Lack of qualified inspectors no easy fix

The plight faced by Oconee’s home builders drew further attention last night as county government tries to solve the problem of delays in completing new home inspections.  There remain three inspector vacancies in the county building and codes department, and the difficulty to fill the jobs is tied, in part, to the failure to offer pay commensurate with the qualifications required.  A long-time home builder, Randy Moore, addressed the council.  While expressing understanding with the depth of the problem faced by the county, Moore told the county officials that the delays are costing lots of money.  Amanda Brock, county administrator, addressing the audience which included a number of builders, said, unfortunately, hiring and certifying inspectors can’t be solved by a snap of the fingers.  However, the council is in the process to amend its current budget by including hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked to raise salaries to current job market levels.