Christmas In October Receives Good News From State

Diana Neal was surprised to hear from state officials Wednesday morning.
She was even more shocked to hear that they had recanted their hard-line stance of not allowing the Osawatomie Christmas in October group she spearheads to be exempt from new state regulations regarding the handling of lead paint.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on April 9 instituted the Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Planning Rule which requires firms and individuals to undergo training before they can become certified to handle renovation projects involving lead paint in pre-1978 homes, daycares or schools.
The new rule, which includes a $200 certification fee in addition to the training, at first glance looked as if it would derail the local Christmas in October effort. The organization has worked on 100 homes in the past 16 years, painting and completing minor repairs for needy residents.
After the community’s two newspapers published a story about Christmas in October’s plight last Wednesday, Neal said several local residents called KDHE officials to express their concern over the new regulations.
KDHE officials assured Neal on Wednesday morning there had been some miscommunication regarding the rule.
“I was very surprised. I didn’t think I would hear from them at all — certainly not early Wednesday,” said Neal, who co-chairs the group with her husband Allen. “Tom Langer (director of the Bureau of Environmental Health) was very nice. He said he thought there had been some miscommunication and that they definitely wanted to help us.
“He said we would not have to pay the $200,” she said. “And, since we are a volunteer organization with no one being compensated, we would be exempt from the guidelines.”
Neal said last week agency officials had insisted repeatedly that Christmas in October and other volunteer groups were not exempt from the new regulations.
Neal said she first received a call from KDHE official Michael Pursley, who said he had received several calls Wednesday morning after the newspapers came out with the story.
“He is the one who told me that we were not exempt from the new regulations,” she said.
A short time later, Neal received a call from Pursley’s boss, director Langer, who assured her the group was exempt.
Christmas in October board members will meet at 11 a.m. this Thursday at the Gathering Place on Main Street to decide if they want to proceed with this year’s project.
In board, which recently voted not to proceed, said too much risk was at stake since the group was not exempt from the new guidelines.
“I don’t want to say Christmas in October is back on until the board has voted (Thursday),” Neal said. “But I anticipate that we will vote to proceed now that we know we are exempt.”

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Posted by Doug on Aug 19 2010. Filed under News and Updates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry