BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
Union County Coordinator Jimmy Williams, also a building contractor, blamed the presence of an incorrect building permit at one of his job sites on a mistake made by his workers. Williams admitted to beginning construction of the home before a permit was issued. However, the county’s building inspector said he gave Williams the go-ahead to start the house before the permit was issued, citing his authority to do so under Florida law.
In September, Lindsey Reddish sent an email to Commissioner Mac Johns, pointing out that the permit on the job site was for another house, and that no permit had been issued for the home under construction.
Buidling inspector gave go-ahead
Building inspector Wilson Whiddon said allowing builders to start projects before the permit is issued is not unique and occurs one or two times in the county most years.
He added that Florida law grants him the authority to use his judgment in letting a contractor get started before the file for the permit is complete.
He also said his experience with builders he has already worked with may give him additional assurances in green lighting a project before all paperwork is filed. He also denied giving the county coordinator preferential treatment.
“I have inspected a number of projects done by Williams, and he has always done good work,” Whidden said. “I did not do this just for him, I will often do it for established contractors whose work I am familiar with. He did nothing illegal in going ahead with his project. The house had now had its second inspection since the building permit could finally be issued, and I found no problems. It is now framed and dried in, but there is still inside work to be done.”
An attorney, who asked that his name not be used for this story, backed up Whidden’s claim about his authority to approve work before the building permit is issued. He pointed out Chapter 105 of the Florida Statutes which, in part, reads: “After the submittal of the appropriate construction documents, the building official is authorized to issue a permit for the construction of foundations or any other part of a building or structure before the construction documents for the whole building or structure have been submitted.”
Williams said that if he had had to wait for the permit, the project would have been delayed about five months.
Workers’ fault
In responding to accusations that the permit for the project in question was for another house, Williams blamed his employees.
“I told my workers to stop by my shop and pick up a job box,” Williams said. “They got one and didn’t look inside it to ensure it was empty, and it contained the permit from a previous project.”
The county coordinator also accused his critics of trespassing to examine the permits.
“What troubles me is that people went on the construction site and looked in this box,” he said. “That is not legal and is, in fact, trespassing on private property. They broke the law in their attempts to make me out as being a criminal.”
Williams said he is now on track with the permit for his project and is proceeding with the construction.
He added that calls for his termination or resignation based on his contracting business are unfounded. He said that his construction business had not affected his work as county coordinator, nor had he asked for any special treatment in light of his position.
He said the board of commissioners was aware of his business and his contractor’s license when he was hired and, in fact, listed his understanding of construction issues as a plus in fulfilling his position.
Points to successes
The county coordinator pointed to his successes while working for the county. He provided documentation that showed he has been instrumental in the county receiving almost $11 million in grants and appropriations, compared to $380,000 total for the five years before his hiring. He also said his prior employment with FDOT has enabled the county to maximize the number of SCRAP and SCOP grants the county has received and to keep these multiple projects on track.
The county currently has 12 such projects underway, with a total value of $19,581,331.
He claimed he is responsible for securing payment in lieu of taxes, in the amount of $300,000 for the county land used by DOC for staff housing as a recurring appropriation from the Florida Legislature.
Friction with officials
Williams also said that while he has an office in the county building and a family at home, he is often on the road on county business, whether meeting with state officials or at various required grant workshops.
“There has been some friction between myself and other county officials concerning my range of authority and how I do my job,” Williams said, “and I think that may be the source of much of the problems addressed by citizens in their public comments. I have been doing my job according to the job requirements imposed on me by the board of county commissioners at the time of my hiring, and I feel like some of the problems are preventing me from doing my job as I have been told it should be done.”
