plans Examiner
Building Inspector III
Building Inspector
III
Building Inspector
III
Property Maintenance
Inspector
Property Maintenance
Inspector
Administrative
Asistant II
Permit Technician
I I
Permit Technican i
Planner II
Exhibit #2