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Routt County’s top building official steps down

Scott Franz
Construction crews in 2008 work on the First Tracks project at the Wildhorse Meadows resort development. The Steamboat Springs City Council in 2013 suspended an ordinance that required developments like First Tracks to offer affordable units in their projects or pay a fee toward their creation.
Matt Stensland

Routt County and the city of Steamboat Springs are looking for a new top building official at a time the permitting and inspection workload is heating up.

County officials recently announced Building Department Director Ben Grush is leaving the job for semi-retirement.

He also wants to be closer to his family in Pennsylvania.



“This is my 16th year of building code enforcement. It’s a hard job, and I’ve decided it’s time for me to retire from building code enforcement,” Grush said Thursday.

Grush said he is interested in getting back into the plumbing, heating and electrical repair industry, where he feels there is more instant gratification.



He said he informed the county of his decision to leave March 31.

The turnover comes at a time of growth for the building department, which is adding new employees in the coming months to meet new demands.

An eighth employee is scheduled to join the department next month, and a ninth will be hired later in the summer, Grush said.

The county ended 2017 with the highest building permit valuation since 2008.

But, there is still room to grow.

The $128 million in valuation last year is still far behind the $330 million in valuation in 2008.

Deputy County Manager Dan Weinheimer will serve as the county’s interim chief building official until Grush’s replacement is hired.

“I’m definitely sorry to see Ben go,” Weinheimer said. “I think he’s been doing a good job for us, keeping a lot of balls in the air. The Regional Building Department is a challenging thing to (oversee) with all of the various masters you have. He’ll be missed.”

Grush’s last day is today.

Grush said that, during his two-and-a-half year tenure, he thinks the building department improved its office environment, implemented new software and advanced more into the digital age by ditching paper inspections.

Grush took the reins of the department in 2014 after a six-month search for a new director to replace longtime building official Carl Dunham.

“I would really like to say the highlight for me, personally, was getting to be a part of Routt County government,” Grush said. “The greater Routt County government … it’s a smooth running machine with a lot of very dedicated individuals and very intelligent people.”

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10


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