Jim Thorpe considers zoning, code firms

Jim Thorpe Borough faces an upcoming decision on its next zoning and building code officials, and several councilmen, during a workshop last week, said they have their front-runner.

Last month, council heard from three prospective zoning and building code inspection firms. In addition to Barry Isett and Associates, the firm that has worked for the borough since 2012, council received proposals from Lehigh Valley Inspection Services and Bureau Veritas.

“I thought all the firms presented well, but I’m of the opinion that I’d like to see the borough make a change in these areas,” council President Greg Strubinger said. “I thought they were all comparable in price, but Bureau Veritas offered some online capabilities that I think would be to our residents’ advantage. They also have a very wide breadth of well-qualified staff who would be able to meet our needs.”

Should council go in that direction, it would likely need to retain Isett for stormwater management review as they were the only firm interviewed that provided that service.

During the interview process, Todd Meltsch of Bureau Veritas spoke of the complexity of the Uniform Construction Code and the need to simplify it as much as possible for residents.

For property maintenance issues, Bureau Veritas’ Jim Melber said, a simple phone call before sending a violation letter goes a long way.

“You’d be surprised how far you can get if you talk to someone like a real person and not military style,” Melber said. “Sometimes you have to go that tough route, but it’s usually the exception rather than the rule.”

The duo also said inspection results are sent instantly to the homeowner, cutting down on the lag time before a second inspection can take place. Many of the simpler permit applications, they added, can be handled over email.

At last week’s council workshop, Vice President Mike Yeastedt said of all the resumes, Bureau Veritas is the one that stood out to him. “They seem the most qualified, they’re available and I also like the fact you can apply for a permit online,” he said. “They also have an online program where if the inspector comes out to see you, they have everything right there at their fingertips. It doesn’t have to involve multiple trips.”

Borough council meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Hall along East Tenth Street.