Approved Minutes — original pdf
Approved Minutes
ELECTRICAL BOARD REGULAR CALLED MEETING APPROVED MINUTES 15 OCTOBER 2025 The ELECTRICAL BOARD convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on 15 OCTOBER 2025, at 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR. in Austin, Texas. Chair JOHNSON called the ELECTRICAL BOARD Meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Chairman: Johnson, Deshaine, Goss, Grant, Hernandez, King, Shope and Wallace Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: None attended remotely PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Russell Mulling registered to speak but elected not to speak APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1 The minutes from the meeting of August 20, 2025 were approved on Grant motion, Goss second on a 8-0 vote. Board member Cochren and Vice Chair Flores were absent DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Austin Energy Criteria Manual update- Robert Ruiz provided that early December or early January, the criteria manual would be released. It is currently in the AE Standards division being worked on. The projection is to eliminate some verbiage so that contractors can be more aligned with the NEC. 3. Austin Energy Inspection Process on Electrical Permits- Robert Ruiz with Austin Energy provided that the Austin Energy processes have been implemented and is currently in a test environment. This will allow contractors to use the AB+C portal and the inspection IVR phone line to request CT inspections, spot and conduit inspections and also modular metering without emailing AE for requests of these inspections. 4. Discussion: Plan Review updates- Commercial plan review staff James Epperson provided a comparison to the board of fiscal year 24 and 25 of electrical review. In 2024, plan review overlooked 3606 reviews with a 98% on time and fiscal year 25, 3473 reviews 1 were performed with a 96% on time ratio. This was completed with 3 electrical reviewers with one vacancy. 5. Discussion on Building and Trade Contractors service (BTCS) update on staff and workload- Manager Maria Jaramillo provided that the building and trade contractor services lost 3 site and sub inspectors who were assisting with the BTCS with permitting processes. Currently in a hiring freeze, staff is offering overtime work for those wanting to work overtime. Currently in the process of hiring 3 temporary employees as interviewing of these positions are ongoing. Will be receiving assistance from an Austin Code staff in the coming days for additional help. 6. Update on Commercial and Residential Inspections- Residential supervisor Aaron Finney updated that residential inspection is sitting at 98.5 percent on time with currently 3 vacancies. Numbers from last fiscal year at this time, residential inspections performed 11K inspections that were related to new construction and addition and remodel permits. This fiscal year, those numbers are at 8K total electrical inspections. Commercial Division manager of building inspections Marty Starrett indicated commercial electrical inspections in fiscal year 2024-2025 performed 24,091 inspections with an overall 90% on time inspection with a loss of electrical inspector in May. Residential was able to assist with 3K of those inspections. 7. Discussion on NEC workgroup- Marty Starrett Commercial Building Division Manager of inspections updated the board that 3 workgroup sessions have taken place. Should be wrapping up in November. Austin fire will participate in that November workgroup to review the main disconnect, in hopes to remove that amendment from the ordinance. Also removed was a large portion of the homestead exemption permits and referred it to the building criteria manual. Edited the annual permits slightly and remove the word “specifications” from the plan review amendments. Recommendation is currently being forecasted for a January or February time frame. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. Discussion and possible action to approve the 2026 Electrical Board schedule The motion to approve 2026 Electrical Boad scheduled was approved on Deschaine motion, Grant second on a 8-0 vote. Board member Cochren and Flores were absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 1. Discussion on Austin Energy Criteria Manual update 2. Discussion on Commercial Plan Review Update 3. Discussion on Residential and Commercial inspection updates on vacancies and inspections. 4. Discussion and updates on Building and Trade contractor services. 5. Report on the NEC workgroup 2 ADJOURN: Board member Goss made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Board member Grant seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-0. Meeting adjourned at 10:33 am. The minutes were approved at the November 19, 2025 meeting on Shope motion, Goss second on a 6-0 vote. 3