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Council debates raise for Building & Engineering director; department asks for engineer staffing, online payments and plan‑review upgrades
Summary
Council members and building‑department staff discussed a proposed raise for Director Rick to bring his pay closer to peer departments, requested a separate engineering budget line, flagged overtime and staffing shortfalls, and pushed for online permit payment integration and plan‑review/scanning investments.
Council members and building and engineering staff spent more than an hour on personnel, overtime and technology during the Dearborn Heights budget study session, focusing on a proposed pay increase for the department director and on modernizing permit and plan‑review processes.
Council members discussed increasing Director Rick’s salary from the mid‑80,000s range to $100,000 to match other department directors. Multiple council members argued Rick is “underpaid and overworked” and noted the department has increased revenue since he took the post. At one point a council member said, “If anything, we’re saving money because of Rick.” Staff and council also recommended splitting out an engineering budget (department 372) so the city can allocate the engineer’s salary and time across the departments that benefit from that work.
Building‑department staff described how limited staffing and long training periods drive overtime: an office manager’s institutional knowledge and required union limitations mean some tasks cannot shift to union officers without higher pay rates. The department asked for an increased overtime line, additional clerical help, and for the council to consider funding a second full‑time clerk to reduce excessive overtime for a single employee.
Staff and council also discussed technology and process improvements related to permitting and inspections. Building staff said online permit submissions and inspection scheduling exist but the payment flow is not integrated; the department and the treasurer’s office are testing an integration with the city’s vendor (BS&A) and hoped to begin testing the payment link the following week. Director Rick said the systems “are supposed to be implemented with their system” but that payment was the remaining gap.
Capital requests included scanning files (estimated at $50,000–$75,000) and investment in plan‑review tools (large monitor or iPlan software) to enable electronic plan submissions and faster reviews. Council members urged staff to produce a full cost estimate and implementation plan for a future appropriation, and one council member asked staff to prepare a “master plan” for digital permitting and plan review.
Council and staff also reviewed the sidewalk repair program (a resident‑funded revolving account) and continued the conversation about dividing engineering salary costs across funds using a cost‑allocation program (the city is working with Maximus for that). No final salary decision was adopted during the session; council members asked administration and staff to return with final numbers and cost effects to the general fund.
