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Newsroom Tuscola County Partners with SAFEbuilt for Building Services

October 12, 2021

Caro, MI – Tuscola County, Michigan has partnered with SAFEbuilt for their Building Department Services. This new partnership will increase the level of customer service residents and builders can expect from the county building department and better position the county to respond to future growth. “We had been doing things the same way for nearly twenty years, so we decided it was time to reevaluate our system” County Commissioner Thomas Bardwell said, “We want only the best
for our residents, without sacrificing quality or safety, which is what we’ve found with SAFEbuilt.”

SAFEbuilt will be providing all building department services for the communities of Tuscola County. Processing permits, plan reviews and multi-trade inspections are among the services that will be provided out of a newly opened office in Caro. “I think Tuscola residents are really going to notice a difference in working with our team,” Kellie Lindsey, Account Manager for SAFEbuilt shares, “Tim Gardner, the new county Building Official, has extensive industry experience and has been part of our team for several years. He is passionate about building safety and does a fantastic job communicating and resolving issues that may arise with contractors.”

In addition to a local office, SAFEbuilt has implemented, CommunityCore, an online permitting system to help support the community. This increase in digital capabilities  will provide a number of service enhancements including online applications, electronic payments, and real-time status updates on permits and inspections. “CommunityCore helps to create a level of transparency throughout the department,” Vice President of Account Management for SAFEbuilt, Steve Burns, explains, “We are able to provide detailed reports to the Board on development activity and look for trends to help plan for the future.”

SAFEbuilt’s contract officially began on October 1 but the team has been meeting with developers for several weeks on some of the larger projects that are in the works. Both Tuscola County leadership and the SAFEbuilt team have jumped in to ensure this new partnership is set up for success, both now and for years to come.