Commission approves temporary contract for building inspection services after commissioners request insurance language and more review time

The San Juan County Commission approved a contract on Feb. 4 to appoint local building inspector Ben Tomko to provide building inspection services on an independent-contractor basis, after commissioners asked for stronger insurance language and signaled a desire for more time to review the draft.

County attorney Mitch (presenting) said the contract allows Tomko to perform building inspections, bill customers directly for inspection fees and work under the supervision of the planning administrator. The draft includes a mechanism for a secondary inspector, Corey Coleman, to step in if an inspection cannot be scheduled within three days. The presenter said the contract was intended to avoid service interruptions after the county’s previous inspector left and to allow inspections to continue while staffing is addressed.

Several commissioners expressed concern that the draft contract appeared in the packet at short notice and that they had not had adequate time to review it before a vote. One commissioner requested that insurance language be added to require independent contractors to carry insurance naming the county as an additional insured. The county attorney agreed to add appropriate insurance language and to work with risk management on limits and endorsements.

Despite the concerns about timing and the request for updated insurance clauses, commissioners voted to approve the contract and to allow staff and legal counsel to finalize insurance wording and other minor edits. The meeting record shows the motion, a second and an affirmative voice vote; the county’s Jones & DeMille contract was noted as a backup option for inspections in the interim.

The record does not include the finalized insurance terms or the final executed contract; commissioners asked staff to circulate a revised draft and to confirm that inspectors carry required coverage.