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Redington Shores reviews criticism of building official

Commission members have received a petition asking for his termination amid complaints the official is "incompetent" in his job.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published July 17, 2005

REDINGTON SHORES - The town's building official, Mike Nadeau, is under investigation for allegedly making "arbitrary" rulings and mistreating residents who seek building permits to upgrade their homes.

The action was prompted by a petition demanding that Nadeau be fired. The petition was organized by Richard Greenberg, who says Nadeau is "incompetent" and causes residents "hardship."

More than 100 of Greenberg's neighbors signed the petition, including a number of residents who admit they have had no dealings with Nadeau.

Esther Le Vangie, 90, says she is legally blind and "didn't realize what I was signing."

Carolyn D'Errico says she has had "no specific dealings with Nadeau, but "has heard grumblings" from other residents.

Town administrator Don Lusk says he is "suspicious" of the petition after talking with several signers who admit never having contact with Nadeau.

Yet, the sheer number of residents who did sign - and past similar complaints - has forced the commission to take the charges seriously.

At issue is whether Nadeau's building permit and code decisions are accurate, particularly as they impact FEMA's 50 Percent Rule.

That federal rule requires a home to be elevated above the flood plain when planned renovations exceed more than half the value of the original building.

Greenberg says Nadeau capriciously underestimated his home's value and overvalued materials and labor for a planned renovation - decisions that could have forced Greenberg to completely rebuild his home.

Greenberg was given a permit to perform both interior and exterior renovations. When the work was nearly complete, Nadeau "red-tagged" the project, saying it exceeded the FEMA 50 Percent Rule.

Greenberg and Nadeau sharply disagree regarding what occurred and what was said during the permitting and building process.

Eventually, the issues were resolved, a final inspection was approved and a certificate of occupancy was issued. A day later, June 16, Greenberg filed his petition to have Nadeau fired.

Nadeau insists he did nothing wrong in following both the town laws and federal building rules.

Brad Loar, chief of mitigation programs for FEMA's Southeast Region in Atlanta appears to agree.

According to Loar, Nadeau has the right to question a property appraisal. He said any building official is required to use retail pricing for materials and standard contractor fees when determining whether the 50 percent rule is invoked, even when a resident does the work themselves or uses "free" materials.

"Yes, what Mr. Nadeau has been doing is correct," Loar said.

But the political impact of Greenberg's petition already has resulted in one change - the commission ruled unanimously Tuesday that Nadeau can no longer challenge a certified appraisal, even if it appears to be excessively high.

Meanwhile, commissioners are individually investigating other complaints against Nadeau, which they acknowledge they have been aware of for some time.

"This is a serious matter. I hope we can get it resolved within a month," says Mayor J.J. Beyrouti, stressing that it is the commission's responsibility to investigate such complaints. "I don't like to hear these allegations. I've talked to people. Yes, they are very angry."

"I have not found any discrepancies that would warrant the dismissal of Mike Nadeau," says Commissioner Marshall Reynolds, who first checked the validity of the petition's claims.

Reynolds said charges of "a lack of dignity and respect" appear to be "the real root of the request to terminate Mike Nadeau."

Commissioner Lee Holmes said the town "may need to send Nadeau to charm school, but nobody can question his qualifications as a building inspector."

"There is no question that he knows the code forward and backward. I believe it is his personality," said Commissioner Jody Armstrong.

[Last modified July 17, 2005, 01:05:20]