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BOAT Bulletin December 2009
Being The TML Board Representative Transforming the Municipal Development Culture Water Heater Life and Safety Maintenance Public Management--the Big Picture In the Spirit of the Holidays...Say Thank You! What People Think about You--Increasing Your Credibility at Work
It is hard to believe it is already December and the year is about over. We have had a busy year with many successes, the most recent being the ICC Annual Conference in Baltimore. We enjoyed many new faces joining both our Texas and Region X groups. The new networking opportunities are exciting, providing added benefits for all the membership throughout the state. A new initiative to be launched by BOAT will be a replicable building project. We will be working with ICC, Target, and a committee of BOAT members to develop a “statewide approved” set of plans for some upcoming Target remodels across Texas. This committee will review the construction documents to ensure they meet the minimum standards across the state, including the 2009 family of I-Codes, the 2008 NEC, and 2009 UPC/UMC. BOAT will provide this service at no cost to our municipalities. BOAT will provide a cover letter indicating that a review has been performed and corrections to the plans have been made accordingly. These reviews will help to expedite the permitting process within your municipality, saving you staff time/resources and, ultimately, money. Each municipality will only need to look at the local amendments or zoning concerns within the political boundaries. As we look forward to our annual meeting in February, we will offer greater educational opportunities and continue to develop our relationships. This conference will have more diverse training opportunities, and BOAT would like to assist our membership with travel to the conference. For those wishing to attend the spring conference, BOAT is attempting to subsidize travel for those members departing from the Metroplex area (if there is enough interest from our members). BOAT is in the planning phase of providing a charter bus departing Ft. Worth at the low cost of $30 per person (including an opportunity to gain CEUs while riding in comfort; BOAT will provide ICC training while traveling). Space may be limited, so make your reservations early. The spring conference will also provide some evening training opportunities on the 2008 NEC, 2006/9 IPC, 2006/9 IMC, and Texas specific Code Enforcement classes. Hope to see your there. Wishing you and your families happy holidays!!! Scott A. McDonald, CBO BEING THE TML BOARD REPRESENTATIVE I would like to thank the BOAT membership for electing me to serve as your representative to the TML Board in 2006. The past four years have passed very quickly, but they have provided me with a lifetime of experiences. Notwithstanding our legislature, we (BOAT) have the best state municipal league in this nation, if not the planet. When I first became a member of the TML Board, it was a bit overwhelming because of all the elected officials on the Board. The elected officials on the Board have always been kind, gracious, and very friendly. This Board does a ton of work for the membership, and I’m not sure all members know that. I’ve had the opportunity to travel, meet several legislators, and try to improve the great State of Texas one step at a time. Watching this Board try to improve Texas has been the most rewarding part of my service. I would like to thank two groups of people. First, without a doubt, a huge applause goes to TML Executive Director Frank Sturzl and all his staff. They do a terrific job keeping cities from being hammered unmercifully by our state legislators. Second, I would like to thank the group of 75 building officials who I know as the “BOAT Bill Analyst Group.” This group of building officials was instrumental in assisting and reviewing a wide range of bills. So when the fun begins in January 2011, my term as BOAT’s TML Board representative will have expired. But I’m not going anywhere, and hopefully we can all go to the circus together in 2011. In closing, I wish every BOAT member could be the TML Board representative. It has been a wonderful experience, and I am honored to have served the BOAT membership to the best of my ability. Randall R. Childers, CBO, Waco TRANSFORMING THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CULTURE “Taking the Blinders Off” As part of our ongoing cross-functional profession and the very ideals of promoting the profession of the code official, “taking the blinders off” becomes a necessity in exercising our duties on a daily basis. As you know, our job is to solve complicated development and construction problems, but sometimes we get caught up in what the code says without looking behind its intent. Government efficiency sometimes suffers by virtue of how codes and ordinances are applied. Our ability to look beyond the letter of the code becomes a necessity as we begin to see more infill and redevelopment-type projects, and the remaining green field sites are difficult to develop. When we don’t exercise professional judgment, we give the appearance of development immaturity and lack of competence, and the direct effects are on the developer and his consultants. The indirect effects are far reaching to the community as a whole. As you know, administrative inefficiencies among the jurisdiction's development departments may easily result in complaints by infuriated consultants of what is seen as highly justified and necessary development regulations. Our fundamental reason for such oversight for development includes but is not limited to:
Over the years as a public servant, I have continued to promote the protection of life, health, and property to the highest order. It is through this recognition that the public’s trust bestowed upon municipal regulators engaged in the administration and enforcement of codes, ordinances, and standards is easily advocated. This mission is further supported through a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professionals engaged in this business, who exemplify the highest ideals and principles of ethical application of adopted codes and regulations. Ravi Shah, CBO, Carrollton Taking the Blinders Off (diagram) WATER HEATER LIFE AND SAFETY MAINTENANCE Water heaters are one of those appliances we rely on every day but don’t think about until they don’t work. Whether gas or electric, they are generally very dependable and quiet. Water heaters can last for a decade or more; with this simple, three-step, annual maintenance plan, you can maintain the safety functions and extend the life of your water heater even further, saving money in the process.
John R. Brown, MCP, CFM Let’s try something new. If your city or a municipality in your area is doing an exceptional job, we want to know about it. If you would, please send me a list of municipalities that deserve consideration for an award of excellence. Yes, the awards application is still on the Web site, but we never have many applicants. I know that most of our members are doing a great job, and we want to reward people and the organizations they represent by recognizing their accomplishments. I also know that many of you feel awkward about nominating your own organization, but please do not pass up this opportunity to do just that. If you would, stop for a moment and consider nominating a municipality in your area deserving of recognition. Chapter presidents, take into account your membership worthy of being nominated and receiving an award based on their service excellence. And this same format works for building officials, as well. The Awards Committee will interview and research all applicants, and everyone who meets the basic requirements outlined on our Web site will be recognized. The Best of the Best will be selected as Award of Excellence winners in each category. Don’t forget to have your college bound kiddos apply for our scholarships. We have given away thousands of dollars to date and want to help deserving students. The Building Officials Association of Texas has many wonderful members. Allow us to showcase your group. We truly want this to be a statewide organization that is recognized as the best in the nation. We can’t do that without you. Because of the overwhelming request by the membership to modify the awards process, BOAT President Scott McDonald has selected five individuals to serve on a newly formed committee, the Texas Code Officials Council. This is a select group of “fellow” CBOs who will serve at the discretion of the president to help with the awards selections. The council will serve in an advisory role and make recommendations to the Awards Committee. See you in Amarillo, Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a very close friend of mine whose office is located at the regional airport here in Waco. He attached several pictures of a young Marine from Hico, Texas, who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Afghanistan as he came home to rest. I couldn’t get this young Marine off my mind all day as I thought of his unselfish act to do his job to the best of his ability. By his actions, he set examples for others to follow. Our jobs, although different in the severity of their consequences, have the same end goal, and that is to protect life. We accomplish our task by enforcing and ethically applying codes. We need to set examples by showing leadership in the implementation of our tasks. We need to set examples by educating our fellow citizens in the importance of applying our codes and the end result of having a safe, sustainable structure, thereby providing security of life. We are not only enforcers, we are also educators. We lead by example. Please remember our soldiers when giving thanks for all that we have. Bruce Braley, Building Official, Hewitt PUBLIC MANGEMENT: THE BIG PICTURE
In the physical sciences, one plus one always equals two. In the social sciences, such as public administration, one plus one can equal anything, and it will not be the same tomorrow as it is today. Why? Because stakeholders are people; therefore, our ingredients immediately become inconsistent, unstable, and unpredictable. We know the characteristics of chemicals; therefore, we know how they will react in certain quantities with each other. For example, it is not necessary to determine whether or not ammonia had a bad day. With human nature in the mix, these types of issues must be evaluated, and there are infinite unknowns. We cannot go to the Internet and pull up the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each person. Today’s public administrator must deal with all inputs—whether from policy-makers, the economy, banks, investors, developers, land owners, utility companies, contractors, sub-contractors, tenants, or the public—in order to provide the desired service as it was intended. Under general guidelines, public sector employees are given the opportunity to implement various programs through pragmatic business processes. It does not, however, remove the accountability or responsibility of the manager, administrator, or frontline personnel to conduct business in the way that the policy-makers envisioned. There will always be an indirect relationship between the two. Bureaucracy is the business of the public, and any business of the public will involve some level of political overtones. Feedback provided by the public and the constituents of the legislators will ultimately filter through to the politicians, and adjustments may be necessary to fulfill the original intent of the policy initiative. It seems unlikely that a public sector manager can conduct business effectively without considering all forces acting on the system, including politics, as there is always a loose, if not stronger, connection. There are many additional inputs that must be considered in rapidly developing communities. These inputs are unique, in that they come from developers who do not live or own property in the jurisdiction but have financial interest in developing in the city. These strong interests also build relationships with policy-makers as they pitch their various projects to the city. Politicians have a difficult task of weighing all the forces working on them, as well. They are receiving input from the staff, developers, citizens, and the state and federal governments and must determine the value of each input as it relates to their constituents, who are the citizens and business owners we ultimately serve in the end. The current environment of public sector management lends itself to compromise, also known as common sense. For example, a building inspector may see himself and the contractor on site as the only parties his decision will impact. He must see a bigger picture. The code should not and need not be compromised in order to make good common sense decisions. It is important for public sector workers to accept this and realize that it is not personal; rather, they must understand the unique way decisions are made in public sector settings. The successful manager will assess every possible input for appropriateness and avoid becoming a policy-maker. Remember, the first chemistry lesson is always about safety. Proceed with caution. Bret McCullough, CBO, Allen IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS… SAY THANK YOU! Have you ever stopped to think about the number of times you have displayed gratitude or said the simple words, “Thank You”? If it happens on a regular basis, more often than you can keep track of, great for you. If it rarely happens, shame on you! Just stop to think about how you were able to accomplish your priorities for the day. I’m sure somewhere along the way you had a helping hand. In today’s lean workplace, everyone has more than enough to do. None of us can do our jobs alone. So if you aren’t working alone, what are you doing to show the people you work with how grateful you are for their help and cooperation? Showing a little old-fashioned gratitude can help you successfully accomplish projects with coworkers or cross-functional team members. Better yet, saying “Thank You” on a regular basis can lead to improving relationships for future projects! If you lead teams or staff, set the example. Thank them first. This doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. Stop by their desks or offices and recognize them for an activity that met or exceeded your department’s mission statement. “Thank you for working after hours to help the homeowner with his/her remodel project,” or “Thank you for working with the owner, contractor, and other city departments to resolve the issues so that the project will meet the construction schedule,” or “I appreciate your assistance and time training the new employee, while completing your own projects.” When our team has achieved a milestone, or just because it’s a great day, I’ve surprised the team with happy hour drinks (Sonic signature limeades, slushes, and shakes). You’ll know you’ve set a good example when your team members begin to do this for one another. Our office manager would surprise the team with lottery scratch off tickets, chocolate, or ice cream. It’s clearly noticeable that nothing fuels commitment and loyalty like an unexpected pat on the back. Most of us work hard and would do so with or without a thank you. We will continue to do a great job, but we all would like the occasional recognition for a job well done. So during this holiday season, make it a tradition in your workplace to say, “Thank You!” Happy Holidays! Van Tran, CBO, Bureau Veritas, Vice President WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU: INCREASING YOUR CREDIBILITY AT WORK Being a code official involves dealing with people on a regular basis, and success or failure often depends on your personal interaction with them. How you are perceived relates to the level of trust placed in you, and this will ultimately influence your professional success. In the field of code enforcement, credibility is the mark of a respected professional. With it come these benefits:
Therefore, you should make every effort to increase and maintain a high level of credibility. About Credibility A code official’s credibility depends on positive personal interaction, professional presentation, technical competence, and the overall work process. To maintain a high level of professional credibility, a code official must maintain a balance of all four elements.
You Don’t Need a Ph.D. to Be Credible The first step in increasing your credibility is to identify your personal strengths and weaknesses in each of the four elements. The self-assessment process will provide you with a basis upon which to build. Furthermore, you can use the results of your self-assessment to set up a long-term plan for working on all four elements. Setting long-term goals will help you continue on the path of increased credibility. Identify your personal strengths and build them while you work to strengthen your weaker areas. Once your credibility is increased, your professional stature will be enhanced. Chris Haver, CBO February 1-4, 2010 – 10th Annual Houston BPI (For more information, go to www.buildingprofessionalinstitute.com.) February 24-26, 2010 – BOAT Mid-Year Meeting, Amarillo May 14-23, 2010 – ICC Final Action Hearings, Dallas May 24-28, 2010 – 18th Building Professional Institute, Arlington October 25-28, 2010 – ICC Annual Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina October 28-November 1, 2010 – 2010 Final Action Hearings, Charlotte, North Carolina October 26-29, 2010 – TML Annual Conference, Corpus Christi One of the more delightful duties of being on the BOAT Board of Directors is participating in this newsletter. Each Board member is “strongly” encouraged to write an article each quarter. Each author can pick a topic of their choosing. The article can be brief or they can be a long winded diatribe on a controversial subject. (We DO try to stay away from product advertising, politics and religion.) Overall, the newsletter is intended to educate, inform, entertain and make all of us think about our profession in the service industry. I’m not sure how many of these articles I have written, but here lately I have waited until most of the articles are in before I put mine together. In this newsletter, I’m please to see that we have participation from more than just the Board. Brett McCullough with the City of Allen provided a very insightful article on big picture issues. The Board members have touched on code issues, professional development, and personal reflections. Each of these areas plays a significant part in our job duties and as you read them you see how board our profession really is. As a BOAT Board member we are given a unique opportunity to share our opinions, thoughts, concerns and insights with a wide variety of individuals and groups. We are often called on to look at proposed or pending legislation or to provide an opinion on a specific issue being faced by a municipality in Texas or somewhere else in the nation. Being a member of BOAT and even more so being on the BOAT Board provides a glimpse of the impact each of us can make on a daily basis by participating. In February, at the Midyear meeting in Amarillo we will be seeking people to step up and make a difference by volunteering to be on the BOAT Board. Nominations for board positions will be accepted until just before the Nominating Committee meets at 3:00 PM on Wednesday February 24th . So if you have any desire to be part of a highly respected organization where your actions will make a difference, please consider filling out a nomination form. If you don’t think that a board position is for you, I would encourage you to become more active at the local level or even be a mentor to an employee or colleague in a neighboring city. Jim Olk |
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As managers in the public sector, there are many things to consider with every decision, no matter how simple or routine we consider it to be. How do we take the policies made by our legislative body and implement them as intended? “What” we decide to do, the action we ultimately choose in a given situation, is certainly important. But even more important in most cases is “Who” will be impacted and in what way. The “Who” are called stakeholders—simply stated, every person or entity that has something at stake as a result of our decision. A stakeholder can be a person, a business, a legislator, a government entity, or any other person or group that will have to live with our decision. Let’s say each stakeholder, which may also be referred to as inputs or actors, is a chemical element. Is it alright to simply pour an equal amount of each into a container and see what happens? Maybe, but it is unlikely. There are some obvious facts we need to know about each before whipping up a quick solution. What are the chemicals? What impact will our decision have on each of them? How will they react when mixed with each other? For example, it will be important to determine if any of them are highly combustible or flammable, which ones are inert, and certainly, if they are toxic. Our decision must take each of these, and other unpredictable factors, into consideration.