Oconee to consider deal to outsource building codes service

Edda Cammick says if you make a trip to Oconee’s administrative offices, you won’t recognize the county Building Codes Department.  The county is in the process of outsourcing the work to a private company, although Cammick says the county will retain twoof the inspectors who are skilled at their jobs.  (Earlier 101.7/WGOG NEWS incorrectly reported two inspectors are to be retained.) To arrive at a balanced budget by July 1, Cammick says 15 county jobs are being axed and it’s her hope those positions are being eliminated discretely.  The county council chairwoman told the Seneca Rotary Club that the move to clean house is the result of a determination that some county employees have poor customer relation skills.  And she said that behind the dismantling of building codes should serve as a “wake up call” to other county departments.  Cammick spoke candidly to the Rotarians and one Rotarian told 101.7/WGOG NEWS that, before the talk, she wasn’t sure how she felt about Cammick but, having heard her today, has admiration for the first woman to serve as council chair.  Two years ago, Cammick said, she became determined to break up, what she called a club of five men–a reference to councils in whiich no women served.  In answer to a question, Cammick says the county now regrets having given property to Pioneer Rural Water District on which to build a treatment plant but that, she said, preceded council becoming aware that the cost of the plant would be $19 million dollars.  The county is now one of Pioneer’s adversaries in the Common Pleas Court, in a case that is scheduled to be decided in late August.