Molino Building Inspection Office Won’t Be Closed

April 20, 2012

Escambia County has decided against the recommended closure of the Molino Building Inspection Office.

Lloyd Kerr, Development Services director, had recommend  the closure to reduce costs and increase efficiency. But the Escambia County Commission voted unanimously not to close the office, which has been located in the county-owned Escambia County Health Department building at 3470 North Highway 29 since 1989. If the office had closed, services would have been relocated to the Central Office Complex at 3363 West Park Place in Pensacola, about 17 miles away.

Kerr had recommended the closure to save an estimated $100,000 be eliminating two positions, citing an economic downtown that led to a decrease in permitting revenues. The county’s building inspection fund lost about $612,000 in 2011.

Numerous contractors had spoken out against the closure.

“This would be a huge mistake and greatly affect the northern end of our county in the near and distant future,” Paul Mack of Mack Custom Homes in Cantonment said prior to the commission’s decision. “The past few years have been hard on everyone, but when things get better, and they will get better, the only direction our county can grow is north.”

Comments

3 Responses to “Molino Building Inspection Office Won’t Be Closed”

  1. JSCS on April 20th, 2012 2:20 pm

    Praise the Lord! Someone was actually paying attention when the people spoke. Perhaps Mr. Kerr needs a tour of the north end to see the potential for development. Of course we could eliminate his job and save the money.

  2. Suzanne on April 20th, 2012 11:15 am

    That’s great. I am glad it is not closing.

  3. Jane on April 20th, 2012 7:10 am

    Must be that some of these Commissioners are up for re-election…they are actually listening to someone??!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News