2019-02-14 (draft) Cost of Government Commission minutes

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Cost of Government Commission February 14, 2019 meeting minutes st (33:08): So, I think as of January 1 permits are now being accepted by DPW and not by planning. The Department of Public Works is basically taking it back. (33:26): Can you say that louder, I can’t hear you. st (33:28): Oh sorry, so as of January 1 I believe is what the date was that I saw on the door of the planning department. The Department of Public Words, the building division is now accepting permits so they used to accept them but then I think when Billy was in office he decided to give it to planning and then I believe DPW wanted it back so now it has been given back is what is my understanding. You might want to double check just give them a call and see but I am pretty sure that is what I saw on the door as I walked by so planning basically is just accepting the special permits. (34:09): So a couple quick questions for you, does that mean DPW is now approving permits (34:15): Yeah, so basically it should all be running through them. (34:20): Planning is then reviewing them also? (34:23): I think they would just be commenting yes (34:37): So many changes since we actually started this committee. So the first thing that comes to mind is okay now there is another set of hands for this to go through because you are still having to go through the planning department (Crosstalk) Jones: Is the goal though that DPW is going to reduce on those 2 people reduce the load in terms of viewing and basic errors and taking it back before it even goes into planning. That’s the thing the fact is there is no more people with a builder. It seems to be a mystery (?) but it is a mystery, you don’t even know what is going on so I am wondering if DPW will have a more concise and quicker response to the person spinning the plans saying this isn’t going to fly, you know don’t bother to put it on to the planning department. (35:33): We will have to see but in all honesty with this group the only thing that we that I can do is we can change the words a little bit to include department of public works. But with this group we still have a serious problem with this is really about the planning department really about permit approvals. We have a severe problem with permit approvals and we have been reviewed nationally and we are not only the worst we are the worst by many magnitudes across the United States we are number 1 the worst not by you know 5% or 10% or 50% it is magnitudes of order Ross: So we are missing out on business opportunities we are also missing out on taxation because those buildings aren’t being built those taxes aren’t being paid 8