Morrow County explores taking over electrical inspections from state, staff to draft resolution

Commissioners on the Morrow County Board heard a presentation on a possible local assumption of electrical inspections, a change staff said could speed permitting for areas of growing development.

Glenn McIntyre, introduced to the board as the City of Boardman’s building inspector, told commissioners the State Building Codes Division currently handles electrical and permanent‑service inspections in the region but that Boardman could run the program for the county if the board chose to pursue assumption. McIntyre said the state sets extensive documentation and program requirements, including an economic evaluation and a multi‑step approval process.

Tamara Mabbit, the county’s planning director, briefed the board on recent energy‑project permitting activity and the county’s interest in ensuring adequate inspection capacity as large projects move through state and local reviews. Mabbit and other staff said the state’s timeline allows counties until mid‑2027 to complete application materials and that a local intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the city of Boardman would likely need updating if the county proceeds.

Commissioners expressed general support for pursuing the change but emphasized the need for legal review and for the county to demonstrate fiscal capacity and staffing plans. One commissioner urged the county to ensure service levels would not decline in parts of the county now served by the state. Another asked staff to draft a resolution for formal consideration, suggesting a vote on April 1 if counsel and the city review the draft beforehand.

Next steps: staff will prepare draft resolution language and documentation for legal review and return the item to the board for formal action.