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Building-inspection and planning contract update: iWORKS, permit fees and land‑use plan kickoff
Summary
The chief building inspector said building fees cover his department's costs; the council learned Anchor Pointe Planning was contracted for a land‑use plan kickoff in December with $67,000 budgeted and broader planning services budgeted at about $135,000.
Gary White, chief building inspector, told council members that his department issues permits, performs plan and floodplain reviews, and administers CRS audits to help keep flood‑insurance rates down. He said building‑inspection fees now fully fund his department’s operations and that the department issues permits for town limits and ETJ areas.
On permitting software and workflow, White and staff described iWORKS as the town’s permitting and work‑order system; White said the department uses the system to log inspections, track conditions and collect revenue and that the town pays roughly $13,000 of the software costs in the department budget.
Staff announced that Anchor Pointe Planning (Ron Satterfield) was selected under contract for land‑use plan work, and that West McLeod will head the kickoff in December with $67,000 budgeted for the land‑use plan; the overall professional services line in the proposed FY '25–'26 budget for planning services showed a larger figure (~$135,000) that staff said reflected outsourced planning after the town moved from a full‑time planner to a contracted service for broader needs.
Council members asked about contract terms and whether outsourcing increases costs compared with a full‑time planner; staff said the town will provide contract details and explained the thousand‑hour retirement rule that limits how much some contracted planners can bill before a replacement planner must take over.
