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<br />school which was sponsored by his company to study electrical, heating, etc.; <br />however, anyone can call himself a home inspector. The members discussed what <br />should be included in the interview and it was decided that they would have to <br />establish some minumIIn requirements for registration. Mr. Piar would still like <br />to talk with other cities and see how their point of sale inspections are <br />handled. Mr. Burk asked if there were any testing guidelines set up anywhere and <br />stated that the board would like to have some control over these inspectors. Mr. <br />Piar stated that he should remove himself from this discussion since Mr. Conway <br />is going to do what he wants regardless of what he thinks, and he questioned why <br />there was a board because no one listened to him. He naintained that Mr. Conway <br />is going to do things his way no matter what. He believed that this was totally <br />unfair and thought that establishing requirements was going to scare inspectors <br />out of the cityo He stated that, one other time, when he mentioned the drawing <br />that Cleveland gives out for basic garage plans where it is required to put in a <br />2 inch bolt, no one on the board paid any attention to him. He maintained that <br />one person runs the board and that is it, and questioned why the board e.xists. He <br />reiterated that the average home inspector is not going to fill out the city's <br />form. He again asked i.f anyone had contacted arry of the other cities who conduct <br />home inspections, noting that several cities, Lakewood, Brookpark, Independence, <br />all did city inspections and private home inspeetion were made also. He was <br />concerned that this policy would make home inspectors liable. Mr. Ka.zak asked <br />why it would ma,ke them liable and noted that they were liable to the person who <br />hired them. Mr. Piar agreed that he would be liable to the home owner, but now he <br />would have to be liable to the city. He believed that he would be doing the <br />city's work and would not be getting gaid for it. Mr. Burk noted that if he did <br />electrical work in the city and if the inspector finds things wrong, he has to <br />change them, this takes up his time and it is part of doing business. Mr. Piar <br />would like the board to talk to other home inspection companies and see what they <br />think. He questioned what would happen with the homes that never got inspected. <br />Mr. Kazak stated that the only way .to change that was for the city to mandate <br />such inspections. Mr. Piar believed that the city had an obligation to a new home <br />buyer that the home is basically safe and had such things as smoke detectors, <br />reversing garage doors, etc. before a house was sold. Mr. Conway noted that there <br />were two problems with the city doing inspections: there were no funds available <br />to hire additional inspectors, but mainly the purpose of an inspection by the <br />city is not to be responsible to either the owner or purchaser, but only to be <br />responsible to the city as a whole, and this has been upheld in the courts. The <br />private inspector is responsible to the person who hired him. This is basically <br />the same as hiring someone to pick up the garbage. Mr. Conway stated that he is <br />not trying to rule the board, in the past the board has ruled both for and <br />against him, however he will express his opinions. Mr. Kazak stated there had <br />been a problem with a city inspector in Euclid who found numerous electrical <br />problems, but overlooked other serious conditions in the house. Mr. Conway stated <br />that normally a city uses the more qualified inspectors for the more difficult <br />inspections, inspecting a house is not a difficult function and is frequently <br />done by less qua.lified individuals. A home inspector ha.s to be qualified in many <br />different areas. Mr. Piar stated, that if there were city inspections for the 600 <br />or so homes that are transferred per year there could be fees set up which could <br />pay an inspector, perhaps only part time would be needed. He again mentioned the <br />safety factor, and pointed out that North Olmsted was far behind the times since <br />before a home can be transferred in Cleveland, it must have a smoke detector. He <br />again mentioned several safety hazards, smoke, fire, carbon monoxide gas, <br />non-reversing garage doors, etc. Mr.. Piar stated that he would be in favor of <br />State registration, but he would like someone to contact other cities who do <br />these inspections to see how they are doing it, rather than have the city just do <br />3