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Re-elect Jim Brown to the ICC Board

jpranch

jpranch

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Messages
1,976
Location
Gillette Wyoming
Well, here I go again. It’s that time of the year and the unofficial start of the ICC board of director’s campaign has begun for me and others seeking election or re-election. Seems like last year’s effort just ended yesterday! As many of you might recall I was elected to a 1 year term to fill the unexpired term of Guy Tomberlin from Virginia who was successfully elected to the Secretary Treasures position. So for the 3rd year in a row I’m on the hunt again. Here’s hoping for that 3 year seat! I can honestly tell you all that I have been working my *** off sense elected last fall in Portland. It has been very interesting and engaging and I have tried to always keep the membership first in my mind. That’s no BS. Just the straight up way it is. So please help me out and wish me good luck. I hope to see many of you there in Atlantic City. Let’er Buck!!! :cowboy:cheers
 
I wish you the best my friend, wish I could be there to cast my vote for you.

Great seeing you for a bit in Dallas though.
 
Well Jim, what's your platform? What are you going to do about cleaning up the ICC? Or are you just going to go along like everyone else?
 
Ah hell con, just go with the flow and enjoy the free beer. Not. ICC like any other has a history. Good, bad, and in-between. No different than BOCA, SBCCI, & ICBO. Make no mistake, membership (this includes WCBO, Go Cowboys!) and all other chapters first & membership first, financial accountable (Stewards of the monies that are not mine) and trying our very best to un-cloud the crystal ball and look into the future. If anybody here thinks I'm a "yes man" you are sadly mistaken. I wish like hell I could give all here a clear window into what it has been like for me the past 2 years but we would have to sit down for a long talk over a few. Kinda hard here in the cyber world. Platform? I do believe you just heard it. About cleaning up the ICC? Please be a bit more specific. Now with that all said please understand there are some details that I just cannot talk about. Comes with the job. I'll do my best without violating the confidence placed upon me by the ICC membership.
 
Jim said:
About cleaning up the ICC? Please be a bit more specific.
Click to expand...
Jim:

Two examples:

  1. I watched the podcast of the Minneapolis hearings, what a disgrace, a bunch of drunken firemen bussed in to enact the agenda of commercial interests. What can be done so this never happens again?
  2. Green and Energy codes, how did the ICC get involved in adopting codes mandating social engineering? Are government agencies mandating what they do? Can the ICC get back to health and safety?
BTW, I realize that you have to firmly get in and accepted before you can try to clean house, and realize that having to stand for reelection so soon complicates things, but can you give us a timetable for at least trying to initiate some real reforms?

I fact, this is a discussion that we should be having here, how to clean up the code writing process so commercial, environmental, and political interests don't drive the process. I thought that is why we were all supporting you?
 
CA, I'll take a swing at your questions,

1) Yes, if I remember correctly, there are now specific rules on how voters can be "sponsored", and it was brought to light by that hearing.

2) Department of Energy is driving this buggy, and cracking the whip....... ICC/Code, do it, or we will........

Jim is a down to earth , up front guy, with those values, I trust him.
 
Conarb, et al: At the core of the ICC is a group of very hard-working dedicated people. A lot of what drives the ICC is the Chief Executive Officer. Depending on that person's background and leanings, ICC moves in different directions. Is there someone out there who could fill that position without all the political drama and back-room shenanigans? And, when the Board of Directors comes to the conclusion that the CEO works FOR them andNOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND things can and will change. The CEO is not there to direct the Board, but he/she is there to implement the policies developed by the Board, and the steer the ship in the direction chosen by the Board. "The Year of the Member" should be actions taken to insure that the membership knows what is going on and where the ship is headed. Meaningless frou-frou is for the birds and wannabe stars who jump in front of the cameras and flashing lights for their 15 minutes of fame. Give me real building officials who work out the enforcement and real-world implementation of the codes.

Thank you Jim, for taking up the task. I won't be there to vote, but I will support you.

Carol
 
Jim,

I'm not hearing what you stand for.

You are starting to sound like everyone else in the cash cow.

What about the cowboy up way of doing things or is that just you line?

Rick
 
Minneapolis and Baltimore still haunt us today and the unintended consequences that came out of it. The voting rules have already been changed in an effort to keep this kind of voting from taking place again. Sponsorship has also been addressed in the changes. You just cannot do that anymore. It should be noted that this issue was addressed long before I was elected to the board as it should have been.

Green & Energy. Don’t like it do not adopt it. Simple isn’t it. Not quite. On the Green code and the energy code we must have building officials, plans examiners, inspectors, etc … at the final action hearings voting and putting a stop to the madness. Being involved and voting is the way to make change. So I’m hopeful that this will happen in Atlantic City? There are some very good code change proposals for the 2015 energy code that will restore a bit of common sense to the code but again you have to be there to vote. This leads me to the CDP Access Project.

cdpACCESS

This will be a game changer and I think everybody knows it. Here in Gillette we have four votes. But there is no way we can shut down and get everybody to the hearings. That’s going to change very shortly.

So here is something else to think about on the energy code. The fed’s having arrogantly stated that you will do this or we will mandate a federal code from on high. Now there’s a comforting thought. The fed’s cannot seem to manage any program very well. Just take a look at how long it took DOJ to revise ADAAG? There is also the financial health of the ICC to consider. We sell code books and other related products to keep this association afloat and provide membership services. So what do we do? Tell the fed’s and the rest of the energy Nazis to kiss our back sides and go ahead? So they go and write their own federally mandated code that will stand no more chance of success as their unrealistic 2017 mandate? Meanwhile this would be a loss of revenue for the ICC. On the other hand if nobody is adopting the 2015 IECC because of the content that revenue is already lost and that is exactly what seems to be happening. Again simple right? Not.

Lastly please keep in mind that I have been on the board for all of seven months more or less. As much as I would like to give some sort of timeline it is just not possible right now and any timeline must include specific goals. Such as getting our website updated by the first quarter of 2014. Most everybody here on this site that supported me and the membership that elected me has made an investment and placed a confidence upon me. I take that responsibility and confidence very, very seriously. I can say the same for the current board members. The hours and hours of work, debate, conference calls, face to face meetings and the list goes on and on. The time away from family and friends are challenging as well especially for the executive committee members. Don’t take this as any form of whining, excuses, or the “poor me” BS that just won’t wash. I (and I can also say we) love what we do and we do the very best we can with the ICC membership always at the forefront of our deliberations and decisions. Changes are being made (positive changes for the good) and you will have to take my word for that as there are some things that I just cannot talk about. One last thought: “Trust”. Hard won and easily lost. I think about this all the time. Hope this helps.
 
Rider Rick said:
Jim,I'm not hearing what you stand for.

You are starting to sound like everyone else in the cash cow.

What about the cowboy up way of doing things or is that just you line?

Rick
Click to expand...
Thanks for the post. I don't do lines and I don't do deals.
 
Those that question Jim's sincerity, or work ethic, or directions in and for the ICC;

which BTW, include many on this Forum who are members of ICC, ..could always

step up and engage the fight themselves. C`mon, ..show us what you have to

offer for improvement. It is afterall, an easy job right? :shock:

Go Jim! And yes, ..let `er buck!

.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
globe trekker said:
Those that question Jim's sincerity, or work ethic, or directions in and for the ICC;which BTW, include many on this Forum who are members of ICC, ..could always

step up and engage the fight themselves. C`mon, ..show us what you have to

offer for improvement. It is afterall, an easy job right? :shock:

Go Jim! And yes, ..let `er buck!

.
Click to expand...
I didn't apply for the job because you wouldn't like what I would have say but I did supported Jim and still do.

But I think you are a yes man and I glad Jim got the Job.

Rick
 
globe trekker said:
Those that question Jim's sincerity, or work ethic, or directions in and for the ICC;which BTW, include many on this Forum who are members of ICC, ..could always

step up and engage the fight themselves. C`mon, ..show us what you have to

offer for improvement. It is afterall, an easy job right? :shock:

Go Jim! And yes, ..let `er buck!.
Click to expand...
It wasn't my intention to criticize Jim, we all had a lot of hope that if elected he could make a real difference in the direction the ICC was taking and we've had no reports until now. As I said before, I realize that he has to become accepted and familiar with the process before he can make a real difference.

As to the Feds taking over the codes, to some extent they have already. Getting a new home through plan check I had to bring my soils engineer, architect, and structural engineer to meetings with the head plan checker, the structural engineer was being challenged on everything as I've seen in other cases, finally the plan checker (also a SE) said "I know, I helped design the column connections for the Stanford Law School, she jumped up and brought back a huge roll of plans for the Stanford Law School and said "Let's do it this way." I wanted to say: "Lady, this isn't the Stanford Law School, this is a one story single family home.", but not being structural engineer I kept my mouth shut and ended up paying a $44,000 extra to the structural Steel contractor. When discussing the problem with the SE he told me: "I don't know what her problem is, I designed everything to FEMA specifications.", he took a FEMA manual off his book shelf and showed me the FEMA details he had incorporated into the design. Up until this time I had no idea that plan checkers were requiring designs to government standards.

As to local AHJs just not adopting ICC codes, here in California our code adoption is statewide with local amendments that must be more restrictive, we cannot avoid the adopted Green and Energy Codes. A carpenter who used to work for me built this addition, I was called to the job one day and asked him why the flakeboard and PSls in an addition costing thousands of dollars per square foot? He opened up the plans and showed me three "Green Sheets" in the center of the plans supplied by the green rater showing the green requirements, he said the green rater put them in there "To save the forests". With our codes and regulations people are being forced to spend a fortune to build, and then forced to put toxic crap into their homes to "save the planet", I guess if unsuccessful people are going to have to live in toxic homes successful people are too.

Go Jim! Make a difference.
 
Con, Thanks and I appreciate to vote of confidence. I understand all to well coming from the mid atlantic and other states about state adoption and how that affects local adoption. We are truly blessed here in that the state dose not adopt the IRC freeing the local AHJ to see their own way. I would venture to say we are the exception and not the rule. We do not have "green sheets" here but for me to discount what other jurisdictions have to deal with would be negligent to say the least.

To farther address what happened in Minneapolis and Baltimore I cannot tell you how many of our fire service brothers (yes I did say brothers) truly believe in RFS but have privately told me that they were ashamed of how it happened and the unintended results. The fights at the state and local levels across the country have not been pretty. I say that to say this. **** happens. We (all inclusive) need to get over it and move on. I'm not cracking on you or anybody else. Far from it. The national debate is over and it has moved on to the state and local level.

So I guess that is where I stand and perhaps part of my "platform". "Platform" A raised level surface on which people or things can stand. Hope like hell mine is level and I can stand firmly on it?
 
Hey, just noticed. I guess that there is a s*** filter here??? It filled s*** in with **** . Well I'll be darned. Notice I didn't say dammed. And with that pearl of an epiphany (had to use spell check for that one) I will bid all here good night.
 
BTW, I'am accepted. As much as one can be on a 1 year term. I hope to turn that into a 3 year term. We shall see in Atlantic City. I can tell you all this, If it is not meant to be please meet me on the pier over the Atlantic at Phillips Crab House on the following Thursday after the Annual Business Meeting. We shall (code geek talk) have an outstanding time! If I'm re-elected I'll be in a board meeting most of the day and will catch you on the back side. Life is good. Don't let it pass you by.
 
jpranch said:
Green & Energy. Don’t like it do not adopt it. Simple isn’t it. Not quite. On the Green code and the energy code we must have building officials, plans examiners, inspectors, etc … at the final action hearings voting and putting a stop to the madness. Being involved and voting is the way to make change. There are some very good code change proposals for the 2015 energy code that will restore a bit of common sense to the code but again you have to be there to vote.
Click to expand...
As a former code official, I didn't like the energy code. I think it's a local jurisdiction's decision to adopt and shouldn't be crammed down their throat by the feds. The energy code section of the code hearings usually put me to sleep. Now that I work for the private sector and we must comply with energy codes, I'm paying more attention. I attended the commercial energy code committee hearings in Dallas last month. There were less than 20 code officials (and I'm being generous) at any given point in time in the room to listen to testimony presented to the committee. On several code changes, it was obvious the committee wasn't understanding what the issue was which doesn't help in voting on a code change. Jim is right, there are several changes that were approved by the committee that will make the IECC a little easier to enforce and understand. We need voting members present at the final action hearings to make sure that the energy code doesn't get out of control.
 
We need voting members present at the final action hearings to make sure that the energy code doesn't get out of control.
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Agree, but attendance requires funding and permission from the [ governmental ] employer to attend

in the first place.

Respectfully asking, but how will it benefit the AHJ directly & quickly for one of their employees to

attend?

Thanks!

.
 
"Respectfully asking, but how will it benefit the AHJ directly & quickly for one of their employees to attend?"

Well, a vote on what you might feel is a good/bad proposal, a presence at the national level. A heads up to what is coming up in the next cycle, which I have found to be of great value, in interpretations, inspecting and plan review. Making a decision based on where the code is GOING can be very enlightening.

I think both of these are direct and quick.

Codegeek, I was in the IRC-B from 4/24-30. Wished I had known/remembered, I could have caught up with you. A couple of my CO Chapter compadres where in the Energy hearings. I did get to have a beer with JP, was great to shoot the breeze with him for a bit.
 
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