HENRY GREEN
SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR

ONTARIO, CALIF. — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and the International Code Council announced in late November that they will meet in February 2006 to begin work in earnest in an effort to determine whether the organizations can agree on all essential-elements that would be needed to create joint plumbing and mechanical codes.

IAPMO and ICC board members and staff met Nov. 19 in Little Rock, Ark., to continue their ongoing discussion of a joint venture to create single plumbing and mechanical codes for the United States. The executive committees of both boards and key staff members met for several hours in the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum following a private tour of the library and onsite lunch.

"I am even more optimistic as a result of these latest discussions that single codes for plumbing and mechanical will become a reality for this country," said Henry Green, president-of the International Code Council Board. "There are obvious differences in our processes and in the content of our codes but our mutual determination to work out those differences was very apparent during the meeting."

"I agree," said Chris Salazar, president and CEO of IAPMO. "We have a lot of work to do, but I was very encouraged with the conversation we had ... and look forward to our next meeting."

The two organizations agreed to reconvene in February in San Antonio, Texas.

The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, which symbolizes former President Bill Clinton's bridge to the 21st century, served as the backdrop for this first formal meeting between IAPMO and ICC. The center, which includes the Clinton Foundation and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, provided an ideal stage for a productive meeting of the two associations, representatives said. IAPMO and ICC signed a memorandum of understanding in September to discuss the possibility of a joint venture to develop a single set of plumbing and mechanical codes.