4th Building Inspector Leaves
By Rachelle Bowden in News on Sep 24, 2004 5:08PM
Yet another recently hired building inspector has lost a posh city job and salary. The Department of Buildings fired Brian Kelly yesterday amid questions about information on his resume and his refusal to answer those questions.
On Tuesday, David Marino resigned after the department alleged he lied about his work history. The firing and resignation this week follow those of two people last week, Kevin Sexton and Andy Ryan--both sons of high-ranking Carpenters Union Local 13 officials.
Traditionally the Department of Buildings depended on recommendations from Local 13 which normally vouched for applicants claims of completed apprenticeships. City Building Commissioner Stan Kaderbek said the city will no longer depend on union recommendations as fact and will require applicants to present an official apprentice certification issued by the U.S. Department of Labor. What a novel idea. Kaderbek also said that in the past the buildings department has not reviewed the qualifications of applicants forwarded to them through the citys Personnel Department. However, now the Department of Buildings will. Uh, duh?
The department has or is reviewing the resumes of the 12 other employees hired within the last two months, but Kaderbek has said there is no need to verify the qualifications of the other 165 inspectors in the department. But at all the news conferences in the last week, isn't Kaderbek highlighting problems with his departments hiring process in the past. Is there some sort of grandfather clause? It seems, at least to this Chicagoist, that reviewing the resumes of all building inspectors couldn't hurt. While amateur building inspections that possibly lead to deaths from collapsed buildings, or in fires in buildings without adequate fire exits, could. (Thanks, Sam!)