2008 Annual Conference Wrap-Up

Attendees Renew Their Spirit at Fellowship Breakfast

Fellowship Breakfast Attendees came together for a morning of fellowship and harmony at Sunday’s Fellowship Breakfast. Rev. Russell Thornburg, preacher and teacher at Home Baptist Church in Mankato, Minn., as well as Building Inspector and Plans Examiner for the City of Owatonna, Minn., and an instructor for the Code Council, spoke on establishing a “reference point” in both your personal and professional life.

“One of the truest forms that we use in the industry today is something that still adequately measures—the plumb line. It measures well, it tells us the true story, and we use it in reference to this: what do we have going for us? Diginity, integrity, courage; sometimes we need something to help us get through our situations. A reference point.”

Thornburg referenced the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, Chapter, 3 to illustrate the importance of finding a reference point and being resolute in defending it.

“This entire week, we’ll have something in common and that’s going to be making decisions. ‘Yes,’ ‘no’…’yes,’ ‘no’…’yes’ or ‘no’; there will not be a ‘maybe’ on any of our voting. There won’t be a ‘well, let’s think about this for a second.’ It’s a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ The decisions that you and I make today, affects every part of our life; it will have a resounding effect on the people out there. We make decisions that impact people everywhere, every day. Some are extremely techincal, some are critical, and some of the decisions that we’ll make on the floor between Monday and Friday will have an impact on our community. when you make your decisions this week, don’t get caught up and don’t get frustrated. Every decision we make affects this entire economy; it affects the life and safety of people.”

Fellowhip Breakfast attendees listen to Reverend Thornburg. From left, John Nosse, President, ICC Evaluation Service; Jim Harper, Chief Plans Examiner, City of Omaha, Neb.; Mae Nosse; Rachel Nichols; Judy Harper; Shirley Hines; Richard Beck, Principle Mechanical Engineer, ICC Evaluation Service.
Reverend Russell Thornburg (left) discusses living and working by, while Code Council Board member Ron Piester (right), Director of the Division of Code Enforcement and Administration for the New York State Department, looks on.