County Manager Genizio opened a work session update July 31 on the county’s plan to create a dedicated building permit and inspection division and transition permitting functions. Genizio said staff would meet with the city later in the week and that the weekly updates would continue.

Director Howard and Deputy Director Wagner described operational steps. “Tomorrow is our scheduled interviews for the building official position,” Deputy Director Wagner said, noting six candidates and a four‑member interview panel. Wagner said the department will continue customary HR steps after interviews.

Staff said they were working with OpenGov to configure online permitting, with Wagner taking a lead on back‑end configuration and holding administration certification. The county has received assessor data needed for automation and said it is exploring what reports and automation OpenGov can provide.

County staff announced a planned 12‑member technical advisory committee (TAC) to include stakeholders and community participants; the county expects to post TAC openings the following Monday, schedule an initial meeting in mid‑September and hold monthly meetings through December, then quarterly meetings during 2026.

Staff also described coordination with Pueblo West and Colorado City to integrate permitting processes for projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries, office space planning for the new division (including a reception desk for customer service), and facility modifications to house the new team on the first floor with some displaced staff moving to the fifth floor.

A Jan. 1 go‑live date for the new permitting division remains the target, and staff said they will continue weekly updates and stakeholder engagement as the transition proceeds. Commissioners praised staff for progress and asked for continued outreach to partners and community representatives; no formal action or vote was recorded during the update.

The county manager said a TAC posting would be released and that recruitment and technical integration with Pueblo West and OpenGov remained priorities for the coming weeks.