The National Electrical Code, or NEC, is updated every 3 years and is the basis for industry safety. As this code is updated, the city code must be modified to meet the changes of the NEC. Chapter 10 of the city code, which is currently undergoing proposed changes, serves to outline requirements of permits and licenses as per the NEC.

Over the past ten years, an ongoing battle of drafts for the Proposed Amendments to Chapter 10 of the City Code has caused commotion in both the residential and commercial real estate industries. This section of the city code regulates how maintenance technicians acquire certification with the city to perform minor electrical repairs as well as requirements for annual certificate renewal.

Critics of the current system that allows for Maintenance Technicians performing electrical work have argued that said technicians are not qualified to perform electrical work - or not as qualified, say, as a Master Journeyman. Current MTs work only at permitted buildings; however, violators have blemished the existing code with attempts to "sell" electrical services equivalent to an electrical contractor, which is a clear code violation. Add to this thought the recent apartment fires throughout San Antonio resulting from faulty wiring have brought negative attention and have even added to the reasoning for a change of the existing license processing and renewal.

The current process requires a technician to complete an Electrical Maintenance Technician (MT) Application and obtain an affidavit validating that the technician has performed at least 6,000 hours of electrical work under the supervision of a Master Journeyman. The technician must then complete a course from an Electrical Supervisory Board approved provider. The fee is $35.00, and in addition to the MT being registered, the building must also be permitted (fee based on square footage).

As of the Electrical Board Meeting on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, the Electrical Supervisory Board has tabled the proposed changes to Chapter 10, upon the request of the San Antonio Apartment Association. The changes requested by the ESB include all new hire maintenance technicians undergo an eighteen hour training course prior to performing any electrical work. This would come at a nominal fee to building managers. As any property manager can tell you, there are only so many ways to change a light bulb. This is the argument San Antonio BOMA members have countered the eighteen-hour proposal with, which lead to the revised Draft C of Chapter 10. The changes in this draft of the city code amend the course hours to 8 for new hires, and annual renewals to 2 hours. This draft owes credit largely to BOMA member Tomi Sue Beecham, RPA-RBM, Facility Manager for Cushman & Wakefield and to Charles H. Mikolajczyk, Jr., Vice President Engineering for Endeavor Real Estate Group and President of San Antonio Association of Building Engineers. In addition to their active participation in the code amendment proposals, Tomi Sue and Charles have begun coordinating the curriculum for the courses that Maintenance Technicians will be requires to take along with multiple electrical vendors in the San Antonio area. The curriculum must be approved by the San Antonio Electrical Board as well as SABOMA and SAABE approval for education providers.

The Electrical Supervisory Board must unanimously vote in favor of the draft so that it can be put to vote by City Council, who will then have to vote the draft into city code. This means that, upon passage of the new draft, all new-hire maintenance technicians will either be heading to the classroom to undergo the 8 hours of classroom training, or managers will have to budget for electrical contractors for any electrical work, from replacement of overcurrent protection devices and safety disconnects to, yes, changing out fluorescent lamps.

All SABOMA members are encouraged to participate in city meetings in order to show our organization's support for Draft C and others like it that are win-win in nature, both for the safety of employees and costs for building owners.