Atlanta is moving to hire a consultant that has assisted efforts to streamline and reform the city’s building permits process.
BKD LLC would be paid $257,500 to continue for one year work that previously was paid for as a donation to the city by the Atlanta Committee for Progress, a group of local CEOs and civic leaders.
The consultant analyzed the city’s permitting process and identified potential areas of improvement, and it is now project manager implementing a permitting process business plan, according to a resolution approved by the City Council on Monday.
Last year, the AJC reported that City Auditor Leslie Ward issued a critical report noting some residents had waited as long as 50 days to receive building permits, even after the city raised permit fees and the Office of Buildings collected a $28 million surplus.
In March, the city fired five employees and placed a sixth on administrative leave after a Law Department investigation found employees allegedly took improper cash loans, approved inspections at buildings they had not visited, and waived application fees without having the authority to do so, the AJC reported.
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