Preston amends municipal code to clarify 'city engineer' duties

The Preston City Council approved a change to the municipal code that narrows when a licensed engineer must be used and allows retained engineering staff or designated city employees to perform routine engineering duties.

Council considered edits to Preston Municipal Code 1.04.010 and 16.08.060 that staff say will reduce the need to update every code reference to “engineer.” Sean Alverson, who presented the item, told council that the proposed definition will let routine tasks — for example, swell bonds or checking cut permits — be completed by staff members (he and Public Works Director John Balz were identified as satisfying the new definition for tasks that do not require a licensed engineer).

Supporters of the change described it as a housekeeping measure to streamline day-to-day operations. Council members asked whether the two-code change would capture all code references; staff and legal counsel said updating the city’s definition in Title 1 and Title 16 should catch instances where duties were previously delegated to a city engineer. Building Inspector Kurt Fuller told the council that a clearer, current code will make inspections and references less confusing for builders.

City Clerk Linda Aycock read Ordinance 2026-2 in summary; the council dispensed with three separate readings and approved the ordinance by roll call vote.

The ordinance will take effect on the date provided in the ordinance publication. City staff said this change is intended to increase administrative efficiency while preserving requirements that still mandate a licensed engineer.