PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION OF CODE OFFICIALS

QUARTERLY MEETING MINUTES - March 26, 2002

ASTM BUILDING

 

President Bob Duncan called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

ROLL CALL

 

Present:

President:                     Bob Duncan

Vice President:             Lee Milligan

Secretary:                     Jeff Gentile

Treasurer:                     Robert Neely

Board of Directors:

                        Mark Bostwick (no answer)

                        Brian Gallagher

                        Calvin Bonenberger, Jr.

 

SECRETARY’S REPORT

 

The members in attendance reviewed the minutes of the December 2001 PACO meeting. A motion was made to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded, all voting aye.

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

Bob Duncan informed members that the Inspector Certification Standards are out and asked whether everyone has had a change to review them.  L&I did address some of the concerns that PACO raised.  They have acknowledged the Certified Building Official (CBO) Certification.  Anyone with a CBO certification will qualify for three or four inspector classifications in the revised draft of the certification standards.  They have also combined a few different certification categories.  Anyone with certifications in the commercial inspector certification categories will be allowed to perform residential inspections in the same category without obtaining the applicable residential certification. That includes building, electrical, plumbing and the energy code certification.  This will reduce the number of certification tests inspectors have to take.  Everyone should review the certification standards by going directly to the L&I website or by accessing the PACO website and using the link to the L&I website.  This may be the last opportunity to submit comments to L&I.  The other change was to delay the effective date for the 3-5 year certification deadline.  The effective date will be when the UCC regulations are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.  This will provide inspectors with an additional six months to a year to obtain the required certifications.

 

Comments from the membership: Is the statewide building code going to be tied into the 2003 code?

 

Although there is no way to know for sure, the Board members thought that the 2000 International Codes would be adopted.  The Board did indicate that PACO would ask L&I to delay the adoption of the 2003 code, so that we don’t have to order new codebooks 6 months after the UCC is adopted.  The 2003 code is expected to be available for purchase in March or April 2003.

  

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

 

Lee Milligan reported as follows:

 

Ascertain that everyone has April Spring Forum forms.

 

Today, Stan Altzman, Code Inspections, two hour presentation on Electrical Code update and discuss some of the new regulations involved with the updates.  Also presented updates on fault interrupters.

 

Training will be lined up shortly for this fall.  Looking at training for a fall zoning and land seminar.  There have been some amendments since our last training in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.  There are a number of people interested in a concrete program.  BOCA has come out with a concrete program that we will use for training.  We are also looking at some training in general mechanical.

 

 

 

In October PENNBOC will have their annual conference in this area.  There will be some energy testing as part of this conference. 

 

September–BOCA conference in Dallas/Fort Worth.  The 3 major code groups will merge into the ICC.  This conference will be well worth your time. Everyone should plan to attend

 

Local community colleges are offering code courses so check with your local community college.

A group of code officials is forming a sister chapter in the Lebanon area - the Lancaster County Association of Code Officials. 

 

The PENNBOC Annual Conference will be held in October.  They will be providing training  on the various International Codes, the energy code.  The Conference will also include an energy code paper certification exam after the energy code seminar. The conference will include a  golf outing on Sunday. 

 

Please let us know if there are any other names that should be added to our mailing list.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

 

Bob Neely provided the 2001 annual report and the quarterly report.  Annual report for 2001 had a previous balance of $xx. Deposits were $xx with total assets at $xx.  Expenses for the year were $xx.  PACO has 2 CD certificates totaling $xx with interest making the total $xx, for a total current balance as of December of $xx. 

 

March:   Checking balance of $xx, deposits of $xx representing seminar and membership fees and book order refunds.  Checking $xx.  Normal expenses $xx.  Current checking balance is $xx.  The two certificates are $xx, giving us a total of $xx. Bob Neely indicated that he would be turning over the books to the new treasurer.

 

A motion was made to accept the report, motion seconded, all voting aye.

 

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

MEMBERSHIP

 

Jeff Gentile reported the following:

 

As of this date we have 157 members who have renewed or new memberships.

 

 

 

Many townships are unsure as to what is going on with the Statewide Building Code.  Pennsylvania Township News is trying to get the word out.

 

NOMINATIONS/AWARDS

 

Todd Meltsch announced that the annual elections would be held at the end of the business meeting.

 

He also announced that the deadline for submissions for the PACO Award Program has been extended to April 10th due to the small number of award nominations that were submitted.  Todd announced that the applications are available on the PACO website.  PACO will pay the BOCA/ICC Conference registration to the PACO member that wins this award.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Recently at Code Officials Institute in Alexandria, Virginia, BOCA - under certification, tests will be by Experior.  Test results from an Experior test may not be accepted in the future. Some people don’t bother submitting the registration form to get that certification. You will not be given credit if you fail to submit the paperwork for your certification. In other words, send in your one and two family certification to get certification from BOCA even if you are seeking commercial certification.  You may lose it if you haven’t sent it in (any that you are eligible for).   There are two sets of certification processes.  If you have proof you passed the exam, that is proof for the state.  Because of the merger of BOCA into the ICC and the transfer of the certification program into ICC, those certifications registered with BOCA will be accepted when they merge to theICC.  The problem is that ICC has not decided whether they will use Experior as their testing source.   They may or may not count Experior’s test in the future.  It’s important you get your Experior test registered with BOCA so that they roll over into the ICC so they count on what you may be working on.  L&I is not looking to de-certify any test prior to 3 years ago.  We will try to get further clarification. 

 

General Announcement: Seminar for elected officials explaining the statewide building code.

Orientation to what townships have to do with adoption of code. 

 

NOMINATION AWARDS

 

Todd Meltsch, chairman of nomination committee passed out the committee endorsed candidates to members. 

Committee Recommendations

 

President - Robert Duncan, Lower Merion

Vice President - C. Lee Milligan, Upper Providence

Secretary - Jeff Gentile, Upper Darby

Treasurer - Brian Gallagher, East Caln Twp.

Board of Directors -  Calvin Bonenberger, Jr., Yeadon Boro

                                  Mark Bostwick, Upper Chichester

                      Daniel Kerr, Towamencin Twp.

                      Thomas Lowry, East Fallowfield

           Robert Loeper, Radnor Twp.

 

MOTION ACCEPTED TO ACCEPT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

 

No nominations from floor for president.  MOTION ACCEPTED.

Robert Duncan elected to second term as president.

 

No nominations from floor for vice president.  MOTION ACCEPTED.

Lee Milligan elected as vice president.

 

No nominations from floor for secretary.  MOTION ACCEPTED.

Jeff Gentile elected as secretary.

 

No nominations from floor for treasurer.  MOTION ACCEPTED.

Brian Gallagher elected as treasurer.

 

The membership thanked Robert Neely for serving as Treasurer, and congratulated him for his good work.

 

No nominations from floor for Board of Directors.  Mark Bostwick and Thomas Lowry were not at the meeting.  Bob Duncan presented the qualifications of the two absent nominees.  Other candidates presented their qualifications to the PACO members present.  Calvin Bonenberger, Daniel Kerr and Robert Loeper were elected to the Board of Directors. 

 

Motion to adjourn meeting.  MOTION ACCEPTED.

 

A motion was made with a second to adjourn.  Motion Approved

 

Respectfully submitted

JEFFREY, N. GENTILE, SECRETARY