Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Permits And Code Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Laconia building inspector outlines online permitting rollout, fee increases and staffing training needs
Summary
At the June 9 Laconia City Council budget meeting the building inspector described a new online permitting system planned for July, said the city’s permit fees are the lowest in the area and will be updated, and requested modest increases for training, postage and two iPads.
Joe, the city’s building inspector, told the Laconia City Council during the June 9 budget meeting that the code department expects to launch a new online permitting system in July to speed permit processing and reduce paper mailings.
The change matters because the inspector said it will move permits and notifications to email, reduce postage costs and streamline inspections for electrical and other permits; Joe noted the city’s current permit fees are “the cheapest 1 in the surrounding area” and said the department is preparing a fee update to align with neighboring communities.
Joe said the department is not currently experiencing a backlog: “We can schedule it pretty tightly, throughout the whole week.” He added that office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and that a future construction uptick could create backlog that the department would manage with staffing and scheduling adjustments.
On capital and operating needs, Joe requested an additional $6,000 for required certification training for his position, an increase in postage to cover rising mail costs, and budget for two iPads to support field inspections. He also reported progress on specific projects: a property on Academy and Bowman Street has been demolished to foundation, and of three 30‑unit buildings at Blanding Cove, two had received certificates of occupancy with the third expected within about a month.
Councilor Boga asked about any backlog; Joe repeated that none exists now and that the department could make schedule adjustments if larger projects increase demand. The city manager said department heads could be brought back to a subsequent meeting if councilors want further detail.
Discussion versus decision: these were informational requests and status updates; no formal vote on fee changes or equipment purchases occurred at the meeting. The fee schedule and any equipment purchases remain subject to future council action during budget deliberations.
Next steps: the inspector will move forward with the software rollout and provide updated fee proposals and training cost details for council review in future budget deliberations.
