AGENDA #9
February 28, 2003
Inspections Department
Fiscal Year 2003-2004
The Mission of the Inspections Department is to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare by inspecting buildings, structures and sites for compliance with local and state laws regulating and controlling the construction, quality of materials, the use and occupancy, location and maintenance with in the jurisdiction of the Town of Chapel Hill.
II. Services Description
The key services provided by this department are:
· The enforcement of the N. C. State Building Codes, Chapel Hill Code of Ordinances, Minimum Housing Code, Rental Licensing Program and the Land Use Management Ordinance.
· This department is also responsible for resolving associated complaints, citizens’ requests for assistance, issuing sign permits, inspecting day care facilities, and inspecting business occupancies.
· The Inspections Department is responsible for the maintenance of an electronic data base record of all licensed rental units and violations which include all information obtained from the rental licensing applications. The department is responsible for providing copies of the Rental Duties Information Sheet, information about the Town’s policies and ordinances relevant to trash collection, noise control, parking, and the Town’s Housing Code to property owners.
|
REVENUE SOURCE |
Actual 2001-2002 Revenues |
2002-2003 Budgeted Revenues |
Actual 2002-2003 Revenues to Date |
Proposed Budget For 2003-2004 Revenues |
|
Inspection Permits |
642,511 |
600,000 |
499,856 |
500,000 |
|
Re-inspection Permits |
85,986 |
75,000 |
49,764 |
75,000 |
|
Rental Licensing |
0 |
100,000 |
73,240 |
70,000 |
|
Total |
728,497 |
775,000 |
622,860 |
645,000 |
|
Budget Category |
2002-2003 Original Budget |
2003-2004 Requested |
Requested 2003-2004 Budget |
Requested % Difference |
|
Personnel |
624,918 |
592,152 |
592,152 |
-5.2% |
|
Operations |
86,897 |
91,897 |
91,897 |
5.8% |
|
Capital Equipment |
4,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
-100.0% |
|
TOTAL |
715,815 |
684,049 |
684,049 |
-4.4% |
Key Cost Issues: The operational budget increased 5.8% due to increases in cost for telephone service, increased postage cost for rental licensing mailings, printing, the office copier and increase cost for fuel.
V. Key Services Going Well:
· Permits are being processed in an orderly and timely manner
· We are able to maintain high quality in inspections
· We have been able to continue to offer training seminars to the public
· Increased Enforcement of Zoning Violations
· Increased Enforcement of Minimum Housing Code
· Increased training for Inspections Department personnel regarding code enforcement and the new North Carolina Building Code.
VI. Key Services That Could Be Improved:
During the past year we have worked to develop a database of rental property created from Orange County records. In April 2002 when Council authorized the Rental Licensing Program we did not have an accurate method for determining the number of rental units in Town. At that time based on the 2000 census, we estimated the number of rental units to be between 9,000 and 10,000 units. Hence we estimated the revenue somewhere between $90,000 and $100,000.
As of February 25, 2003 there are 7,324 units in compliance with the Rental Licensing Program, which has generated to date $73,240 in revenue. Although the Rental Licensing Program was budgeted for $92,300 in expenditures for fiscal year 2003, the estimated expenditures for fiscal year 2003 is $66,313.
The utilization of data from Orange County records resulted in mailing 200 notices to property owners who did not own residential rental property leased for consideration. The incorrect notices equated to 995 units. We are analyzing the data that precipitated the errors to determine how best to correct the problem.
We believe that there are additional units that have not been identified using our initial notification in November 2002. We are currently in the process of field evaluations (town wide) in an effort to refine the data that we currently have and notify owners that were not initially notified. The field evaluations, research of property ownership and additional mailings should be completed by March 15, 2003.
We have purchased a data base program that is compatible with the Finance Department's MUNIS system. MUNIS is a financial accounting system that contains various financial records, including Rental Licensing receivables. The purchase of the MUNIS module will allow for updating of license information between the Finance Department and the Inspections Department. This should allow fiscal year 2004 billing to be generated more accurately and efficiently.
The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS)
The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) assesses the building codes in effect in a particular community and how the community enforces its building codes, with special emphasis on mitigation of losses from natural hazards.
The concept is simple: municipalities with effective codes that are well enforced should demonstrate better loss experience, and insurance rates can reflect that. The prospect of lessening catastrophe-related damage and ultimately lowering insurance costs provides an incentive for communities to enforce their building codes rigorously especially as they relate to windstorm and earthquake damage.
The BCEGS program will assign each municipality a BCEGS grade of 1 (best) to 10 (no recognized protection). ISO will develop advisory rating credits that apply to ranges of BCEGS grades (1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10). Insurers will be provided the BCEGS grades; BCEGS advisory credits and related underwriting information.
The Inspections Department currently has a Class 4 Building Code Effectiveness Grade for residential, commercial and industrial property. In two years the Department will be evaluated to determine if the Department's classification will improve or maintained its current position or regress.
In order for the Inspections Department to improve it's rating to a Class 3, we will initiate the following activities:
· The development and implementation of a detailed plan review checklist;
· The development and implementation of a detailed field inspection checklist;
· The development and implementation of a system to perform field evaluations for quality assurance; and
· Continue to increase staff hours dedicated to public awareness programs.
In addition to the objectives listed above we will continue to increase training hours for inspection staff which should increase the department's experience and qualifications
.
The Inspection Department proposed budget for fiscal year 2004 is $684,049.00. A 5% total budget reduction would equate to $34,000.00. To reduce the department budget by the above-mention amount would require the elimination of two part-time positions. The reduction in personnel would also reduce the need for re-occurring computer equipment charges.
|
Budget Items |
2003-2004 Cost Savings |
|
Part-time Clerk |
15,700.00 |
|
Apprentice |
14,300.00 |
|
Computer Equipment |
5,000.00 |
|
Total |
34,900.00 |
The part-time Administrative Clerk is necessary to the success of the Rental Licensing Program and Code Enforcement. This is the only position that is dedicated to the tracking, record entry, and interface with the citizens through the lobby and the telephone specifically for the Rental Licensing Program. The work that the Administrative Clerk accomplishes enables the officers to complete the inspections, evidence gathering, records-research through other departments, procedure determination and approval, and notice writing necessary to have complete records on file. The Administrative Clerk assists the Permit Technician by answering all of the Rental Licensing calls, and assists citizens who come into our office, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday. She also substitutes for the Permit Technician in her absence. The lost of this position would increase the work load of the remaining full time Code Enforcement officer because at least one Officer would be required to remain in the office to handle those clerical functions and customer service duties normally performed by the Administrative Clerk. This would greatly hamper our ability to respond to complaints in a timely manner.
The Chapel Hill Inspections Department implemented the Apprenticeship Program in 1996. The program is designed to provide a high school student the opportunity to work afternoons and school breaks as an apprentice. The core of the training stems from the Town's participation in the North Carolina Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Program, which oversees registered apprenticeships across the state. By definition the program is a partnership between the Department of Labor, educators and the Town of Chapel Hill. The loss of the apprentice would be detrimental to our Department in two ways. In the short term the apprentice provides clerical functions for the office such as issuing permits, filing and updating reports. In the long term many hours are spent each year by our department to provide on the job training for our apprentice. The apprentice is an investment in a possible future inspector for our Department, although it is not assured that he or she will seek employment with the Town.