Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Controller: OT prevalent for L&I's construction task force

As part of the city Controller’s Office ongoing investigation into the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections, the office found that overtime was prevalent within the department’s Construction Site Task Force.

As part of the city Controller's Office ongoing investigation into the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections, the office found that overtime was prevalent within the department's Construction Site Task Force.

The task force, which was created in 2013 following the fatal building collapse at 22nd and Market, spent a total of $130,000 in overtime in 2014, according to a review by Controller Alan Butkovitz. The overtime was used by 17 members of the 30-person task force, with one inspector earning $50,000 in overtime that year.

The recently completed six-page review mostly focused on the demolition contractor that was placed on a city master demolition list months after the illegal demolition of several properties. But Butkovitz said that while his office was looking through thousands of emails regarding the illegal demolitions in Fairmount, the office found emails sent by L&I supervisors implying that overtime was unlimited.

When a construction task force member asked an inspector if overtime was permitted for a job, the inspector replied:

"Anything you want [expletive] it, there's money to burn. You can work every day if you want."

After reading the Controller's review, L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams called the statement by the inspector "ridiculous."

"No government agency has money to burn," Williams said Wednesday. He added that the task force has been busy and therefore overtime has been necessary.

Williams said the task force often has to work on the weekends to keep tabs on all construction sites.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.