WA. Home Inspection Advisory Board Appointed.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by dvalley

John,

Great job. You're lucky I'm not in Texas with you because I'd be right there with you on the front page (I'd be your competition). I'm all over Google's front page also.

Google search - "thermal imaging massachusetts inspector"
Google search - "infrared imaging massachusetts inspector"

If you come to Texas, I will try to easy on you...

[Harold E. Miller]

Originally Posted by pdoane

The Governor has appointed the Home Inspector board members. The members are:

- Steven L. Smith, Bellingham
- Michael O’Handley, Kenmore
- Bruce MacKintosh, Woodinville
- William D. Meyer, Spokane
- Deb Wenneman, Vashon
- David M. Pioli, Bothell
- Stephen Cancler, Seattle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING
PO Box 9020, Olympia, Washington 98507-9020

Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board

Meeting Agenda






DATE: August 7, 2008

PLACE: Renton City Hall
Council Chambers Room 702
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
(425) 430-6500

CONTACT
PERSON: Jerry McDonald, Assistant Administrator
(360) 664-6524
Email: jmcdonald@dol.wa.gov

CALL TO ORDER: Jerry McDonald

ORDER OF AGENDA: OPEN SESSION 9:00 am

A. Welcome

B. Approval of Agenda

C. Introduction of Board Members and Staff/Roll Call

D. Board Ethics, Investigations, Others

E. Adoption of Rules of Order

F. Election of Board Chair

G. Election of Board Vice-Chair

H. Staff explanation of Subcommittee work and organization

I. Creation of Subcommittees
· Education
· Changing Business Practices
· Other

J. Chair appointments to subcommittees

K. Topic assignments to subcommittees
· Education
o Administration of Exam
o Recognition of Exams
o Pre-license Education
o Continuing Education
o Other

· Changing Business Practices
o Standards of Practice
o Standards of Conduct
o Written Reports
o Other

L. Approval of board meeting dates and locations

M. Other Business

Adjourn

The Department of Licensing has a policy of providing equal access to its services. If you need special accommodation, please contact (360) 664-6524 or TTY (360) 664-8885.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OTHER LINKS...
DOL Home Inspector Home page:
www.dol.wa.gov/business/homeinspectors/

This is written and produced by the Department of Licensing. Please send comments to Jerry McDonald at jmcdonald@dol.wa.gov.

Hey Steven;
Congratulations on your appointment to the board!

[Steven L. Smith]

Thanks Harold. Appreciate the thought.

[Steven L. Smith]

The first board meeting was today in Renton. In answer to the question, all meetings are intended to be "transparent" in that the public is encouraged to attend. That applies to sub-committees as well. There are three sub-committees -- education, licensing, business/standards of practice. The state will post dates of the various meetings. The public is encouraged to speak at the end of the meeting.

[Steven C. Meyer]

Originally Posted by sstanczyk

Looks like an ASHI heavy Board to me. Wenneman, Meyer, MacKintosh and O'Handley are all ASHI whether they hold a membership card or not. Who wants to go to the first meeting to see how bad we will get it up the crawl space?

Stephen

And this does not surprise you?? OHandley (and others) have always maintained they are independents (wanta buy a bridge?), The consequence of this law, and those who advanced it, has come to pass, over the objections of many of us. It is all what I expected and feared as this law was being proposed,, (by a group of various individuals with their own agenda) and then pasased.

With the high cost of a license, and other unintended consequences surely to come out of this, the cost of doing business in this state will definately hit our bottom line.

With the 2.7 billion dollar state budget shortfall, 70 million dollar king county budget shortfall, and Kirklands 2 plus million budget shortfall, me thinks it time to cut and run.

What do we have to look forward to? Increase in the B&O tax?, sales tax?, and property tax?, even as the value of that property has declined.!!!!

This board is "payback" to those individuals by the Queen (aka governor) of this state.

As with all licensing laws, they are not for tje benefit of the consumer nor for the benefit of the majority of those being licensed. The only ones who benefits from such laws, is the state in controlling our lives, and those few individuals who push such laws for their own self interest.

We have, in this state, a very uncertain and shaky future, as our cost of doing business goes up, cost of living here goes up, and no end of control by Olympia in our lives. How much can we raise our prices to offset these costs, and if we can or do, what's next, price controls by the governor of what we can charge for our services? Anything is possible in the Peoples Republic of Washington state!!!

For those of you who backed licensing, be careful of what you wished for, it is going to come back and bite even you!!!

[dharris]

[

quote=Steven C. Meyer

And this does not surprise you?? OHandley (and others) have always maintained they are independents (wanta buy a bridge?), The consequence of this law, and those who advanced it, has come to pass, over the objections of many of us. It is all what I expected and feared as this law was being proposed,, (by a group of various individuals with their own agenda) and then pasased.

With the high cost of a license, and other unintended consequences surely to come out of this, the cost of doing business in this state will definately hit our bottom line.

With the 2.7 billion dollar state budget shortfall, 70 million dollar king county budget shortfall, and Kirklands 2 plus million budget shortfall, me thinks it time to cut and run.

What do we have to look forward to? Increase in the B&O tax?, sales tax?, and property tax?, even as the value of that property has declined.!!!!

This board is "payback" to those individuals by the Queen (aka governor) of this state.

As with all licensing laws, they are not for tje benefit of the consumer nor for the benefit of the majority of those being licensed. The only ones who benefits from such laws, is the state in controlling our lives, and those few individuals who push such laws for their own self interest.

LOL Stevie's back. I was wondering what happened to you
Quick questions for ya.
Did you summit your name for any of the committee's in your state.
Or did you choose to do nothing and just sit back and bash the ones that chose to get involved?,

Being the smart business man you claim to be, how will adding $6-8 per inspection, the additional cost of doing business with licensing, put home inspectors out of business??








</IMG></IMG>

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by Steven C. Meyer

Stephen

And this does not surprise you?? OHandley (and others) have always maintained they are independents (wanta buy a bridge?), The consequence of this law, and those who advanced it, has come to pass, over the objections of many of us. It is all what I expected and feared as this law was being proposed,, (by a group of various individuals with their own agenda) and then pasased.

With the high cost of a license, and other unintended consequences surely to come out of this, the cost of doing business in this state will definately hit our bottom line.

With the 2.7 billion dollar state budget shortfall, 70 million dollar king county budget shortfall, and Kirklands 2 plus million budget shortfall, me thinks it time to cut and run.

What do we have to look forward to? Increase in the B&O tax?, sales tax?, and property tax?, even as the value of that property has declined.!!!!

This board is "payback" to those individuals by the Queen (aka governor) of this state.

As with all licensing laws, they are not for tje benefit of the consumer nor for the benefit of the majority of those being licensed. The only ones who benefits from such laws, is the state in controlling our lives, and those few individuals who push such laws for their own self interest.

We have, in this state, a very uncertain and shaky future, as our cost of doing business goes up, cost of living here goes up, and no end of control by Olympia in our lives. How much can we raise our prices to offset these costs, and if we can or do, what's next, price controls by the governor of what we can charge for our services? Anything is possible in the Peoples Republic of Washington state!!!

For those of you who backed licensing, be careful of what you wished for, it is going to come back and bite even you!!!

Good post. The truth behind the motivation of those pushing it extends beyond the borders of your state.

[Harold E. Miller]

Originally Posted by ssmith

The first board meeting was today in Renton. In answer to the question, all meetings are intended to be "transparent" in that the public is encouraged to attend. That applies to sub-committees as well. There are three sub-committees -- education, licensing, business/standards of practice. The state will post dates of the various meetings. The public is encouraged to speak at the end of the meeting.

Thanks for the update Steven. I was thinking about attending that meeting. However I had two last minute bookings, making a full schedule for Thursday.

I looked at the DOL site for the meeting minutes, but they are not posted yet. Was there anything of interest talked about? Maybe a short summary?

[Steven L. Smith]

Harold,

Basically the chair was selected, Bruce MacIntosh and vice-chair Micheal O' Handley. Three sub-committees were setup -- standards of practice/business; education and testing; licensing. I am on licensing which will work closely with the other two. There is a fine line between some of the duties.

A few members of the public spoke. Interestingly enough, some suggested that home inspectors should be IRC code inspectors.

I have to be careful what I say so remarks are not misinterpreted as being the opinion of the whole board. Facts should be safe. There will be several more meetings. Two full board meetings before year end and several sub-committee meetings, each committee, between now and then. The public is encouraged to go to all of these, sub-committee or board meetings, and time is given for those people to speak. The whole idea is for meetings to be transparent, not secretive. The legislature passed a law with many specifics but, within that law, the board has to define the specifics such as testing -- what to use; what education and continuing ed; is there reciprocity with other states; what are the standards of practice, etc.

[Harold E. Miller]

Thanks for the information Steven. I will need to make time to get to the next meeting, to follow the process, and understand how our business will be impacted.

If nothing else it may be a source of entertainment. Like the suggestion that home inspectors should be IRC inspectors. When the public is asked what they think, that is what you get.
.....I have a better suggestion, maybe the city code inspectors should be trained to recognize IRC violations...

Any idea when the next meeting will be?

[Steven L. Smith]

Harold,

Actually it was not the general public speaking. I mean, they were the public but not as you expect. The people are presently working, at least parttime, as home inspectors under the present system but they are certified as code inspectors. One of them is working for a city. Not sure just when but the minutes of the meeting will be posted by the state, so you will be able to read the full remarks.

[Harold E. Miller]

Oh I understand now. Inspectors with their ICC certifications, that want everyone else in the industry to get their R-5 certification.

Wonder what their angle is on that?

I don't see how being ICC certified makes anyone that much better a home inspector. Especially when many of the homes we are inspecting were built well before todays' codes.

I doubt there is any other state with HI licensing, which makes ICC certification a requirement.

My suspicion is that the intentions for the suggestion is (a) to limit competition; or (b)some one is ready to organize ICC training classes.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by hmiller

My suspicion is that the intentions for the suggestion is (a) to limit competition; or (b)some one is ready to organize ICC training classes.

The whole purpose of licensing. Frankly, the ICC guys should have gotten in quicker before the other special interests took control over the licensing board.

[cbuell]

Just another way to provide the "minimalist" of inspections

[Jeff Orcas]

Steve Meyer - you have an opportunity to participant abit subtley as "public" attending the meetings. You like every other member of the voter public had a chance to get on the committee. The governor selected the members NOT anyone group.

The industry is fortunate to have the mix of inspectors we have on the board. I know most of them and they will do right for the inspectors at large. Conspiracy theories are just that -theories. In many other states the boards are populated by everyone but inspectors. Let us be thankful we don't have to fight that battle.

If you have an opinion push it through Steven Smith or contact any other member of the board. They all have phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Jeff