HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes2020-043 Sponsored by: Meszaros
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2020-043
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD,
ALASKA,AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO RECLASSIFY
THE INCUMBENT BUILDING INSPECTOR (17.5-19.5) TO A RANGE
(21-23) AND CHANGE THE TITLE TO BUILDING OFFICIAL, AND TO
ESTABLISH A NEW POSITION OF BUILDING AND FIRE INSPECTOR
(RANGE 18-20),AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
WHEREAS, Resolution 2008-048 included the reorganization of the Community
Development Department based upon needs at the time to include a Community Development
Director, City Planner, and Community Development - Building Department Executive Assistant
position, later reclassified as the Planning Assistant; and
WHEREAS, at such time, the Building Inspector was assigned to the Fire Department,
as the Fire Chief assumed the role of Building Official, which has continued to date; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, the City approved Ordinance 2013-005, adopting the 2012
International Building Code, with amendments to include the Building Department, and the
naming of a Building Official, subsequently adopting the amended language into Seward City
Code Section 12.05.011; and
WHEREAS, the City of Seward has seen an influx in large scale building projects,
subdivisions, and industrial construction, in addition to an increase in Lodging and Rental
Inspections, placing an undue strain on the current staffing and causing a backlog in inspections
that are limited to Building Code as opposed to Fire and Life Safety; and
WHEREAS,the current staff that are capable of performing such inspections are limited
to the Fire Chief, the Building Inspector, and Deputy Fire Chief Role which prevent the Fire
Chiefs from performing all of their assigned public safety duties due to the amount of time
required by such; and
WHEREAS, the Building Inspector will become the Building Official with a pay
increase to a range 21-23, and will assume additional responsibilities and authority from the Fire
Chiefs role,becoming a permanent position; and
WHEREAS, the position of Building and Fire Inspector (Range 18-20) will be
established to help assume the administrative and cross trained workload created; and
WHEREAS,both positions will continue to operate under the authority of the Fire Chief,
and in conjunction with the Fire and Community Development Departments, as the Fire Chief
and Deputy Fire Chief will continue to be able to perform such inspections.
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2020-043
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA that:
Section 1. The City Manager is hereby authorized to reclassify the Building Inspector
position(Range 17.5-19.5)to the Building Official (Range 21-23).
Section 2. The City Manager is hereby authorized to establish a new position titled
Building and Fire Inspector(Range 18-20).
Section 3. Funding in the amount of$99,133 is hereby appropriated from the General
Fund reserves account no. 01000-0000-3400 to personnel salary and benefits expense accounts
01000-1250-6XXX in both the 2020 and 2021 budgets.
Section 4.This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption, and in accordance
with SCC § 3.15.100(c).
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this
26th day of May,2020.
T IT ( I F ; WARD,A KKA
risty Terry, ► ayor
AYES: Osenga, Seese, Crites,McClure,Terry
NOES: Baclaan
ABSENT: Butts
ABSTAIN: None
ATTEST:
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Agenda Statement
Meeting Date: May 26, 2020 •
To: City Council
Through: Scott Meszaros, City Manager
From: Clinton Crites, Fire Chief Qi
Agenda Item: Building Official Reclassification and Establishment of Building and Fire
Inspector
BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION:
The 2008 budget included the reorganization of the community development department to fund
a Community Development Director, Planner and Community Development -- Building
Department Executive Assistant. During the implementation of the planned and budgeted
reorganization of the community development department, the administration determined that all
planning functions in this department the Community Development Department required the bulk
of the workload assigned to the Assistant which later became the Planning Assistant. At that same
time due to the qualifications of existing personnel, the Fire Chief acted as the Building Official
as required under the City's adoption of the International Building Code (IBC) and oversaw the
Building Inspector.The Fire Chief's position continued to carry the Building Official's duties until
December 2019 when the job duties changed to reflect common practice and the city's needs and
abilities.
In 2017, 2018, and 2019 the City saw and is still seeing a great influx in new building projects and
annual inspections. The building projects are included but not limited to; Apartment complexes,
Hotels, Duplexes, 4, 10 and 12-plexes, planned housing subdivisions and industrial projects.
Between 2017 and 2019 the number of new building project inspections increased from 32 to
45/year. Building projects take up a vast majority of time to include initial consultation, plan
review, and site inspections to include but not limited to: footing, foundation, slab, underground
plumbing, framing, electric/plumbing, insulation/vapor barrier, sheetrock, and a final inspection
(CO). The City prides itself with excellent customer service and generally provides a turnaround
time for plan review within 10 days. With the continued increase in workload and the projected
future projects, with our current staffing contractors most likely will see a much longer turnaround
time in plan reviews.
The Fire Department is also mandated by city code and state law to perform Fire and Life Safety
Inspections for: Lodging, Liquor License renewals, Daycares, and State occupancies:
• A- Assembly type facilities, restaurants, bars, and churches.
• E - Educational type facilities such as schools and daycare facilities.
• I - Institutional type facilities such as prisons,jails, hospitals, and nursing homes.
• R- Residential (R-4 and R-1)type facilities such as assisted living, apartments and hotels
over 15 rooms.
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• High impact facilities, including major fish processing plants.
Annual lodging inspections include hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and Inns. Between 2017
and 2019 the number of annual lodging inspections increased from 60 to 102, with more
anticipated for 2020. As required by code, all establishments selling or serving alcohol must also
have a fire and life safety inspection and the fire department performed 56 of these in 2019. With
the currently mandated inspections, life safety inspections of other occupancies are not able to be
performed along with other day to day operations.
As a result of these increases, and in adhering to the City's adoption of the IBC and requirements
to perform Fire and Life Safety Inspections it has become abundantly clear that the current staffing,
comprised of the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and Building Inspector; is incapable of meeting
the demands of this continually increasing workload. As a result, a move to reclassify a full time
Building Official as opposed to assigning duties to any one particular employee based upon skill
at the time would create a sense of stability and clarity going forward. Additionally, the
establishment of an additional position would reduce the workload on the individuals currently in
these positions and allowing them to perform better quality inspections, plan review, and to
perform other aspects of their job descriptions in the interest of Public Safety.
]NTENI:
To utilize current building and fire department personnel more efficiently and effectively to meet
the City's needs while providing greater service to the community.
CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST: Yes No IVIA
ity Charter: 5.4. - City manager.
b)The city manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the council
1, rid shall perform the dirties of his office under the authority of and shall X
e accountable to the council. The council shall prescribe in the Code the
rrties of the city manager in addition to those set forth in this chsrter.(c)He
hall supervise and coordinate the work of the administrative officers an
apartments of the city, except the city attorney, the city clerk and the city
clerk department, and he shall act as coordinator between these officer
nd the other administrative officers. (f)He shall employ or be responsible
For the employment of all city employees except employees in the city clerk,
epartment, and supervise and coordinate the personnel policies and
ractices pf the city.
ity Code: 2.20.035 - 6. He [The City Manager] may recommend to fire
council any basic organization and plans for the city departrrrents and X
enforce changes as approved by the council.
3.10.025. - Development and administration.
The city manager shall have the authority for the overall administration o
he classification plan. In developing the classification plan, he/she shall
consult department heads, key staff, employees and other technics
resources as appropriate.
New positions. When a new position is proposed or established, the
e artment in which it is created shall provide a written job description to
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the city manager, who shall determine the proper classification or prepare
�a new classification description if an appropriate classification does not
xist. The city manager shall present hisiher recommendation to the city
ouncil for final approval.
�3. MO Comprehensive PIan: 3.2.1.1: Ensure uniform and consisten
nforcement of the zoning code, building code
ATTORNEY REVIEW: Yes No N/A
FISCAL NOTE:
The reclassification of the Building Official will be covered by the current 2020/2021 budget.
Funding for the establishment of the Building and Fire Inspector position will come from General
Fund reserves and will be built into future operating budgets.
Approved by Finance Department: J/J,
RECOMMENDATION:
Council approve Resolution 2020-043 , approving the City Manager to reclassify and establish
positions in the Fire and Building Department effective May 27, 2020
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