Council approves classification change to add trainee positions for building-code inspectors

Canton City Council adopted Ordinance 29 to amend the classification plan for management of building-code department bargaining-unit staff, increasing the code-enforcement complement and creating trainee positions intended to accelerate recruitment and certification.

A department representative told the personnel committee the city currently operates with eight code-enforcement officers and that the proposal would increase the authorized number to ten by hiring two additional officers while designating two positions as trainee roles. The director described a roughly two-year training pathway required by the board of building standards to prepare trainees to test for inspector certification and said the city would negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the union to address retention after training.

Council asked about retention guarantees; the director said staff would work with the law department on an MOU to manage workforce continuity and declined to promise a fixed post-training service period but confirmed intent to negotiate terms with the union. The ordinance was adopted on roll call with 11 yeas and one abstention (Mariel).

Next steps: HR and the law department were instructed to draft the MOU and return to council or personnel committee with proposed retention language.