JERSEY CITY, NJ (GovWire) - During a recent budget hearing for the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce with the Jersey City Municipal Council, the topic of construction code enforcement was a hot topic of discussion. Councilman Buggiano expressed frustration with the lack of enforcement, particularly on weekends, and called for an increase in staffing to address the issue.
Ray Meyer, Director of Construction Code, acknowledged the need for more inspectors to handle the workload and enforce the laws. He stated that they would need about three to four more inspectors to handle the job. Meyer also mentioned that the governor had passed legislation that required inspections to be conducted within three business days, and if the city couldn't meet that requirement, they would have to hire a third-party inspection agency.
Anita, the Assistant Director, mentioned that they were considering an on-call contract for a company that could provide inspections across any of the trades. This would provide a budgetary solution without the need to hire more inspectors. She also mentioned that they were holding money for an elevator inspector position, which could be used to fund the on-call contract for the year 2024.
The discussion around construction code enforcement highlighted the challenges faced by the department in keeping up with the demands of a growing city. The proposed solutions, including the use of on-call contracts and increased staffing, could help address these challenges and improve enforcement.
"We're a major city now, we're not a little rinky-dink town anymore. And it has to change," said Councilman Buggiano, emphasizing the need for better enforcement.
The budget hearing provided a platform for the council members and department officials to discuss the challenges and propose solutions. It remains to be seen how these proposed solutions will be implemented and their impact on construction code enforcement in Jersey City.
This article generated by GovWire AI.
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