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Commissioners and public press DBI on deputy director posting, raise transparency and diversity questions
Summary
Public commenters and multiple commissioners criticized the short recruitment window and lack of clarity around qualifications for DBI’s deputy director role. Interim DBI leadership defended the posting as following City HR guidance and said the department would widen outreach and follow standard vetting steps.
Public commenters, commissioners and DBI staff spent a large portion of the February Building Inspection Commission meeting disputing coverage of and seeking more detail about the department’s recruitment for a deputy director slot.
Interim Director Patrick Doreardon said the posting was approved by the City’s Department of Human Resources and that the department revised the notice to lengthen the application period after staff recognized the original window was short. “We did revise the notice soon after posting because we realized the time frame should, in fact, be longer,” the interim director said. He added that many inspectors begin in the trades and that requiring a degree could exclude experienced candidates.
Why it matters: Commissioners and members of the public said the advertised minimum qualifications and the short posting window undermine confidence and could limit diversity among applicants. Multiple callers asked whether the role would be subject to an external, nationwide search and pressed for clarity on whether the job description is newly created or a previously unposted charter appointment.
What happened at the meeting: Public callers raised concerns during general public comment and again during the commissioners’ inquiry segment. A tenant caller who identified themself as a resident of Ingleside urged the Commission to “take what’s written in this article very seriously” and to pause filling the role pending more transparency about the process. Architect and contractor commenters also asked whether the posting adhered to standard timelines; DBI staff said the deputy posting closed after about two weeks and HR was now screening applicants for minimum qualifications.
Commission response and next steps: Commissioners asked DBI to provide a fuller accounting of the posting, the selection timeline and whether the department would recruit externally. Several commissioners said they supported a transparent, competitive search but also emphasized that many qualified inspection candidates have extensive trade experience rather than formal degrees. DBI staff described the next steps as HR review of applications, establishment of an interview panel, and candidate vetting including fingerprinting and notice periods before an offer could be finalized.
The Commission did not take formal action to change the posting at the meeting. Staff said they will return with additional information and that individual commissioners may draft a proposed letter or bring recommended language back for formal Commission approval.
Ending: DBI staff and the Commission agreed to follow up next month with additional detail on the recruitment timeline, the minimum qualifications under consideration and options for external recruitment.
