Officials from Wright City are still split on whether the duties of a building inspector will be contracted with an outside firm or continue to be performed by city staff. A decision on what route officials will take may come at the next board of aldermen meeting Aug. 27. At last Thursday's board meeting, city attorney Leslie Tolliver-Rogers was asked to provide a legal opinion on whether the mayor or aldermen have the authority to recommend a firm to be hired. She remarked, depending on state statutes, the city might need a certified individual in place regardless whether the individual is on city staff or will be a contractor. The city has been without a full-time building inspector since firing Ron Mershon July 2008. Mayor Roy White and Alderman Tom Black have both said they want to see building inspections continued by the public works department. The rest of the board - Aldermen Jamey Abercrombie, Angie Reynolds and Jim Schuchmann - have indicated they support contracting with a firm for building inspector services. Abercrombie was absent from last week's meeting. The lone request for qualifications received by the city was from BrickKicker Inspection Services of Foristell. Its bid stated the firm would receive 75 percent of the permit fee designated by the city. The deadline to submit a bid was Aug. 12. Schuchmann said a typical home in Wright City requires a $300 building permit, meaning an outside firm would receive $225 and the city the remaining $75. Last month, Schuchmann said "the city does not lose any money by subcontracting it out. What we do get is a higher level of inspection." Public Works Director Larry Janish handled the inspections last year after Mershon was let go. He said at last week's meeting city employee Harry Harper is handling the inspections this year. Neither is certified to be a building inspector. To become certified, Schuchmann said it would take three to four years for both to complete the required training at the expense of the city. White questioned City Clerk Christine Martin on who gave her the authority to put a legal notice in the newspaper, but she pointed out the board unanimously voted July 9 to advertise the position and seek qualifications from prospective firms. Martin said she checked with the Missouri Municipal League last year about who was authorized to put a name up for hire and was told the motion could be made by aldermen. Schuchmann said after Thursday's meeting the board had previously made hiring recommendations for the position. After White remarked that he had the lone power to recommend a firm, which he said he would decline to do, Tolliver-Rogers said a city ordinance stated the mayor was limited to offering a name for employment for offices in the police department, city attorney, city clerk and other city employees performing minor duties. Tolliver-Rogers stated Janish needed to be certified by Aug. 12. "Even if you keep it in-house, I certainly can't suggest or even recommend Larry does those kind of inspections without being properly certified," she said. "What do you do if someone comes in Monday, then what? Larry wouldn't be certified by Monday. That is a liability for the city." White said he was opposed to hiring a contractor because it would result in the city paying more when someone already on staff is performing the job. "The only problem I have is the cost to the city," White said. However, other city officials and residents have questioned White on how getting Janish certified would save the city money. When asked about his stance on how the city should proceed, Black said "We got a code book. A contractor can check the rules. I think we have enough smarts with Larry and the other guy to do it. You take those set of rules, go out there and check the house. We can do it in-house. There is no reason not to." Mershon was fired for what city officials termed as budgetary reasons. He sued the city in an effort to reclaim his job, but a settlement was reached before the case was decided by a judge. Mershon was paid $32,500 by the city's liability insurance company with the city responsible for a $5,000 deductible.