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June 29, 2009

Building departments merger could bring layoffs

Jamie Jones

One to three employees could be laid off if the Dalton and Whitfield County building, planning and zoning departments merge as planned, county administrator Bob McLeod said.

Last week, the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement that would combine the county’s departments with the city. The City Council must also approve the proposal. Councilman George Sadosuk called the proposal “pretty straightforward” and said council members may vote on it during the council’s meeting on Monday.

“There are a couple of points that we’ve got to iron out yet,” Sadosuk said. “Once we get those ironed out, there shouldn’t be any sticking points after that.”

Sadosuk’s main concern is that if either the city or county terminate the agreement without cause, it would stay in place for 12 months. He prefers 90 days.

The county building, zoning and development office has seven employees. The planning department has one worker. The city building inspection department has three employees.

McLeod declined to give an estimate on the budget for the new department. This year, the county’s budget for the departments is $638,802 while the city’s building department budget is $357,080. As part of the agreement, all department fees would go toward the budget, while any deficit would come from city/county local option sales tax (LOST) funds.

“Once the city has responded to all aspects of the agreement, then the county will be able to provide a specific budget,” McLeod said.

McLeod said getting the new department up and running will take about two weeks once the city and county have a completed agreement. The inspections office will be at the current county location at 1407 Burleyson Drive, while the planning office will be in the county’s Administration Building No. 2 at 214 W. King St. in downtown Dalton.

All workers in the new department will be county employees. McLeod will hire a department director. County officials will have oversight of the department.

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