Inspection pact could help Mundelein, Hawthorn Woods

Hawthorn Woods may pay Mundelein for inspection services, a move designed to help the bottom line of both villages.

The agreement to be considered Monday night by Hawthorn Woods trustees calls for Mundelein to review building plans and supply one building and one plumbing inspector three days a week.

Hawthorn Woods would get experienced help without having to hire and pay the salaries and benefits of its own full-time staff, according to the village's Chief Operating Officer Pam Newton.

"It's government acting like a small business," she said.

For Mundelein, the fees would help offset a decline in building and permit fees without having to consider layoffs.

Mundelein set records for permits and plan reviews in 2008 but the volume has dropped steadily. The numbers have leveled but permit revenue is much less.

"While the work may still be there, the revenue to support the staff of the building department at current levels has diminished," reported Mundelein Building Director Pete Schubkegel.

In a memo to the Mundelein village board, which approved the agreement last week, Schubkegel added that many villages already share equipment and manpower for different services.

"It makes more and more sense for local governments to share these expensive investments, especially in these trying times," the memo stated.

Fees would vary from $35 to $70 depending on the type of inspection. Plan reviews range from $20 for an invisible dog fence, for example, to $340 for a new house.

Hawthorn Woods has been studying the situation for a year and contacted several entities, according to Newton.

"To fully staff a building department, I think conservatively we would need four or five people," she said.

Government employees in years past seemed immune to downturns in the economy but that is no longer the case.

"By consolidating the two villages needs, we are going to keep people employed and upgrade our customer service," Newton said. "It's just a new way of looking at the way things used to be."

Residents have been dealing directly with an independent contractor hired by the village but there was no control of when the inspections would be done, said Donna Lobaito, chief administrative officer.

The new system requires daily updates rather than monthly reports.

"We'll be able to give better answers quicker," Lobaito said.

Construction is picking up. Forty-two building permits have been issued this year in Hawthorn Woods compared with 10 last year.

"It appears people are putting a lot of time and work into their homes instead of moving," Lobaito said.

The agreement would go into effect July 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2011. The village board meets at 7 p.m. at village hall, 2 Lagoon Drive.