By Mary O’KEEFE

The city ordered inspection of former Glendale city councilmember John Drayman’s condominium has begun.

Last year, Drayman had his condo remodeled after a water main broke within the walls of the building. The homeowners association’s insurance paid for the repairs.

Since the condo was under construction for repairs, Drayman said he thought it would be a good time to remodel his home. He hired National Fire Systems, after a friend recommended them, to do the work.

Drayman said it wasn’t until later that he found that the company he hired did not have the proper license for the remodeling job and that the proper permits were not applied for at the time of the construction.

Drayman said when he did discover the permits were not applied for he brought two representatives of National Fire into Scott Howard, the city attorney’s office.

“He did,” Howard confirmed in an earlier interview with CV Weekly. “He met with me and the Community Development director [Hassan Haghani] and two individuals from National Fire.”

The permits were pulled and paid for however the city later requested an inspection.  This, according to city officials, is not an uncommon request.

Any building must be inspected. The best case scenario is to have an inspection done throughout the construction process. For example, to have the electrical wiring inspected before the drywall is completed. Unfortunately, that is not the way Drayman’s remodeling was done. The city sent inspectors in and required Drayman to cut into walls as part of the inspection.

Drayman was reportedly very cooperative during the inspection that lasted two hours. It was an initial inspection that included instruction to expose portions of walls and ceilings for further examinations, said Stuart Tom, building official for the city of Glendale.

Inspectors did find some of the work exceeded the scope of the permits. Drayman acknowledged that supplement permits would be required.

“The manner in which the inspections are being performed and the expectations of John Drayman’s [condo] is no different than any other permit applicant so far as inspections need to be performed,” Tom said.

The inspection process will continue until the permits and building is to the city’s code.

  DRAYAN, JUNE 30, News