Building Inspector Says Goodbye: Northborough Crossing Most Satisfying Achievement

It's time to relax. That's why Bill Farnsworth, who has been the town's building inspector for 20 years, says he's retiring.

"I have been at this job for a long time, and the time is right," said Farnsworth.

Farnsworth started as Northborough's building inspector on July 1, 1992, and then, the job also included working as a member of the fire department.

"I love the community, the people here at the town offices, the Fire Department and the different staff people," said Farnsworth when asked what he loves about Northborough. "I have really enjoyed working here and meeting new people; many have become good friends."

Farnsworth commented that the departments in Northborough worked well together.  

The building inspector faces remarkable challenges in the town. Sometimes, Farnsworth's decisions can literally affect a business coming to town (or not), the size of a structure, or even the signs a company can use. 

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

The process of renovating Algonquin Regional High School comes to mind as one of the "biggest challenges" Farnsworth faced over the years.

"That took six years, and a lot of inspections," he said, commenting that other remarkable challenges included the renovation of National Grid, Genzyme Corporation, the Avalon Bay residential project, and Northborough Crossing (which was formerly known as "The Loop").

"I have countless fond memories of the people I have met, the job and the 20 years here," said Farnsworth. "It is difficult to single out any one of them. The most satisfying achievement was the completion of Northborough Crossing." 

One of the most recent issues Farnsworth has tackled is the complaint of too many business signs littering the main streets of town. The signage has declined, and Farnsworth says, "They are complying with the zoning sign regulations."

A replacement for Farnsworth has not been announced.