Council hears high turnover in building inspections; plan-review certification cited as hiring hurdle

City department leaders told the Dover City Council that recruiting for building inspections and code enforcement has been difficult because of specialized certification requirements; managers have relied on outside consultants to maintain service levels while vacancies persist.

Why it matters: Building inspection and code enforcement are core municipal services affecting permitting, safety and development. Staffing shortages can delay plan reviews and ordinance implementation.

Details from department heads A department representative reported the chief building inspector retired in November 2024 and the position remains vacant; an Inspector II retired in December 2024 and was recently replaced with an Inspector I. The department said the chief building inspector seat requires plan‑review certification and a candidate with those credentials is hard to find in the local labor market.

To maintain services the city has contracted with an outside firm for plan review and described an upcoming interview for a promising candidate. Staff also said code enforcement has lost four of six employees over roughly 18 months; pay was not cited as the primary reason for the departures, and exit interviews noted challenging field situations as a contributing factor.

Reclassification and certification Council discussed reclassifying code enforcement and inspection positions, tying certain job titles to higher certification expectations (for example, certification consistent with the 2024 ICC codes). Staff said reclassification is intended to both raise in‑house capability and give employees a pathway for advancement and retention.

Ending: Departments will continue using consulting support where needed and pursue candidates with plan‑review certification; council asked HR and department heads for continued updates on recruitment progress and benchmarking data for pay and certifications.