Both David Brauer and Greg Abbott are correct about the building inspectors in Minneapolis. Minneapolis Building Inspectors, Electrical Inspectors, and Heating Inspectors are usually very professional and very helpful. Housing Inspectors are in my experience a whole lot different and I totally support the Fire Department taking over those duties. (Now I hope I do not have reprisals from that group, but I will write the list if I do)
That being said, the contractors that both David and Gregg used were covered by the State Licensing rules under the Commerce Commissioner of the State of Minnesota. The State statute that created licensing for General Contractors stipulated that the State license superceded any local license, and that municipal ordinances could not limit those individual contractors covered by such license. Unfortunately the plumbing and heating licenses were apparently prior to such time and did not include such stipulation. The residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul very much need for the State of Minnesota to revisit the issue and correct the problem. Since the politicians in those Cities seem to be hesitant to give up both the power and baksheesh associated with those City Licensed Contractors, even if it is done on the backs of their residents and costs their residents millions of dollars each year. The same is true of people doing work on their building. The excuse is used that only licensed plumbers and heating contractors be allowed to do work even in owner occupied duplex because of health and safety issues. Yet if permits are given to such owners then the professional inspectors of Minneapolis should inspect the work. Such should guarantee the quality of the work and the safety of the work, unless Minneapolis really does not trust its inspectors. Not allowing such property owners to pull permits and do their own work means that a lot of work gets done without permits and without being inspected. Which causes a much higher hazard risk than inspected work. It is the inspection and the inspector that guarantees the quality of the work even if it's your pet chimpanzee or the good elves that do the work. The license and permitting process of Minneapolis and St. Paul are very much in need of revision, but do not hold your breath. One would think the Star Tribune, Television and neighborhood newspapers in both Cities would expose this injustice and stay on them until they change. Why they do not is the subject matter of another post. So where is the editorial staffs and the reporters who haunt this list. Next post I will try to look at Tom Leighton and Michael Hohmann's challenge about Neighborhood Planning and the relationships of Neighborhoods with Community Developers. Jim Graham, Ventura Village >"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt." - Thomas Jefferson >"Why is it the Mongols of this world always tell us they're defending us against the Mongols?" REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
