Highland Township Approves Hiring New Building Official

The familiar face of Highland Township's Building Official will not be seen behind the counter at the township offices after this week.

Joe Weinburger has decided to resign after 27 years of service. His official last day on the job was Thursday. 

A divided Township Board voted 4-3 to approve the hiring of Steve Davies as the new building official and ordinance department supervisor. The position will remain part-time at 25 hours per week at $30 per hour. 

Supervisor Rick Hamill, and Trustees Chuck Dittmar and Brian Howe cast the dissenting votes after Hamill argued the need for the position be 30 hours per week. 

Currently, the building official works two full days and two half days with Fridays off. Hamill highlighted the need for 30 hours in order to have someone there on Fridays to improve customer service.

Mary McDonell, township clerk, said increasing the position hours would put the township over budget for the amount it had budgeted for that line item.

"We can set the hours the way we want," she said. 

Township Trustee Russ Tierney said the township could always come back and re-evaluate and add hours, if needed. 

The township received three applications and conducted two interviews. Davies, a Highland resident and builder, was chosen to fill the vacancy.