Well it seems the Department of Licensing is trying to pull a fast one on the state home inspectors as well as the public.
When licensing first came about, there was a core group of inspectors that were from each and every home inspector association. One of the main things to come out of that hard work was specific wording that limited the Home Inspector Advisory Board to no more than two **members **of any specific home inspector organization. So NACHI could have 2, ASHI 2, NAHI 2, etc. That was the maximum. Now you have to understand, the language I am talking about is the actual LAW, passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. The Board can make changes within their purview through the WAC. (Washington Administrative Code) as allowed by the LAW, but they cannot change the LAW (RCW - Revised Code of Washington). That can only be done by the State Legislature.
Well after the initial Board met their time limits, replacements were brought onto the Board. In looking at the latest round of appointments, it seems there is 1 independent, 1 NACHI/ASHI and 4 more ASHI. When I brought this to the attention of the Department of Licensing, things started to happen. The “Staff” at the DoL brought forth language to the now heavily skewed ASHI Board that would change the definition “member” to mean “Officer, Director or Controlling Person”. This way the State does not have to limit the numbers to two and can cover their collective a.s.s.e.s. for not enforcing the law in the last round of appointments.
The State did ask those applying for the positions on the Board if they would be willing to give up their membership in whatever organization but the DoL never made the request. When I received the proposed agenda for the June Board meeting, there were proposed changes to the State SOP. In the margins were notes by some of the Board members. One such comment was, “we should delete this language just like ASHI did”. Well that is what got my dander up. The skewed ASHI Board is showing it’s ugly head. Gee, that comment mysteriously disappeared the next time that language was sent out for the September meeting.
Now the DoL “Staff”, with the approval of the skewed ASHI Board is recommending to the Director of the DoL the language that will allow this Board and future Boards to be nothing more than puppets. The part that really gets to me is the lack of Ethics of the Board members for voting on something that is so self serving. Their lack of ethics is nothing more than a slap in the face to both the public and all licensed home inspectors. We had licensing shoved down out throats but at least worked hard enough to get decent language written. That is now being tainted by the self serving Board and lazy, inept Department of Licensing.
Stop this travesty now. Make your voice heard.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you contact the Home Inspector Program Director, Karen Jarvis. Her number is 360-664-6483. She can also be reached by email at: kjarvis@dol.wa.gov
The other people to contact are:
Jerry McDonald, Real Estate Director… JMcdonald@dol.wa.gov,
Lona Price Home Inspectors… loprice@dol.wa.gov
Pat Kohler Dept of Licensing Director… PKohler@dol.wa.gov