| Author | Subject: Re: What should MCAIA be doing for members? |
| Linda Bell | Posted At 13:14:43 10/03/2000
Can we get some legal advise? Realitors have a legal defense fund, can we? For instance: The state of Montana and the local Bozeman Building Department seems to have a policy of accepting preliminary drawings originally drawn by myself,a licensed Architect, and submitted by the owner of the property. When I asked to withdraw the drawings because they had a red stamp on them " Preliminary Not For Construction," and pointed out that my logo was on them, they would not let me pull them. The Bozeman Building Department and the State Building Department are of the impressions they are the owner's property, even though the owner had not paid for them, and even though I supplied with construction documents with my license number on them, that they did not use. Because it is a residential project, the Building Departments are of the impression that an Architect is not required, and it is not their function to police ownership of documents even though they were informed, that they were basically stolen. Instead the building departmentinstructed the owner to white out the preliminary stamp, (it is handwritten on the building department check list.) Can you provide me with anyone to talk to about this? Can the AIA file a complaint with the state with the goal of changing their policy? It seems to me they are "aiding and abetting" to a theft. Thank you. Linda |