NORTHAMPTON — When Kevin Ross first joined the Northampton Building Department in 2018 as an inspector, he says he was just looking for a little more of a stable income after a lifetime of working in construction.
“I was getting older, just looking out for the future,” said Ross, 51. “I got a family, so being self-employed, you don’t always know when you’re getting paid and by how much.”
Now, Ross has becomes the third building commissioner for the city in the last four years, taking over from Jonathan Flagg, who retired as commissioner around the end of February. Ross was appointed the new commissioner by a memorandum of Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, and confirmed by the City Council in June.
Prior to Flagg, the commissioner post had been held by Louis Hasbrouck, who served for 10 years before retiring in 2020.
“I learned a lot from Louis,” Ross said of his former superior. “He taught me a lot about building codes and what to look for. He’s actually still helping us out now,” he added, noting that the department hires Hasbrouck as an intermittent inspector.
The building department is crucial for a city like Northampton, which is full of historic buildings that give the city and its downtown an extra charm, but also need be up to code to accommodate modern restaurants and shops inside those buildings that are the main draw for visitors. Ensuring a building is up to code can make or break a prospective business.
In addition to building codes, the responsibilities of the department include zoning enforcement, inspections of non-building structures and liquor licenses inspections. The Northampton Building Department also is responsible for building inspections and zoning enforcement in the nearby town of Williamsburg, which does not have its own building department.
“Every day while doing inspection, you’re going to run into something different,” Ross said. “There are challenges every day with inspections, issues come up, and you have to work with the contractors how to figure out a solution.”
When he’s not serving as building commissioner, Ross helps coach softball, serving as vice president of the Greenfield Girls’ Softball League. Though he lives in Greenfield with his wife and two daughters (one of whom he still coaches), he says he’s come to enjoy serving the city of Northampton.
“Lots of new friends and good relationships have been established since I’ve been here,” Ross said. “I’ve got a good office staff, and a good department.”
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com
