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Welcome to the
Archived History of the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association of Northern Virginia |
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Welcome to the
Archived History of the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association of Northern Virginia |
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| The PHCC Gazette | |
| Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors of Northern Virginia | Volume 10.2 April '97 |
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PHCC Membership for Employees
Employees of PHCC member firms can now join the VAPHCC for only $25.00 per year and if you are currently enrolled in an apprenticeship school, membership is free.
You will be mailed monthly VAPHCC State IMAGE magazine and State newsletter.
Also, you can attend the local monthly meetings of the PHCC of Northern Virginia and receive its monthly newsletter.
Work to improve your livelihood/profession and help protect the health and safety of the nation. Stay up-to-date with the industry, participate in the PHCC actively serving on its committees.
Apprenticeship Winners
PHCC congratulates the winners of the apprenticeship contest held in Fredericksburg.
1st Place: Paul M. Keane 5008 Broad Street Virginia Beach, 23462 from Atomic Plumbing
2nd Place: Bob Burgess 4309 Deep Creek Blvd. Portsmouth, VA 23702 from Evan Hibbs, Inc.
3rd Place: Brian Lidgett 1357 Ruddy Oak Ct.Virginia Beach, VA
23456 from George T. Davis
This April Meeting
Will be sponsored by John Baxter of Moen. Special guest speaker will be Dean W. Stevens
V.P. of Stevens Company Plumbing & Heating in Washington, D.C. who was involved in the
million-dollar nine-month-old infant scalding law suites. We will talk about the latest
information on the new permit law and utility competition.
Protecting the health, safety, and comfort of society and the environment
Meeting Information
Every second Wednesday at Holiday-Inn 3535 Chain Bridge Road in
Fairfax, Virginia. The evening will begin with a social hour at 6:30PM. followed by a
buffet dinner at 7:00PM.
For More Information Call
William J. Baumbach II, President
9975 Pennsylvania Ave Manassas, Va. 20110
Phone: (703) 367-7900 Fax: (703) 691-0946
BBS: (703) 273-6580 NO GOOD
Internet E-mail: Baumbach@phcc.org
PHCC Web Page: http://www.phcc.org
At the last Meeting
The March meeting was sponsored by Hughes Supply, they had two pocket
knifes that were raffled off as door prizes and the winners were Jim Seltzer and Frank
Garneski. It was a very good turnout. We welcomed a new member Lou Spencer of Pierce
Associates Mechanical Contractors. The winner of the $59.00 50/50 drawing was Emory
Rodgers from Arlington County. Special guests were Patrick Brookover from NAPHCC, Emory
Rodgers from Arlington County, Paul Lynch from Fairfax County, Al Jones and Charles
Wientjes from the Washington Gas Co.
News from NAPHCC
NAPHCC has developed an agreement with the New England Business Service, Inc. (NEBS) members receive a 10% discount on products. To get your discount reference mailcode number 19029.
NAPHCC president Mark Giebelhaus answers with this comment after reading my press release about the permit law. "If you in VA are so concerned about the law (rules), why is your state PHCC association in flagrant violation of your charter with NAPHCC?"
Does the new Virginia Law jeopardize the health and safety of its residents?
In April a new law takes effect that changes the now existing law that requires homeowners and contractors to obtain County or City Permits from their local Government Code Enforcement Inspection office for repairs and replacement of appliances and building structures.
The new Law will not require anyone to obtain a Permit to have Government Officials inspect and Enforce Code requirements for the quality or safety of the work performed. Here is a small example of what is included. The replacement or repair of Gas or Electric Water Heaters, Gas or Electric Furnaces, Gas or Electric Boilers, a new roof on your house, the replacement of your Garbage Disposal or Dishwasher, Gas Fire Place Logs, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, when not installed properly some of these appliances are deadly!
This opens the door further for NON-professionals and the Do-it-yourself homeowners to perform unsafe repairs and replacements. The owners of Licenced Contracting business will be at the mercy of their employees doing uninspected work. This will also leave the homeowner dealing with some contractor's employees disastrous or unsafe work with very little recourse of any Code Enforcement. In knowing that no one is going to inspect their work technicians may get lazy and take shortcuts on quality of workmanship and safety or something may just be overlooked.
As you can see there should be some great concern here as to what must be some kind of budget cutting afford on the Governments part verses the Governments responsibility to protecting the health and safety of its people.
The people of Virginia need to be made aware of this, then they can decide whether or not to standby and let the Government do this.
For more information contact your local Government Inspection Permit Office.
Coming up in the next few months
At the suggestion of Emory Rodgers Inspection Chief from Arlington
County we will have a panel of code officials highlight some of the critical and important
changes in the 1996 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code to be adopted April 17, 1997.
The panel will be looking forward to our feedback. Hopefully one or more Inspector's will
attend our meetings.
Primarily because you are in the business, and because as a member of the PHCC you have a voice in your industry, similar to the voice you have in your community through your vote and civic activities, you owe a certain amount of responsibility to your business, in which you make your living.
In the business world today an Association is an absolute necessity. Without an Association there would be no way of keeping abreast of what is going on in the fields which are important to your business.
Sure, you can get information of a sort, independently, but the PHCC is your agency, working constantly in your interest and keeping you informed of the latest developments, which might vitally affect your business, and advising you how to meet the situation.
It is only natural and logical that trade problems should be handled through an Association, therefore, the PHCC must be strong, efficient and have the cooperation and support of its members.
Too many members just stay away and wait for the PHCC to come to them with bushels of benefits. They expect the most, but do the least. The member who really gets something out of his membership is the active and cooperative member. He attends the meetings, conventions, tries to carry out the Association programs and does his part when appointed to any committee.
Doctors, dentists and lawyers safeguard and protect the health, personal
and collective rights of the people of this country. They have learned the value of
collective action and are proud of their respective Associations. The PHC contracting
services are just as valuable and necessary to the health and welfare of the nation.
Therefore, the PHC contractor should be proud of his Association and want to be a member!
A Day on Capitol Hill
Legislative Conference Thursday, April 10, 1997. Join NAPHCC for a day of Education and Entertainment in our Nation's Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Sound interesting? You bet it is! And you're not going to want to miss it! NAPHCC has an exciting day planned for you -- from dawn to dusk, you're going to experience first-hand Washington, D.C. the way the insiders do.
Join the NAPHCC family for this inaugural event. Call NAPHCC at (703) 237-8100 for more info.
Permit Law Update
The Department of Housing & Community Development will be holding a public hearing to revisit the permit waiver regulatory changes. The public notice will be published in mid April. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 28th. I will get the specifics to you as soon as possible.
For your convenience I will be faxing you a form letter that you can complete with your company information and mail to them voicing your protest about the new permit law.
Save BIG BUCKS on your Automobile Insurance
Call your insurance company and ask if 80% of all your driver's take and
pass the drivers test given by the National Safety Council if they will then give you a
discount.
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