Inspector 1 Full-Time Position Reclassified to an Inspector 2 (Housing Department) Copyrighted
September 16, 2019
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 27.
ITEM TITLE: Inspector 1 Full-Time Position Reclassified to an Inspector
2
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to reclassify one full-
time equivalent I nspector 1 position to an I nspector 2
position in the Housing and Community Development
Department.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receiveand File;Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Inspector 1 Full-Tme Position Reclassified to an City Manager Memo
Inspector 2-MVM Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Inspector 1 Full-Time Position Reclassified to an Inspector 2
DATE: September 11, 2019
Housing & Community Development Director Alexis Steger recommends City Council
approval to reclassify one full-time equivalent Inspector 1 position to an Inspector 2
position. This will create a marginal increase in costs in future budget years.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Alexis M. Steger, Housing & Community Development Director
David Johnson, Building Services Manager
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Alexis M. Steger, Housing & Community Development Director
DATE: September 3, 2019
RE: Inspector 1 Full-Time Position Reclassified to an Inspector 2
Introduction
Fiscal Year 2020 budget included approval to fund one additional full-time equivalent
Inspector 1 position to complete rental licensing inspections, complaint inspections, and
other code enforcement and rehabilitation inspection services. In addition to the added
position, there were recently two Inspector 1 positions vacated by long term employees.
New employees are in the process of being hired to fill those vacancies. Due to the
significant amount of turnover at the Inspector 1 position, staff has reviewed service
level expectations and capacity at the position and found potential duplication and
inefficiency caused by the separation of duties between the Housing DepartmenYs
Inspector 1 positions and Building Services DepartmenYs Inspector 2 positions and their
respective overlapping duties.
Background
The Inspector 1 or Housing Inspector position assigned to the Housing & Community
Development Department has routine duties including the inspection of rental properties
and housing rehabilitation projects. Housing Inspectors are required to be certified in
Property Maintenance & Housing Inspection. The Inspector 2 position, also known as a
Building Inspector, conducts building plan review and inspections of permitted
construction and renovations. The position of Inspector 2 is required to have multiple
certifications and maintain a level of expertise in current building, plumbing, electrical,
and mechanical codes so that they are able to recognize potential issues with evolving
modern building products as well as existing building requirements. These certifications
include the knowledge required to inspect for all International Council Codes adopted by
the City Council, notjust the International Property Maintenance Code that the Inspector
1 position requires.
Many of the repairs required by rental inspections or improvements made as a part of a
housing rehabilitation require building permits and subsequent building inspections.
These inspections are important because the Inspector 2 is the subject matter expert
and has the training and certifications to determine if the construction or improvements
meet the applicable building codes and will perform as intended in a safe, resilient, and
efficient way. Historically, this has meant that a Building Inspector (Inspector 2) must
physically visit the property where the Housing Inspector (Inspector 1) has an open
inspection and is already scheduled to re-inspect. The timing of these layers of
inspections can make compliance more difficult and frustrating for property owners.
In addition to the inefficient workflow and frustration caused by the duplication of
inspections, the Building Services Inspector 2 position often expects Housing Inspector
1 's to communicate inadequate permitted work to property owners or contractors on
their behalf through the rental inspection process because the Housing Inspector 1 is
already on site. This inconsistent approach to communicating deficiencies on permitted
work has caused significant frustration for property owners, contractors, and inspectors
alike.
Reclassifying an Inspector 1 to an Inspector 2 in the Housing Department and enabling
that inspector to inspect, and sign off on, permitted work within their capacity as a
Housing Inspector would allow for more efficient processes and reduced dependency
on Building Services inspection staff to respond to the inspection needs of rental
property owners and rehabilitation clients and contractors.
Additionally, the creation of an Inspector 2 position in the Housing Department will
create a promotional opportunity for the inspectors in the Inspector 1 classification,
creating motivation to continue to build on their training and certifications, leading to a
more educated and knowledgeable inspection staff. Overall, this will help retain
Inspectors in the Housing & Community Development Department.
Budget Impact
Reclassifying one full-time equivalent Inspector 1 position (OE17, $30.16) to an
Inspector 2 position (GE34, $33.65) at a Step D for the remainder of the Fiscal Year
2020 would cost an additional $13,704. The Housing & Community Development
Department has three inspector positions that have been vacant since July 2019. The
savings from those vacancies amounts to $34,950; therefore, the vacancy savings more
than covers the additional needed to fund the Inspector 2 position in FY 2020.
Recommendation
I respectfully request approval to reclassify one full-time equivalent Inspector 1 position
(0E-17) to an Inspector 2 (GE-34).
Cc: David Johnson, Building Services Manager
Jenny Larson, Finance & Budget Director.
Ben Pothoff, Rental Licensing & Inspections Supervisor
2