Members need to call or email the Governor of Kansas.

[Nick Gromicko]

I continue to get emails similar to the following:

A MAJOR duty problem with the KHIRB (Kansas Home Inspectors Registration Board), nobody seems to be talking about. If you have a problem or want to file a complaint / Who do you complain to. Everything is Jeff Barnes. There is NO autonomous State Board to write / Just 5 people that 1 man runs.

The Boards address is Jeff Barnes House. If someone has a complaint and calls the Secretary of State or AG's Office with questions or complaints they get referred to Jeff Barnes. The registration application and checks Jeff sent out to some people to PRE-REGISTER go to Jeffs house. ANY records or papers or PRIVATE INFO someone would send in (insurance papers, Bond Certificates, money, etc) goes to Jeffs house. The OFFICIAL site for the KHIRB (Kansas Home Inspector Registration Board) is ( ksinspectors.com ). If you do a whois.com search for ksinspectors.com you find that the owner of record is KAREI (Kansas Association of Real Estate Inspectors) and Jeff Barnes is the Administrative Contact for the ksinspectors.com web site.

If you do a whois.com search for KAREI, you discover Jeff Barnes is the Owner of record and Administrative Contact and everything would then go to Jeffs house. Several people have reported that on multiple occassions at KHIRB meetings OR other govermental hearings OR at Home Inspector seminars or meetings - Mr Jeff Barnes has tried to give the impression that KAREI is the OFFICIAL Kansas Home Inspectors Association for the state AND has tried to channel other inspectors into joining HIS Home Inspectors group though their BELIEF this is THE OFFICIAL INSPECTION ASSOCIATION working for them.

Jeff Barnes has on multiple times tried to get the Secretary of State or KHIRB members to hire Juanita Sanderson in Leavenworth, KS to be Director of the KHIRB (then to be a Civil Service employee of Kansas). Juanita Sanderson is the Office Manager for a Home Inspection Training School run by Tom Lauhon in Leavenworth Kansas called Midwest Inspectors Institute. Ms Sanderson we're told also handles many of Jeff Barnes email blasts AND handles the web site of the KAREI group.

KAREI was formed over 5 years ago by 4 ASHI home inspectors in Wichita, Kansas (Jeff Barnes, Kerry Parham, Tom Beard and Brent Voran). During this time they've had 3 +/- meetings (ALL to discuss getting licensed - NOTHING else). They've never had more than 24-28 inspectors at a meeting with usually about 20 being ASHI and the others belonging to NACHI, NAHI or unaffiliated. KAREI is ASHI for all practical purposes.

The BIG ASHI chapter in KC (Great Plains ASHI) has mostly been run by Midwest Inspectors Institute instructors / owners who have also been on ASHI's National Board of Directors, etc (Tom Lauhon, Miki Mertz, Ron Rusch). The Great Plains ASHI Chapter has PAID dues for its members to JOIN the KAREI group so KAREI could show a large amount of inspectors AND portray themselves as the DOMINATE state Association of Home Inspectors.

We were told by one of the KAREI Officers that when Tom Lauhon brought KAREI 20-30 applications from the Great Plains ASHI Chapter members he asked for a seat on the KAREI Board of Directors. They thought that might be too obvious so gave Tom's partner Miki Mertz a seat on KAREI's Board.
KAREI did NOT have elections of any kind for OVER 5 years - THEY had APPOINTMENTS of themselves to POSITIONS.

Bottom Line - KAREI, the KHIRB, the ASHI Chapters in are a 1-3 person Dog & Pony Show (Jeff Barnes, Tom Lauhon, Kerry Parham, Mikki Mertz, etc).

MANY Kansas home inspectors feel that if they complain, they'll ONLY cut their own throats and end up complaining to Mr Barnes or his Associates AND possibly have repurcussions that can put them out of business by the Home Inspection Cartel Members.

They're wondering how the Kansas Legislature let this get into play AND why the MAJOR media sources aren't having a field day with it

You Kansas inspectors really need to start contacting the Governor about this guy. Mr. Barnes has issued himself license #1 before anyone else can get a license. He advertises to the public that he got the first license in Kansas thus enriching himself personally by way of his public office. This despite his "B minus" Better Business Bureau rating. He continues to "misplace" all of InterNACHI's course approval applications.

Here is the phone number for the Governor of Kansas: (785) 296-3232
Here is where you can send an email for the Governor of Kansas: http://governor.ks.gov/comment

[James H. Bushart]

I will take it one more step....and ask ALL NACHI members to assist in this.

Call or write and post your responses to this thread. Let the Governor of Kansas know that Barnes' bias offends ALL of us.

[James H. Bushart]

Here was my email. I will call him tomorrow to follow-up and see if he got it.

Please respond to the letter sent to you by the law firm representing InterNACHI regarding the jaded and biased actions taken by various members of the registration board. Two months before the law is to be implemented, the Chairman has awarded himself the Registration Number of "1" and has advertised on his website that it represents a "credential". The Vice Chairman, a lawyer, is offering clients who pay him $375 his services in "navigating around" a law he was appointed to help implement. Bias against some competitors is already evident, as is bias in favor of those who support his questionable activities has your registration board already embroiled in controversy for a law that does not come into effect until January. Once again, Governor, please respond to the letter sent to you by Mark Cohen, atty for InterNACHI.

[Steven D. Farnsworth]

I have tried many times to notify the Gov., Lt. Gov.and Secretary of State via e-mail and never received a response. Although, someone I know very well received a response from a letter. Gary, post all the e-mail contacts for Senators etc on this site so we can start flooding their e-mail system. We are less than 45 days out with a corupt board, law and system. Kansas Dept of Ag puts this bill and board to shame in comparrision to Pest Control Licensing.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

One thing I've seen at the legislature is that if you want to be noticed / You send a letter.

Its too easy to delete emails. Send letters OR half or more will never get read.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by dbowers

Onething I've seen at the legislature is that if you want to be noticed / You send a letter.

Its too easy to delete emails. Send letters OR half or more will never get read.

Post what you write in your letter for others to see and get an idea from.

[James H. Bushart]

bump

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

This may be the reason for emails not getting through...

https://secure.consumersunion.org/si...Action&id=1161

[Gary L. Farnsworth]

Nick, can you send me that packet of addresses to lawmakers in Kansas again if you have them? I will try to call Senator Wysong tomorrow and try to set up a meeting with him.

[Patrick Carter]

Gary,

Here ya go!

KansasHouseMembersList.pdf

KansasSenateMemberList.pdf

[James H. Bushart]

I hope that people are still actively involved in this issue.

Unconfirmed reports say that the attorney who offered to sell his services to "navigate around" the HI law is no longer a member of the HI Board.

We continue to wait to hear of news of Mr. Barnes, the current Chairman.....

Keep those calls, cards and letters going in folks. People are starting to listen.....

[Paul Sabados]

Just heard the same rumor, trying to validate.

[Gary L. Farnsworth]

The cookie is crumbling.

[James H. Bushart]

I spoke to a reporter who is investigating the actions of the board for a report he is doing and he told me that the Governor's office informed him today that a new vice chairman has been elected.

This does not necessarily mean that Mr. Robinson is not still, IMO, selling his services, as an insider, to those who need to "navigate around" the law.

[Paul Sabados]

Interesting, with the lack of HOME inspectors on the current board, it could only be one person then. Unless of course they're not following the scope of the law, or have signed in another ringer.