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department staff and all inspectors are now cross-trained in all fields. This also makes the inspections take <br />longer to complete. There is sometimes afive -six day delay for inspections. Plan reviews have also fallen <br />behind their time schedules. Temporary staff has been hired, but it is only a stopgap measure. <br />The goal is to have all residential planning review done within three days, all non-residential <br />within two weeks, and inspections within one to two days. They are asking for one new permanent, full-time <br />Plans Examiner, one permanent, full-time Inspector, and two time-limited Code Compliance Officers or <br />Inspectors for two years. The two permanent positions would amount to $175,000 for the rest of the fiscal <br />year. This includes three cars that would be necessary. If the four positions were to be continued into the <br />next budget year, it would be approximately $250,000 from the General Fund. They will also be doing an <br />analysis of their fee schedule. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the new Wal-Mart and the hours of inspection that were <br />required. Craig Benedict said that it was more than was anticipated. Commissioner Halkiotis asked haw <br />much money Wal-Mart paid the County far the inspections. Susan Mellot said $25,000, but it did not cover <br />the County's costs. The new fee schedule would have been $54,000. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked how much money was brought into the general fund last year <br />from inspections and Susan Mellot said $650,000. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked about inspections for Hillsborough and how that works. Susan <br />Mellot said that they add an additional 10% on plan reviews only. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis encouraged the staff to look at the fee schedule for the big commercial <br />sites. He thinks Wal-Mart got a bargain. <br />Commissioner Carey asked the staff to provide same information about the standards with <br />communities around Orange County and how our actual response times compare with response times of <br />other communities. He has asked for this before. <br />Craig Benedict said that they have done some research. Durham has one inspector per trade <br />and they are more focused on the city area and can do 15 inspections per day. The typical number of <br />inspections for rural counties is 8-10 per day. Durham is very responsive. He said that they could do some <br />more detailed research. <br />Commissioner Brown moved the Manager's recommendation. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if there is any offsetting revenue and if our fees are high enough. <br />Craig Benedict said that if we add staff it does not mean more permits, just that they will be able to handle <br />their permits in a timely manner. He said that no matter how much activity comes through in a given year, <br />the amount of staff does not increase or decrease the activity. <br />John Link said that as of today, the revenue is coming in just as predicted last spring. They have <br />not had additional revenue as of the end of October. <br />Commissioner Gordon said she would like to ask for Craig Benedict to review the workload and <br />make a recommendation about increases in fees or some other method to fully defray the costs. She asked <br />for this information by February 2004. Craig Benedict said that they would work with the budget office on a <br />fee study. <br />Chair Jacobs said that they are doing this a little backwards. He said that the County <br />Commissioners would prefer to have information on other communities and the fee schedule now, but since <br />this is a crisis, it would seem that they could deal with this now. One of the factors is that the construction <br />industry is requesting a level of service. This should be factored into the fees. Just because people want it <br />when they want it does not mean that the government has to provide it immediately. He supports doing this <br />for the winter, especially before anymore big-boxes or new developments come up. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to establish <br />three new Code Compliance Officer (Building Inspector) positions effective January 1, 2004 with a time <br />limited ending date of two years from the date of initial hire and one new Plans Examiner position in the <br />Planning and Inspections Department to address inspections and plans review workload, effective January <br />1, 2004; and authorize $175,00 appropriation from the County's General Fund fund balance. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />e. Homestead Road and High School Road Safety Task Force <br />