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Item No.12 <br />Meeting Date: November 5, 2001 <br />Type of Business: WK <br />WK: Work Session; PH: Public Hearing; <br />CA: Consent Agenda; CB: Council Business City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Givonna Reed, Assistant to the City Administrator <br />Item Title/Subject: Discussion Regarding the Proposed Building <br />Official Position <br />Date of Report: November 1, 2001 <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />In 1999 the City eliminated its Building Official position to begin contracting with <br />the Fire Department in an effort to save money. At that time, the City also held a <br />contract with the Fire Department for Fire Inspections services. The intent to <br />save dollars was quickly lost when the City experienced a dramatic increase in <br />the number of inspections performed. When the volume of building inspections <br />increased by more than 10%, the compensation provision of the contract was <br />renegotiated and the Fire Department was paid per hour for services rendered. In <br />1999 and 2000 the City spent $67,646 and $84,099 respectively for building <br />inspections services. <br /> <br />The only contract that staff was able to locate for Fire Inspections services was <br />from 1996, and the maximum compensation amount ($4,000 annually) was <br />quickly exceeded. In 1999 and 2000 the City spent $9,126 and $17,037 <br />respectively on fire inspections services. For 2001, $21,000 was budgeted for <br />fire inspections services. <br /> <br />The City has spent approximately $48,000 for building and fire inspections in <br />2001 (through September). <br /> <br />FTE Proposal <br /> <br />As the Council is aware, at the October Work Session, a Human Resources <br />Committee meeting and at budget meetings, staff has proposed returning to a <br />full-time building inspections position in an effort to save money. This position <br />would be responsible for building inspections, fire inspections and fire fighting. <br />Exhibit A shows the potential savings to the City under the proposed scenario. <br /> <br />At the October Work Session, the Council asked staff to look into other options <br />for providing building inspections services to residents and businesses. Staff has <br />considered the following options: continuing on a contract basis with the fire