“Building & Safety Week” events were a hit.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (open house day) the CALBO (California Building Officials) – “Build it Right”- Good Wall/Bad Wall (really, two walls; one wall shows the proper way to perform a task in compliance with the code and the other wall shows the 'wrong way' to do it) was on display at the Butte County Department of Development Services office located at 7 County Center Drive in Oroville.  It was a success not only for those entering the office and viewing the exhibit, but also with in-house staff: Planning, Building, Public Works and Environmental Health as well.

This was followed up with two very successful days (Friday & Saturday) at Home Depot in Oroville!  It is estimated that staff spoke to over 100 people between the two days about Building Safety and Permit related issues.  The public stopped by and asked questions as well as looked at the Good Wall/Bad Wall.  Home Depot, Manager, Bob Allen, provided Development Services with 12 smoke detectors and 12 Carbon Monoxide detectors,  which we raffled off to the public.  The store telephone operator would make an announcement over the PA system every 15 -30 minutes announcing that Butte County Building Division was at the main entrance with the Good Wall/Bad Wall and here to answer any building permit or code questions.  We had many saying 'thank you' for being there and were very happy about receiving the literature, DVD’s, and activity books with stickers for their children.  They would then announce the winning raffle ticket number.   Development Services staff would then present them with their prize when the winner came to our exhibit.  The public was also provided cookies and juice.

We received many inquiries on how to get permits. What requires permits, limited agricultural building questions, storage building questions, Wildland Urban Interface/fire questions, etc. an assortment of information was provided. We even had many of the store employees coming forward with questions and all. This way we train them and they train the public- Win –win situation.

Many of the department's staff were present, including Scott Rutherford, Butte County's Building Official; Nancy Springer, Building Official Assistant; Nick Hoekstra, Code Enforcement Supervisor; James Stephens, Code Enforcement Officer; Rick Trent, Building Inspector; Tammie Powell, Permit Center Specialist; Kourtni Graham, Permit Center Specialist; Roy Wallis, Code Enforcement Officer; Craig Buttermore, Building Inspection Supervisor; Wendy Jones, Code Enforcement Officer; Randall Smith, Code Enforcement Officer and Mike McGee, Senior Building Inspector.  Other staff that helped support the event by picking up workload in house and in field: Deborah Carpenter, Building Inspector; Woody Townsend, Building Inspector; Richard Nixon, Senior Building Inspector; Mary Keiser, Office Assistant and Gwyn Benedict, Permit Center Specialist.  This event was truly a 'Team Effort' of Butte County's Building Inspection staff.