Something Special Is Going
on in the "Cowboy State" Wyoming Building & Fire Officials
This kind of partnership was not always the case. There are two ICC Chapters in Wyoming: WCBO and the Wyoming Association of Fire Marshals (WAFM). The two Chapters have always enjoyed cordial relations and worked well together within their respective jurisdictions, however in the past they went their separate ways to conduct business, hold seminars and other functions typical of a these types of organizations. "Business as usual" started changing a few years ago as the two Chapters began attending each other's business meetings, coordinating professional training, putting aside differences on existing and proposed codes, and just started talking. At first, most people just sat and listened but that has changed as both organizations grew together, found common ground, and began to realize how a real dialog and partnership could and would benefit both ICC Chapters, the ICC itself, and common goals for safe and sustainable buildings. During the past year, several other initiatives have helped forge and solidify the partnership. The newly formed and officially recognized ICC Region II Chapter, which includes the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming, saw joint and coordinated participation from both Wyoming Chapters. They are equally represented in the region. Both Chapters attended the WCBO and WAFM annual business meetings in Casper this fall and have agreed, on a handshake, that all members of both Chapters would be given member prices for all training seminars and other activities. The Casper event really demonstrated the partnership was prospering experienced by the largest turnout ever with 78 building officials, fire officials and design professionals from around the state registered for the one-and-one-half-day educational seminars, which included topics relevant to all disciplines. Most recently, both Chapters took pride in that one of their own, Jim Brown of Gillette, was elected to the ICC Board of Directors. Brown was supported by both Wyoming Chapters. Another major change happened in 2010 when the leadership of WCBO—lead by President Keith Bowar from Campbell County and Past President Bruce Wilson from Cheyenne—recognized that if they wanted to engage at the national level with the ICC funding was needed to assist the membership to attend the ICC Annual Conference and Code Development Hearings. Bowar and the WCBO board of directors were certain that getting members to those national events for the first time would "get 'em hooked" and most importantly open up a whole new world for them. Bowar and the WCBO brought this idea to the membership and during the past three years have approved more than $9,000 in matching and full scholarships. This takes our story back to Campbell County Fire Marshal Acton. With the prospering partnership between WCBO and WAFM, Acton was the first fire official to receive a scholarship from WCBO and is no doubt "hooked" according to WCBO President Bowar. Acton agrees and has already started planning his budget for next year to attend the ICC Annual Conference and Code Development Hearings in Atlantic City, New Jersey. When WCBO President Bowar and now Board Member Jim Brown approached Acton about attending the ICC Conference and Code Hearings in Portland, it didn't take much coercion. "The event sold itself, but they offered a scholarship that made my training officer and bookkeeper very happy," Acton said. "Turns out, I was the first fire official in Wyoming—a land of firsts, if you didn't know—to receive funding from the building officials to attend such an event. "Since becoming fire marshal, I had been working with my local building departments successfully for three years. All of us actively support a we're-all-on-the-same-team concept. We share information. We share ideas. We don't always agree, but we do work together to get what's best in the big picture. I'd invite you to try it if you don't have that relationship with your counterparts. "And yes, Keith," he said, "I'm 'hooked' thanks to you guys! The training opportunities were fantastic. The code hearings were enlightening. And the chance to network with others was extraordinary. You bet I'll be there next year!" |
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Four ICC Members Appointed to Florida Building Commission Florida Governor Rick Scott announced two appointments and two reappointments of ICC Members to the Florida Building Commission. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. |
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Three ICC Member Jurisdictions Receive 2012 Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Awards The Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) and the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) recognized the inaugural winners of the Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Award during the International Code Council's Annual Conference in Portland, Ore. This new award program honors state and local jurisdictions that have raised compliance with energy codes using smart, cost-effective strategies. The winners of the 2012 Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Award are: Hoffman Estates, Ill. Grand prize winner—Small Jurisdiction Category Pima County, Ariz. Large Jurisdiction Category Gil Rossmiller, Parker, Colo. Energy Code Champion Strong building energy codes are one of the most effective tools for ensuring that buildings are energy efficient, have low operational costs, and are healthy for occupants. While many states and counties have adopted stronger energy codes in recent years, there's been a lack of funding for efforts to ensure compliance with those codes—efforts like training, outreach, implementation, and enforcement. As a result, energy code compliance levels are below 50 percent in many places, and buildings are using more energy than they were designed to. Improving energy code compliance nationwide would result in huge benefits: a taskforce led by IMT found that every $1 spent on code compliance efforts yields up to $6 of energy savings. Many building departments are finding ways to raise compliance rates despite constraints on their budgets and time. The Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Award recognizes their achievements. IMT and GBPN sponsored the grand-prize-winning jurisdiction to send one staff member to attend the 2012 ICC Annual Conference, to further his or her professional education and development. Winners will also be profiled on IMT's website and blog at imt.org. The smart strategies they have used include building a demonstration "energy house" in the village hall (Hoffman Estates) and offering "beyond code" programs to familiarize builders with the latest advances in energy-efficient building techniques (Pima County). "Simply enforcing the energy codes which have already been adopted will lead to higher quality construction, saving homeowners and business millions of dollars in energy costs each year," said Jayson Antonoff, U.S. Director of GBPN. "This award is highlighting the great work by leading jurisdictions who recognize this, and have committed to providing this benefit to their communities." |
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FASNY President/ICC Member James Burns Appointed to In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new appointments to three emergency preparedness commissions, including the appointment of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) President James A. Burns. Burns, a 51-year veteran of the fire service, will be serving on the Governor's New York State Respond Commission. |
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Olk Named Community Services Director for Farmers Branch, Texas
Citing his years of experience combined with his national leadership in the code enforcement industry, longtime Farmers Branch, Texas, Building Official Jim Olk has been named Director of Community Services by City Manager Gary D. Greer. Olk will now assume supervision of the city's Environmental Health and Planning Divisions, in addition to Building Inspection and Code Enforcement operations that make up the Community Services Department. |
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Longtime Tennessee Building Official Dale Patty Passes Away By Nick Reiher |
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Dodson Named New Building Official for City of Tallahassee, Florida The city of Tallahassee announced the appointment of Glenn Dodson as the new Building Official in the city's Growth Management Department. Dodson will oversee activities in the Building Inspection Division and will report to Karen Jumonville, director of Growth Management. |
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Brown Appointed Building Official for Prince George County, Virginia The Prince George County Board of Supervisors appointed Jeffrey M. Brown to the position of Building Official at their meeting on November 27. Brown will be assuming the duties of Building Official from Julie Chevalier Walton, who was recently promoted to Director of Community Development and Code Compliance, a newly consolidated department for the County that combines the Planning and Zoning, Building Inspections, Environmental, and Code Compliance divisions into one department. Walton has been the county's Building Official for over 14 years, following four years as the Assistant Building Official. |
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Larimer County, Colorado, Promotes Eric Fried to Chief Building Official Larimer County promoted Eric Fried to Chief Building Official on November 29. Fried replaces current Chief Building Official Tom Garton who is retiring at the end of the year. Fried is looking forward to his new job, "I am excited by the opportunity to lead our county's exceptionally skilled and hard-working building department into the future with all its challenges." |
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Childers, Remmert Re-appointed to Texas Industrialized Building Code Council Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed six members, including Randall Childers and Mark Remmert, to the Texas Industrialized Building Code Council for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2014. The council oversees the inspection of industrialized housing and buildings to ensure state standards are enforced. |
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Durbin Certified as Master Inspector in Elizabethtown, Kentucky Dean C. Durbin has been certified as a Master of Special Inspections from the International Code Council. He is the first person to hold both a professional engineer's license in Kentucky and Master of Special Inspections certification from the Code Council. Durbin has ICC certifications in structural masonry, reinforced concrete, structural steel and bolting, structural steel and welding, and master of special inspections. |
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Holly Hill, Florida, Building Official Greg France Dies Friends and co-workers say James "Greg" France always smiled and brought a sense of professionalism to the job, serving as Holly Hill's chief building official and previously as vice mayor for the city of DeBary.
France, 63, died Friday, October 5. |
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In Other News |
Georgia State Amendments to the State Minimum Standards Codes Go Into Effect January 1, 2013 |