First Selectman Michael Freda said last week that he is “working side by side” with the state attorney’s office to investigate allegations of undercharging and inconsistencies within the building department.

The allegations were first brought up publicly Dec. 14, when several residents aired concerns about the building department during the public comment portion at the Board of Selectmen meeting. The comments included complaints about inconsistencies in enforcing building regulations, permits and fees.

Resident Gary Amato said that he and others were “very interested in any investigation about building permits in town.”

Resident Cindy Vanacore said she found inconsistencies in department paperwork. “I picked up paperwork in the morning and went back later to get copies again,” Vanacore said. “[Building official] Dave Maiden or someone in his office does change paperwork.” Vanacore’s concern was not related to the allegations below.

The additional allegations are about possible special considerations given to a home improvement project at 19 Knight Lane, the residence of second selectman Tim Doheny, including that he was undercharged on fees for the project.

Doheny applied for a building permit to “enclose portion of front porch for living area,” according to a building application form signed on Aug. 25 by Doheny and Dave Maiden, North Haven’s building official.

Doheny was charged a $75 flat fee, which includes a $30 processing fee, and the construction value was estimated at $10,000, according to the building permit issued to Doheny on Aug. 31.

According to the North Haven construction value & permit fee schedule, effective July 1, 2006, if the porch was intended for a living area, as noted on the permit, Doheny should have been charged $18 for the first $1,000 of construction value, $12 for every additional $1,000 for a total building permit fee of $126.

At issue is whether or not the renovation created a new living area, as stated on the permit, though a simple porch project would not require more than the flat fee charged.

If the project is considered a new living area, then another issue is whether work began before the necessary permits were issued for such work.

“At one point during in the building process, I was told by Dave Maiden that a zoning permit was being imposed and we went out and got the zoning permit,” Doheny said. “Janet McCarty, former town attorney John Parese, and (director of public works) Lynn Sadosky all reviewed my permits in September. I know that because they all told me that. The upshot was that I needed a zoning permit and I got one, even though to this day Dave Maiden doesn’t believe that I need one.”

Doheny was issued a building permit on Aug 31., despite not being given the necessary zoning approval until Sept. 11.

Doheny said North Haven Electric began electric work on his porch project on Sept. 10. Doheny was issued an electrical permit on Sept. 14 for wire renovation, according to the permit obtained at Town Hall.

Doheny was not charged the $100 late fee for starting a job without an electric permit.

“I talked to Dave Maiden numerous times to make sure that I paid whatever I needed to pay,” Doheny said. “I paid whatever Dave said I needed to pay, and I have the records to prove it and they’re there in the building department.”

Maiden declined to comment last week.

A state’s attorney investigator said last week that the department does not comment on ongoing cases.

First Selectman Freda said he is also working with the state building department, and is in the process of gathering information.

“Because the allegations have remained verbal, we’re looking into the documents we have in the building department,” he said.

The allegations began during the previous administration under former First Selectman Janet McCarty. Freda was unsure if McCarty had looked into the matter.

“I’m trying to find out what happened in the previous administration,” Freda said. “I’m trying to find out if a probe took place, and if so, what were the results of the probe.”

When contacted, McCarty confirmed that her administration had begun a probe into the matter, last fall.

“We had a couple of anonymous complaints about the going-ons inside the building department,” McCarty said. “When we finally got some people willing to step up and about it, and once we had people willing to identify themselves and the problems to us, we looked into it and took it to the state attorney’s office.

Although an investigation of the building office has begun, Doheny said that he is unaware of any allegations against him personally.

“I’ve yet to be confronted by anyone,” he said Monday. “No one by name has said that I have done anything wrong. No one has yet to say to me what was wrong with the permits.”

The investigation includes multiple properties in town.