Author: Jason Bush
Misty and I left the Go Fund Me account posted, but NOT able to accept donations, as we want all the donations to receive the full tax credit. This also makes it easier for Operation Second Chance to manage the funds. Misty is adding an update to the GFM page that directs folks to our website. Please take a little time to peruse it, as we are working hard to recognize everyone, and update it, sometimes on a daily basis.
I stopped by Taylor Restaurant Equipment to buy some coffee stain cleaning packets, and got to talking with the owner Brent Taylor, and he indicated that he wanted to help with the kitchen appliances, which was a very nice surprise indeed. He was also going to approach My Boy’s Pizza in a round up the bill in support of our veteran. A big thanks to Brent! The kitchen is the heart of the Southmayd home, and a place that Misty enjoys the most as it’s where the family congregates to start their day.
Earlier in this project, I had emailed Ed McMahon, Executive Vice President of Lane County Home Builders Association, but he was down with covid-19. Thankfully, he made a full recovery. I again touched base with him to see about possibly reaching out to the local builders through his membership listing. He informed me that he sends out his own weekly bulletin on Monday’s, and that I should put together a short and to the point request for some bids and/or help, and he will send it out, so I will be putting a letter together this weekend so that Ed can add it to his message to the membership this Monday.
Tim Childress, owner of High Ridge Roofing & Construction has contacted me and is wanting to help in both securing the roof package materials through his contacts as well as helping McKenzie Roofing, Inc. with the installation. I also have a call in to Hedge Carter Gutters to see if they may be in a position to help us out with gutters and downspouts.
Chris Smith, Project Manager for Dorman Construction, has taken a personal role in helping me in conjunction with Bob Buss of Bridgeway Contracting. I will be relying on their combined construction experience of about 70 years in project management. Chris has also enlisted the help of several other “Dorman Boys” (don’t know who all yet) to do all the finish work within the House. With Dan Cooper of DC Fine homes helping in this area, I think the Southmayds will be well taken care of. Chris is also helping me track down a framer, and we’re on the trail of a couple that might be able to go to work. I would like to start the foundation within a few weeks.
Square Deal Lumber Company has jumped on board with us, and owner James Kuykendall indicated he will provide the foundation vents, rebar chairs, and nails up to a maximum dollar amount, and then he will sell us products at his cost, so that is another great stride, and big relief to know we can get miscellaneous supplies at a low cost. Thanks to James and the Square Deal Team! I have installed their yard sign out front, which is the first to date.
As indicated in last week’s update the Building Safety Journal, published by the International Code Council went out to about 110,000 building industry professionals, last week, and I am starting to receive some emails from various colleague’s acknowledging the project and offering to help through donations, and the continuing effort of passing this story on to others. Evidently, I’m not the only one out there with a leak in my eyes.
This was passed around by my good friend David Kloss, Building Official for Clatsop County, and one of the few Master Code Professionals (MCP). Thank you David!
Colleagues,
There are times when a story reaches out and grabs your heart strings, this is one of them for my wife and me. In a recent ICC Building Safety Journal article, a tragic story is told about how one family was terribly wronged by a contractor. The contractor did an immense amount of sub-minimum code work, failed to perform due diligence, and purposefully misinformed the customer of the needs for permits, licensing, and inspections. This was not in my jurisdiction and I hope this never happens to our citizens in Clatsop County. I’ll readily admit that both my wife and were in tears as we read the BSJ story and the account of the Southmayd family on the Operation Second Chance website. If you are willing, I humbly ask you to share this within your network of contacts.
I’ve bcc’d everyone on this list to provide security as some of the email addresses are private. Also, please accept this in the manner it is intended, only to bring awareness of terrible situation in the hopes that you or someone within your sphere may be able to help.
Disclosure: I am not in contact with the Southmayd family and do not know them except for this story.
Please make a mental note to get me your yard signs, so that I can grow a forest of them out front of our project site in recognition of all the fine companies and individuals involved with this project. I can pick them up, or of course once we get going, you can feel free to plant one.
Yours in Building Safety, “and” Guarding Our Veterans,
Jason Bush, CBO
Building Official
