In November we say good-bye to fall and its bounty. This year, Pine Plains Town Hall also says good-bye to Drew Weaver, who, with his quiet authority, has calmly and affably shepherded code enforcement and building inspections here for nearly 20 years.
A resident of Gallatin, who lives with his wife, Kim, in the house his grandfather was born in in 1894, Weaver graduated from Stissing Mountain High School and will continue his job of driving a school bus for kids who attend Pine Plains schools. But his days of issuing building permits and perusing the 2,700-page building code are over at the end of this month.
Weaver, 63, was a carpenter in his 20s. In 1994, the Gallatin town supervisor approached him and asked if he was interested in becoming the building inspector there. He took on the job, and, in 2004, the Pine Plains town supervisor, Gregg Pulver, asked him to take on Pine Plains as well. During his nearly 30 years as building inspector and code enforcement officer for the two towns, he has learned a lot. “From starting out, it can take years. Experience is necessary,” he said.
In 2003, New York state adopted the International Building Code that established model construction codes. Part of the challenge for Weaver was having to patiently explain why something that was okay to do in, say, 1984, was no longer possible. “The building code is written down. I’ll photocopy the page and show it to explain, this isn’t just me saying it, it’s printed right here,” he would tell applicants.
What qualities serve a building and code inspector well? “Diplomacy,” Weaver says. “You’re looking for voluntary compliance. You explain what the code says.” If people don’t get a permit or don’t respond to letters warning of a violation, they may have to go to court for it to be resolved.
People who’ve worked with him sing his praises. Highway Superintendent Carl Baden, who has redone much of his own home, says, “Drew will sit down and talk you through it. He explains things, why it has to be a certain way.” Scott Chase, who has been involved in town government for 40 years, most recently as an assessor and as Chair of the Zoning Board, said he “[has] worked with Drew for his entire time as our code enforcement officer. I’ve always felt fortunate to serve with him and have his assistance. He works well with people even in difficult situations where people are trying to skirt the requirements.”
Weaver likes to complete his tasks in a timely fashion and in a way that makes cross-referencing possible. “The last person before I came in never used the computer. When I turned it on, all the files were empty. I put all the permits in a database so you can look them up easily,” he said. His diligence ended up expanding his job. In Pine Plains, the code enforcement officer is responsible for citing un-shoveled sidewalks in the winter and un-maintained, un-mowed property, among other code violations.
Why is Weaver leaving the job? “It’s getting to be a lot,” he said. “There’s increased construction. It’s always putting out fires. I answer emails while watching TV. It’s a thankless position and usually there’s animosity.” As Scott Chase says, “Code enforcement is not easy but Drew always tried to help the applicants and the approving authorities make their way through the process as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Lynda Wisdo, who works in the assessor’s office next door to Weaver’s, agrees. “Drew has been such a great person to work with – thorough and knowledgeable. He was always able to quickly answer my questions and offer additional insights on whatever issue I was dealing with. We’ve had a lot of building projects in Pine Plains since the pandemic and Drew has kept everything running smoothly. He’ll definitely be missed, both by folks who work at the town hall and the residents who come in seeking his expertise.”
Weaver offers an example of how construction has ramped up: “In each of the last two years I issued over 100 building permits. During the five-year period from 2015 to 2019, I averaged 50.”
He and his wife both drive school buses and will continue to do so when he leaves this position. “We can make do.”
Weaver takes a moment to reflect fondly on “a fun part of the job: You get to see some beautiful things. There’s a fair amount of multi-million-dollar houses being built.”
As he prepares to leave the position, Weaver looks back at his time as building inspector and code enforcement officer positively. “I’m pleased people are still satisfied with me. And most people get a permit.”
On Nov. 16, the Pine Plains Town Board appointed Edward Casazza to succeed Drew Weaver as building inspector and code enforcement officer.