Town of Coupeville is looking to hire a part-time building inspector and plan review person.

“The town has had building inspectors in the past,” said Mayor Molly Hughes. “For several years, however, the town has made do with the town planner serving as building official through use of contracted building review and inspection services.”

In 2016, the town paid more than $40,000 for contractor services, not including work done on the hospital or school district projects.

Hughes said that cities similar in size to Coupeville pay $25-$32 per hour for these types of positions, and the average is just over $28 per hour.

The town could pay a part time position that average rate including benefits and still commit less than what the town is currently paying for outside consultants, she said.

By hiring a staff person, the town would save money, time and have more control.

Current town planner Owen Dennison has to spend too much time researching and answering building code questions, walking people through and coordinating their permitting process, said Hughes.

“This reduces available time for land use reviews and particularly for long-range planning,” she said. “A person with building review and inspection experience could more easily answer technical building, plumbing, mechanical and fire code questions.”

Council members agreed it sounded like a practical solution.

Councilwoman Diane Binder said she always looks at the numbers and is surprised at how much the town pays for contractor services.

Hughes drafted a preliminary job description. The position would be for 20 hours a week and include reviewing and approving plans and specifications for residential and commercial structures, performing field inspections and serving as the town’s code compliance officer.

Some requirements of the applicant include vocational or college-level training in engineering, construction management, building technology or a related field; three years experience as a building inspector or an equivalent combination of education/experience; valid certification or ability to obtain certification with six months and knowledge or the current International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel, Gas Code and Fire Code applicable to the job duties.

• For information, go to www.townofcoupeville.org