Board authorizes one‑year mutual aid inspection agreement with Anson County

Union County commissioners on June 2 approved a one‑year interlocal mutual‑aid agreement to provide building‑inspection services to Anson County on a reimbursable basis while Anson County addresses short‑term staffing and certification gaps.

County Manager Bridal Matthews described the proposed arrangement as similar to an existing agreement with the City of Monroe: if Anson requests inspections and Union County can respond without compromising local services, Union inspectors would perform the work and Anson would pay the county for time and mileage.

A county building‑inspections staff member explained why Anson sought help: the senior inspector recently retired and their new inspector is in a 6–12 month recertification process. "They simply don't have anyone with the proper credentials to do the inspections. They can't do them. They simply can't," the staff member said.

Commissioners pressed staff on workload and costs. County staff said the Anson agreement would reimburse all direct costs (including benefits and mileage once staff cross the county line) and would be time‑limited so that Union County operations would not be compromised. Commissioners asked that the initial agreement be limited to one year and that staff return if further extension is needed; the board approved a motion authorizing the county manager to execute an agreement substantially consistent with the item and to limit any renewal or extension to a period not to exceed one year.

Implementation: County staff said they would respond to Anson on a sporadic basis depending on Union County workload, and would not dedicate staff in a way that would impair local inspections. The board requested staff return if the arrangement needs to be extended beyond the one‑year window.

No formal cost figures were provided in the discussion; staff said Anson would pay the county’s costs for inspections and travel time.