Congratulations to Property Maintenance and Zoning Specialist Chris McDermott, Isett’s Values in Action winner for May! Chris is recognized for stepping in to take on new responsibilities in support of his team in the Capital Region. Chris has managed to balance this additional work with his present responsibilities. His workload includes reviewing and issuing zoning permits; handling resident questions regarding township ordinances and building permit requirements; and reviewing zoning hearing board applications—preparing the process in accordance with township standards. He investigates and responds to complaints on zoning and code enforcement violations and then initiates legal proceedings when they cannot be amicably resolved. Chris also assists with administrative functions. With the season of summer comes the typical zoning permit requests for fences, sheds, and swimming pools. He aides neighboring boroughs with some of the tougher cases regarding code enforcement—not necessarily his favorite part of the job, but it has been a great learning experience for him and he always comes out wiser than when he went in.
So far, Chris has really enjoyed working with the team at Isett. For years, he had been a small business owner and as much satisfaction as that can provide, it was a relatively lonely experience for him. He likes working with and helping others through situations that require creative and effective solutions. His favorite part of the job is helping residents through the different processes. Being on the other side of the equation for most of his work history, he understands what that experience is like. He never looked forward to the permit and inspection portion of his projects. When he started working at Isett and saw how our team went above and beyond in assisting the residents, Chris realized this was a major role—helping the residents navigate the governmental process. Understanding that some aspects of the process can be painful for all parties involved, he always tries to assist the residents to the best of his ability—charting the course for compliance and safety.
Chris is honored to be recognized by his peers for his service and dedication to the team, and Isett is grateful to have Chris be a part of that team.