Oyster Bay drops electrical inspector plan

The Town of Oyster Bay has agreed to scrap a controversial proposal to change how homeowners choose electrical inspectors to review work by electricians. But it still plans to increase oversight of the inspectors.

Supervisor John Venditto said Tuesday he was backing away from changing regulations that allow homeowners to pick their own inspector from an approved list. The town's proposal for it to "randomly" select inspectors to review projects prompted criticism and a lawsuit by five electrical inspection firms.

Inspectors said Wednesday Venditto was offering a reasonable compromise, and Steven Cohn, the Carle Place attorney representing the inspectors, said the lawsuit probably would be withdrawn.

"I think we would be willing to go along with a process that allows the homeowner to select the inspector and allow the inspector to do his or her work," Venditto said. "But at that point we're going to need some oversight over the inspection process and the ultimate report that is issued so the township is satisfied that it was done properly."

Venditto said town officials will meet with inspectors and electricians to work out an acceptable review process.

"We don't have a problem with the town making sure that everybody is doing what they're supposed to be doing," said Charlie Gardner, government affairs representative for the National Electrical Contractors Association's Long Island chapter. "You have to have some oversight."

John Cochrane, who runs Long Island Electrical Inspectors Inc. of Bay Shore and was elected last week to Islip's town board, said, "It's fair for everybody."