Certified Municipal Building Officials, Health and Zoning
Municipal contracts are won on trust, verifiable expertise, and absolute administrative objectivity. Every credential below is current, numbered, and independently verifiable.
OUR CREDENTIALS
ICC Certified Building Official
CBO #9562330
MA Certified Building Commissioner
BO-2199
MA Unrestricted Construction Supervisor
CS-062570
NH Approved Agency Qualified
RSA 155-A:7
NH DHHS Trained Local Health Officer
RSA 128:8
Who Administers Local Code Services for Chapter 1?
Chapter 1 LLC is led by Robert Garside, an ICC Certified Building Official and Massachusetts Certified Building Commissioner with over 40 years of industry experience, and Matthew Garside, an ICC Certified Residential Inspector. Together, they deliver credentialed code enforcement, building inspections, and public health officer support to New England municipalities.
Our firm was built on the understanding that municipal contracts are won on trust, verifiable expertise, and absolute administrative objectivity. Municipal administrators, planning boards, and town attorneys require code enforcement partners who possess deep regulatory knowledge, practical field experience, and a thorough understanding of New England town operating systems.
The Standard That Guides Daily Operations
To provide a reasonable level of life safety, health, and general welfare to every community we serve.
As established by the International Code Council, this is the fundamental purpose of building officials — and it serves as the standard that guides our daily operations. We accomplish this mission by:
Consistent, Defensible Code Application
Applying practical, consistent, and legally defensible interpretations of State Building, Health, and Zoning Codes.
Open Professional Communication
Maintaining clear, open, and professional communication with property owners, contractors, design professionals, and municipal administration.
A Unified Municipal Presence
Working collaboratively with all Town Departments, Boards, and Town administration to ensure a unified municipal presence.
Public Safety and Volume Management
Addressing administrative and physical conditions that threaten public safety, while helping towns manage seasonal volume surges and staffing shortfalls.
Personnel and Credentials
Robert Garside
PRINCIPAL & LEAD CODE CONSULTANT
Robert Garside serves as the lead municipal code consultant and president of Chapter 1llc He brings a distinguished career spanning over 40 years in the construction industry, progressing from practical, hands-on field experience to upper corporate management. Since 2019, he has served as an appointed municipal leader, directing building and zoning departments across adjacent New England communities.
- ICC Certified Building Official (CBO #9562330) —
Grants full technical authority to administer building departments, perform complex commercial plan reviews, oversee trade inspections, and lead SB 188 Approved Agency reviews.
- Massachusetts Certified Building Commissioner ( BO-2199) —
Certified by the Massachusetts Building Official Certification Committee to serve as an Inspector of Buildings, Building Commissioner, or Local Inspector under M.G.L. c. 143 § 3.
- Massachusetts Unrestricted Construction Supervisor ( CS-062570) —
Held continuously since 1997, validating practical, hands-on structural expertise and construction control.
- NH DHHS Trained Local Health Officer (RSA 128:8) —
Completed formal New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services training, qualifying him for direct local municipal appointment to enforce sanitary and housing fitness standards.
- Proven Public Standing — Formally appointed as Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer for the Town of Henniker, New Hampshire, among other municipalities.
Matthew Garside
CERTIFIED RESIDENTIAL INSPECTOR
Matthew Garside brings specialized residential code expertise, technical precision, and active field inspection capability to Chapter 1 LLC's municipal engagements. He currently serves as the actively appointed Building Inspector and Code Enforcer for many towns in New Hampshire, where he conducts residential field inspections under the direct supervision of Certified Building Official Robert Garside.
- ICC Certified Residential Building Inspector (#10252512) —
Certified to conduct comprehensive structural field inspections for one- and two-family dwellings under the International Residential Code.
- ICC Certified Residential Plumbing Inspector (#10252512) —
Certified to inspect residential plumbing and drainage systems under the International Plumbing Code and state amendments.
- Local Government Roots — Trusted with direct public appointment, managing day-to-day building department inspections and code enforcement for active New Hampshire communities.
Patrick Sweeney
CERTIFIED RESIDENTIAL INSPECTOR
Pat is the newest member of our team and brings specialized residential code expertise, and active field inspection capability to Chapter 1 LLC's municipal engagements. He currently conducts residential field inspections, permitting and code enforcement under the direct supervision of Certified Building Official Robert Garside.
- ICC Certified Residential Building Inspector (#10572213) —
Certified to conduct comprehensive structural field inspections for one- and two-family dwellings under the International Residential Code.
Premium Department Coverage, Shared Across Towns
Municipalities across New England frequently struggle with severe code department imbalances. A sudden surge in residential or commercial subdivisions can overwhelm a local inspector, while tight municipal budgets make hiring additional full-time personnel financially unfeasible.
Chapter 1 LLC solves this operational bottleneck through our regionalized, shared-services model. By sharing highly credentialed, certified code professionals across neighboring New Hampshire and Massachusetts towns, local governments can secure premium, on-demand department administration.
Access experienced plan reviewers and inspectors immediately, keeping local development moving without administrative delay.
Eliminate Permitting Backlogs
Prevent single-point-of-failure risk: if an inspector is unavailable, another certified professional from our regional team steps in seamlessly.
Ensure Operational Continuity
Secure full-time, professional department coverage for a part-time price, removing long-term pension, healthcare, and benefit liabilities from the municipal budget.
Control Taxpayer Costs
Codes Change. So Does Our Training.
Building and life-safety codes are constantly changing. State legislatures regularly update adopted model codes — such as New Hampshire's transition to the 2024 ICC standards and the 2023 National Electrical Code.
To protect our client communities from administrative and legal vulnerabilities, our inspectors maintain rigorous continuing education standards. We participate in active code development, attend regional conferences, and complete specialized code trainings through our active professional memberships.
ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- International Code Council (ICC)
- New Hampshire Building Officials Association (NHBOA)
- Metro West Building Officials Association (MWBOA)
Talk Directly With a Certified Building Official
Send the basics — your community, what you're facing, and your timeline. You'll hear back from Robert directly, not a sales desk.
