Health and Land Use Assistant

TOWN OF CARLISLE

HEALTH AND LAND USE ASSISTANT

JOB DESCRIPTION

GENERAL

Job Title:

Health and Land Use Assistant

Department:

Board of Health / Building Department

Supervisors:

Health Agent and Building Commissioner, according to assigned departmental work

Hours Worked:

35 hours per week

Salary Grade:

Grade 7

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY

The Health and Land Use Assistant provides administrative, technical, clerical, customer service, permitting, records, and operational support to the Board of Health, Health Agent, Building Commissioner, and permitting departments. The position serves as a primary administrative contact for residents, applicants, contractors, engineers, service providers, and inspectors looking to access the permitting functions of the Town’s land use departments.

The position provides published procedural information, forms, deadlines, fee information, and application status information. Technical, code interpretation, public health, compliance, inspection, approval, and enforcement questions are referred to the Health Agent, Building Commissioner, authorized inspector, or relevant departments.

The position receives and administratively processes health and building permits; assists with permitting applications for the Town’s land use departments, coordinates inspections and departmental routing; maintains official records; processes fees and routine financial documents; prepares correspondence and meeting materials; and assists with records modernization and website maintenance.

The position does not independently interpret or enforce laws, sanitary regulations, or building codes; conduct inspections; approve plans or applications; determine compliance or violations; issue enforcement orders; or exercise the statutory or professional authority of the Health Agent, Building Commissioner, or inspectors.

SUPERVISION

Scope

The employee independently performs varied and responsible administrative support duties requiring judgment, organization, accuracy, confidentiality, and the application of established procedures and regulations. The employee uses approved administrative completeness checklists and documented departmental decisions and refers substantive or technical matters to the appropriate authorized official.

Received

The employee works under the administrative direction of the Health Agent for Board of Health assignments and the Building Commissioner for Building Department assignments.

Given

The employee does not regularly supervise employees, consultants, contractors, volunteers, or temporary staff.

JOB ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed primarily in an office subject to frequent interruptions and regular contact with the public by telephone, email, and in person. The employee uses standard office equipment, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, website management tools, permitting and records software, scanners, printers, copiers, and telephone systems.

The employee handles confidential or sensitive departmental information with discretion. Evening Board of Health meetings may be required. Occasional logistical support may be required during weekend events or emergencies, without emergency command or regulatory decision-making authority.

Work involves regular movement among workstations, service counters, files, and department offices. The employee routinely moves files and office materials weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

1. Board of Health Support

The employee receives and administratively processes Board of Health applications, plans, reports, renewal materials, and fees, including septic, well, food, camp, animal, environmental health, and related departmental records. The employee maintains property, permit, Title V, pumping, soil log, well test, underground tank, and related health records.

The employee schedules inspections, consultant reviews, clinics, meetings, and appointments at the Health Agent’s direction. The employee tracks septic system project documents, fees, notices, inspection scheduling, approvals, and certificates without reviewing technical compliance or issuing approvals.

The employee prepares Board of Health meeting packets, posts agendas, reserves rooms, distributes materials, attends evening meetings when assigned, and records or prepares minutes. The employee sends routine renewal notices and tracks required submissions and deadlines.

The employee provides logistical and clerical support during public health events or emergencies at the Health Agent’s direction. The employee does not act as Health Agent, conduct disease surveillance, make medical recommendations, manage shelters or vaccination operations, or represent the Board as an authorized regulatory agent.

1. Building Department Support

The employee serves as the Building Department’s administrative front counter and telephone contact, provides routine procedural and application status information, and routes technical and code questions to the Building Commissioner or appropriate inspector.

The employee receives building, electrical, plumbing, and gas applications and supporting materials. The employee checks administrative completeness, including required contractor license and insurance documentation, without determining code compliance.

The employee enters applications into Town permitting software; coordinates departmental routing and signoffs; and scans, files, and archives permits and official property records. The employee schedules inspections for the Building Commissioner and electrical, plumbing, and gas inspectors and communicates routine scheduling information to applicants, contractors, and inspectors.

The employee processes Certificates of Occupancy and Certificates of Inspection after required approvals, inspections, and signoffs are documented. The employee reviews approved electrical, plumbing, and gas application records for data entry completeness and follows up regarding missing or incorrect administrative information. The employee organizes inspector paperwork, inspection records, mailings, correspondence, permit logs, street and property files, and routine departmental records.

1. Shared Administrative and Customer Service Support

The employee serves as a primary administrative contact for walk-in, telephone, and email inquiries. The employee provides forms and approved procedural, fee, deadline, and application status information and refers technical, regulatory, medical, code, compliance, inspection, approval, and enforcement questions to the Board of Health, Health Agent, Building Commissioner , and permitting departments.

The employee receives, date stamps, scans, routes, files, and archives applications, plans, reports, permits, certificates, correspondence, and supporting documents. The employee checks submissions for administrative completeness using approved checklists and contacts applicants regarding missing administrative documents without determining substantive compliance.

The employee enters and updates information in permitting systems, spreadsheets, databases, property files, and paper and electronic records. The employee processes fees, receipts, deposits, invoices, purchase orders, payroll documentation, account records, and routine budget reports as assigned.

The employee prepares routine correspondence, memoranda, notices, permits, and certificates after the authorized official has made and documented the substantive decision. The employee tracks application, inspection, renewal, reporting, records, payment, and legal deadlines and refers potential noncompliance, overdue items, and collection issues to the appropriate supervisor.

The employee responds to and coordinates public records requests in consultation with supervisors and in accordance with Town procedures. The employee maintains records under approved retention procedures and assists with scanning, digitization, indexing, public accessibility, and workflow improvements. The employee maintains approved departmental forms, educational materials, web pages, calendars, and public notices and orders supplies and supports mailings and general office operations.

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements

A high school diploma or equivalent and relevant administrative, clerical, customer service, records, permitting, municipal, or public service experience are required. An equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the position’s duties may be accepted.

The employee must be able to attend occasional evening meetings and provide occasional logistical support during emergency or weekend events. The employee must complete required Town training and any assigned introductory incident command or public health orientation within established timeframes.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a busy, public-facing office is preferred. Municipal government, health department, building department, permitting, inspection coordination, or regulatory office experience is also preferred. Professional public health, engineering, construction code, or inspector credentials are not required.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY AND SKILLS

Knowledge

The position requires working knowledge of office procedures, customer service, municipal operations, records retention, public records procedures, and permit and records workflows. General familiarity with Board of Health and Building Department functions is required to explain established administrative procedures and route questions appropriately. Working knowledge of standard office, document management, website, and permitting software is also required.

Ability

The employee must be able to communicate clearly and professionally, orally and in writing; provide tactful and courteous service during frequent interruptions and occasionally difficult interactions; work independently within established procedures; prioritize assignments from two departments; maintain accurate records; and meet deadlines.

The employee must be able to distinguish administrative questions from technical, legal, regulatory, medical, inspection, compliance, approval, and enforcement matters requiring referral. The employee must maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, research records, and obtain routine information without rendering technical interpretations or decisions. The employee must collaborate effectively with the Health Agent, Building Commissioner, inspectors, boards, Town departments, applicants, contractors, and residents.

Skills

The position requires organization, attention to detail, recordkeeping, data entry, proofreading, scheduling, research, and multitasking skills. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, permitting and records software, scanners, and website platforms such as CivicPlus is required. The employee must accurately handle fees, receipts, invoices, and routine financial records.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee regularly walks, stands, sits, talks, hears, reaches, and uses the hands to operate office equipment and handle files and documents. The employee performs keyboard and screen work for extended periods and must be able to communicate effectively in person and by telephone. Vision and hearing must be at or correctable to normal ranges. The employee routinely lifts and moves office materials weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change by the Town of Carlisle as the Town’s needs and the requirements of the position change.