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<br />City of Ramsey
<br />Page 2 of 3
<br />August 12, 2009
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<br />inspection fee overpayments are properly refunded.
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<br />· Installers of electrical work schedule inspections directly with the contract electrical inspectors. Inspections
<br />requested by 8:30 a.m. are normally made the same day (metro),. within 24 hours in most rural locations, and
<br />within 48 hours in the most remote areas. Under this program, cities .are not burdened with scheduling
<br />inspections, handling telephone calls or tracking inspection work activity.
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<br />. Contract electrical inspectors are independent contractors. They are fully licensed, bonded, and insured. Only
<br />. qualified and experienced individuals are selected for inspection 'service contracts. State law requires all
<br />inspectors (state and municipal) to be licensed as journeyman or master electricians. The average contract
<br />electrical inspector has 30 years of experience in the electrical industry. This business arrangement eliminates
<br />the need for costly full-time employees - under this model, cities are not burdened with hiring, training,
<br />supervising and retaining qualified electrical inspectors.
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<br />· Contract electrical inspectors are required to ensure there is no disruption of inspection service during vacations,
<br />absences, or emergencies. Contract electrical inspectors network with each other and the department's Electrical
<br />Area Representatives to ensure uninterrupted service. Since inspection service contracts are renewed annually,
<br />the state is continuously monitoring the performance of every contract electrical inspector to ensure timely,
<br />thorough and professional inspection service.
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<br />· The department only contracts with inspectors who are professional, responsible, reasonable, courteous,
<br />thorough and have the necessary knowledge, qualifications, training, and experience for the job.
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<br />. Solitary municipal electrical inspectors are often disadvantaged because they have no backup help and they lack
<br />the expert technical resources and support network provided by the department's Electrical Area
<br />Representatives, the electrical technical staff in St. Paul, the statewide electrical inspection program, and the
<br />comprehensive resources of the Construction Codes and Licensing Division within the department.
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<br />. The department has direct authority over licensed electrical, elevator, and technology contractors and licensed
<br />electrical, elevator and technology workers in Minnesota and is in the best position to conduct investigations,
<br />process routine or contested complaints and administer disciplinary action. Cities that provide their own electrical
<br />inspections are responsible for conducting and funding their own complaint investigations and resolving any
<br />disputes.
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<br />· Any liability, errors, and omissions directly related to electrical inspections are shared by the installer of the
<br />wiring, the contract electrical inspector, and the department; not the county, city, or town.
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<br />. Designated inspection areas and contract electrical inspectors are under constant review. Post-inspection field
<br />audits are performed by the department's area representatives to ensure contract compliance, timely
<br />inspections, code compliance, customer satisfaction, and overall quality of electrical inspection service.
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<br />· Due to the high volume of electrical inspections across the state, the department is able to maintain inspection
<br />fees at very reasonable and acceptable levels and still maintain quality inspection service. (For example, the
<br />typical electrical inspection fee for a new home is only $135). A minimum fee job is only $35.
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<br />· The department is the electrical inspection authority for approximately 80% of the population and for
<br />approximately 99% of the land area of the state.
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<br />· Electrical contractors overwhelmingly prefer state electrical inspection service for many reasons (uniformity,
<br />consistency, timely inspections, simplified forms and inspection fees, complaint resolution, appeals process,
<br />uniform enforcement of laws and rules, and soon-to-be implemented online permits and online payments)
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<br />· Despite the high volume of electrical inspections (approximately 8,000 weekly inspections statewide), the
<br />department only averages 1 or 2 inspection-related scheduling complaints each month. Statewide cell phone
<br />communication and email messaging with ElectricaLArea Representatives and electrical inspectors enhances
<br />the ability to resolve such complaints in a very timely manner to the satisfaction of all parties.
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<br />. The department's Electrical Area Representatives manage, coordinate, and assist the contract electrical
<br />inspectors with special electrical inspections for carnivals, circuses, celebrations, fairs, festivals, tournaments,
<br />filmmaking, and numerous other short-term, temporary, transitory or other special events that can overwhelm a
<br />solitary municipal inspector.
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<br />· The department can promptly mobilize the necessary staffing and resources to ensure electrical safety, proper
<br />licensing, and thorough and timely electrical inspections when communities that have been affected by natural
<br />disasters or similar devastating and traumatic events begin the repair and rebuilding process.
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<br />· Contract electrical inspectors are expected to meet the reasonable expectations of installers and they will often
<br />make accommodations by making electrical inspections after normal business hqurs, during evening hours, and
<br />even on weekends and holidays if necessary.
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<br />CityOfRamseyElectricallnspections20090812.doc
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