The city announced the hiring of Jerry Wade as the new building official.

Wade brings more than 30 years of building inspection and plan review experience, working for the cities of Milwaukie, Tualatin, Beaverton and Salem.

For the past three years he has worked privately for the Clair Company as a code analyst. He has two decades of volunteer experience as a Federal Emergency Management Association program coordinator.

The building official provides residential and plan review services, including building, mechanical, plumbing, fire alarms, sprinkler systems and inspections. They are also part of the city’s emergency operations team.

“We have extended an offer and it’s been accepted for a new building official,” City Manager Spencer Kyle said at the Nov. 28 City Council meeting. “We’re excited to have him.”

Wade replaces Bob Mitchell, who was hired in 1997 and retired at the end of August.

Wade’s salary will begin at about $7,600 monthly. He starts Dec. 12.

The building official will no longer be a department head, enabling Wade to focus on inspections and plans, Kyle said.

With Wade’s hiring, the city will combine the building department and planning department into the community development department.

Flory’s new role

Wade will report to Jeff Flory, who assumed the role of community development director on Dec. 1, Kyle said.

“Jeff has shown great aptitude for learning and asking questions and growing as a candidate position in the job and they seem to be a natural fit to have a building and planning committee in one department,” he said.

Flory joined the city as a code enforcement officer in 2020 after spending more than 12 years with the Beaverton Police Department.

In Seaside, Flory ramped up vacation rental dwelling inspections and enabled an upgraded online complaint process. He presented details on rental density and statistics before city councilors in January as the council considered a potential moratorium on vacation rental dwellings in Seaside. He was named planning director in May after the retirement of Kevin Cupples.

His salary will be equal to the building official’s, Assistant City Manager Jon Rahl said.

Library search

The search for a library director will continue with the assistance of a consultant, June Garcia, Rahl said.

Esther Moberg, Seaside Library’s former director, left the job in September to become the Warrenton city manager. In October, the city made an offer to a candidate, which was declined.

Garcia has 50 years library and consulting experience, specializing in library personnel searches for the past 20 years, Rahl said. She will receive $4,200 for two to three months of work including marketing, recruitment and screening of potential candidates.

The salary for the library director ranges from about $7,000 to $8,400 per month, plus benefits.

Josh Moorman will remain interim director until a new director is hired.

The city hopes to attract candidates who “may not be looking, but are ready to make the move.”

A formal search process reopens in January after the holidays. City staff will conduct final interviews and selection, Kyle said.