sorely
needed
By LEE HINNANT
With the resignation of the only certified inspector, Columbus County’s Building Inspections Department is on the brink of closing, an employee told county commissioners this week.
Inspections Director Kenny Davis, however, said he has agreed to keep working with the county on a month-to-month contract, although his resignation is official Friday.
“I don’t want to shut them down,” said Davis, who came aboard as the chief inspector 2 1/2 years ago. “I’ll try to work with them until they can get somebody.”
The county has an inspector – Kyle Duncan – but he is not yet certified and is working on a probationary basis under Davis’ license. An opening for another inspector has been vacant since August 2005 and Interim County Manager Jim Varner said he has had no experienced applicants for the job.
Karen King, administrative assistant for the department, said she had been unable to find a qualified inspector who would work under contract with the county. Many certified inspectors are working in high-growth coastal areas and making more money, she said.
The county is paying Davis $40,900 a year and he holds level three certifications in all four trades – electrical, plumbing, mechanical and structural. Level three is the highest certification for a local inspector. Davis’ office handled 995 permits last year and covers all of rural Columbus County plus six of the smaller towns.
The City of Whiteville’s inspector is responsible only for the city inspections and he holds level three certifications in all but one trade, where he has a level two certificate. Building Inspector Carey White’s annual salary with the city is about $42,000. Robeson County’s inspections director is paid $65,000 a year.
“That’s what’s wrong with this county,” said Commissioner David Dutton at Monday’s regular meeting. “You get what you pay for.”
If the department were to lose Davis completely without a certified replacement, the county would be forced to pay the state Department of Insurance to send inspectors here to do the job, King told commissioners. The Department of Insurance charges $150 per hour per person and sends one specialist for each trade, she said. She estimated it would cost $24,000 for the state to run county inspections for one week.
“We realize we’ve got a problem and with the development that is coming to the county, we’ve got to address it,” Commission Chairman Kip Godwin said.
King told commissioners the department has an unencumbered fund balance – the equivalent of a savings account – of more than $113,000.
Only minutes before discussing inspections problem, commissioners voted to table action on a schedule of proposed fees for the Planning Department. Commissioner James Prevatte said he thought the county should adopt a subdivision ordinance before adopting fees.
The proposed fees were reviewed and recommended by the Planning Board and are in line with those charged in like-sized counties, said Planner Stevie Cox. They would have been effective July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. The fees range from $10 for a copy of all airport rules and regulations to $300 for a site plan review.