Adams Approves Interim Building Commissioners
ADAMS, Mass. — While the town searches for a new building commissioner, Adams will use Williamstown's services.
The Selectmen suspended the workshop rules Wednesday to approve as Williamstown Building Commissioner Ryan Contenta as the alternate building inspector and Rob Rosier as the alternative local inspector.
"I think the two of them working together should be helpful to the town to help keep things going," Community Development Director Donna Cesan said. "It will be good for our property owners so they can keep inspections up so they don't have to wait so long."
The interim commissioners will not have office hours, will be paid $50 hourly when in the field, and will perform their duties after they have finished their work in Williamstown. Williamstown uses the same permitting software as Adams so there will be little to learn.
Cesan said she started reaching out to other communities after the assistant building commissioner said he could not take on the extra work load because of other responsibilities.
The town should have a new commissioner between 30 and 60 days. The job was recently posted but there have been no applications yet.
Cesan said there are a handful of inspections and projects that have been postponed after the past building commissioner left the post to take another job late last year.
"There are maybe 10 or so and, hopefully, we will be able to get to them in short order," Cesan said. "This is a low time for everyone and there isn't a lot of activity so I guess if we had to lose an inspector, this was a good time to do so."
She said those who are in need of an inspection can call her or the building commissioner's office.
Cesan said she hopes to get both men sworn in Thursday and working by that evening.
The Selectmen also voted to approve an updated job description for the code enforcement officer; this title will be changed to health and housing inspector to reflect the focus of the position.
Cesan said there are few changes in the description but just clarifications such as the inspector's participation in the housing rehab program, assisting other community development staff, inspection of housing units, and preparation of rehabilitation scopes.
"The changes are relatively minor ... and most of this is just clarification and clarifying ... the duties of the position," she said.
The current job description was created in 2004.
The board agreed that the personnel subcommittee will be part of the interview process for the two positions so the Selectmen can be more involved and get a better understanding of the procedure.
Tags: building inspector, interim appointment,
