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Council committee approves MOU with Grand Forks County for building inspection services; agreement to be renewable unless parties terminate
Summary
The committee approved an MOU with Grand Forks County under which city inspectors will perform building inspections for county projects (mileage reimbursed), with the agreement to be written to renew automatically unless either party terminates it.
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The Committee of the Whole approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Grand Forks County to perform building inspection services and to issue certificates of occupancy for properties outside the city limits, with clarifying language added about renewal and issuing authority.
City staff explained the MOU formalizes an existing collaborative inspection process: county planning will route development review to the city building safety department, which will perform plan review and inspections; the MOU reimburses the city for mileage for inspections outside city limits. The MOU had been vetted by the city attorney and county state's attorney, staff said.
Council discussed the MOU's one‑year term language and asked to change it to an automatic renewal model. City staff and city attorney recommended simple language amending paragraph one to state the agreement renews unless terminated by the parties; council agreed to that change and included it in the motion.
Council members also discussed liability and issuing authority for certificates of occupancy. President Sandy and others said the county should remain the issuing authority for properties outside city limits while the city performs inspections and reports findings; council moved and approved language to reflect that approach.
The MOU was approved unanimously after the amendment to the renewal language and direction that issuing authority for certificates of occupancy for properties outside city limits rest with Grand Forks County.
