The ripples from the poor economy have reached another Wood County office.
With fewer buildings being constructed in the county, less revenue is coming into the county building
inspection department — leading to layoffs in the office.
“The economy is in the dumpster at the moment,” Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar said this
morning. And with the lack of construction in the county, “our revenue for the year is off
considerably.”
Consequently, the equivalent of two and a half positions have been cut from the 18-person building
inspection office.
“We’re trying to keep as many people as possible,” said Mike Rudey, head of building inspection.
The construction decline has been drastic. During the building heyday of 2006, the office conducted
14,457 inspections in the first three quarters of the year. That compares to less than half at 6,540
inspections so far this year.
The same drop was seen in permits. During the first three quarters of 2006, there were 4,118 permits
issued, compared to 2,434 so far this year.
Those declines have added up to far less revenue for the office than needed, Rudey said. The revenues so
far this year are at $618,987, while the expenses have hit $959,798.
“You can see the downward trend in permits, revenue and inspections,” he said.
Wood County officials already made some staffing cuts at their nursing home, Wood Haven Health Care,
earlier this summer after census numbers there dropped when the economy went south.
“We knew it was only a matter of time at building inspection,” Kalmar said.
Building inspection staff has been kept informed about declining revenue in the office, and most recently
of the job cuts, according to Rudey.
“They knew something was coming,” he said.
However, the job cuts may have come as a surprise to newer employees in other county departments who are
being bumped out by building inspection employees with more tenure.
“We’re throwing a pebble into the lake,” by cutting staff in the building inspection office, Kalmar said.
The ripples are hitting some employees in other offices overseen by the county commissioners, since
workers with more seniority have “bumping rights” over newer employees, he explained.
Three clerical workers will “bump” out newer staff in the county commissioners office, Emergency
Management Agency, and East Gypsy Lane maintenance department.
Abolished all together were three positions — one building inspector, one plumbing inspector, and a
part-time master plan examiner.
“We haven’t found job placement for them yet,” Rudey said.
“We’ve been keeping a close eye on other departments,” hoping any vacancies can be filled by the
displaced inspectors, Kalmar said.
The job changes and layoffs will go into effect on Oct. 31.