With One Building Inspector, Village Approves Contract with Building Code Consultant Company

Left with a single building inspector, the village board voted Thursday to approve a contract with a building code consultant company to provide building inspection services.

Prior to February 2010, the village employed four building inspectors. 

That's when the village announced it would lay off 10 workers in response to a projected $2.6 million budget deficit. Two of those laid off were building inspectors. 

The village then had two building inspectors until recently, when one of the inspectors recently left the village to work for another municipality, according to Jack Knight, management analyst. 

Then there was one. 

Instead of hiring another inspector outright, the village will evaluate the second inspector position and decided on a short-term solution to fill the gap. 

The village already works with T.P.I. Building Code Consultants for its plumbing plan review and inspections, multi-family license inspections and code enforcement.

The village will now work with the company for building plan examiners and inspection contractors to enforce all violations of local codes and ordinances.

Re-evaluating a village position once it becomes vacant is typical for the village, said Jack Knight, management analyst. 

"As a vacancy occurs within the organization, each department is evaluating the best way to continue to provide Village services in the most cost effective manner," Knight wrote in an e-mail. 

"This evaluation will take time and since this is the height of the construction and code enforcement season, the village needs to utilize the services of a consultant during the evaluation process which will take a couple of months."

T.P.I. Building Code Consultants, an Illinois-based company with licensed building officials that provides independent contractors for building inspections and plan review services.

Following the departure of the building inspector, the village put out an RFP (request for proposal) to find a company to perform those services.

After receiving three responses, the village determined T.P.I. as “the best fit and lowest cost for a short-term contract to fill the position," according to village documents. The contract with T.P.I. starts on July 28 and will end April 30.

The village building commissioner will oversee the scope of enforcement by the independent contractors provided by T.P.I. Building Code Consultants, making sure their work is satisfactory for all village residents, the agenda said.