JAY – James Butler has been hired as building inspector and deputy code enforcement officer. He will work eight hours a week and be paid $16 an hour.

Butler, 21, is a graduate of Jay High School and is a captain on the Jay Fire-Rescue Department.

He also attended Southern Maine Community College and was a live-in student at the Gorham Fire Department. He majored in fire science technology and took courses in fire service, building construction, fire protection systems, and fire inspection, among others.

He also works for Crown Chemicals, a Georgia-based company, and does work for the business at paper mills in Jay and Rumford. He is also a part-time tow truck driver for Hilltop Collision Center in Jay.

Butler was introduced to selectmen Monday night. The board is holding a workshop at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the town office to determine what laws it will authorize Butler to enforce.

The town enforces state laws by complaint only now.

Butler said he is required to be certified as a code enforcement officer within six months of starting the job.

As building inspector, “It will be my job to make sure buildings are structurally sound and the spread of fire won’t be welcome in these buildings. … I’m not out to shut buildings down. Not at all. I’m out to help people make buildings safer.”

It is also important that firefighters know what buildings are structurally sound before they enter them, he said. If there is a dangerous building, they should know about it, he added.

“I’m pretty excited about the job. I’m pretty happy,” he said. “I’m also a little nervous. … I plan to be fair.”

Butler lives with his girlfriend, Ashley Rand in Jay.