Novato Hires New 'Chief Building Official'

The following announcement was submitted for publication by the city of Novato:

City Manager Michael Frank is pleased to announce the hiring of Annette Chavez as the City’s new Chief Building Official.

“Annette’s unique set of public and private experience make her an excellent fit for the City,” said Bob Brown, Community Development Director. “We are thrilled she’s joining our team in this key customer service role.”

The Building Official oversees and coordinates plan-checking, issuance of permits, and building inspection procedures for the City. The position also helps to manage the plan check and inspection phases of the development review process, and assists in budget, fee development, and administration.

Chavez has more than 25 years of both public and private experience in project management and building inspection and oversight and has served most recently as a Principal Project Manager for Willdan Engineering’s Building & Safety Division. Annette served the public for several years as the Deputy Director of the Planning & Public Works Agency for Glenn County. She earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from National University.

The City’s former Chief Building Official, Ronald Averiette, retired in June 2014 after serving in that position for 12 years. The Chief Building Official manages three staff in the Building and Code Enforcement division within the Community Development Department.

Chavez is bilingual in Spanish and is a credentialed building official--holding several certifications from the International Code Council. As the head of the division, she will report directly to the Community Development Director at an annual salary of $121,428.