SOAP LAKE - Soap Lake City Planner Darryl Piercy is enlisting the aid of former mayor Wayne Hovde for code enforcement and building inspection duties.

"In an effort to provide increased and better service to the city of Soap Lake, I've come to an agreement with former mayor Wayne Hovde to serve as an employee of Plan It Consulting," Piercy told Soap Lake City Council members last week. "He'll be providing building inspection and code enforcement support so that we'll have more of a daily presence here in town. I think overall it will be a very beneficial move for the city."

Piercy is the owner of Partners with Government LLC, the umbrella company that operates The Permit Center, a building department services provider, as well as Plan It Consulting, a land use planning services provider.

Soap Lake is one of several cities that contracts with the company for code enforcement and planning.

Hovde will be an associate of The Permit Center, Piercy explained, and will conduct inspections and code enforcement as needed and assigned in Soap Lake and other cities.

He will not act as an employee of Soap Lake and his association with The Permit Center will not bring any additional costs to the city, Piercy said.

"He does realize there will be some sensitive situations he will recuse himself from," said current Soap Lake Mayor Raymond Gravelle. Piercy agreed, saying Hovde will report directly to Plan It Consulting and he will make all final decisions in terms of the process and how each situation is handled.

"Since Wayne is the former mayor there may be times where his involvement in a particular task may prove to be uncomfortable for him or pose a conflict," Piercy said. "An example might be a code enforcement action involving an old friend. In such cases others will assume the task to avoid any conflict."

Piercy added the type of service will not change, and Hovde's employment is simply meant to improve and increase the level of service provided.