A special place in hell...

[pwd72s]

A special place in hell should be reserved for "civil servants" like some building inspectors in Portland, Oregon. I'd call them vultures, but that would be an insult to our area's Turkey buzzards. Here's a link to the story:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1076763730318781.xml

[john70t]

My gripe of the day: Well it looks like your yard is not your yard anymore. Like everything else, it's just being rented from the goverment, bank or conglomerate.

[Zeke]

Paul, they lose their jobs, pension and heath benefits and all is well. A good example for the rest. It didn't say what eventually happened to the old man or his heirs, but it didn't sound like any heirs were there to help at time of need. The old man got hosed, but I've seen worse by my fellow contractors. And they seldom get cought.

[tabs]

Oh NO....Somethings wrong here I agree with him again... Help me please!!!! This has got to stop....

[pwd72s]

Yeah Milt....this story made me wonder how often this is carried out throughout the country...only by "inspectors" too clever to leave such an obvious paper trail. Seems to me it would be pretty easy to find a shill buyer at a tax or a lien auction/sale.

[cegerer]

Paul, we had an almost identical situation near here about 4-5 years ago. 2 inspectors and I think the Township supervisor was involved as well. As I recall, they turned around and tried to sue the Township for race discrimination

At the same time, I was involved in an insurance investigation of a 125 year old home damaged by a puff-back of the oil-burning furnace. All the place needed was a basic cleaning. At one point, we agreed to remove some wallboard to prove that the soot did not enter the wall cavaties ...... But these inept clowns at the inspection department teamed up with the homeowner and conspired to essentially have the home torn down. Their logic? The removal of the wallboard exposed an inadequately sized header over a non-bearing doorway. They required more wallboard removal .... soon, the entire home was gutted of wallboard and ceilings .... now, old wiring and plumbing was found .... duh! ..... so now they want all the walls rebuilt, all the eletrical and plumbing replaced, and since the walls were attached to an old stone foundation ...... hey, why not remove and replace the foundation too ..... about this time, these criminals were exposed for buying homes after writing up bogus violations. I was appointed the 'temporary building inspector' for the home I was working on and at least got that one squared away. I think everybody involved eventually skated with slaps on the wrist ......

[pwd72s]

bureaucracies and bureaucrats who run them...they serve themselves well, don't they? With tax time approaching, stories like these make me feel warm all over...quite a story, Curt.