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Building department asks for staffing and records‑conversion funding as permit workload grows; staff touts low fees and tech improvements
Summary
The Building Department requested a 10.86 percent budget increase tied mainly to collective bargaining cost increases, overtime for records conversion to the cloud and a new plan‑reviewer/inspector FTE to address an aging workforce and rising statutory inspection requirements.
Jeff Doherty, building director, presented the building department's FY‑26 tentative budget to the board on July 21 and asked for a 10.86 percent increase, driven primarily by collective bargaining increases and two operational needs: overtime to convert historic records to the Acela/cloud system and a new plan‑reviewer/inspector position to prepare for retirements and workload demands.
Doherty said the department is fully user‑funded (building fees pay for operations) and contributes about 20 percent of its revenue back to the county as indirect support for shared services (IT, HR, legal, general services). He said the department has reduced permit fees in recent years to remain competitive with private providers and that revenues remain consistent because permit activity has held up and high‑value projects are in the pipeline.
Doherty explained that the state now mandates disposition and retention timelines for records; the department must move older, server‑stored documents into the Acela/cloud system and then execute disposal per statute. He said converting legacy documents is labor‑intensive and the proposed overtime funds would accelerate that work and avoid consultant costs. Doherty also told the board the department competes with private providers and faces new state inspection and reporting requirements implemented July 1.
Commissioners asked about code‑enforcement tasks such as derelict vessel removal, and Doherty and county staff described the current process involving the sheriff's office for tagging vessels and the building department arranging removal or disposal. Doherty said roughly half of derelict vessels brought to the county's attention are ultimately removed and destroyed; the county uses a staff member who coordinates with law enforcement and contractors.
What it means: The building department says it is modernizing recordkeeping, responding to new state mandates and planning for a near‑term wave of retirements among inspectors and plan reviewers. Commissioners gave tentative approval of the building budget; the department emphasized that fees — not general tax dollars — pay for its operations.
