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Inspectional services seeks extra inspectors as permit revenue fluctuates
Summary
Building Commissioner Vularanos told the council the department saw higher permit activity in FY26 but revenue lags collections; he asked for a part‑time inspector and code‑enforcement capacity to handle inspections, short‑term‑rental compliance and backlog.
Building Commissioner Vularanos urged the Salem City Council’s budget committees on June 1 to approve modest personnel additions and continued investment in permitting technology to address rising workload and code‑enforcement demands.
Vularanos said the department processes a wide range of work — building permits, certificates and inspections — and that activity this year has exceeded early projections. “Right now the revenue is not at that. It’s at 3 million 31 right now,” he said, describing FY26 receipts that trail the larger permit values the department has logged.
The gap between permit activity and cash‑in‑hand is a central budget question: Vularanos estimated FY27 permit revenue at about $2.4 million and said the department expects large projects in the pipeline to affect collections but that the pattern may not carry forward.
Why it matters: inspectional services fund many routine public‑safety reviews and issue fees that offset department costs. Councillors pressed Vularanos on how staffing affects turnaround and compliance — in particular enforcement of the newly required periodic inspections for short‑term rentals under the 10th edition code.
“It could be something like if we come across a building that’s dangerous and I need to take something down because the owners aren’t there… we would send them a bill,” Vularanos said describing the city’s clean‑it/lien‑it process for dangerous or derelict properties. He clarified that recovered lien funds are deposited to the general fund and then requested again through the annual budget process.
Councilors repeatedly asked for more clarity on performance measures and on a promised online permitting rollout. Vularanos said staff continue to search for software that will integrate permit applications, code‑enforcement tracking and violation workflows; the current target remains 2027 but he said the department will adopt a solution sooner if one is found.
On staffing, Vularanos said the building department is short a code enforcement officer (an employee who left earlier this year) and a senior custodian, and that adding at least a part‑time inspector would ease backlog and speed inspections. Multiple councillors noted that additional inspection capacity can generate revenue by enabling the city to process larger projects more quickly.
Votes and next steps: The committee recommended approval of the building inspectors personnel budget ($940,889) and the corresponding expenditures line ($75,642). Council King moved both recommendations; each motion was seconded and recorded as carrying with five hands in favor. The packet now moves forward to the council’s next stages for final appropriation.
The council also heard related capital requests (Pioneer Village relocation, bandstand repairs) and discussed coordination with the health department on short‑term rental enforcement. Vularanos said staff will continue outreach on software options and provide additional performance detail in future budget materials.
