The city Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) recently announced the kickoff of three technology initiatives as a major step and significant factor in fixing the backlogged building permit process. But paramount and key to the implementation of these technologies and the overall transformation of the department is our staff.

When fully implemented, the new Clariti/Speridian Permitting Software System, Avolve electronic plans upgrade, and CivCheck artificial intelligence in the code review, will empower and equip DPP to more effectively and efficiently perform our services to the public. These companies and our sister city agencies are facilitating project implementation, but the heavy lift is on the backs of DPP engineers, building plans examiners, inspectors, planners, technology administrators and others.

The hard work invested by staff in these technology improvements began long before last month’s press announcement. An internal staff team vetted 15 vendors for the permitting software, and procurement of each initiative required extensive scoping, negotiations and reviews to reach this point, a major milestone and accomplishment in itself. But now, while staffers continue to provide day-to-day operations and services, they have begun mapping DPP processes, and analyzing and testing the three technologies, to ensure that the development of each is optimized to provide systems that best serve the public’s needs.

The timetables for the implementations include “sprints,” acknowledging the speed and intensity of each. As staff time is taken away from normal operations to focus on these projects, there will be slowdowns in permitting.

We anticipate bumps in the road and many ups and downs throughout implementation, as these are complex and in some ways uncharted areas in technology and permitting. The resiliency and resolve of staff, who have endured more challenges than most governmental employees, will help to troubleshoot and scrutinize the inputs and outputs along the way.

DPP Technology Administrator Abe Toma and Executive Officer Regina Malepeai are helping the team navigate each project, while monitoring areas and ways to support staff throughout.

In answer to the Star- Advertiser editorial, “Scrutinize rollout of permit system” (Our View, April 9): Yes, we will continue to share this journey with industry, potential users and the public, and will request their participation to optimize customer benefits from the system. Training for customers is an integral part of implementation, which will further lend to the success of the systems.

Notably, the dedication of DPP staffers to not just perform their day-to-day jobs but to drive these technology projects and the transformation of the department is monumental. Our investment in our staff beyond and outside of these technology initiatives is of high priority.

We continue to develop training curriculum, streamline processes, partner with the city Department of Human Resources and the HGEA labor union to raise salaries, and to provide clear career pathways in DPP, which will help to sustain optimum operations of these upcoming systems.

House Bill 1758, Senate Draft 1, soon to enter a conference committee in the state Legislature, is one of many important and urgent DPP initiatives to support our staff and their careers at DPP. The bill creates parity for government engineers who review building permit plans to sit for the engineer licensing examination following sufficient years of experience at DPP. As Sen. Angus McKelvey stated at the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, this bill can “allow (government engineers) to do the meaningful work that is so desperately needed, but still get licenses.”

I thank staff for all they’ve done and continue to do to improve DPP while providing important public services, and we will continue to fight for the tools and opportunities they need to create our success.