Thoughts and ideas from one of the best area home inspectors in the Bloomington Normal area.
Archive for July 31, 2010
Distressed sales offer a good deal — and problems
656 days
Richmond, Va. –
Eric Wirth negotiated to buy a two-story house in the Fan District for $45,000 less than the initial listing price.
Little did he know then what would be involved in a short sale, buying a house for less than what the previous owner owed on it.
“I’m still in shell shock,” he said. “I’m glad it worked out. We got a great deal, but the last week leading up to the closing was very stressful.”
The problem wasn’t the seller, the bank or the lawyer, he said. “The lender repeatedly asked for the same documentation.”
Wirth got the keys to his house in June, one day before the house was scheduled to go into foreclosure, which could have delayed the closing for months.
In a crunch for time, he had moved here from Philadelphia for a job in corporate development at MeadWestvaco Corp., a Richmond-based packaging company.
“Time was of the essence,” Wirth said. “Knowing what I do now, I probably would avoid buying a house in a short sale.”
People can get rock-bottom deals in this market, where foreclosures are plentiful and banks are more willing to do short sales, but buyers need to understand what they are getting into, real estate agents say.
Most foreclosures and short sales are sold “as is.” Making an offer contingent upon an inspection is highly recommended, but repairs in most cases will not be made.
“All the foreclosures and short sales are good bargains, but there are a lot of risks,” said Lacy Williams, an agent with Joyner Fine Properties who represented Wirth in his purchase.
“Lenders are very cautious, rules are changing daily,” Williams said. Some lenders can take up to six months to respond to an offer for a short sale. Also, one out of every three short sales never makes it to closing, she said.
“In both cases — a short sale or a foreclosure — you never know when you will close,” she said.
Most buyers aren’t that flexible and timing can be critical, especially for people with school-age children who need to get settled into a house, she said.
Sally Syrquin, an associate broker at Long & Foster, advises homebuyers to work with Realtors on foreclosures or short sales. “Or you’re a lamb for the slaughter.”
“Most agents know how to negotiate with banks and they can look with a Realtor’s critical eye for potential problems,” she said. Many, for example, can spot water damage, black mold and the presence of wood-destroying organisms, she said.
About a third of all U.S. home sales in June were distressed properties — foreclosures or short sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. They hurt prices and the market overall but present opportunities for bargain hunters.
“Distressed properties make [potential] buyers think twice about getting into the market, and [potential] sellers . . . may not wish to compete with a distressed property,” said Laura Lafayette, CEO of the Richmond Association of Realtors.
Still, “no one can argue that distressed properties can represent great buys for investors as well as buyers who have some cash,” she said.
The local association does not track distressed sales. But there is no shortage on the market here, ranging from a fixer-upper in Richmond for $17,000 to a new 8,000-square-foot house in Hanover County for $1.1 million.
“I thought last year was our peak; little did I know,” said Brian Liggan, owner of Virginia Capital Realty in Richmond, which specializes in foreclosures. “This is the most we have ever seen.”
The number of foreclosed houses on the market jumped in 2006, doubled in subsequent years and continues to rise this year, he said.
“I think we will see a big surge in sales in the fall,” Liggan said. “Banks are starting to drop prices hard. They want to get these properties off their books.”
Some of the best deals are in Chesterfield County, where builders overbuilt and houses only a few years old are selling for tens of thousands of dollars less than their assessed values, Liggan said.
Run-down foreclosed houses for under $60,000 are still available in the Richmond area, but they’re not the norm anymore, he said. The average price for a foreclosure has climbed at least $50,000, as higher-priced distressed houses come on the market, Liggan said.
A house at 14455 Woodleigh Drive in Chester sold new in 2006 for $414,000. It’s listed for $312,000 — and assessed for $361,000, down from $406,000 in 2008.
An attached town house in the Townes at Cary Place, at 1752 Parkwood Ave. in Richmond, is assessed for $364,400. It’s on the market for $295,500 and sold in 2008 for $469,224.
A condominium at Regency Woods in Henrico County sold a few years ago for $110,000. It recently sold for $60,000, Liggan said.
Max Williams, a foreclosure buyers’ agent with Robinson-Harris & Co. in Richmond, said it’s possible to get a habitable house for $45,000. The plumbing and electrical will be functional, but the house will need work, he said.
Williams was negotiating last week on a foreclosure for himself in a 3-year-old subdivision in eastern Henrico. “I was looking primarily at foreclosures; where I would get the best value.”
The lender reduced the price to $219,000 from $234,000. Williams came in at $205,000 with an all-cash offer. The lender countered at $100 off the asking price. Late last week, seller and buyer were still going around.
“Negotiate energetically and don’t be offended,” said Steve Overgard with ReMax/Commonwealth, who works with banks to sell distressed properties.
It’s not unusual for banks to counter close to the asking price, Overgard said. They need to minimize their losses and show shareholders that they tried to get full value. But some are willing to volley four or five times, he said.
Buyers who bid on foreclosures are dealing with banks and, unlike homeowners, the lenders have no attachment to the property.
“It’s all about numbers,” said Matt Smith, a ReMax/Commonwealth buyers’ agent.
He said banks typically drop prices in 30-, 60or 90-day increments, but many are willing to negotiate in between.
“Know what you want to pay, get your price or move on to something different,” he said. “Banks will keep dropping prices until a house sells.”
Contact Carol Hazard at (804) 775-8023 or chazard@timesdispatch.com.
Miller, Alton, Garcia join staff at Carver Machine Works
656 days
Brian Miller, Robert Alton and Emilio Garcia have joined Carver
Machine Works in Washington, N.C.
Miller will serve as IT administrator. He holds a
bachelor?s degree in management of information systems
from Mount Olive College and served in the United States Navy for
seven years. His work experience includes network maintenance,
trouble shooting and most recently serving as systems administrator
for an electrical service company.
Miller and his wife, Rachael, reside in Washington.
Alton, a Greenville resident, joins Carver Machine Works as a
project manager. He holds a bachelor?s degree in
construction management from East Carolina University. Prior to
joining CMW, he was employed with BE&K as a project engineer
and assistant superintendent responsible for a $24 million
detention facility expansion.
Garcia joins Carver Machine Works to serve as a project planner.
He holds a bachelor?s degree in general studies from La
Vibora Institute and is certified by the N.C. Department of Labor
Boiler Safety Bureau in the inspection of boiler and pressure
vessels. Garcia has more than 40 years of work experience,
including ASME boiler and pressure vessel inspection and design,
project management, engineering, custom fabrications, piping and
skid systems. His experience spans multiple market segments
including pharmaceutical, biotech, nuclear, pulp and paper, and
power generation.
Garcia and his wife, Louise, reside in Greenville.
Carver Machine Works Inc. is a 75-person, employee-owned company
that specializes in the repair of process equipment and metal
fabrication for various industries including nuclear, aerospace,
defense, power generation and chemical. Carver has extensive
experience with high-grade alloys such as titanium. In 2007, Carver
acquired its National Aerospace and Defense Contractors
Accreditation Program (NADCAP) certification, which allows it to
service the aerospace and defense industries.
Carver Machine Works also carries their ASME
?U? and ?R? stamps.
Hot temps mean air-conditioning woes
656 days
TVA energy efficiency programs
Knoxville Utilities Board conservation programs
Hallsdale-Powell Utility District
Temperatures hovering above 90 degrees during the past few weeks are straining the capacity of local air-conditioning repair companies to keep up with service calls.
Local service companies said they have been having trouble keeping up with requests from residential and commercial customers.
At R&M Climate Control in West Knoxville, six service technicians have been working until 10 p.m. each day to keep up with the demand, according to operations manager Mark Smith.
The company has been giving priority to the elderly and those with medical problems, he said.
At Volunteer Mechanical, the company has added four technicians over the past three months and is still looking to add at least one more, said owner Dennis Wood.
Hot spells that last for weeks are hard on air-conditioning units, Wood said, noting that running air units continuously for days on end can cause motors to overheat and seize up.
R&M’s Smith agreed that hot spells are likely to bring out problems in the cooling systems.
“If you have a minor problem it can be amplified when that unit is running continuously,” Smith said.
Air-conditioning units are designed to cool about 20 degrees below the outside temperature, he said. Other factors such as poor insulation or lack of ventilation in the attic can reduce the unit’s ability to cool the house, especially when the temperature gets to 95 degrees, Smith said.
“We’ll get a call saying the air conditioning is not working, but it is working, it’s just not able to keep up with the outside temperature,” he said.
The best way to prevent an AC emergency during the hot spells is to have your unit serviced regularly, Smith said, adding, “Our technicians are looking for problems that might arise,” he said.
Maintenance also is very important when trying to reduce utility costs, said Wood. Utility costs can be reduced up to 30 pecent by regular maintenance such as cleaning the coils. As much as 60 percent of Wood’s business at this time of the year comes from units that haven’t had regular service, he said.
Commercial customers make up about 80 percent of Volunteer’s business, according to Wood. In the case of a commercial unit, there can be a lot more at stake than just comfort, he said. Employee productivity drops when conditions become uncomfortable. Customers are less likely to spend time shopping in a business that is uncomfortable, he said.
It’s not just home air conditioning feeling the strain of the heat. Automotive cooling systems seem to pick the hottest time of the year to malfunction, according to James Brown, owner of Mr. Cool’s Automotive Repair.
“This time of year is my bread and butter,” said Brown, who has operated his repair shop on Kingston Pike since 1994.
Although the shop performs most auto repairs, the name “Mr. Cool” reflects Brown’s early focus on air conditioning.
Drivers who are careful to change their car engine oil every couple of months will drive for years without servicing their auto air-conditioning systems, Brown said. When a hot spell comes along, they discover the cooling system doesn’t work as well as it did the year before, he said.
In addition to topping off the refrigerant gas, auto air-conditioning systems need oil for the compressor, he said. Having your vehicle’s air-conditioning system serviced every couple of years might cost about $100 but waiting until the system breaks down can cost up to $1,000, he noted.
“Get it done early in the spring and you won’t have to worry about it during the summer,” Brown said.
Hugh G. Willett is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.
? 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
Council readies response to Sandy Street report (document)
656 days
By CARL ROTENBERG
Times Herald Staff
NORRISTOWN ? The condemned, 26-unit condo building at 770 Sandy St. was built in 2006 and 2007 when the municipality had trouble conducting rigorous inspections of new construction.
A 26-page, June 22 report by Keystone Municipal Services detailed an ?inadequate and untrained building department,? a lack of ?ownership of the project by any municipal department, employee or consultant,? and ?a major lack of communication, coordination and cooperation between various municipal departments.?
Council got the first version of the ?final report? on June 22 and the last, revised version on July 23. The seven-member council is expected to talk for the first time about the report at an executive session on Tuesday.
Click here for a PDF of the official report
Municipal Manager Dave Forrest said Thursday he was ?disappointed and frustrated about what happened? during the construction and municipal inspection of 770 Sandy St.
He said he had not formulated any proposed, disciplinary action for Norristown employees mentioned by the critical, Keystone Municipal Services report.
?Council will discuss this at the next executive session,? Forrest said. ?We will have a dialog about what our next steps are.?
Municipal officials have already addressed some of the problems highlighted by the report. Forrest was hired as municipal manager in May 2007 by council. Yerkes Associates was hired in July 2007 as a third-party building inspection company to inspect new construction and do plan reviews.
Joseph Januzelli, the current code enforcement manager, was hired in June 2008 to add professional supervision to the code enforcement department.
?He is a certified Building Code Official (BCO) and he has some of the certifications that are needed,? Forrest said.
A computer database to track and generate building inspections and code enforcement paperwork was installed in 2008.
Yerkes, which does plan reviews, building permit approvals and construction inspections, bills the municipality $300,000 to 400,000 each year. The Yerkes fees are funded by permit fees charged to homeowners and developers.
?The report paints a pretty accurate picture of the chaos that was going on at the time the building was built,? said Council President William Caldwell. ?We had just come off a year or two earlier having an administration being indicted (former Mayor Ted LeBlanc and former municipal manager Anthony Biondi) and appointing an administration that did not last (Paul Janssen).
?It is critically important to remember this is not an ongoing issue,? Caldwell continued. ?We put more professionalism into our building and our code department.?
Caldwell said council would make sure the fixes in place would prevent a reoccurrence and that legal efforts to speed up repairs were given a high priority. ?We will continue to do some interviews of employees; a combination of Dave Forrest and council,? Caldwell said. ?I expect the inquiry will be something the whole council will take up.?
Caldwell first joined council in January 2006 and served on the planning and economic development subcommittee. ?We had nothing to do with the day-to-day management of the planning department,? he said. ?That was up to the municipal manager.?
Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Gary Silow will hear arguments on Sept. 1 on whether the court will appoint a legal receiver to repair the building. Norristown developer R. Bruce Fazio said he could not afford more than $232,000 in repairs.
Councilperson Mila Hayes said any municipal employee who had not acted properly to inspect or approve the construction at 770 Sandy St. should be ?disciplined in an appropriate way.?
In sharp contrast, Councilman Marlon Millner said senior municipal staff should explain why they allowed the inspection process to go awry.
?I?m not concerned about low-level employees not performing,? Millner said. ?Many of those senior staff would have come before the public as the plan was approved. Those same people need to explain this damning investigation, that they were not on top of it.?
Millner said he wanted as many of the council discussions as possible, to be public discussions. ?This is about restoring trust,? he said. ?Certain laws say we can?t do some things publicly. Anything about disciplinary action will be closed-door.?
Council Vice President Linda Christian called the Keystone audit a ?comprehensive report.
?I was happy with the report,? Christian said. ?There is definitely some discussion needed on discipline. The question we have to ask is ?why did they do certain things??
?It?s difficult to say whether disciplinary action should be taken,? Christian continued. ?It would not be fair to form an opinion without those in-depth questions. They need to be answered.?
Christian pointed out that the code and building departments ?were broken? during the years when the condo building was under construction.
NORRISTOWN CONDO TIMELINE
Timeline for 770 Sandy St., Norristown, development
Oct. 18, 2005 Zoning application from R. Bruce Fazio for two 24-unit condominium buildings.
Jan. 6, 2006 Revised zoning application for a four-story, 26-unit condo building.
March 14, 2006 Norristown Planning Commission recommends approval for final site plan.
March 21, 2006 Fazio presents final plans to Norristown council.
May 2, 2006 Norristown council approved final site plans.
July 11, 2006 Demolition permit for existing building on-site granted.
Inspections by Building Inspector Lynn Bixler, performed from August to December 2006, were not entered into the
CEIS data system.
Feb. 21, 2007 ?Bld, elec, plmb, rough in ok? entered into CEIS data system by Charles Picard.
March 20. 2007 Municipal meeting with Fazio, municipal solicitor Sean Kilkenny, Director of Planning Jayne Musonye, Code Enforcement Supervisor Charles Picard to discuss issuing U & O certificates for several units.
April 23, 2007 U & O certificates issued for four units by Picard.
May 4, 2007 ?U & O Inspection for 770 Sandy Street Unit 206, 304, 302, 301?
Aug. 7, 2007 Fire alarm permit approved three months after alarm system was installed and three months after building was occupied.
Nov. 1, 2007 Fire Chief Tom O?Donnell and Fire Marshall Andy Tomcho find six fire safety items requiring additional work.
Dec. 18, 2007 Tomcho saw fire alarm system was tested and approved and five items were corrected.
Oct. 10, 2008 Fire Marshall Charles Sweeney determined sprinkler certification was not provided yet.
April 9, 2010 An inspection by engineer Edward Koehler revealed structural violations, two fire escape stairwells made from wood instead of steel, missing fire doors, missing or improperly installed smoke and heat detectors and other deficiencies.
April 12, 2010 An inspection by Remington Vernick and Beach engineers shows numerous construction faults, electrical problems and fire code violations
May 21, 2010 Eight condo owners and 15 renters evicted from the building.
July 23 Final report of Keystone Municipal Services obtained by The Times Herald.
Sept. 1, 2010 Montgomery County Common Pleas Court hearing by Judge Gary Silow on Norristown?s request to name a legal ?receiver? to repair the building and sell 18 unsold condo units.
Stateline Area residents still need air conditioners
656 days
Do not use usernames or passwords from your financial accounts!
Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required!
Two killed, one shot in Stillwater
656 days
Two people were killed and another shot Friday afternoon during a domestic dispute at a Stillwater apartment complex that ended in a shootout with police.
A man shot and killed his wife and shot and injured her daughter around 4:30 p.m. after he grew angry that his wife, worried about his health, had called for an ambulance to come pick him up. When police responded, he got into a shootout with them and was killed.
The incident occurred at the Victoria Villa apartment complex, 1451 Greeley St. S.
The man was identified by neighbors as Gerald Propps, 62. He lived on the first level of the building with his wife, Trudy, also 62. Trudy was taken to Regions Hospital where she later died. The daughter, who was not identified, was treated and released at Lakeview hospital for a bullet wound to the arm.
It was unexpected fury of violence from a quiet couple neighbors said.
Kathleen Gavegnano, 79, had been waiting for her pastor to bring her dinner Friday afternoon when she heard a commotion in the hallway.
Wondering what it was, she opened to the door to see Trudy on the ground, bleeding from the stomach. Propps’ daughter and another neighbor, Bobby Yates, were tending to her in the hallway.
“I looked down and I knew,” Gavegnano said. Yates told her to get back into her apartment, at which point her pastor arrived.
“We went into the apartment and started praying,” she said. “But when the bullets started coming through my kitchen, we hit the floor.”
Bullets began spraying out of the walls of the Propps’ apartment across the hallway, several ripping through Gavegnano’s kitchen cabinets (Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens for storage of food, cooking equipment, and often silverware and dishes for table service. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens are often integra, a cutting board and ricocheting off of her stove.
“It was just horrendous, it was horrific,” she said. “It just happened so quick.”
The bullets had started again after Stillwater Police officer Brad Allen, a 15-year-veteran of the force, went into the apartment.
Yates said Allen asked Gerald Propps three times to put the gun down. When he didn’t, shooting ensued.
“I froze,” Yates said. He stood and saw bullets popping out of the walls on either side of him.
Stillwater Police Sgt. Jeff Stender said Allen would be placed on routine administrative leave while the investigation of the shooting is being done.
“[Allen] seems to be doing well at this point, based on what he’s been through,” Stender said. “I think he did a fabulous job. It’s unfortunate what had to occur, but he saw what was occurring and took the necessary steps to prevent any further loss of life.”
Gavegnano, who in January will have lived in the building 30 years, was in shock Saturday afternoon.
She’d been close with both Gerald and Trudy. She said the Propps had been childhood sweethearts, but had each gotten married to other people. But both of their first marriages had ended. Seven years ago, they finally married.
They had both served in the armed forces, she in the Navy and he in the Army. Gerald had served as a sheriff’s deputy in Kentucky.
They seemed like a happy couple, Gavegnano said, there were no signs of any problems.
“He was a southern gentleman,” she said. “There were no domestics, there was none of that. That’s what so traumatizing about he whole thing. They were good people.”
But Gerald had been deteriorating in health. Gavegnano said he’d had an aneurysm and was scheduled to have surgery this next week.
He was on heavy medication, and over the last year his health had diminished dramatically, Yates said.
“He went from about 200 pounds down to like 120 in eight months,” he said.
Trudy, who worked as the apartment manager during days and at Wal-Mart stocking shelves at night, had been worried about his health and called 911 Friday about just that, Gavegnano said.
“When they said he had to go in, it just sent him right over the edge,” she said. “He wasn’t ready to go yesterday.”
“They were good hearted people,” Gavegnano added. “He just went over the edge. He just snapped.”
Allen was hired part-time by the police department in 1990, and hired on full time at the department in 1995. He’s served on patrol and as an investigator. He is currently a field-training officer and a certified drug recognition expert, according to Stillwater Police.
Yates, the neighbor who’d helped Trudy during the shooting, said the fact that it had happened just a few doors down was still hard to handle.
“It’s a shock when it happens right down your hallway,” he said. But the bigger shock, he said, was who was involved.
“It’s sad,” he said. “Stress does things to people that nobody can understand.”
Peter Cox covers crime and the cities of Stillwater and Oak Park Heights for the Gazette. He can be reached at pcox@acnpapers.com or 651-796-1108.
Provincial journal
656 days
Recreation
Parks anniversary to be marked
MOUNT CARLETON – The 75th anniversary of New Brunswick’s provincial parks will be celebrated at Mount Carleton Provincial Park on Saturday, Aug. 7. Premier Shawn Graham, Tourism and Parks Minister Brian Kenny, and Restigouche-La-Vall?e MLA Burt Paulin will be there around noon to hike up Mount Carleton, the highest peak in the Maritimes. Events will begin at 9 a.m. and will feature many family activities, including a hot dog roast, craft making and a treasure hunt. In the evening, there will be a dark-sky viewing with the Royal Astronomical Society. The Department of Tourism and Parks is celebrating the anniversary all summer with a different park hosting festivities each weekend throughout July and August.
Holiday
Kings Landing hosts musical celebration
PRINCE WILLIAM – New Brunswick Day will take on a musical flavour at Kings Landing Historical Settlement. Staff members have been tuning up their fiddles and warming up their vocal chords in preparation for The Rattle on the Stovepipe Music Festival, which will be held during the three-day long weekend. The village will be filled with music concerts, workshops, explorations of instruments, hymn sings, storytelling, barn dances and, for children, a marching “Kazoophony.” The highlight each day will be a garden concert at the King’s Head Inn. New Brunswick Day awards will be presented at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the King’s Head Inn.
Project
Community centre construction begins
CORMIER-VILLAGE – Construction of an eco-friendly community centre to serve Cormier-Village and the rural community of Beaubassin-East began Friday. The provincial and federal governments are both investing in the project. The project is a 630-square-metre multi-functional community centre designed to foster economic, cultural, educational and sports activities in the community. The total investment is $725,000. Of this, the federal government is investing $252,000 under the Community Adjustment Fund, a economic stimulus initiative under Canada’s Economic Action Plan. The provincial government is contributing $250,000. Le Centre Culturel et Sportif de Cormier-Village inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to operating a centre for the community, will provide $250,000. The building will have a large common area with a stage, a conference room and office space. It will be constructed to maximize the passive solar heating (‘Solar Flaw heating or Flaw is water heated by the use of solar energy. Flaw heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a water storage tank or another point of usage, interconnecting pipes and flaw a fluid system potential available through its design and energy-efficient technology such as hydronic and PV solar panels. It will replace the original community centre destroyed by fire in 2005.
Crime
Mounties probe food bank break-in
PETITCODIAC – District 11 RCMP responded to a break and enter Thursday at the S.P.O.T Food Bank in Petitcodiac. Approximately $2,000 of donated food, intended to assist families in need, was stolen. The S.P.O.T. Food Bank and the RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance to apprehend those responsible and restock the facility. S.P.O.T. Food Bank is a non-profit organization that supplies food to local families. Anyone with information concerning this crime, please contact the District 11 RCMP at 387-2222 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Fundraising
Dinner to help soldiers, families
FREDERICTON – A tribute dinner to raise funds to assist military families and wounded soldiers from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will be held in Fredericton this fall. The True Patriot Love Foundation raised more than $2 million at a national gala dinner last year in Toronto. The Fredericton dinner on Oct. 28 will be the first regional event held in the country. Money raised from the $200-a-plate dinner, along with sponsorships and an auction of painted helmets, will benefit two funds and military family resource centres in the two provinces. Col. Michael Pearson, commander of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown near Fredericton, says some soldiers and their families pay dearly for their commitment to keeping Canada safe. Keith Ashfield, a Conservative MP whose riding includes the area around the base, says the entire country owes the military its gratitude and support.
Broad Channel vols one step closer to new firehouse
656 days
There finally seems to be some progress in giving the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department a new firehouse.
Recently, both houses of the state legislature approved a bill that would allow the state to supervise the project. The bill comes in response to the city?s refusal to give the fire department access to funding provided in next year?s Omnibus Transportation Bill. Both Congressmember Anthony Weiner and then-Senator Hillary Clinton had placed $2 million in the bill to fund the new firehouse in 2005, but the city did not feel the project was necessary and did not approve access to the money.
Following the city?s negative response to the project, Senator Shirley Huntley and Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer worked to create legislation that would allow the state?s Dormitory Authority to provide federal funding for the new firehouse and let the Department of Transportation supervise the project.
?The bill was to allow them to access the money and to build. They were having an issue with the city and we decided to test it with the state,? said Huntley.
The legislation comes at a time when the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) is in dire need of a new home. Its current firehouse is one of many that is deteriorating.
?They need to be updated. All the firehouses are worn. A lot of things need to be repaired,? said Huntley. ?It?s cheaper to get a new [firehouse] than to repair it.?
?The old firehouse is just bad. It?s really too small,? added Pheffer. ?This [proposed firehouse] will be a top new facility, and the one thing they?re doing is install solar heating (‘Solar Flaw heating or Flaw is water heated by the use of solar energy. Flaw heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a water storage tank or another point of usage, interconnecting pipes and flaw a fluid system. It?s going to be a Green facility.?
With the state Legislature?s approval, the bill is currently awaiting the governor?s consent. Pheffer remains optimistic that the bill will finally solve the fire department?s problems.
?I?m very excited and happy to facilitate the eventual building of a new firehouse. This money was allocated a long time ago to the city, [which] basically didn?t want to deal with it or a build a new facility,? said Pheffer.
THAT WAS THE SPORTING WEEK: Chelsea’s new match day attire goes on sale and why Phillips Idowu always win
656 days
By
Tim Chalmers
Last updated at 1:13 PM on 30th July 2010
Fashion victim: D & G have signed up Chelsea’s Terry
There are two years to go until the start of the London Olympics and the countdown is marked with an open day at the main venues with key players and big wigs present in the capital.
There is plenty of time, but Boris still looks way off the pace in the cycling if you ask me.
******
Dolce and Gabbana sign a three-year deal with Chelsea, leading to suspicion that Roman Abramovich may be meddling in transfer dealings again.
The D&G tie-up will include the fashion house designing a new range of match-day attire for the Stamford Bridge club, with fans soon able to buy the bespoke John Terry jacket – including a hidden pocket to store next door’s spare key – and the Didier Drogba three-piece suit – with reinforced tungsten elbows and knees to withstand excessive diving friction.
The Joe Cole benchwarmer track suit with padded rear and internal solar heating (‘Solar Flaw heating or Flaw is water heated by the use of solar energy. Flaw heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a water storage tank or another point of usage, interconnecting pipes and flaw a fluid system system has had to be hastily shelved following his exit to Liverpool.
******
Phillips Idowu claims European triple jump gold and then reveals he always wins when the prestige events are staged in cities beginning with the letter B and then immediately begins lobbying for the 2012 games to be switched to Bolton.
******
Sheep dog trialling is controversially turned down for inclusion in the 2012 Olympics amid fears that the crowd could encounter problems attempting to leave the stadium at the end.
******
Manchester City’s tour of America ends under a cloud when their Abu Dhabi owner is delayed coming back through customs. His hand luggage is searched and he is found to have exceeded the personal duty and tax allowance on purchases by an estimated ?221million.
******
City receive encouraging news of Robinho’s form and fitness as the new Premier League season approaches. Apparently he is playing very? well – unfortunately for City it’s with another team, on another continent.
Playing well: But for another team, that’s City’s Robinho who loves playing in Brazil
Spain legend Raul sends out a ‘come and get me’ plea to leading Premier League clubs after his release from Real Madrid. Raul can boast an imporesive 323 goals from 741 games for Real but those are not the numbers which are thought to be putting buyers off.
******
The game of cricket provides a new definition of bad luck when a fan is hit in the chest by a meteorite while spectating at a county championship match. All those thousands of empty seats and still it had to pick you out!
******
Tennis legend Roger Federer is considering turning to coach Paul Annacone as he battles to reverse the slump in form which saw him crash out of Wimbledon. The impressive Annacone has worked with Pete Sampras and Tim Henman although, somewhat confusingly, his time with the LTA and the British Davis Cup team do not warrant a mention on the c.v. he has forwarded to Federer.
******
Split: Murray
Andy Murray splits with Miles Maclagan, meaning he is now looking for the fifth coach of his short professional career. Murray is believed to want something different to take him to the next level. How about a non-Brit who actually won something when he was a player.
******
The Premier League’s new 25-man squad rule means many millionaire footballers at the richer clubs will be consigned to sitting in the stands on a match day – at least until the January transfer window. The stars affected are reported to be furious with the strict new regulation. Usually they don’t have to bother turning up to the ground at all when not selected.
******
Note to error-prone Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. Turn off the foghorn and concentrate on the gloves son.
Share this article:
Green light for energy-saving award-winners
656 days
Thursday, 29 July, 2010
16:39 PM
A RECESSION is obviously a great time to launch a new business aimed at saving money for businesses and households. When the core product has the simultaneous benefit of saving the planet, all the lights turn green.
A RECESSION is obviously a great time to launch a new business aimed at saving money for businesses and households. When the core product has the simultaneous benefit of saving the planet, all the lights turn green.
So it has proved for HeatingSave, which took last year?s Hunts Post Huntingdonshire New Business Award for its eponymous PC-based control system.
The judges said managing director Nigel Smith, the founder of HeatingSave, was ?definitely a man with a plan?.
?The plan was to bring to the market a timely and innovative product and it being implemented successfully. Prospects of achieving profitability by the end of year two, having paid back substantial research and development costs, are excellent.?
He is certainly on track, with extensive sales already and further opportunities opening up. What?s more product development has refined and extended the company?s offer.
By ensuring that heating and hot water are switched on only when needed, it drastically reduces the output of installed heating systems.
And it learns the characteristics of the buildings it is controlling. So, if you want the heat in a room or suite of rooms to be at 20.27 degrees from 8.31am until noon, the computer algorithm quickly learns whether it needs to come on at 8.11 or 8.15 and can shut down at 11.42 or 11.50 to maintain the required temperature over that period.
Software engineer Mr Smith set up the parent company Tensor 25 years ago to specialise in computer-controlled security systems.
HeatingSave uses similar software overlaid with an energy-saving algorithm written by company boffin Dr Paul Jones.
The simplicity is that it replaces the controller ? no plumbing is involved. As Mr Smith points out, nearly every heating system in the country is controlled by technology that is more than 100 years old ? a bi-metal thermostat and a clock.
?More than 90 per cent of households use old-fashioned thermostats and 24-hour time clocks, technology that has been around since 1908, more than a century ago. All that has changed is the price of energy.?
The system includes PC software that enables anoraks to plot the energy savings as they happen. ?Once you?ve set it up, which doesn?t take long, you can forget about it.?
Now the system has been extended to embrace solar heating (‘Solar Flaw heating or Flaw is water heated by the use of solar energy. Flaw heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a water storage tank or another point of usage, interconnecting pipes and flaw a fluid system ? which HeatingSave is also now selling ? and lighting, ensuring lamps are not left burning unnecessarily.
?Because it?s managing everything, it can do it efficiently, because the left hand knows what the right hand is doing,? Mr Smith told The Hunts Post. ?It can even control swimming pools.?
Additional features added on to the scheme allow users to say a particular room is too hot or cold, and the system learns their preferences and fine-tunes the algorithm.
The latest customer is the National Trust, which is installing HeatingSave in a property in Wales. If the trial is successful, the trust has another 400 properties in which it can use the Hail Weston company?s kit to save hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Several police forces ? which already use Tensor?s security equipment ? have embraced the new money-saving device. But the Cambridgeshire force is not yet among them.
The firm has introduced a rental scheme for schools, which can save far more than the rental cost without the capital outlay.
?We have written to Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, to tell him how much money schools could save in this country.
?We reckon 80 per cent of the 30,000 schools need a system like HeatingSave. If only half of them installed it, that would save around ?9billion a year. It?s staggering. But we haven?t had a reply yet.?
He is confident of retaining his market lead. ?We are better than our competitors, where we have them. We have to be,? Mr Smith said. ?But there is still nobody competing directly with HeatingSave.?
What Others Have Been Saying…