Program Description

The primary purpose of this budget is to provide for all of the Inspectors with the means to maintain their necessary certifications for their work and that acknowledges their public safety service is in line with other Cape communities. Our responsibilities are to safeguard public safety by the effective administration of the State Building Code as required by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 143, related specialized regulations and other referenced codes and standards. To promote this budget will provide all Town inspectors, including alternates, the ability to do their jobs armed with the most current codes and training.

At the same time this budget allows us to act for the general welfare of the community by the effective administration of the Town's Zoning By-Laws pursuant to MGL Chapter 40A and the Town's General By-Laws as they apply to the building permit process and providing a consistent and transparent enforcement process in order to address violations.

The primary objective of the Building Department is to protect the public's safety and welfare as it relates to construction. The Building Department is available to answer questions, address concerns, and is a source of general building and zoning information.

Budget Statement

The Personnel budget follows the Non-Union Compensation Plan for lines 551001 and 511002 and reflects a 13% increase to Personal Expenditure A Budget. The jump is reflective of the Compensation Study, Certification Stipends and the increase cost to retain Certified Inspectors.

The Operating budget is an increase of 14% from FY 2023. The increase is primarily a result of the rising cost of education including travel and securing applicable Code reference materials.

FY 2023 Objectives

Our objectives for FY24 are:

• Get all inspectors the required continuing education, and continue to get all inspectors all State required certifications. This is an annual goal to ensure that all inspectors maintain their respective licenses and stay current with changing codes. Secure alternate Plumbing and Electrical Inspectors.
• Continue to improve our interfacing with the OpenGov Viewpoint permitting software and learn the advantages it offers. We are upgrading our systems to include the ability for Inspectors to log inspections on the IPads while in the field.
• Continue to improve interdepartmental permit co-ordination by improving permit issuance to a two-week average from intake to issuance. The complexity of our Zoning, Building and Health Codes with the desires of property owners to alter the pre-built environment makes this a challenge. Add to the usual compliance issues we are seeing more applications requiring compliance with the Architectural Access Board.
• Prepare through continuing education for the changes that will become the 10th Edition of 780 CMR. While still awaiting that adoption, other Specialized Codes have been adopted and the charge to enforce those changes require immediate pivoting and informing our Contractors.