A second try and again a failed vote as the White County Commission voted against appropriating funds for an additional codes inspector.
County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said he said does not know what the commissioners’ individual concerns are but the need for another codes employee is still there. Robinson said another worker is especially important for the county’s plans to start issuing its own commercial building permits in the future.
“Our guy’s getting behind,” Robinson said. “We’ve got one man that does inspections and building is happening a lot. Even right now in the cold season we’re still, he can hardly keep up. So he’s needing somebody else to, he’s going to be off some day, he’s going to be sick one day, he’s going to take a vacation. And we have nobody to fill that void and so that starts putting everybody behind.”
Robinson said Codes Director Brett Nash is qualified to do commercial permitting but he is so busy that it would not be possible without another employee.
“I feel like it’ll come back up in committee again,” Robinson said. “Try to address the problems that maybe the commissioners who voted against it, see what their issues are.”
The resolution failed with a six to three vote. Five commissioners were absent. Robinson said the county requires a majority of the whole commission for a motion to pass regardless of who is absent, so eight votes would have been necessary.
“So if you just had eight people here, everybody would have to vote yes,” Robinson said. “One no vote would kill it.”
Robinson said Codes Director Brett Nash is qualified to do commercial permitting but he is so busy that it would not be possible without another employee.
“I feel like it’ll come back up in committee again,” Robinson said. “Try to address the problems that maybe the commissioners who voted against it, see what their issues are.”
Commissioner Becky Golden asked before the vote if this codes employee would be hired in addition to the second person in the department. Robinson said this new employee would serve as a third member of the department.
Golden voted against the motion along with Commissioners Chris Brewington and Larry Daniels.
