Electrical permit checks in question

Accused former official alleges ‘very hostile work environment’

Vermilion Township officials may need to hire an electrical inspector to review work completed in recent years, according to the township’s building official.

But one township trustee was skeptical about the information presented about the township’s former building official, who thought he was doing the right thing by checking on wiring in home construction.

On Sept. 15, Vermilion Township trustees Ron Dickel, Charles Trinter and Carl Hill heard from township Building Official Robert Baker, who reported on the work of his predecessor Robert Kurtz.

For a number of years, Kurtz inspected and approved electrical work completed on building projects when he was not professionally qualified to do so, Baker said.

He estimated there could be as many as 60 houses with potentially faulty electrical wiring.

It could cost thousands of dollars to hire a task force of electrical inspectors to check on the work, Baker said.

“For the safety of the township, of the residents of Vermilion Township, we want you to contact us if you had electrical inspections performed personally by Mr. Kurtz, so we can have a licensed, certified electrical inspector come and reinspect your property,” he said.

Electrical fires are a serious hazard because a fire may start within a wall and spread undetected, Baker said.

Hill questioned if any electrical fires resulted from the work that Kurtz inspected, and it was unclear if any fires in the townships were caused by that electrical work.

The paperwork investigation began when a resident complained and the township staff began checking on it, Baker said.

“In my opinion, I think this is a witch hunt and you’re not going to find any witches,” Hill said.

Kurtz continues working for the city of Vermilion, but would not be if he was incompetent, Hill said.

“I don’t speak for other cities, I’m only speaking for the township,” Baker said.

State review

Kurtz resigned from the township job in March.

On July 29, the Ohio Board of Building Standards, a division of the Ohio Commerce Department, received Baker’s complaint about Kurtz’ work.

Kurtz “had provided electrical inspections on projects for which he does not hold an Electrical Safety Inspector certification,” according to the Board’s official summary. “Records were provided by Mr. Baker of electrical inspections signedoff by Mr. Kurtz during the course of several years from 2015.

“Mr. Kurtz provided a response in explanation of the circumstances of his actions and admitted that he did perform the inspections.”

The Board of Building Standards staff recommended “dismissal of the complaint and consideration of disciplinary action based on information received.”

On Aug. 24, the Board “accepted the complaint summary and required Mr. Kurtz’s residential building official certification be placed on probation for a period of six months effective Aug. 20, 2021, with additional remedial requirements.”

Kurtz was ordered to complete a three-hour training program within six months, and the required 30 hours of continuing education, according to the Board of Building Standards ruling.

The Board also was to complete an audit of the city of Vermilion’s operations for compliance with Board of Building Standards rules.

Kurtz responds

In August, Kurtz emailed two responses to the Board of Building Standards.

Kurtz said years ago at a training program, another building official said Kurtz could do final inspections and he never questioned that.

The township never had

a full time electrical inspector on staff, Kurtz said, and he performed inspections when they were not available, instead of holding up projects.

Kurtz said the work was completed by contractors he knew and whose other jobs did not have problems.

He added he also had electrical experience as a contractor, but acknowledged he never was a journeyman electrician and thus not qualified to be an electric inspector.

Going to work full time for Vermilion Township in 2016 “was the biggest mistake of my life,” Kurtz said in a letter to the state Board.

He described “a very hostile work environment” with tensions among the trustees, Fiscal Officer Brenda Zsebik and Secretary Tina Karres.

Kurtz remains the building official for the city of Vermilion, said Mayor Jim Forthofer.

Forthofer said he was not aware of the Board of Building Standards ruling and would not comment on that, but he had no knowledge of Kurtz ever inspecting electrical work in the city.

Kurtz was not immediately available for additional comment.