Building, zoning chief brings a world of experience to Sidney

Falls City, Neb. native Brad Rowan returned to his home state to take the position of Sidney’s Chief Building Official and Zoning Administrator.

Rowan brings much experience to the table. He is certified as a Fire Inspector 1, Building Inspector, Certified Building Official, International Code Council Member, State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Building Inspector, U.S. Government Contractor with the Department of Defense and a Disaster Service Worker Volunteer.

The new building official also has conducted inspections in 30 states and five different countries, including Canada, Mexico, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands.

Rowan said that originally he wanted to be a carpenter and that he attended a Nebraska technical school, which at the time was called Southeast Community College - Milford Campus.

“I graduated with an associate degree in building construction, and then I owned a construction company for several years,” he said.

Rowan said that he then started his own inspection company, which he also ran for many years.

He then moved to Colorado and served as a chief building inspector there before getting picked up by a company to inspect high-rise buildings in California in the San Francisco and San Jose areas.

Rowan said that some of his most entertaining work memories have come from his time spent in San Francisco.

“I’ve gotten to see some strange things,” laughed Rowan. “And doing high-rises you’re right there above everybody. If 40 workers go to one side of the building you think it’s going to tip over.

“San Francisco, especially around Pier 39 - all of that is landfill going up the mountain. There are boats buried there, ships, buses and cars used for backfill and that’s what half that city is built on.

Rowan said one of his more notable experiences was having to cut through a ship’s hull in order to put footing down to do bedrock.

“Then I acted as a building official for a community out there for a couple years, and then I got picked up by a worldwide company called Parsons,” said Rowan.

“I ran a privatized housing project at the Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, which was a $350 million dollar project.

“I finished that and got transferred to Colorado Springs to the Peterson Air Force Base and Schriever Air Force Base, which was a $450 million dollar project,” he said.

Rowan said that he finished that project under budget and ahead of schedule. A friend then told him about this job opportunity in Sidney.

Rowan said that he also knew Sidney City Manager Gary Person from his 30 years in the Jaycees in Lincoln.

“A lot of the time we competed against each other,” he said.

Rowan called it “friendly competition” however, and said that another plus to moving back to Nebraska was being closer to his grandchildren in Lincoln.

The building official said that he had visited Sidney for conferences in the past, and that he use to be the president of the Nebraskaland Conference of Building Officials.

Rowan has been in the inspection business for over 20 years and said that he has been in construction his whole life.

“I like being a building official as opposed to running these big projects because I get to help everybody,” he said.

“From putting in a door to building a $60 million hospital in the next year or so.”

Rowan said that his future plans for Sidney is to turn to the city council to update the building codes and increase the ability to permit fees.

“By updating the building codes, along with my credentials and how I run my department, it keeps the insurance rate down for the citizens of Sidney,” explained the building inspector.

“The Insurance Service Organization are the ones that do the insurance rating and so when they do their audit they see how well I run a department and then that’s going to lower everybody else’s rates and that’s a big thing for Sidney I think.”

However Rowan explained that the council members have to approve his suggestions and that he has no final say on the building fees.

“Council is the ones that make the laws, I’m just here to enforce it,” he said.

Rowan said that he is here to offer the people of Sidney his “expertise and friendly attitude.

“I provide them with one-on-one service and when they come in if I’m free, I’ll just get up and help solve their problem then and there. I try and solve the problem instead of creating another one,” he said.

“Anytime you want to place a building, build a building, repair a building, I’m the one to come see – I oversee all that.

“I have an open door policy and if they see me on the street I don’t care what I’m doing, I’ll stop and talk to anybody. They just might have to wait until I finish one conversation before I can get to another,” said Rowan.

The building official said that he usually starts his day between 6-6:30 a.m. so that he can get the things done that he needs to before helping others.

“I’m here to work with people,” he said. “If they like to do things on weekends, if I’m in town I will be glad to stop by.”

“This is another chapter in my life, and it’s exciting because it’s all new. Everywhere I go I meet new people,” said Rowan.

The building official also said that he is open to giving presentations to any groups interested in learning more information on the different building codes and requirements, as well as home improvement tips.

“I will try and be as proactive as I can,” he said.