Fix it and leave it alone,” council is told

The over-riding message left with Oconee County Council is for the county to re-enforce its building codes department and to resist out-sourcing the work to a third party.  Taking a cue from builder Doug Lecroy, most in the packed audience stood in opposition yesterday to a proposal that the county hire a Spartanburg County company as a permanent replacement to the department.  That company, RCI, has been providing interim assistance since the county parted ways with its building codes director, David Stokes.  There were pleas from the audience to resist throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Builders, such as Brad Kisker, urged the council to keep the building codes department and tweak it to make it more efficient for the schedule of builders who rely on quick inspections to facilitate their work on homes and other construction.  County Administrator Scott Moulder said, after Stokes’ departure, the department is left with Scott Carroll as interim director, two office clerks, and two field inspectors.  Councilman Glenn Hart was applauded when he called for the hiring of additional inspectors.  That was music to the ears of builder Buddy Smith.  “You need to have hometown people,” Smith told the council.  Part of the cry from the audience of builders was for the council to avoid paying an out of county company fees that are generated within Oconee County.