Anthony Orozco | Reporter
Anthony Orozco is a former reporter for the Reading Eagle.
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Thursday January 10, 2019 09:41 PM
Reading loses chief building officer
Adrian Koerner retired from his post in mid-December, leaving the city with at least three top positions with interim titles.
Written by Anthony Orozco
City Hall lost another administrator last month, leaving the Reading with at least three top positions with interim titles.
Former Chief Building Officer Adrian Koerner said that he left his post in mid-December after 21/2 years.
"It was time for me to retire," said Koerner, keeping his explanation short. He said he plans on traveling, with his sights set on Europe.
The chief building officer is responsible for writing modifications to the city's building code; developing procedures to obtain building and trades permits; and managing the Building and Trades Division budget, among other tasks, according to the city's website.
Osmer Deming, acting city managing director, spoke well of Koerner in a written statement last week.
"He has left the City of Reading on good terms," Deming said. "The mayor has nothing negative to say and neither do I.
"On the contrary, both the mayor and I think highly of Adrian and I worked with him on a couple of matters here and always found him to be extremely knowledgeable and highly professional."
Tim Waldman is acting as building/trades inspector for that office, according to Deming, who did not clarify this week if the position was the same as chief building official.
A City Council ordinance last month that established positions for 2019 did not list building/trades inspector.
"I believe that Tim (Waldman's) main background is in the electricity field, but he has served in the acting role in the past," Deming said. "The city is actively looking for a replacement for Adrian."
Deming did not respond over the past two weeks to requests for information on Koerner's salary, Waldman's salary and whether Waldman's salary had been increased since he assumed his new post.
In recent months, the city has done its fair share of juggling to fill important positions.
City Controller Donald Pottiger serves in a dual capacity; he is also acting administrative services director. The city has lacked a permanent administrative services director since Matthew Bembenick resigned in 2015.
Pottiger and Deming said at council's strategic planning meeting Monday night that they are looking to fill the position, but are having trouble finding a qualified candidate due to the requirement that the person holding the position live in the city. Pottiger held the position of acting administrative services director once before, from March 2015 to March 2016.
The "acting" label was then passed to Josephina Encarnacion, and then to former City Managing Director W. Glenn Steckman III in July 2017.
Contact Anthony Orozco: 610-371-5015 or aorozco@readingle.com.