With building permits down drastically thanks to the economy, Peachtree City officials are considering outsourcing nearly all functions of the building department.
The arrangement would start May 1 under a proposal to be considered by the City Council Thursday night.
The changes would not result in any job losses, as Building Official Tom Carty is due to retire April 30, according to a staff memo provided to the City Council.
Of the other three existing building department employees, the building department staff assistant would be the sole remaining building employee for the city, the memo said. The building inspector would transfer to the development inspector role in the fall upon the current development inspector’s retirement.
The existing housing code official would be transferred to a new department, the memo said.
The contract proposed by city staff would be with SAFEbuilt Georgia, Inc., which has provided building and plans inspection services among others for Senoia, Union City, Chattahoochee Hills, Johns Creek Milton, and Tyrone.
SAFEbuilt’s services would cost the city 90 percent of the current residential permit fees assessed and 80 percent of its commercial permit fees, the memo said. The remainder would be kept by the city to offset building department costs.
