§ 138. Building inspector. The town board of any town which shall have adopted a building code, plumbing code, electrical code, housing code, or ordinances, rules and regulations for fire prevention, or for the removal or repair of unsafe buildings or collapsed structures, or for any of such purposes, pursuant to the provisions of this article, may appoint a town building inspector, and in a town of the first class such assistants thereto as the town board may determine necessary, and fix the compensation thereof. Such inspector shall have charge of the enforcement of such codes, ordinances, rules and regulations of the town and of the zoning ordinance of the town, if there be one, and for such purposes such inspector, and his assistants, if any, shall have the right to enter and inspect at any time any building, structure or premises and to perform any other act necessary for the enforcement of such codes, ordinances, rules or regulations, or any of them. In any such town, the town board may appoint a deputy building inspector to assist the building inspector in the duties of his office. Such deputy building inspector and assistant building inspectors shall perform such duties not inconsistent with law as shall be assigned to them, respectively, by the building inspector and in the performance thereof shall have the same right to enter and inspect any building and perform other necessary acts as hereinbefore conferred upon the building inspector.

Any license or permit required, under the provisions of the building code, plumbing code, electrical code or housing code shall be issued by the building inspector or deputy building inspector. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of section thirty-seven of this chapter, the town board may direct that fees for licenses and permits issued by the building inspector or deputy shall be payable to and collected by such inspector.

All charges and expenses, including salaries, incurred by the building inspector and his deputy and assistants in connection with his duties under this section, less fees, collected if any, shall be a charge upon the taxable property of that part of the town outside of any incorporated village and shall be assessed, levied and collected therefrom in the same manner as other town charges levied on property outside of villages.