HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12111984 - IO.1 To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Internal Operations Committee Contra
Costa
DATE: December 10, 1984 County
SUBJECT: Proposed Transfer of Grading Inspection Function
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Refer to the County Administrator for procedural analysis the proposal to,
transfer Grading Inspection duties from the Building Inspection Department
to the Public Works Department; analysis to include review of the operational
and fiscal implications of such a transfer with final report and recommenda-
tion on this matter to be submitted to the Board no later than
March 5, 1985.
BACKGROUND
On October 1, 1984 the Internal Operations Committee and staff of the
County Administrator met with representatives of the 1983-1984 Grand Jury
to review the County.'s proposed responses to the recommendations set forth
in the Grand Jury' s final report. In that meeting, Grand Jury members
requested that further consideration be given to their recommendation that
the Grading Inspection function be transferred from the Building Inspection
Department to the Public Works Department. It was agreed at that time that
the County Adr:inistrator would again review the projected cost savings
which could result from such transfer and provide the updated information
to our committee.
On December 3, 1984 our committee reviewed the latest projected cost savings
prepared by the County Administrator, an estimated $92,000 and__discussed.
the proposed transfer of duties with representatives of the Planning Depart-
ment, Public Works Department, and the Building Industry Association (BIA) .
The BIA representative, Mr. Dean LaField, stated opposition to the proposed
transfer of function indicating that the industry is satisfied with the
grading inspection duties as currently performed by the Building Inspection
Department; he noted that the industry is paying the costs involved, and
that the grading services are being subsidized by regular building permit
revenues . Transfer of the Grading Inspection function to the Public Works
Department would require that the current level of building inspection fees
be reviewed for modification downward inasmuch as they would no longer be
subsidizing the grading inspection activities.
Discussion was held on the question of whether the projected savings in
staff and other costs which would result from the transfer would really be
a net savings to the county general fund. Other questions were raised
concerning the effect the transfer of duties may have on the operations of
the Building Inspection staff and their relationship to staff of the Public
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: XX YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR XX RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
XX APPROVE
SIGNATURE(S) Su visor T. Powers Su visor N. C. Fanden
ACTION OF BOARD ON December 11, 1984 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS O® 163
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT IV ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN../
CC: Public Works Director ATTESTED A-U'+G.�
Building Inspection Department
. Phil Batchelor; Clerk of the
County Administrator .Board of Supervisors, and - .-
County Administrator
Mee2/7•e8 BY &Jv�4�1 DEPUTY
t, Y
2.
Works Department. The Director of Building Inspection raised concerns that
the transfer of duties would actually increase the time required to carry
out certain inspection activities. He also expressed doubt that the cost
savings are achievable questioning especially whether the Public Works
Department could maintain the current level of service with less staff than
currently assigned to both departments.
All parties in this matter agreed that it was necessary to bring the issue
to a conclusion as soon as possible, i.e. , determine whether or not the
proposed transfer of duties will actually improve service and reduce County
cost. It was proposed that staff from the County Administrator'•s Office
work with the two departments, Building Industry Association, and other
interested parties to conduct an analysis in the detail necessary to make
these determinations and obtain consensus between the two departments on
the transfer issue.
00 164
� 1. Grading Inspection Function Prpsd Transfer
, 2.. C/A to .Review & Report to Bd by 3/5/85