* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. WE ARE LIVE. UH, [00:00:01] SO [Call to Order] THIS IS A MEETING OF THE BUILDING RELATED FIRE CODES, APPEALS AND ADVISORY BOARD, INTERNATIONAL FUEL, UH, INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE AND INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE COMMITTEE. UH, THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE. SO WE HAVE NO PRIOR, PRIOR MEETING MINUTES. UH, WHAT WE WANNA DO TO START OFF IS DO A QUICK ROLL CALL. [Roll Call] CHRIS GARCIA PRESENT. JEFF BYER. ROBERT JONES. I TO UNMUTE? YEAH, YOU'RE STILL MUTED. ROBERT. HELLO? HELLO, ROBERT. OH, OKAY. YOU GOT IT MUTED ON YOUR SIDE. THERE WE GO. SEE? UH, WE DIDN'T GET THAT AUDIO CONFIRMATION. ROBERT. HEY SPENCER, HOW YOU DOING? , MAN. I'M DOING GOOD. YEAH. UH, JUST WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I KNOW THAT I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING HERE. UH, PERRY BYERS WITH BYER BOYS. JEFF BYERS, UH, FATHER, I BELIEVE PASSED AWAY. MORNING. JUST KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYER. UM, PERRY BYERS. YES, SIR. SO JUST BE KEEPING THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR PRAYERS AND YEAH. THAT'S TOUGH. YEAH, I KNEW PERRY AND CARTER KNEW PERRY PRETTY GOOD UP THERE. AND, UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS ACTIVE WITH THE P H C C, SO WE'RE AROUND THOSE GUYS A BUNCH. SO THAT ONE'S A TOUGH ONE RIGHT THERE. THAT IS A TOUGH ONE. YEAH, WE APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS HELPING THE COMMUNITY DOING THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S A TOUGH ONE. SORRY TO HEAR THAT. YEAH, I NEVER, I KNEW PERRY SINCE 1991, SO, UM, HE AND I WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS. HE WAS ON PILLS BOARD MEETINGS BEFORE HIS WIFE TEXTED TO SMOKE. ALRIGHT. UM, SEE, I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD, UH, ROBERT, ANY LUCK? YES, I I CAN HEAR YOU NOW. OKAY. UH, UH, WE'RE JUST DOING THE ROLL CALL. SO ROBERT JONES PRESENT. THANK YOU. SCOTT BERGER AND JACK UP MOORE. I'M HERE. ALL RIGHTY. SO THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE TO, UH, APPOINT A CHAIR FOR THE COMMITTEE. DON'T MAKE ME NOMINATE MS. SPENCER. YEAH. THINK I GOTTA GET IN FIRST. BILL. YEAH, HE, HE CAN'T BE JUST YET. , I GUESS I'LL TAKE IT OVER. YOU GET ME IN? YEAH, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T SEE, THERE'S A REASON WHY WE COULDN'T DO THAT AGENDA ITEM FIRST. I'M NOT SURE JOSEPH, OR I'M NOT SURE IF JOSEPH HARNEY'S ON. IF YOU COULD ROLL ON THAT. UH, I'M HERE. JEREMY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY. UH, SO THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM WAS TO, UH, NOMINATE A CHAIR AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS TO ADD ON SPENCER AND GEORGE TO THE COMMITTEE. CAN WE DO THE SPENCER AND GEORGE VOTE FIRST WITHOUT A CHAIR? AND THEN, BECAUSE IT WOULD, THE NOMINATING WOULD GO TO SPENCER ONCE HE JOINS HERE. UH, SURE. WHOEVER TECHNICALLY IN CHARGE RIGHT NOW CAN, UH, WHICH ITEM MENTION THE, ALRIGHT, SO, UH, JOSEPH, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, NOMINATING A CHAIR WITH, AND THEN VOTE ON SPENCER TO BE ADDED LATER. OR, I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. VOTE ON SPENCER AND, AND GEORGE TO JOIN THE COMMITTEE WITHOUT A CHAIR FIRST AND THEN DO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE AS THE, UH, VOTING ON THE CHAIR. YEAH. WHO'S, WHOEVER'S TECHNICALLY IN RUNNING THE MEETING RIGHT NOW CAN JUST, UH, SWITCH THE AGENDA ITEMS. [00:05:02] OKAY. I THINK WE CAN BE ON THE COMPUTER. UM, CHRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST FOR THAT, MAYBE RUN THE MEETING AND THEN WE CAN GO TO A CHAIR AFTER THAT? YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT. DO WE NEED A, A FORMAL MOTION TO, UM, SWAP THE AGENDA ITEMS? UH, IT WOULD HELP, YEAH, DO DO IT THAT WAY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SWITCH THE AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SPENCER FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S CURRENTLY A COMMITTEE MEMBER. OH YEAH. SECOND ROBERT JONES. I SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL OPPOSED. OKAY. SO THE AGENDA WILL BE FIRST TO ADD ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE [2. Vote to add additional Committee Members] MEMBERS AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON A COMMITTEE CHAIR. MOTION TO ADD SPENCER ZEL AND GEORGE VIS THANK GEORGE ROBERT. JUMP SECOND ON THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THE OPPOSED? NO OPPOSED. TA. WE HAVE A NEW MEMBERS. NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, [1. Appoint IPC/IFGC 2021 Committee Chair] NOMINATIONS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIR, UH, REAL FAST. UH, GEORGE, CAN YOU GIVE US VIDEO, UH, AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE VIDEO. YES. REMEMBER, YOU MUST HAVE VIDEO. GOTTA BE ABLE TO SEE YOU TO KNOW IT'S YOU CONDUCTING BUSINESS. GREAT. THANK YOU, GEORGE. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THAT GIVES EVERYBODY THE FIVE MEMBERS CURRENTLY HERE. UH, SO Y'ALL CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, MOTION TO NOMINATED CHAIR. I THANK YOU. WE HAVE, I BELIEVE WE HAD A MOTION FOR A NOMINATION. FOR A NOMINATION. IS THAT CORRECT? TO BE CHAIR. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? SPENCER, DO YOU ACCEPT? I DO. AND BY ACCLIMATION SPENCER RAMWELL IS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND I HAND OVER THE GAVE TEAS SPENCER. OKAY. UH, WELL I'M PROBABLY NOT AS SEASONED ON THE PROTOCOLS ON THIS, SO. WELL, TODAY SHOULD BE FAIRLY EASY. UM, SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THE PROCEDURALS, UH, REAL QUICK, UM, SO WE HAVE SOME D F D STAFF ONE, UH, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE MR. STECKER, I THINK YOU'RE COMING UP AS USER ON MY SCREEN, BUT, UH, I SEE YOU, UH, VIDEO LIVE. UM, SO, UH, STAFF, I GUESS SPENCER, IF YOU'LL HAND IT OFF TO STAFF, WE CAN DO OUR PRESENTATION REAL QUICK AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO CONVERSATION. SORRY, I KIND OF JUMPED THE BOAT ON YOU THERE. SORRY, I JUST, YEAH, YOU CAN JUST HAND IT OFF TO STAFF. IS THAT THE FORM FORMALITY? I GUESS RICK, I HAD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO STAFF THEN PLEASE. . PERFECT. THANKS SPENCER. UH, YEAH, SO THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM [3. Committee will advise the Building Official on a proposed modification to IB176 to accept non-engineer’s letter for Tunnel Inspections.] WE REALLY HAVE, UH, AFTER THESE FORMAL ONES IS TO DISCUSS, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, UM, CON OR NON D S E EMPLOYEES TO AMEND IB 1 76. UM, WITH THE REASONING, UH, BEING TO EXPAND ON THE, UM, THOSE ARE ALLOWED TO CLEAR INSPECTIONS FOR TUNNEL TUNNEL WORK, UH, PLUMBING TUNNEL WORK. WE MET ORIGINALLY ABOUT THIS AS A FULL BOARD BACK ON JUNE, JUNE 12TH. UH, IT WAS KIND OF THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME, UH, TO, UH, HAVE IT OR THE BOARD TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE, UH, LOOK AT THAT AND, UH, MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO D SS D UH, THIS ISN'T A ACTIONABLE ITEM, IT'S MORE OF A RECOMMENDATION FROM, UH, THE COMMITTEE TO D S D TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD ON HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, MAKE A DECISION, UH, TO THAT REQUEST. SO I'M GONNA DO REAL FAST TO JUST KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION WE HAD GIVEN LAST TIME. I WANNA LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR, UH, DISCUSSION. I KNOW, UH, CHRIS HAS TO LEAVE AT THREE O'CLOCK OR 2 55. SO, UH, I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH THIS REALLY FAST JUST SO EVERYBODY GETS THE HIGH POINTS AND THEN WE CAN, UH, MAKE THAT, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. SO IB 1 76, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT THE CHAPTER 10, UH, ALLOWS, UM, THE FIRE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE FIRE CHIEF, UH, TO ACCEPT, UM, OPTIONS BEYOND JUST A BUILDING INSPECTOR TO GO OUT AND DO THE INSPECTIONS FOR CERTAIN THINGS. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE. UH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE OF THIS REQUEST COMING IN FROM MR. REER, UH, REVIEWED. ORIGINALLY, [00:10:01] IT WAS REVIEWED BY THE DONATING OFFICIAL BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2018 AND DENIED. UH, WE HAD A FOLLOW-UP MEETING BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2018 OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM BETWEEN OUR CHIEF DAVID, UH, ROADIE AND, UH, MR. STRYKER BETWEEN 20 18TH OF DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY OF 2019. UH, WE KIND OF PUT BACK, UH, SOME OF THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE BY THE TEXAS BOARD, UH, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS BACK IN FEBRUARY, 2019. UH, THEN WE MET WITH, THEY HAD A ONE-ON-ONE MEETING WITH THE BUILDING OFFICIAL ON MAY, 2020. AND THEN WE HAD THE BOARD MEETING ON MAY, UH, JUNE, 2020. HEY, UH, HI EVERYONE, THIS IS AMIN THOMAS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. CAN EVERYBODY MUTE UNLESS THEY ARE TALKING? THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, SO MOSTLY WE SEE FROM CHAPTER 10 OF THE I V C SECTION FIVE E, UM, OR I'M SORRY, THIS IS, UH, OF THE, UH, ADOPTED CODES BY THE CITY. SO CHAPTER 10 OF THE ADOPTED CODES, UM, REQUIRED ALL INSPECTIONS OR MAY ACCEPT REPORTS OF INSPECTIONS BY APPROVED AGENCIES OR INDIVIDUALS. SO WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, UM, A, AN ABILITY FOR US TO ACCEPT SOMETHING BESIDES OUR INTERNAL INSPECTORS, UH, OR SOMEBODY CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY TO DO THIS. UM, NOW THE BOARD, THIS IS THE STATE BOARD HAS NO FINANCIAL ADVISORY INTEREST IN ANY PLUMBING COMPANY, SHALL NOT PERFORM A PLUMBING INSPECTION UNLESS PROOF OF OF AFFILIATION WITH A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. SOME THE TERMINOLOGY OUT THERE, UH, COMING FROM THE STATE BOARD. UH, SO IB 1 76 KIND OF GOVERNS THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, UH, FOR TUNNEL REPAIRS AND DICTATES WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE. UH, WE HAVE SOME HISTORICAL DATA OF HOW MANY WE WERE DOING. UH, THIS WAS BACK WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT IT, ABOUT 50 INSPECTIONS PER MONTH. UH, AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE NO, UH, REQUESTS COMING FROM US, SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS. SO OUR CURRENT OPTIONS, I'LL GO OVER THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, IS US DO THE INSPECTION OR THE ENGINEER'S LETTER. UH, HERE ARE SOME PICTURES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMITTEE HAS, UH, A LOT OF THE EXPERTISE UNDERSTANDS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THE PROTOCOL CURRENTLY FOR, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES. LEMME GET TO THAT FOR, UH, HOW WE PERFORM OUR INSPECTIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, WE GO ON SITE, UH, BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE COVID EVENT, THESE WERE ALWAYS DONE ON SITE. UH, WE DIDN'T GET DOWN INSIDE THE TUNNELS. UH, THAT WAS CHANGED A FEW YEARS BACK. UH, WE ALWAYS REQUIRED SOMEBODY TO HAVE A TUNNEL CAMERA OR SOME FORM OF CAMERA THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO VIEW IT, UH, FROM OUTSIDE OF THE TUNNEL. WE WOULD GO THROUGH AND WE'D CHECK ALL THE CONNECTIONS AND FITTINGS AND, AND THE, UH, UH, RISE AND RUN OF THE PIPING AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS UP TO CODE AND WOULD APPROVE IT THAT WAY. SO AS OF TODAY, WE EITHER DO ONSITE VIDEO INSPECTIONS, UH, WITH OUR 95% NEXT DAY, UH, METRIC. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE OF HOW QUICKLY WE OUT THERE AND DO AN INSPECTION. UH, WE ALSO OFFER THE REMOTE VIDEO INSPECTIONS. SO NOW WE DON'T EVEN GO ON SITE FOR A LOT OF THESE TUNNEL INSPECTIONS. AND USUALLY WHEN WE GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF JUST CALLING IN AND, AND DOING IT REMOTELY, UH, THAT'S HOW WE'RE DOING MOST OF THEM. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE, WE UNDERSTAND THE DEMAND AND IF SOMEBODY CALLS IN AND WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY, WE CAN ALSO DO SAME DAY, UM, INSPECTIONS. SO OUR OUR SENIOR WHO'S KIND OF WORKING ON THE REMOTE VIDEO INSPECTIONS, WHO'S BASED OUTTA THE OFFICE OR AT A, UH, PRIVATE RESIDENCE, UM, DOING THE, THE WORK REMOTELY, IF HE GETS A PHONE CALL, HAS A LITTLE BIT OF AVAILABILITY, WE CAN RUN THROUGH AND COMPLETE THAT, UH, INSPECTION, UH, KIND OF ON DEMAND. UH, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S AN UNLIMITED AVAILABILITY. WE'LL, WE'RE WORKING TO TRY TO IMPROVE ON THAT, BUT SOMETHING WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. THEN OF COURSE, WE STILL ALLOW FOR THE ENGINEER'S LETTER. SO THAT WOULD JUST BE A, A LETTER COMING IN FROM AN ENGINEER CERTIFYING THAT ALL THE PLUMBING WORK, UH, MEETS THE I P C REQUIREMENTS. ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF BROUGHT UP IN OUR MEETING BACK IN JUNE 12TH WAS, UM, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES ALLOWING? SO WE CALLED AROUND, UM, AUSTIN, I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE BACK FROM, BUT I DID TALK TO, UH, THE BUILDING OFFICIALS FOR HOUSTON AND DALLAS. BOTH OF THEM, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE DOING. UH, THEY DO INSPECTIONS BY THE CITY INSPECTORS THROUGH A VIDEO ON SITE, UH, NOW KINDA MOVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT REMOTE VIDEO, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GETTING INSIDE THE TUNNELS. UH, THEY'RE PERFORMING IT, UH, HAVING SOMEBODY GO THERE DOWN THERE, SHOW US WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, THROUGH A VIDEO, WHETHER WE'RE ONSITE AT THE SAME TIME OR DOING IT REMOTELY THROUGH A CELL PHONE OR, OR TABLET OR, OR COMPUTER WEBEX TYPE THING. NOW, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS NEITHER ONE OF THOSE CITIES EVEN OFFER THE ENGINEER'S LETTER. SO CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS ALREADY KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, ACCEPTING OF, OF OUTSIDE THE NORMAL, JUST AN INSPECTOR ONLY THAN DALLAS AND HOUSTON BY ALLOWING AN ENGINEER'S LETTER VERSUS JUST AN INSPECTION BY A CITY INSPECTOR. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KIND OF DID THAT RESEARCH. WE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR LONG CONVERSATION IN THE LAST MEETING. UM, A LOT OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS, YOU KNOW, IF ALLOWED, WHAT ARE THE [00:15:01] REQUIREMENTS OF THAT INSPECTOR? IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR THAT IS NOT AN ENGINEER, NOT A CITY INSPECTOR, WHAT WOULD BE THE REQUIREMENTS IF, IF WE WANT THAT ROUTE? UM, SO BEFORE WE KIND OF GO INTO THAT ONE, REALLY WHAT WE WANNA GET OUTTA THIS MEETING TODAY TO KIND OF KICK IT OFF IS, IS THERE A NEED? DOES THE, AND IF, DOES THE BOARD FEEL LIKE CITY SHOULD BE ALLOWING THIS ADDITIONAL STEP? UH, THAT ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS ALREADY, THE CITY IS GOING FURTHER THAN HOUSTON AND DALLAS BY ALLOWING AN ENGINEER TO DO IT. SHOULD WE BE ALLOWING, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A NON-ENGINEER OR NON-CITY EMPLOYEE INSPECTOR PERFORMING THESE INSPECTIONS THAT'S SIMILAR TO A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION TO CLEAR THE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PLUMBING OF THE TUNNEL JOB? UH, SO I KIND OF WANT TO OPEN IT UP FROM THERE. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE SIGNED IN, SO MAYBE WE CAN DO A REAL QUICK ROLL CALL OF, OF WHO'S HERE, UH, TO KIND OF MAKE THIS DISCUSSION. BUT THE GOAL IS FOR THE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS, UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE OFFERING? AND THEN IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO, TO DO, THEN WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GIVE D S T A COUPLE WEEKS TO LOOK THROUGH WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE AND THEN COME BACK RIGHT AFTER THE THANKSGIVING, UH, PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS, AND, UH, HAVE ANOTHER QUICK MEETING, GO OVER THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND KIND OF SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE WOULD EX, UH, REQUIRE IF WE WERE GONNA GO THAT OPTION. BUT FIRST WE WANNA SEE IS THERE A NEED OR IS THE CITY KIND OF FULFILLING ITS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDUSTRY? UH, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANTED TO COME TO THE COMMITTEE WHERE WE HAVE SOME PLUMBERS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE, UH, GOOD OPEN DIALOGUE AND, AND SEE WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WANTS TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD. SO, UH, MR. STECKER, I THINK YOU'RE ON. CAN YOU, UH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND DISCUSS AND MAYBE INTRODUCE WHO YOU HAVE HERE WITH YOU AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH, I'VE GOT, UH, I KNOW ELI FROM ASAP PLUMBING'S HERE. UM, HE USES MY SERVICES FOR DOING THESE OUT IN THE COUNTY. UM, GEORGE SALIVA, OF COURSE, HE'S ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT HE'S USED MY SERVICES OUT IN THE COUNTY PRIOR AS WELL. AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE I HAD INVITED MADE IT, I CAN'T TELL 'CAUSE JUST MY PHONE NUMBER. SO IT'S HARD TO TELL IF, IF THEY'RE ON OR NOT. UM, DID YOU WANT GO INTO ANYTHING FURTHER OR, OR, UM, THE ONLY JUST FOR PROCEDURAL IS, IS IF EVERYBODY, IF THEY DO HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UH, GO AHEAD AND JUST, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND I THINK ADDRESSES ARE THE TWO REQUIREMENTS AND THEN, UH, OPEN A DIALOGUE. UH, BUT THIS IS WHERE I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUT IT BACK EITHER TO THE COMMITTEE OR TO YOU TO KIND OF START THAT DIALOGUE, UM, AND, AND KIND OF GIVE D S T SOME INPUT ON HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD. UH, AS I WAS SAYING, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS, AS D S D'S STANCE THAT WE FEEL LIKE, UH, BASED ON THE, YOU KNOW, NOW ALMOST IMMEDIATE DAY RESPONSE TO BEING ABLE TO DO AN INSPECTION, DOING IT REMOTELY, NOT EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT US BEING ON SITE AND OFFERING THE ENGINEERS LAYERS. WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE MEETING THE DEMAND FOR THE, THE INDUSTRY. BUT IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA LISTEN TO THAT AND HEAR THAT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE DO NEED TO OFFER, OFFER THIS THIRD OPTION. IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT'S GOT SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, UH, WELCOME THEM TO GO AHEAD AND CHIME IN AT THIS TIME. UH, THIS GEORGE SALIVA, DID YOU SAY WHAT, WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL FOR INTRODUCTION? OH, GEORGE, YOU'RE A COMMITTEE. YOU'RE A COMMITTEE MEMBER, SO YOU'RE ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND, AND TALK. IT'S MORE FOR, UH, NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND NOT D S C EMPLOYEES TO GIVE US THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS. I GOTCHA. I UNDERSTAND. SO, AND I, I OWN GEORGE PLUMBING COMPANY. UH, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, SO THE COMPANY'S BEEN AROUND ABOUT 75 YEARS. SO WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED QUITE A BIT WITH CITY INSPECTIONS AND THINGS. OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD WITH THE TUNNELS, UH, SINCE THE, UH, CITY CHANGED THE, UH, PERMIT OR THE INSPECTION PROCESS, IT WAS QUITE A BIT OF, OF EXPENSE AT FIRST TO GO AHEAD, OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND GET THE CAMERA AND THE CABLING AND, UH, ALL OF THAT. BUT IT WAS QUITE CUMBERSOME FOR US TO HAVE TO DEAL, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WITH THE CAMERA AND THINGS AND MEETING THE INSPECTOR ON THE JOB. 'CAUSE IT WOULD ALSO, OR AGAIN, JUST WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF MY GUYS TO GO OUT AND ONE IN THE TUNNEL AND ONE, UH, OUTSIDE THE TUNNEL AND TO PERFORM OR TO HELP PERFORM THESE, THESE INSPECTIONS. SO WHEN THE ENGINEERING, UH, CAME ALONG AND, AND THAT OPTION WAS GIVEN TO US, WE REACHED OUT AND WE TRIED SEVERAL ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT ENDED UP JUST NOT EVER WANTING TO DO IT ANYMORE, AND STRUGGLED AND STRUGGLED. AND WE FINALLY, UH, FOUND A FELLOW OUT OF NEW BRAUNFELS THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THE NEED FOR ENGINEERING AND THE INSPECTION. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE MAN EVEN HAD TO CALL ME AND ASK ME ABOUT CERTAIN SITUATIONS AND THE PLUMBING THAT HE WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH, [00:20:01] UH, HAD NEVER SEEN IN A DRAWING OR ANYTHING. AND, UH, NOT THAT HE TURNED THINGS DOWN, BUT IT WAS JUST THE DELAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, I PERSONALLY WOULD PREFER A TRUE PLUMBING INSPECTION. I THINK IT IS MORE VIABLE IF WE EVER HAVE A PROBLEM THAN A TRAINED ENGINEER THAT HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE TRADE OR SPENT ANY TIME DOING THE INSTALLATIONS. UM, AND I COULD JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. SO OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER OPTION OF, OF A PERSONAL INSPECTION OF A VERIFIED OR A QUALIFIED INSPECTOR WOULD OBVIOUSLY HELP OUR SITUATION AND KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN TO OUR CUSTOMERS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THING IS ALL THIS EXTRA ADDED COST. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AT THIS POINT. CAN I INTERJECT? THIS IS ROBERT TRICER. YES, SIR. YEAH, NO, I, I WANNA TRY TO MAKE THIS AS, UH, OPEN DIALOGUE AS LONG AS EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THEY'RE A CHANCE TO TALK, UH, THE GOAL OF THAT AND WHY I OPENED UP THE MEETING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE NORMALLY DO TO, UH, OUTSIDE, IS TO TRY TO FACILITATE THAT CONVERSATION. LIKE WE'RE SITTING IN A ROUND TABLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO FEEL FREE. OKAY. AND, AND YOU, YOU DID A PRETTY GOOD ON THE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY AND SO FORTH, AND MOST Y'ALL THERE KNOW WHO I AM. SOME OF YOU DON'T. I DON'T KNOW WHO CHRIS IS AND A FEW OTHERS, BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM, I USED TO BE THE CHIEF PLANNING INSPECTOR IN SAN ANTONIO. I WORKED THERE 21 AND A HALF YEARS, AND 18 OF THOSE YEARS I WAS THE CHIEF. SO I LEFT IN OH NINE TO PURSUE SOME OTHER THINGS. BUT I'M THE ONE THAT SET UP THE CRITERIA FOR THE TUNNELS. I, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THE QUALIFICATIONS, I'VE GOT EVERY LICENSE AND ENDORSEMENT AND EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT WITH PLUMBING. I'M A MASTER PLUMBER AS WELL. I WANNA QUANTIFY AND CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS THAT I DID. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WITH ENGINEERS, WHEN THEY SUBMITTED A LETTER, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION, THAT'S WHY I SUBMITTED THE CHANGES I DID TO THE IIV. UM, THEY USE THE WORDS OBSERVATION ASSESSED, OBSERVED. THEY DON'T USE THE WORD INSPECTION. AND I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT IN THE IV 1 7 6, THAT WE, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE WHAT I HANDED OUT BACK IN JUNE, BUT THE MEMBERS THERE HAD IT, I WENT THROUGH AND CHANGED THOSE WORDS FROM INSPECTIONS TO OBSERVATIONS AND, AND THERE'S OTHER CHANGES IN THERE THAT I MADE TO MAKE IT ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMEONE THAT CAN GO IN THERE THAT'S QUALIFIED TO MAKE THE OBSERVATION ABOUT THE INSTALLATION. DOES IT MEET THE CODE? AND IT'S IMPORTANT. THOSE, THAT WORDING IS KIND OF IMPORTANT BECAUSE MM-HMM. , IT, IT, IT, IT, Y'ALL, WHEN Y'ALL CHANGED THE RULES, SO TO SPEAK, ON HOW INSPECTIONS DONE, IT CHANGED UP SOME THINGS. I KNOW DAVID HAS BROUGHT UP THE STATE PANEL BOARD, VARIOUS THINGS THAT KIND OF WENT OUT THE WINDOW A LITTLE BIT. AND I WANT TO QUANTIFY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S CALLED AN OBSERVATION, THEN THERE IS NOTHING. FIRST OF ALL, THE STATE, WHATEVER, THE STATE BOARD RULES IS NOT THE CITY'S RULES. THAT'S THE STATE BOARD TO DEAL WITH, WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL THEY FEEL IS IN VIOLATION OF THE STATE BOARD RULES AND LAWS, NOT THE CITY. BUT WITH THAT SAID, THE WORD OBSERVATION AND SOMEONE GOING TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION DOES NOT VIOLATE ANYTHING. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS A LONG TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, I DON'T VIOLATE ANYTHING WITH STATE PLUM BOARD. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THEM SINCE, SINCE 1975. OKAY. AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE GONE TO MEETINGS SINCE 1991. DIDN'T MISS A MEETING EVER UP UNTIL PANDEMIC AND THEN PANDEMIC A FEW PRIOR TO THAT. I USED TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE MEETING EVEN WHEN THEY HAD SIX A YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE RULES AND LAWS, AND I WANNA BE IN COMPLIANCE. SO MY CHANGES TO THE IV ALSO MIRROR WHAT THE, THE, UH, ENGINEERS ARE DOING AND WHAT WAY THEY'RE WORDING IT. THEY DON'T USE THE WORD INSPECTION AND THERE'S A REASON THEY DON'T. THEY USE THE WORD OBSERVATION AND TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND, AND THOSE TYPE OF TERMS. OKAY. SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. THAT'S ONE THING NEEDS TO BE FIXED RIGHT THERE. NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO GET THOSE CHANGES I SUGGESTED BECAUSE THEN IT MAKES IT MATCH WHAT THE ENGINEERS ARE DOING ANYWAYS. IT DOESN'T, UH, LOWER THE STANDARDS OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT JUST MATCHES WHAT THEIR LETTERS INDICATE. AND IF YOU EVER READ THOSE LETTERS, WHAT I JUST QUOTED TO YOU IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY USE. OBSERVATION ASSESSED, OBSERVED, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE TERMS WORDS THAT THEY USE. NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT CHAPTER 10. WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE BUILDING CODE SECTION 1 0 4 0.4. YES, IT DOES GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO, TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR AGENCIES. AND, AND SINCE I KNOW SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES, 'CAUSE I WENT TO WORK WITH THE, WITH THE CITY INSPECTOR IN EIGHTIES, THAT THEY ACCEPTED AN ENGINEER'S LETTER. SO THE PRECEDENT'S ALREADY BEEN SET TO SET OUTSIDE AGENCY'S, UH, LETTERS. ALONG THE WAY THEY'VE ACCEPTED ARCHITECTS. AND I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO GO BACK IN THE RECORDS TO, TO VERIFY THAT. BUT I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M CORRECT ABOUT THAT, AS WELL AS OTHER AGENCIES [00:25:01] DOCUMENT AND PROOF OF SOMETHING, WHATEVER, MAYBE IT'S STRUCTURAL OR DESIGN, WHATEVER. THERE'S BEEN OTHER LETTERS ACCEPTED BY THE CITY, NOT JUST ENGINEERS. OKAY, SO THOSE, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL WE'RE SETTING A NEW PRESENCE. NO, WE'RE NOT. I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU THAT I'VE GOT THE QUALIFICATIONS TO PERFORM THESE INSPECTIONS. I'VE PERFORMED INSPECTIONS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF TIMES, TO BE QUITE HONEST. I DO THIS AND I'M, I'M GONNA CHANGE THE WORD FROM INSPECTIONS TO OBSERVATIONS. I'VE BEEN DOING THESE OBSERVATIONS A LONG TIME, AND CURRENTLY I DO 'EM OUT IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW FOR WHETHER IT'S THE HOMEOWNER, THE BUILDER, UM, PLUMBING CONTRACTOR, WHOEVER WANTS IT INSPECTED BECAUSE THEY WANT SOMEONE ELSE'S EYES ON THERE SO THAT IF SOMETHING GOES SOUTH LATER, THEY'VE GOT SOME, SOMEONE WITH CONFIDENCE THAT HAS SAID WHAT WAS INSTALLED AT THE TIME, MET THE CODE. AND THAT'S WHERE THIS COMES IMPORTANT. SO I'M, I'M DOING THESE RIGHT NOW OUT IN THE COUNTY. OKAY. I'M JUST OFFERING MY SERVICES. SO I DID THIS TWO YEARS AGO. ALL THIS WAS NEW. THIS HAS TAKEN, YOU KNOW, A LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS POINT. BUT I, I COULD HAVE HAD IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON GETTING THESE THINGS DONE. AND, AND, AND KNOWING, BEING MAD THE CITY FOR DELAYS, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR GETTING YOUR TURNAROUND TIME A LITTLE QUICKER, THAT'S GREAT. BUT THERE'S STILL SOME CONVENIENCES THAT USING MY SERVICES WOULD PROVIDE TO THEM MAY, WHETHER IT'S SAME DAY SERVICE OR WHATEVER, IT CAN BE DONE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GEORGE TALKED ABOUT WAS MULTIPLE PEOPLE. RIGHT? NOW I'VE GOT SOMEONE THAT WORKS WITH ME. SO IF, IF THEY CAN'T MAKE IT, I CAN STILL MAKE THE, MAKE THE OBSERVATION. AND I'VE GOT A SECOND PERSON THAT'S RIGHT THERE AT THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE IN CASE SOMETHING DOES GO SOUTH. NOW I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, EXPERT SOME EXPERTISE AND, AND I'VE TAUGHT, TAUGHT AND TRAINED WITH REGARDS TO CONFINED SPACE AND ALL THIS STUFF. SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT. UH, SO ALWAYS OBSERVE THE TUNNEL FIRST TO MAKE SURE WHAT'S THE WALLS LOOK LIKE. IS THERE ANY, ANY, UH, UH, UM, CRACKING OR ANYTHING GOING ON. I ALWAYS MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOREVER ENTER ANYWAYS. SO THAT TAKES AWAY THEM HAVING TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE THERE. AND IF I HAVE TO HAVE ONE PERSON THERE, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE PERSON, ALL THEIR STAFF HAS TO BE THERE. SO THIS CONVENIENCE IS THERE. GETS BACK TO THE COST THAT GEORGE TALKED ABOUT. UM, SO QUALIFICATIONS AND MASTER'S SINCE 82, I'VE BEEN IN PLUMBING INDUSTRY SINCE 1975. I'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS STUFF. I'M THE ONE THAT SET UP THE CRITERIA, WHICH, TO BE HONEST, IF YOU GO AND CHECK EVERY OTHER CITY, THE CRITERIA THAT I CREATED 1995 IS BEING USED BY ALMOST EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND THE REASON I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT IS I BELONG TO THE TEXAS STATE ASSOCIATED WITH PLUMBING INSPECTORS. BEEN GOING TO THOSE MEETINGS SINCE 1992. AND I SEE THESE DRAWINGS COME UP AND THEY SAY, YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW FOR TUNNELS. SO THAT'S MY DRAWING, AND I'LL SHOW 'EM THE ORIGINAL. AND THE ONLY THING DIFFERENT BETWEEN THEIR DRAWING AND MINE IS MINE'S GOT MY NAME ON IT AND THE DATE AND THE CITY LOGO. SO PEOPLE PICKED UP ON THE CRITERIA THAT I CAME UP WITH FOR MAKING THESE TUNNEL INSPECTIONS SAFE. SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS I'VE GOT THE QUALIFICATIONS AND, AND UP UNTIL THEY QUIT DOING 'EM, THE CITIES DON'T USE MY QUALIFY, MY, MY CRITERIA TO, TO MAKE THOSE INSPECTIONS, AS DOES OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE. SO MM-HMM. , THERE'S, YOU MENTIONED JEREMY EARLIER ABOUT WHAT'S THE CRITERIA FOR AN INDIVIDUAL? I THINK WE NEED TO NOT CROSS SOME BRIDGES. WE HAVEN'T GOT TO YET. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME CRITERIA FOR THAT. BUT WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE JUMPING OUT TO DO THAT. BECAUSE AS YOU'VE SEEN, AS YOU'VE SHOWED WITH SOME OF THOSE CITIES, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WANNA GO IN THESE THINGS. I'M UNIQUE, OKAY. MAYBE I'M DUMB, I DON'T KNOW. BUT, BUT I, I HAVE RESPECT FOR TUNNELS, BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW TO ENTER THEM SAFELY. I KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO WATCH FOR. SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOING THEM. SO I DON'T SEE WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A RUSH OF PEOPLE JUMPING IN TRYING TO, WELL, WE WANT TO GET IN ON THIS TOO. THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE DOING IT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE THIRD PARTY INSPECTORS OUT THERE DON'T WANT TO GO ON TUNNELS EITHER. UH, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED WITH SOME OF THOSE GUYS. I'M NOT CONSIDERING MYSELF A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR. I AM AN INDIVIDUAL, AN AGENCY, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, THAT'S GOING TO GIVE AN OBSERVATION TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE INSTALLATION MEETS THE CODE. IF IT DOESN'T, IT GETS TURNED DOWN UNTIL IT DOES. THAT'S JUST THE WAY I DO IT, BECAUSE MY NAME'S GOING TO BE IN THE BOTTOM LINE, IS MY NAME'S ON IT. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT I'M CARRYING A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF INSURANCE. I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO GO TO MY INSURANCE. I WANNA MAKE SURE I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE. THE JOB IS DONE. RIGHT. SO I THINK THE FIRST THING IS, IS WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO IT. THE SECOND THING WOULD BE, IF YOU'RE GOING WITH CRITERIA, I'VE GOT SOME IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY BEING A MASTER PLUMBER WITH HOLDING THAT MASTER'S LICENSE FOR 15 TO 20 YEARS. IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETHING THAT GIVES CREDIBILITY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S Y'ALL'S CALL. WHAT YOU DO THERE, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO SAY, HAS TO BE AN INSPECTOR, BE AN INSPECTOR OR WHATEVER. YOU DON'T NEED THE MUD, THE WATER'S THERE. BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE, 'CAUSE I STILL GOT MY MASTER LICENSE AND I'VE GOT ALL MY LICENSES, BUT I'VE GOT THAT MASTER LICENSE THERE. I'VE GOT THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY NEED TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO, TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK AT. 'CAUSE IF IT'S, IF IT'S ONLY HAS MASTER LICENSE FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS, THEN I DON'T THINK, TO ME [00:30:01] IT'S STILL WET BEHIND THE EARS. AND THEY NEED TO GET A LITTLE MORE, UH, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY START SIGNING OFF ON SOMEONE ELSE. THE OTHER THING IS, I DON'T HAVE A BILL. I DON'T DO THIS WORK. SO IF IT'S GONNA BE A MASTER, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THEY CAN'T BE IN COMPETITION WITH WHOEVER THEY'RE GONNA INSPECT. THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. SO IT GETS BACK TO WHAT I SAID AT THE BEGINNING. I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A RUSH OF PEOPLE COMING IN THERE, IN FACT, UNTIL I BROUGHT THIS UP AND THEN, AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S EVEN ASKED YOU ABOUT IT. SO I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS RUSH THAT YOU, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT. BUT RIGHT NOW, I NEED TO GET SOME ACTION DONE ON THIS THING SO I CAN HELP THESE PEOPLE. SO I CAN HELP THE GEORGIAS AND DISPENSERS AND DIFFERENT ONES THAT MAY BE DOING THESE, THESE TYPE OF, UH, TUNNEL WORK AND, AND HELP EXPEDITE IT FOR THEM. CAN I CLARIFY SOMETHING WITH THIS? UH, YOUR INSPECTIONS, WHAT MAKES 'EM UNIQUE TOO IS YOU ALL YOUR INSPECTIONS ARE GONNA BE ON SITE, AND AS YOU SAID, YOU DO HAVE AN EXTRA PERSON THERE ON SITE FOR THE SAFETY, WHICH IS REQUIRED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IF THEY'RE IN, WHENEVER THEIR INSPECTORS DID DO ONSITE, THEY WANTED TO HAVE ANOTHER PERSON THERE. SO I'M JUST CLARIFYING, WHENEVER YOU'RE GOING OUT AND DOING THESE INSPECTIONS, YOU'RE NOT DOING VIDEO INSPECTIONS FROM HOME OR FROM WHEREVER THAT MAY BE. YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING ONSITE INSPECTIONS THERE? THAT IS CORRECT. I GO ON ONSITE AND THAT CRITERIA FOR HAVING TWO PEOPLE, HAVING A SECOND PERSON THAT'S IN MY RESIDUAL INITIAL CRITERIA FOR DOING INSPECTIONS. SO I'M THE ONE THAT SET THAT UP AS WELL. UM, SO I WOULD NEVER GO INTO A TUNNEL WITHOUT SOMEONE BEING THERE EVER, EVER, EVER. AND I'M TEACHING MY SON THE SAFETIES WHAT TO LOOK FOR. UM, WE WERE ON ONE BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER AND IT HAD THREE ENTRANCE POINTS. WE GOT TO THE THIRD ENTRANCE POINT, AND IT ACTUALLY WAS ACCESSIBLE FROM A SECOND ONE, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO GET THERE. SO WE WENT TO THE THIRD ONE AND I STOPPED RIGHT THERE. HE SAYS, WE'RE NOT GOING ANY FURTHER. HE GOES, WHY NOT? I SAID, SEE THIS FISSURE RIGHT HERE? AND I REACHED UP AND GRABBED IT. IT WASN'T A BIG CHUNK, BUT A BIG CHUNK FELL IN. I SAID, WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SEE FROM RIGHT HERE, WHICH WE COULD. I SAID, WE DON'T HAVE TO CRAWL INTO THIS TUNNEL. I DON'T TRUST IT. 'CAUSE THAT ONE FISSURE RIGHT THERE, THERE MAY BE MORE. SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE COULD, WENT BACK TO THE OTHER SIDE, LOOKED FROM THE OTHER ANGLE, AND WE WERE GOOD. SO SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, YOU KNOW? UM, I'VE GOT GRANDKIDS AND I WANNA ENJOY 'EM A LONG TIME, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE OF, OF SAFETY FIRST. AND AGAIN, UH, SPENCER RAMSDALE, UH, I THINK THAT THIS SERVICE THAT HE WOULD BE PROVIDING TO OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE PLUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE REQUESTING THIS ONSITE, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE CITY HAS GONE TO THE VIDEO AND HAS GONE TO THE LETTERS, THE ENGINEER'S LETTERS, THAT THIS WAY BEING ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE, I THINK IT'S JUST THE, IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM. I MEAN, IT'S, IT JUST MAKES SENSE, YOU KNOW, TO BE THERE ON SITE AND TO OFFER THAT, TO HAVE THAT OPTION AVAILABLE TO OUR PLUMBERS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. AND AS FAR AS QUALIFIED, I THINK ROBERT STRICKER'S THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON THAT I KNOW THAT COULD, UH, OFFER THOSE SERVICES OUT THERE. I CAN SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK. UH, IS THIS ELI? YES. YEAH. IF YOU WOULD JUST, UH, NAME AND NAME AND ADDRESS REAL QUICK FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. BUT YEAH, FEEL FREE TO OPEN UP. OKAY. MY NAME IS ELI VIAL. I OWN A ASAP PLUMBING SERVICE. UH, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS. UM, I DON'T KNOW, WE DO PROBABLY ABOUT, I WANT ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO ABOUT SIX, UH, TUNNELS PER MONTH. AND, UH, ME BEING A A AN OWNER, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING THE, NO DISRESPECT TO THE CITY, BUT HAVING THE CITY GO OUT THERE AND, AND SOMETIMES NOT EVEN GO OUT THERE, BUT LOOKING AT IT FROM A, UH, LAPTOP OR LOOKING AT IT FROM A PHONE OR SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE AN, UH, AN EMPLOYEE THAT IS PROBABLY NOT SHOWING THE COACH THE WHOLE TUNNEL, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT SHOWING EVERYTHING THAT WAS DONE. AND MAYBE BECAUSE HE HAD BACK FALL ON ONE OF THEM, OR MAYBE A FITTING, HE DIDN'T USE THE PROPER FITTINGS TO CONNECT. AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE WANNA GET OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOOD. BUT SOMETIMES BEING AN OWNER, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE GET TIED UP. SO WE RELY ON THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THEIR, THEIR, UH, UH, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR INSPECTIONS. AND, UH, I THINK WITH ROBERT, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT THERE AND, AND, UH, LOOKING AT THEM AND CROP CRAWLING UNDERNEATH THE TUNNEL AND REALLY LOOKING AT THE FALL, THE FITTINGS, THE EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S HUNG RIGHT. BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, IN THE BACK AND, AND THE, AND THE BACKFILL PROCEDURES MAY BE ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CAN COME BACK AND BITE US IN THE BUTT SAYING THAT, UH, THEY HAVE BACKFILL OR SOMETHING, OR, OR, OR THE LINE SEPARATED OR SOMETHING YEARS LATER. AND IT MAY DUE TO THE HOUSE SHIFTING. SO THE ENGINEER AND EVERYTHING ELSE COMES TO PLAY. SO, YEAH, I'M, I'M ON, ON ROBERT'S SIDE, OR AT LEAST SOMEBODY QUALIFIED TO GO OUT THERE AND, AND, UH, REALLY LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS A PROPER F FALL AND IT'S HUNG PROPERLY AND, AND, AND TOUCH AND FELT THE, THE, [00:35:01] THE, THE, THE, THE PLUMBING, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE IT WAS DONE RIGHT. SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. THANK ELI. UM, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, SO I KNOW, UH, ROBERT JONES WAS WITH US, BUT HE, HE HAD LET ME KNOW EARLIER THIS MORNING THAT HE WAS GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE AT TWO 30. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE FOUR OF THE SEVEN, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH US. AND I KNOW CHRIS WILL HAVE TO LEAVE AT 2 55, WHICH WILL PUT US BELOW THE QUORUM. SO, UH, MOSTLY, LIKE I SAID, THE GOAL FROM THIS WAS TO DICTATE, DO WE, IS THERE A NEED? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GETTING SOME GOOD, UH, DIALOGUE BACK FROM BOTH SPENCER GEORGE ON THE COMMITTEE ALSO, ELI, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OF A NEED. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT 10 MINUTES OR SO, THE GOAL WILL BE, YOU KNOW, DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, YES, THERE SHOULD BE A NEED, UH, AND THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SUBMIT THAT TO THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT, TO OUR VOTING OFFICIAL TO MAKE A DECISION MOVING FORWARD. UM, THAT WOULD'VE TO BE AN ACTIONABLE ITEM. SO WE WOULD MAKE THAT AN ACTIONABLE ITEM FOR THE NEXT COMMITTEE. BUT ALSO, I KNOW WE KIND OF DISCUSSED, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, MR. REER REER WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, QUALIFICATIONS. I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HE, HE PERSONALLY HAS GREAT QUALIFICATIONS, THAT'S GOOD. BUT IF WE OPEN THIS UP, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT, WE CAN'T JUST DO IT TO ONE SINGULAR, UH, INDIVIDUAL OR COMPANY. IT HAS TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S WELL-ROUNDED THAT WE PUT OUT IN AN INFORMATION BULLETIN, UH, THAT WE PRESENT OUT TO, UM, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, IN CASE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS OPTION. UH, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING WELL DEFINED OF LIKE, OH, HERE'S THE QUALIFICATIONS AND WE NEED TO SEE HOW WOULD D S D FOLLOW UP ON THOSE QUALIFICATIONS. SO I WOULD ASK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT D S D WOULD LOOK AT. TRY TO HAVE SOME GOOD, CLEAR, UH, IDEAS THAT WE CAN MEET WITH THE COMMITTEE WITH, UH, FOR A CON CONVERSATION. SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MORE MINUTES. WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GET OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINION ON THE NEED AND THEN SEE WHAT, WHAT WE WANNA DO FOR THE NEXT MEETING. UH, OH, CAN I INTERJECT JUST ROBERT STRICKER? YEAH, GO AHEAD. IF, IF THE, IF THE DECISION TODAY IS TO, TO RECOMMEND THE USE OF THIS SERV ADDITIONAL SERVICE, AND WHEN YOU DO HAVE A COMMITTEE FOR THE CRITERIA OF WHAT THIS PERSON QUALIFICATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE. I KNOW AT ONE POINT, MICHAEL SHANNON AT ONE POINT A YEAR OR SO AGO, HAD MENTIONED THAT, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ME ON THERE. I'D MENTIONED IT. THEN I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE ON THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO GET THE RIGHT QUALIFICATIONS. UM, AND, AND THE NEED NOT NOTHING TO PAT MY OWN BILL. I, I'VE GOT MINE. I'LL STAND ON WHAT I AM. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT HERE'S THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS. AND TO ME THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE. OH, YES SIR. NO, IT WOULD BE THIS COMMITTEE. UM, BUT IT WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD BE IN INVITED AND HAVE A CONVERSATION JUST LIKE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. UM, AND ANY INPUT THAT YOU HAVE, IF YOU WANT TO SEND TO ME FIRST, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADD THAT TO OUR KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TRY TO SHOW UP WITH THAT MEETING WITH LIKE, HERE'S KIND OF WHAT DSTS THINK, LOOKING AT IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT. BUT, BUT THE, JUST AS A INITIAL GUIDELINE, UM, AND THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH EVERYBODY THERE AT THAT MEETING. OKAY. AND I WANNA LET THE OTHER PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE DOCUMENT YOU HAVE UP THERE WITH ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS, AND I GUESS IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLICK ON 'EM, IT TELLS YOU WHAT MY CHANGES WERE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE IB 1, 7, 6 GET TO THE CHANGES I I TALKED ABOUT, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WILL GET IT BACK TO MAKING IT COMPATIBLE AND COMPARABLE WITH WHAT THE ENGINEERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING IN THEIR LETTERS. WHAT'S ACTUALLY THE WORDING THEY'RE ACTUALLY USING. AND THEN I THINK IT TAKES AWAY ANY CONCERNS THAT THERE MAY BE WITH, IF, IF DAVID HAD A CONCERN WITH STATE LAW BOARD, IT REMOVES THOSE CONCERNS. UM, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT WORDING IS IMPORTANT AND HOW THINGS ARE WORDED CAN DICTATE ON HOW THINGS ARE INTERPRETED WHEN IT COMES TO RULES AND LAWS. TRUST ME, I DID THE, YOU KNOW, 26 AND A HALF YEARS WITH MUNICIPAL WORK AND DEALING WITH ATTORNEY GENERALS AND, AND YOUR OWN CITY ATTORNEYS ABOUT HOW THINGS WORK. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WORDING, SO THAT'S WHY I'M VERY, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE, WE PROBABLY WORDSMITH THIS 1, 7, 6, AND, AND THERE'S GOOD REASON WHY I DID IT. AND IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE ENGINEER. IN FACT, IT MIRRORS WHAT THEY, THE DERMS AND WORDS THAT THEY USE. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT. YES, SIR. YEAH, WE CAN, UH, MAKE THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM TOO, IS A DISCUSSION SPECIFICALLY OF IB 1 76 AND, AND VERBIAGE AS WELL. UM, SO YEAH, AGREED. OKAY. UH, SO SPENCER, YEAH, I KIND OF LEAVE IT WITH THE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON HOW Y'ALL WANT MOVE FORWARD POINT. I GUESS WE COULD, UH, PUT ON THE OR FOR THE SAY I RECOMMEND TO AN AMENDMENT FOR THE THIRD PARTY, UH, INSPECTOR OF TUNNELS. I, I GUESS WOULD BE THE WAY TO WORD IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAY THIRD PARTY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, I THINK YOU WANNA OPEN UP TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS OTHER THAN ENGINEERS IS THE PROPER WORDING. 'CAUSE IT MAY NOT BE A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR. I'M NOT A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR. I'M AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS A [00:40:01] QUALIFICATION SELECTED PARTY AT THAT POINT. CORRECT. YEAH. I MEAN, YEAH. AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO HANG UP ON THE TECHNICALITY OF IT RIGHT NOW. WE CAN DEFINITELY GET INTO THAT WHEN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. UH, MOSTLY, LIKE I SAID, THE, THE GOAL WITH THIS ONE WAS, UH, THIS MEETING WAS TO SAY, HEY, IS IS, DOES THE COMMITTEE FEEL LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME VERBIAGE AND, AND, UH, PRESENTING THAT TO THE D FT. UM, I, I TAKE IT FROM THIS MEETING THAT THERE, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TOWARDS THAT. UH, SO WE CAN LOOK AT ALL THAT. WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE TIME. UH, I'LL TRY TO FIND A MEETING. UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE I SAID, WE KIND OF HAD A COUPLE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT HAD TO GET PULLED OUT EARLY. SO IT KIND OF LIMITS WHAT WE CAN DO TODAY. UH, BUT WE CAN, UH, I'LL GET OUT SOME VERBIAGE TO EVERYBODY, UH, WELL BEFORE THE NEXT ONE SO EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH IT, ANALYZE IT, MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MEET, UH, SO AS, AS PRODUCTIVE A MEETING AS POSSIBLE. UM, BUT YEAH, THAT AGREED. YEAH, SO THERE WOULD BE AS, UH, REALLY THE INTENT WILL BE WE'LL RUN THROUGH IB 1 76. ALL OF THAT WILL TIE BACK TO IB 1 76. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE VERBIAGE THAT, UH, MR. DRER'S TALKING ABOUT OF INSPECTIONS VERSUS OBSERVATIONS. BUT ALSO WE WOULD GO INTO LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THAT IB 1 76 TALKS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF OPTIONS WE HAVE OF WHETHER WE DO THE INSPECTION OR AN ENGINEER DOES THE INSPECTION. WE WOULD THEN ADD TO IT OTHER QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL USE THE TERMINOLOGY, TERMINOLOGY THAT COMES OUTTA CHAPTER 10. UH, THE ADOPTED CODE AREA. UH, THAT'S WHAT, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT APPROVAL TO ALLOW SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT. UH, IT DOESN'T SPECIFY AN ENGINEER. IT REALLY JUST SAYS, UH, QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS APPROVED BY THE VOTING OFFICIAL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER QUALIFICATIONS WILL FALL UNDER THIS IB 1 76 AS WELL. SO THAT'LL BE, UH, THE PROCESS ON, I THINK MOVING FORWARD, IF ANYTHING CHANGES, I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW. BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND THOSE, EVERY ONE THAT HIGHLIGHTED THAT I SENT YOU, IT JUST WHAT YOU JUST SAID ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE, EVEN WHERE, NOT JUST CHANGE THE WORD INSPECTION OBSERVATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING SAYING ENGINEER, IT SAYS QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL, BUT YOU'LL SEE IT. AND YEAH, I DID TAKE SOME OF THE SAME LANGUAGE FROM THE CODE ITSELF SO THAT IT WASN'T MAKING UP NEW LANGUAGE. OKAY. YEAH. AND THEY DO HAVE THAT UPDATED IB 1 76. I SENT THAT OUT, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UM, BUT I'LL GET THAT OUT AS WELL, AGAIN, IN CASE, UH, THROUGH SOME EMAILS. UM, SO I, I THINK WE, UH, ON THE D S D SIDE KIND OF UNDERSTAND, UH, WHERE THE COMMITTEE'S COMING FROM. UH, IT WAS JUST SOME GOOD DIALOGUE. I'M GLAD WE HAD SOME OF THE, UH, MEMBERS FROM THIS PLUMBING COMMITTEE. UH, NO, UNFORTUNATELY THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR THE, UH, INITIAL CONVERSATION WITH THIS. IT JUST KINDA WORKED OUT THAT WAY WHEN WE HAD SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING DURING THE BOARD MEETING BACK IN JUNE. UM, AND, UM, MR. VIAL, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, YOUR, YOUR ADVICE AS WELL. UH, SO BASED OFF OF THAT, WHAT WE'LL DO IS, UM, YOU KNOW, RESCHEDULE, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL PROBABLY DO IT RIGHT AFTER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK. UH, THAT'LL GIVE US ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS, UH, TO GET SOME GOOD STUFF GOING AND ALSO GET IT OUT TO Y'ALL SO Y'ALL CAN DIGEST IT. HOPEFULLY. UH, THE GOAL WILL BE TO GET SOMETHING OUT TO Y'ALL BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK. GIVE US ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF TO DISCUSS IT. UH, OR EVERYBODY CAN REVIEW IT, MAYBE GIMME SOME MORE INPUT. AND THEN WE'LL MEET, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST WEEK OR SECOND WEEK IN DECEMBER, UH, AS A COMMITTEE AGAIN. UH, AND I'LL MAKE THESE ACTIONABLE ITEMS, UH, IS THE GOAL ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ACTIONABLE ITEM WOULD STILL JUST BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL. ULTIMATELY, THIS GOES TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL FOR HIS FINAL DECISION. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE WANTED, UH, THE, THE INDUSTRY'S INPUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON THIS. OKAY. LIKE A PLAN ALRIGHTYY. UH, SO THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT THE D F D HAS TO PRESENT TODAY. WE HAVE NO, UH, OTHER AGENDA ITEMS OR, UH, FOLLOW UP INFORMATION. SO, UH, IF YOU ARE READY TO ADJOURN THAT, I LEAVE THAT UP TO Y'ALL. SO MOVED. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.