Meet John Winter, Yorktown’s New Building Inspector

On Monday, July 18, John Winter, a former assistant building inspector of Yorktown, returned to the town as the new building inspector.

In between his Yorktown posts Winter worked as Mamaroneck’s director of building code enforcement and land use administration (head of the Building Department) from 2007 to 2011.

Now heading Yorktown’s Building Department, Winter oversees plan reviews, buillding inspections and fire inspections as well as zoning and code enforcements.

His department is composed of Assistant Building Inspectors Brad Goodman, Glen Sneyd, Joe Venitucci, Fire Inspector Edward Kolisz, Joe Hughes for code enforcement, and office staffers Diane Schiavone and Sophie James. 

After receiving a B.S. in math from Binghamton University, Winter was in residential construction contracting work. With interest in pursuing a career in building inspection, he enrolled in evening classes at Westchester Community College and obtained an A.S. in engineering science.

Winter, 54, resides in Lewisboro with his wife, Deborah, and two children, John and Amy.

On his second day in his office in Yorktown Town Hall, Winter spoke with Yorktown Patch about his new position and upcoming plans of the Building Department.

Yorktown Patch: What appealed to you about returning to the Yorktown Building Department?

John Winter:  I enjoyed working here (2004-07) when I was an assistant inspector. Bill Gregory retired, and the [building inspector] position became available. So, I put my hat in the ring. I enjoyed working with the people here, the office staff and the town.

Patch:  What item is at the top of your agenda as the building inspector?

JW:  Improving technology. We have software that’s connected to parcel information of every property in the town. Instead of looking into a paper file or a microfiche, we will be able see all the information, eventually all the plans and documents associated with that property, right at inspectors’ fingertips. Planning, zoning and fire inspection will be more integrated.

It’s just a matter of everyone getting the information into the system, maximizing the software’s capabilities by more data input. Some of that will involve buying new equipment. A scanner is necessary to get the data into the computer. [The software] is a great tool. This is something I had done in my past job; I had the exact same software.

Patch:  What are some of the challenges of the Building Department?

JW:  [Office] space needs for the department. I want to bring in additional equipment but would need space. Some of [it], like a scanner, can be shared with other departments.

Patch:  How was your first day and a half as Yorktown’s new building inspector?

JW:  It’s been smooth, getting everything that I need working. I have the advantage of having worked here. I know what software should or shouldn’t be running on the computer. I am just glad to be back.