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Home My WebLink About2003 [11] Nov 25 I I I I I I November 25, 2003 Page 1 of2 I Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of SI. Joseph met in special session on Tuesday, November 25, 2003 at 6:00 PM in the SI. Joseph City HaiL ' Members Present: Mayor Larry Hosch. Councilors Gary Utsch, Ross Rieke, Dale Wick, AI Rassier. Administrator Judy Weyrens. Citv Representatives Present: Public Works Director Dick Taufen. Others Present: Ron Wasmund, Bill Barber. Buildina Inspector Interview: Hosch reported that the City only received one proposal to provide staff i Building Inspection Services. The Request for Proposal indicated that the City of SI. Joseph was seeking a firm to provide Building Inspection Services, providing 40 hours per week. In addition, the RFP requested a fee for service not based on the value of the Building Permits. At this time Ron Wasmund and Bill Barber of Inspectron presented the Council with the followin9 information about the history of Inspectron and the services they can provided the City of SI. Joseph: HISTORY · Inspectron is a Minnesota S Corporation organized in 1996 and recorded in 1997. · The mission of Inspectron is to provide quality buiiding inspection services to iocal units of government. ' · Inspectron can provide many different levels of service to include: full time building department administration including collecting and accounting for permit fees, filing surcharge reports, pla~ reviews and inspections · Inspectron has three facets to their service: 1) provide full Building and Zoning Department Administration through enforcement of the Minnesota State Building Code and local Zoning Ordinance. Fully computerized for the issuance of building permit, scheduling and tracking of inspections, monthiy, quarterly and annual permit activity reports, state surcharge reports and I census reports. Zoning administration, checking all buildings for compliance with zoning district standards including permitted uses and dimensional standards. 2) Temporary Staffing. 3) ori- site Sewage Treatment System review, inspection and approvaL ! I · Inspectron only hires Building Inspection Technology graduates or MN Certified Building Officials. I SERVICES ,I · Inspectron will provide full time building department administration including, application intake, plan review, permit issuance, field inspections, correction notices and issuance and re-inspection, certificate of occupancy issuance, monthly and annual reports to the City CounciL I · Inspectron will serve as the Housing Inspector for the City to include inspecting new and existing rental properties, investigating and resolving housing complaints, and meeting with land owners and organizers to answer questions regarding the Rental Housing. ! · Inspectron will enforce the Zoning Ordinance for land use compliance and will provide written I recornmendations to the Planning Commission for Industrial and Commercial Building Permits. · Inspectron Inc. will provide up to 40 hours of service per week for a monthly rate of $ 6,500 pér month. All hours in excess of 40 hours per week will be billed at a rate of $ 50.00 per hour. I The following is a summary of responses to questions asked by the City Council: I · Zoning Administration will include erosion control and Inspectron will serve as a Development' Liaison. ' · One Building Official will serve the City of SI. Joseph and it will be the same person each day: Inspectron will hire an additional inspector. Therefore in the beginning their may be some rotation of Inspectors. Bill Barber will serve as the project manager for SI. Joseph. ! · The schedule can be adjusted to accommodate inspections on evenings and weekends. I · Will work cooperativeiy with the current Building Official to assure a smooth transition of service. · Travel time is included in the 40 hours per week of service. November 25, 2003 Page 2 of 2 · Inpsectron anticipates hiring a Building Official near SI. Joseph, reducing the amount of travel time. · 'nspectron can offer SI. Joseph Joseph depth of resources and quality building services. · The Building Official will be responsible for all facets of Building including drainage, garbage complaints, rental housing inspections and building plan review. I Rassier made a motion to accept the proposal of Inspectron to provide Building Inspection Services at a cost of $ 6,500 per month. Hours in excess of 40 per week will be billed at $ 50.00 per hour. The motion was seconded by Utsch and passed unanimously. Maintenance Hire: Weyrens requested the Council consider adding a sixth person to the maintenance department. The Council has previously motioned to do so and put the matter on hold due to LGA reductions. In reviewing the possible staffing needs for the Maintenance Department, Weyrens stated that thought was given to hiring a person whose main responsibility would be meter reading, grass cutting and street painting. As such this position would be rated less than a maintenance worker and the new position would not include the use of heavy equipment. The Council would need to determine if this position would be different than that of a Maintenance Worker. If the answer is no, then the Council needs to determine if they hire additional staff will the existing list of applicants be used or should it be re- advertised. Weyrens presented the Council with an illustration of how utility rates could be increased to fund the position. Rassier stated that he supports hiring an additional Maintenance Worker and believes that the position should be filed in the same manner as the last individual hired and the existing pool of candidates should be reviewed. Rassier stated that he was part of the hiring committee and their were three candidates that finished with high ratings. It would be his recommendation to contact the individual who finished second when Randy Torborg was hired. Hosch stated that he is not prepared to increase waterlsewer rates at this time. However, he supports I hiring an additional staff person for the maintenance department and concurs with Rassier that the existing pool of candidates should be considered. Utsch concurred with Hosch and Rassier and stated it is important to be consistent in hiring and supports hiring from the existing pool of candidates. Utsch made a motion to hire a sixth maintenance worker as requested by the Public Works Director with the opening being filled using the existing pool of candidates. If the second candidate does not accept the position the hiring committee will meet and make a recommendation to the City Council. The motion was seconded by Rassier and passed unanimously. Captial Purchase Request: Weyrens requested the Council authorize the purchase of an additional computer for the City Office Staff. The computer will be used by the new Building Official and the staff will be researching licensing the sofiware used by Inspectron. Wick made a motion to authorize the purchase of an additional computer for the City Office as requested; seconded by Rieke. Discussion: Rieke requested that before the computer is purchased the details should be approved by Councilor Wick. The motion passed unanimously. Adiourn: Wick made a motion to adjourn at 7:20 PM; seconded by Utsch and passed unanimously. (~~,~ I