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Richland County approves OpenGov deal to digitize building-permit services
Summary
The Richland County commissioners approved a multi-year contract with OpenGov for the building codes office, with a first-year implementation cost of $34,005.26 and expected annual maintenance near $25,000; staff said the system will allow electronic submittals and online inspection scheduling while preserving in-person options.
The Richland County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a contract with OpenGov to move the building codes office toward a largely paperless permitting system.
Steve Risser, who introduced the item as the building codes department representative, told commissioners the system “is gonna allow us to respond quicker on processing time,” and that it would enable contractors and residents to see the same records the office sees and submit inspections electronically.
Risser said the contract as negotiated runs for 65 months with options that effectively extend renewals through 2031, and he identified a first-year implementation cost of $34,005.26 and an expected annual maintenance/support cost of about $25,000. He told the board the department will pay the first-year implementation from its capital purchase line item and will evaluate long-term funding in subsequent budget cycles.
During questioning commissioners confirmed the contract limits yearly vendor increases to 5 percent, that OpenGov configurations can be adjusted locally, and that the county received 13 proposals and shortlisted two vendors during the procurement process. Risser also said OpenGov has installations in other Ohio jurisdictions and that implementation was estimated at roughly 24 weeks with many components hoped to be live by year-end.
A commissioner moved to approve the contract, the motion was seconded and recorded as approved by the board on the record.
