LYNN — Clint Muche, the city’s deputy building commissioner, is under state scrutiny.
“Clint Muche is not certified as a local building inspector,” said Chris Goetcheus, spokesman for the state’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. “We’re aware of the matter and we’re looking into what duties and functions he may perform as an employee of the city of Lynn.”
But city officials, in response, say Muche’s role within the Inspectional Services Department is administrative, and doesn’t require the certification. The city says at no point does Muche function as, or perform the duties of a local inspector.
Goetcheus said whether Muche requires certification depends on what his job description is for the city — if he is discussing building code and making recommendations on building code, then he needs to be a certified building inspector. Without knowing the facts and circumstances, he said he couldn’t comment further.
When reached by phone, Muche said he had no comment.
But Muche’s boss, Michael Donovan, the city’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD) chief and building commissioner, responded by letter to the state inquiry. He responded to an email from the state’s Office of Public Safety and Inspections, which reportedly referenced that Muche is currently working in the position of local inspector for the city of Lynn. Donovan’s letter was provided to The Item by city officials.
Donovan wrote that Muche, as deputy building commissioner, is the administrative head of the inspectional division, and “at no time does he function as, or perform the duties of a local inspector or building commissioner.”
Donovan said Muche is responsible for direct supervision of all of the inspection division employees, including the chief building inspector and building inspectors, as well as the city sanitarian, health inspectors, food inspector and animal control officer.
“Mr. Muche’s job duties require him to oversee the day-to-day management of all operations of the inspectional division, including supervision of all inspectors in the performance of their duties,” Donovan wrote.
He said ISD is composed of three divisions — the inspectional, public health, and building and grounds. Donovan said the Inspectional Division is responsible for all inspectional, administration, and enforcement duties relating to a building or property, including the enforcement of all building, housing, health, sanitation and safety regulations mandated by the city and state. That includes the provisions of the state building code, pertaining to buildings and other structures, plumbing, gasfitting and gas appliances, electrical wires and fixtures, sanitary code and regulation promoted by the Board of Health.
Within the Inspectional Division, Donovan said there are the titles of chief building inspector, who is required to be certified as a building commissioner and building inspectors, who are required to be certified as local inspectors.
Donovan said that as chief of ISD, he is also the building commissioner, also certified, and is the administrative head of all divisions within the department.
“Mr. Muche, as a division head, is one of the three deputies to the chief, each managing their respective division.
“At any time where an issue may arise where there is a difference of opinion within the division regarding interpretation or enforcement of the building code, I, as the building commissioner, not Mr. Muche, make the decision as to the resolution of the issue and issue direction as to the division’s response in the matter. Mr. Muche has no direct responsibilities in the enforcement of the state building code, only the management of the individuals involved in said enforcement,” Donovan wrote.
