Message From the President

Greetings BOAT family and friends, Wow! Who would have ever imagined we’d be faced with, and working through, this incredibly trying challenge in our nation and our great state? But, Texans are tough, resilient, and have grit. When faced with adversity, we find ways to get the job done and we grow stronger through it … Read more

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome

This mantra comes from the United States Marine Corps. It applies to any obstacle and is what saves lives and ensures victory on the battlefield. We can all learn from this approach. 2020 has been the kind of year that has forced us all to look at the way we conduct business. We’ve each adapted … Read more

Take Care of Yourself and Build a Better Department

We have all read and heard a lot about the pandemic. Our daily routines have changed. Businesses are decimated. Politics is polarizing. Childhoods are robbed of innocence or worry. In some cases, loved ones have been lost, forever gone from this dreaded disease. We are tired of it all. What can you do? Live and … Read more

Thank God for Inspectors!

  A few years ago, someone on the BOAT Board came up with a slogan “first preventers.” When I first heard this clever play on words with “first responders,” I thought it was original and definitely accurate. The idea is if we, as inspectors, do our job correctly, we save lives by removing potential dangers … Read more

President’s Message

Greetings BOAT family and friends. It’s been a busy and productive year for BOAT. Our February Houston BPI, May North Texas BPI, and annual BOAT Conference in August were all successes. Also, our first West Texas BPI was recently held in Lubbock October 1-2 and had a great start. In fact, we’ve already chosen September … Read more

Saving the CBO Species from Extinction

Are certified building officials (CBOs) on the verge of extinction? Let’s remind ourselves of their purpose and importance; explore some contributing factors to this slowly diminishing profession; and lastly, identify ways we can reverse the trend and protect this endangered species. So that we are all on the same page, let’s first define: Extinction: Is … Read more

Bringing Up the Next Generation of Building Code Officials

Building code official professionals are undoubtedly the unsung heroes of the construction industry. Upon observation of a construction site, the skilled work of carpenters, metalworkers, heavy equipment operators, masons, electricians, plumbers, and countless other tradespersons is easily seen as they operate in concert to assemble a new structure or modify an existing one. Although it … Read more

Building Official 101 – Revisited

Our BOAT Annual Conference, held this past August in San Antonio, had a class called Building Official 101. It was based on the Building Department Administration Handbook, chapters 6, 9, 10, and 11. This is a great reference material on all things related to managing a building department and being an informed building official with … Read more