Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Contract Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears complaints about building-inspection contractor; staff to contact vendor and collect complaints
Summary
Multiple councilmembers raised concerns that the city's contracted building inspector, MetroWest, missed structural issues and other problems; staff said MetroWest is on an hourly contract, will be asked for a response, and council may pursue an RFP or other steps depending on the vendor's reply.
Several councilmembers told the Dayton City Council they had received complaints about the city's inspection contractor, MetroWest, including missed structural issues discovered privately after an inspection.
Councilmember S2 described a personal case in which a barn passed inspection but later showed missing structural supports that a private structural engineer identified. "I think this is a pattern, and I am unhappy," S2 said, urging staff to explore alternatives. Staff (S3) responded that MetroWest is currently contracted on an hourly basis and that other firms typically charge percentage-based fees; S3 said staff could gather complaints and either pursue an RFP for a different contractor or consider bringing inspections in-house if council wants to change direction.
Council members discussed next steps and agreed on a measured approach: S3 said staff would contact MetroWest first, request their internal complaint/process steps and responses, and invite the contractor to explain how it handles missed items. "So there's some next steps we can try to do if the council wants to. We can put something out on the website and say if you've had an issue or a problem with MetroWest, let us know via email," S3 said. Multiple council members recommended starting with a call to MetroWest and requesting a process for handling issues before escalating to a formal RFP.
Staff committed to compiling complaints received and reporting back to council with MetroWest's response and a recommended path forward. No formal motion or contract change was made at the meeting.
