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Item No. gg <br /> Staff Report No.g7 ILLS <br /> Meeting Date: June 2, 1997 <br /> Type of Business: Work Session <br /> WK:Work Session;PH:Public Hearing; <br /> CA:Consent Agenda;CB:Council Business <br /> City of Mounds View Staff Report <br /> To: Mayor and City Council <br /> From: Chuck Whiting, City Clerk-Administrator <br /> Item Title/Subject: Discussion of Temporary Help in Community Development for <br /> Summer Season <br /> Date of Report: May 30, 1997 <br /> Issue: <br /> The Community Development Department is experiencing difficulties keeping up with workload <br /> during this summer season. We are requesting authorization to hire temporary help during the <br /> months of June through September in the areas of code enforcement and building inspection, and <br /> to help with meeting minutes. <br /> Discussion: <br /> The staff is the Community Development Department have discussed the current turnaround <br /> times for handling different department functions. They are experiencing problems with <br /> maintaining customary levels of service for both code enforcement and building inspection. The <br /> current situation is as follows: <br /> Code Enforcement <br /> The department's goal is to follow-up on a complaint to do the first site inspection within 1-2 <br /> days of receiving the complaint, and then to send a letter to the property notifying them of the <br /> violation within 1-2 days of the site visit. At this time, it often takes 4-5 days to inspect the site, <br /> and 4-5 days to write the letters. Jim Ericson puts a re-inspection date in these letters, when he <br /> expects to revisit the site to see if the violation is corrected. It is taking a week beyond this date <br /> to get re-inspections done. Code enforcement is complex and takesconsiderable negotiating and <br /> follow through. It is slipping. Community Development could use temporary help to inspect the <br /> sites, take pictures, prepare the letters, and do the reinspections. Jim Ericson would still be the <br /> contact person in dealing with the property owner and the neighbors, and handling any <br /> negotiations or conflict situations. There is considerable competition for Jim's time from <br /> development review. <br /> Building Plan Review and Inspections <br /> In the past, Community Development has been able to do plan review of routine items in 2-3 <br /> days, and more complicated projects within 5-7 days. Inspections could be scheduled for the <br /> same day or next day after we received a request. Right now, they are booked for inspections for <br /> about a week when people call. Suffice it to say, residents are not very happy about this situation. <br /> Because of the inspection load, plan review is backed up. We made a decision this week to farm <br /> • out the ZEP Manufacturing and Bel Rae plan reviews to independent plan reviewers in order to <br />