Building revenues on the rise at City Hall

Enough money has been collected through the first quarter of the fiscal year to allow the city to bring back a full-time building inspector, the City Council learned last week.

The city collected $276,000 in permit fees from July 1 through the beginning of October, allowing City Hall to bump a part-time inspector up to full-time status.

The inspection workload has increased to the point where there is a need for a full-time employee in that position, a report from City Manager John Brown said.

Of the $276,000 collected so far, only $132,000 has been spent, the report said.

Last spring, the city laid off most of its employees in the community development department, citing lower-than-expected building revenues.

Building revenues for the 2008-2009 fiscal year totaled $158,000.

In July, the city hired an outside firm to provide planning services on a “cost-recovery” basis, meaning that total expenses depend on how much revenue is collected.

A full-time building inspector will be in place at least through the June 30 end of the current fiscal year and will cost an additional $86,000, the city said.

— Argus-Courier