§153A-353. Joint inspection department; other arrangements

A county may enter into and carry out contracts with one or more other counties or cities under which the parties agree to create and support a joint inspection department for enforcing those State and local laws and local ordinances and regulations specified in the agreement. The governing bodies of the contracting units may make any necessary appropriations for this purpose.

In lieu of a joint inspection department, a county may designate an inspector from another county or from a city to serve as a member of the county inspection department, with the approval of the governing body of the other county or city. A county may also contract with an individual who is not a city or county employee but who holds one of the applicable certificates as provided in G.S. 153A-351.1 or G.S. 160A-411.1 or with the employer of an individual who holds one of the applicable certificates as provided in G.S. 153A-351.1 or G.S. 160A-411.1. The inspector, if designated from another county or city under this section, while exercising the duties of the position, is a county employee. The county shall have the same potential liability, if any, for inspections conducted by an individual who is not an employee of the county as it does for an individual who is an employee of the county. The company or individual with whom the county contracts shall have errors and omissions and other insurance coverage acceptable to the county.

(1937, c. 57; 1941, c. 105; 1947, c. 719; 1951, c. 651; 1959, c. 940; 1963, c. 639; 1965, c. 371; 1967, c. 495, s. 1; 1969, c. 918; c. 1010, s. 4; c. 1064, ss. 1, 5; c. 1066, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1993, c. 232, s. 1; 1999-372, s. 1; 2001-278, s. 1.)