The Richland County Building Department told commissioners on Oct. 30 that the bittersweet retirement of long-term employee Ken Arthur will create a one-time payout liability the department has budgeted at roughly $34,000. Department staff said they do not plan to backfill every vacancy and will absorb some duties among remaining certified staff, including plan-review and inspection work performed by current employees.

To manage workload and avoid long-term personnel costs, the department budgeted a $9,500 increase for contract plan review next year and said it will use contract reviewers for commercial projects and to supplement inspections. Officials said some positions were not backfilled after attrition in recent years and that the department is trying to maintain customer service levels with fewer full-time staff.

A significant operational topic was software modernization. The building department has been evaluating a permit/stormwater tracking system (a Tyler Technologies product was cited in discussion of countyshared solutions) and estimated $30,000 35,000 for annual maintenance with additional implementation costs. The department said it pulled a hard estimate from the budget pending a decision about interdepartmental cost-sharing and participation by other county departments.

Commissioners questioned the department about which townships and municipalities it covers, zoning distinctions in unzoned townships, and fee/revenue assumptions. The department confirmed it performs commercial permit work for specific municipalities and residential work for most unincorporated areas but not for the City of Mansfield and some municipalities; staff advised commissioners to consult zoning trustees for zoning concerns since building codes are distinct from zoning enforcement.

Officials also discussed long-term software and fee policy goals: the department aspires to move permit operations toward a self-sustaining model and to improve customer-facing online services, but acknowledged implementation and maintenance costs remain a major fiscal consideration.

Commissioners praised the department's pragmatic approach to staff and fee adjustments and asked staff to align personnel listings in Munis with the submitted budget.