Renovations to part of the City of Lima's municipal building will mean the relocation of several city departments. The second floor of City Hall will undergo a major renovation project in the next three months. This will relocate the departments of public works administration, engineering, housing, and neighborhoods, as well as the Lima Allen County Building Department. They will be relocating temporarily to the first floor at 675 West Market Street, across from Mercy Health-St. Rita's. The relocation is anticipated for July 1st through September 30th.

The codes that are required for developers and builders today have been tweaked over the years as disasters have happened such as fires and earthquakes that have taken lives. May is “Building Safety Month” to bring awareness to all the requirements that are needed to keep structures safe and save lives. Details as small as which direction a door opens.

Allen County Commissioners authorized the renewal of a service agreement with the City of Lima regarding the Allen County Building Department. It was a rocky start last April when the Allen County Building Department was being formed and commissioners were choosing who to run it. They chose the City of Lima and have been pleased with what they have been seeing. The addition of online submissions and video inspections are now being used and commissioners believe that is positive for the county when it comes to development.

Business is good at the Allen County Building Department as revenue is up nearly $300,000. It was last April when Allen County Commissioners signed a contract with the building department and things are going well. In 2019, commercial businesses invested over $92,000,000 in Lima Allen County through new construction or improvements. The building department has expanded from just a brick and mortar department to adding electronic filing.

After more than a year of meetings and discussions, the Allen County Building Department has been formed. Commissioners passing legislation Tuesday authorizing the creation of the department and entering into a service agreement with the City of Lima to enforce the Ohio Building Code on behalf of the Allen County Building Department.

We want this to work - that from both sides of the table Thursday morning as the city and county take another look at the building department contract. Allen County Commissioners and Lima Building Department officials tweaking the proposed contract. Modification to some language seems to be the fix to allow the contract to move forward, providing services for the new "Allen County Building Department".

A contract is on the table that will hopefully bring the county and city together regarding how Ohio building codes will be handled in the future. Handshakes around the table today as Allen County commissioners offered the City of Lima's building department first dibs on staffing a soon to be formed "Allen County Building Department".

Allen County commissioners say they are moving forward with the possible creation of an Allen County Building Department. Commissioners holding a phone conference with the director of the Miami County Building Department. Discussions between the two have been ongoing for nearly a year.

A collaborative contract between multiple building departments was the main topic of discussion tonight at the Delphos City council meeting. Monday night, the Allen County Commissioners proposed that the Allen County Building Department collaborate with the City of Delphos on a regional contract to help consolidate commercial buildings in the area.