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So you wanted to be a Building Official? Longevity?

fatboy said:
"Being mediocre at the job helps and that's not a secret."Well, fortunately, most (not all) of the BO's I know and am associated with, do not fall in that category, they have the work habits and ethics of the positive posts to date.
I agree...most of the BO's and their staff I am in contact with strive to be much better than mediocre.

But I don't think we can completely dismiss ICE's statement in this discussion. It can be difficult to remove a staff member who is mediocre, or doesn't strive to improve, and in the end it helps no one and gives everyone else a bad reputation by association.
 
Great Advice!!! And Fatboy's comments touch on something vital. Our staff and the people we work with are vitally important aspects of our career, and probably have more to do with job satisfaction and longevity than anythingelse.

When I first started, I was gungho to be the best I could be as fast as I could and take on as much was presented. Then an experienced friend in the profession gave me a bit of advice. He said, "Fly Low, go far." It is now 8 years later, and I have come to appreciate that advice the more I follow it. I am now happily employed in Mayberry, and trying to model after Andy (not Barney). So far it is working better. (I really like my job and the people I get to work with!)
 
Okay.. here's my opinion. Five years first city, fifteen years second and eight at the current.

Always keep your nose clean.. never break the rules (unless instructed to do so by your supervisor and then document)

Administer what is in black and white. The gray areas you need to lean toward the more restrictive unless you know that it won't come back to bite you.

Be fair but firm. Always be open to hearing others interpretations. Be willing to accept that you are sometimes wrong. Suck it up and go on about your business. I have actually changed my opinion based on someone elses interpretation to the code.

Do not put yourself above others. We are all in the business for the same reason.. at least most of us are anyway.

This goes with the above statement....Do not talk down to others. This will make others appreciate you!

Don't have the "I am GOD" attitude. Work with people to achieve compliance. there is always wiggle room when it comes to compliance of the codes. It may not be exactly what they want but at least it shows you are willing to work with them.

I could probably go on and on but I'm tired of typing... my two fingers are hurting :)

Oh by the way..........I retired from my last position on 6-21-12. Well I thought I was going to retire anyway... The city I was working for has already asked me to do some consulting work for them and the building officials association has asked me to travel the State and put on seminars indifferent sections of the State...... Oh well........ I love this profession and will still be involved in it! :)
 
Mac said:
The secret to longevity in a code enforcement position is......Make yourself personally valuable to the employer.

Demonstrate an interest in your job, assume other responsibilities that increase your indispensability to the jurisdiction. Safety Officer, motor pool manager, liason to the city or county, get the idea?

My current favorite line - "I'm in the busines of approving projects. If nothing gets approved, then nothing happens in the town, no new homeowners or businesses move in; tax base tax base!"
I have been the unofficial BO since my last boss retired in early '06. I have all the responsibility of being the BO without the title or pay. :inspctr

I agree with Mac, make yourself indispensable. I wear several hats here at the city - code enforcement, planning assistant, ADA compliance officer, airport fuel jockey, temp dispatch for PD, and, tune in tomorrow, I'll probably have a new hat. :cowboy

Like Mac's comment about approvals. I keep explaining the fee schedule to the city officials, very entertaining.........

Sue
 
Inspector Gift said:
Great Advice!!! And Fatboy's comments touch on something vital. Our staff and the people we work with are vitally important aspects of our career, and probably have more to do with job satisfaction and longevity than anythingelse.When I first started, I was gungho to be the best I could be as fast as I could and take on as much was presented. Then an experienced friend in the profession gave me a bit of advice. He said, "Fly Low, go far." It is now 8 years later, and I have come to appreciate that advice the more I follow it. I am now happily employed in Mayberry, and trying to model after Andy (not Barney). So far it is working better. (I really like my job and the people I get to work with!)
Very true words. When my boss retired, it was scary for PW. I love my new boss, he does not try to micromanage and lets his employees stretch their wings. Times may be trying 'where the west still lives' but, I really love the challenge of the job, my coworkers, and (usually) the general public.

Sue :cowboy
 
Congrats on the "retirement" Mule!

Mule said:
Okay.. here's my opinion. Five years first city, fifteen years second and eight at the current.Always keep your nose clean.. never break the rules (unless instructed to do so by your supervisor and then document)

Administer what is in black and white. The gray areas you need to lean toward the more restrictive unless you know that it won't come back to bite you.

Be fair but firm. Always be open to hearing others interpretations. Be willing to accept that you are sometimes wrong. Suck it up and go on about your business. I have actually changed my opinion based on someone elses interpretation to the code.

Do not put yourself above others. We are all in the business for the same reason.. at least most of us are anyway.

This goes with the above statement....Do not talk down to others. This will make others appreciate you!

Don't have the "I am GOD" attitude. Work with people to achieve compliance. there is always wiggle room when it comes to compliance of the codes. It may not be exactly what they want but at least it shows you are willing to work with them.

I could probably go on and on but I'm tired of typing... my two fingers are hurting :)

Oh by the way..........I retired from my last position on 6-21-12. Well I thought I was going to retire anyway... The city I was working for has already asked me to do some consulting work for them and the building officials association has asked me to travel the State and put on seminars indifferent sections of the State...... Oh well........ I love this profession and will still be involved in it! :)
 
Thanks... So far it just seems like an extended weekend... Hasn't set in yet!
 
Greetings,

My first BO that I worked for called me in his office a couple of days after I started. What he told me made perfest sense. He said something to the effect "Just treat folks like you wanted to be treated when you were a contractor." Pretty well sums it up for me.

BS
 
= =

Also, ...CONGRATULATIONS to the "Mule !".......Keep in touch

on here!......Wishing you the very best!! :D

= =
 
ewenme said:
Understand your job. Do your job. And educate anyone and everyone who wants to learn along the way. Be confident, not cocky. Be approachable. Learn something new every day. Be personable. Love what you do. Have enthusiasm for every project, no matter the size. Call a spade a spade. Know when to say NO. Don't take crap, and don't give crap. Keep your integrity. Let go of the ego. And the most important secret: have fun. :):cowboy
And to quote Larry the Cable Guy.......

"But that don't fit on a ball cap, so GIT ER DONE!!!!!"
 
Inspector Gift said:
Great Advice!!! And Fatboy's comments touch on something vital. Our staff and the people we work with are vitally important aspects of our career, and probably have more to do with job satisfaction and longevity than anythingelse.When I first started, I was gungho to be the best I could be as fast as I could and take on as much was presented. Then an experienced friend in the profession gave me a bit of advice. He said, "Fly Low, go far." It is now 8 years later, and I have come to appreciate that advice the more I follow it. I am now happily employed in Mayberry, and trying to model after Andy (not Barney). So far it is working better. (I really like my job and the people I get to work with!)
I definately agree that your new home would be considered Mayberry.. Good to see you are around. Catch up with you soon Mr. Gift
 
One more off topic post... I see a lot of tag lines supporting JP for ICC. Good news is myself and one of my inspectors should be making the trek down to P-town to vote.

Hope to meet some of you in person. I spent most of my life in the Portland area and only recently moved away, so it will be nice to swing back by and see some folks.
 
righter101 said:
One more off topic post... I see a lot of tag lines supporting JP for ICC. Good news is myself and one of my inspectors should be making the trek down to P-town to vote.Hope to meet some of you in person. I spent most of my life in the Portland area and only recently moved away, so it will be nice to swing back by and see some folks.
So do I have your vote??? I will be traveling up to Bend Oregon next month to visit for five days. Three of those days I will be at the OBOA Annual meeting. Really looking forward to it. I have one day that has been set aside for fly fishing only. Still looking for someone willing to help me out on that one.
 
jpranch said:
So do I have your vote??? I will be traveling up to Bend Oregon next month to visit for five days. Three of those days I will be at the OBOA Annual meeting. Really looking forward to it. I have one day that has been set aside for fly fishing only. Still looking for someone willing to help me out on that one.
You have mine and probably one from the inspector joining me.

We don't have final approval to go but the CBO is pushing hard for us. I would call it 90% likely.

Can't help with the fishing other than the advice of don't eat anything from the Willamette river in town.
 
The people who post on the code forurms are another invaluable resource of wisdom and perspective that have helped me in my career. I for one, am very grateful for the friendships that started or contacted on the Old ICC Bulletin Board and here... People like Peach, JPranch, MTlogcabin, Fatboy, MMmarvel, righter101, and many others... (And I miss several who are no longer on here, like Uncle Bob and VegasPaul.)

>Jim< I am looking forward to finally meeting up with you when you are here in Portland. And when you are in Bend, give me call, ok? I might also be in that neck of the woods. (I am more than happy to be advocating we vote for you to be on the Board!!)

>righter101< I sure hope you guys get to come down! It will be good to see you again!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and enjoy!
 
Unfortunately, (well, hard to say that), my vacation that I traded a time share for 18 months ago, a week in Kauai is the same week. My wife doesn't want to go by herself, so.......y'all will have to carry on without me!

A hui hou kakou!

(Until we meet again)

And you are correct Mr. Gift, the folks I've got to know on these forums are awesome! (Heck, they put up with me!)

 
Don’t be discouraged, here is the latest in my 10 year employment saga. Every year the discussions comes about if we need a building inspector full time, not just in my town in many towns. Prevention, education and code compliance lead to non-events, it is much easier to fix the problem on paper than it is to fix it in the field.

I came to a town that was the wild west, depending on who you were what the requirements were. Plan review was nonexistence, inspection were, well less than stellar.

Now the good contractors respect the office, I administrator the codes equally to all, try to explain and offer solutions to problems. After the latest hit the fan the good contractors are offering support, even the ones the code has required them to make corrections.

There of the five selectmen support what I do, I sated the facts offered to help the other two understand what was going on, give them any information they needed.

I admitted my short comings and apologized to all that I have offended.

Those that support me Including members of the Board say I (we) have a tough job we have to say no. I have learned that it is better to say yes I will issue the b permit as soon as the applicant provides x, or gets y rather than saying “I can’t issue the permit”

Conduct all your work with high moral standards, ethically, never enforce a requirement that you cannot site a code verse for, enter into dialogs that allow the contractor point out exceptions or alternate code interpretations.

Many moments are teaching moments, yes it can be frustrating to teach the code to those who should know it, the ones that howl loudest are the homeowners who have read the Time Life books and got information at the local watering hole, bring their friends Bud and Wiser to the project.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20120627/NEWS/106279897/0/SEARCH
 
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It's hard to be a building official for a long time; too many politics if you are doing your job right.

Helpful hint - don't ever tell the city manager he lacks the authority to over rule you and don't ever tell the Council that they don't have the authority to over rule a decision by the Board of Appeals.

Trust me, here, you will be miserable.

3 years is a good run.
 
righter101 said:
One more off topic post... I see a lot of tag lines supporting JP for ICC. Good news is myself and one of my inspectors should be making the trek down to P-town to vote.Hope to meet some of you in person. I spent most of my life in the Portland area and only recently moved away, so it will be nice to swing back by and see some folks.
The easiest way to find JP is to hold up a Coors Light............ He'll come running! :)
 
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