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Community Development hires new building official

Chelan County’s new building official says he approaches his role with Community Development looking to strike a balance between efficiency and safety.

“My attitude and philosophy toward code implementation has always been about how do I help the property owner and their contractors move forward in an efficient, safe manner so that their final product meets their needs and serves the community as a whole,” Building Official Josh Cavallo said. “It’s about striking a balance.”

Cavallo, who started with the department in February, previously worked for Yakima County as a building inspector prior to moving to the Wenatchee Valley for the new position. Cavallo said he applied for the Chelan County job because he was interested in getting back into a management role.

With six years of construction experience, Cavallo is a certified inspector and plans examiner and is currently working on his certification as a building official through the International Code Council. He also brings management experience to the position.

“It is a beautiful community and people seem friendly,” said Cavallo, who also has family in the valley. “I am looking forward to getting to know the building community and the county folks as a whole.”

So just what is a building official?

A building official does onsite evaluations to ensure all the building projects in the county’s jurisdiction comply with international building codes and follow the approved sets of plans for any residential and commercial buildings that have been processed by the department.

At Community Development, the building official serves on the management team. The position oversees the department’s permit technicians, plans examiners and building inspectors.

“The building official plays a key role in any planning department,” said Deanna Walter, director of Community Development. “Safety in building construction is a priority and with such a diverse county in terms of type of construction, snow loads, and building usage, we welcome Josh’s experience.  He is a great addition to our team and understands the commitment we have to our customers and to providing exceptional customer service.”

In his previous position as a building inspector, Cavallo observed the importance of a building official and its function in a community.

“I believe that good communication and consistent, fair evaluation are going to be important things for our team to continue to excel at,” he said. “Having been in construction, I also know that time is money when you're in building, so you want to be able to move forward efficiently so you can move on to the next project. Yet quality and safety are also important. Safety is the world our team lives in.”

On a personal note, Cavallo is looking forward to one day building his own home in Chelan County.

“I’m looking forward to living here. I’d like to build a home here for my family,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with the community to promote safe and efficient home and building practices.”

Last Updated: 05/08/2026 11:13 AM

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