With legal troubles associated with the Town of North Haven Building Department now in the past, the town has begun implementing a new software system town-wide that will improve efficiencies related to building permit processes.

First Selectman Michael Freda told residents at this month's Board of Selectmen meeting about the ViewPermit software that will "more seamlessly coordinate the issuing of building permits." He said the system will connect North Haven's offices of Code Enforcement (land use and zoning enforcement), Fire Department, Police Department, Tax Office, and Building Department.

Freda said the town's goal is to process applications and fees remotely and enable residents to pay with credit cards and through PayPal. North Haven purchased the software system through the Connecticut Capital Region Purchasing Council.

Freda explained that processes that once took a couple of days could take only two hours once the implementation is complete.

The software has been installed at the town level and is being tested internally and should be available for members of the public to use by mid-September.

Freda noted that the building department is posting higher building permit revenues. The department collected $27,000 more in permit revenue collections in June 2011 compared to June 2010.

An audit of the Building Department last year showed that North Haven lost more than $60,000 in uncollected building fees. Late last year, the Board of Selectmen officially appointed North Haven resident Elio Floriano as the new building official. His four-year term expires on Nov. 30, 2014.

Floriano replaced Dave Maiden, who was placed on paid leave in spring 2010 as the building department was at the center of a criminal and internal investigation.