Wales turns up heat on no-show inspector.

Byline: Patty Lawrence-Perry

WALES - Selectmen agreed this week to ask Plumbing Inspector Randy Dimitropolis to meet with the board April 3, along with other candidates who may be interested in the job, after receiving a written complaint about the official.

Sheila M. Brooks of 28 Sizer Drive wrote Feb. 27 that when she tried to get in touch with Mr. Dimitropolis in late September or early October about questions she had about installing gas logs in her fireplace, "it took at least four phone calls before he even returned my phone call. His excuse was, `Don't call my home phone, call my cell phone.'"

In January, she contracted with Osterman Gas to install the logs. The company got

all the permits and installed the gas logs, she wrote, and "the fire inspector came on February 5th and inspected, but Mr. Dimitropolis never showed up."

She said she gave Mr. Dimitropolis' cell phone number to Osterman Gas and even after the company called him more than once, he still did not show up or call her to make an appointment to do the inspection.

Ms. Brooks wrote, "I waited almost two weeks, and by law I believe that I only have to wait 48 hours, before I took it upon myself to light the gas logs myself."

Ms. Brooks said she had to "pay $60 to the town of Wales for the permit, of which I believe he gets $48 of that. I don't believe that he should get that money." She wrote that the money should be returned to her.

"I believe that I am not the only one that he has done this to and (is) therefore getting monies that he has not earned," she wrote.

Ms. Brooks suggested that selectmen look for another plumbing inspector when Mr. Dimitropolis' term is up in May.

Selectmen agreed, but said they wanted to hear Mr. Dimitropolis' explanation. Selectmen have been told that Mr. Dimitropolis has had a change in family status and appears to have lost interest in the job.

Eric H. Esiason, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said at Tuesday's meeting that anyone interested in the job should "get on our agenda so we can make a decision soon."

The board also voted unanimously to hire Leis A. Phinney as the selectmen's substitute assistant in the absence of Kaye S. Worth this month. Mrs. Phinney is the town's assistant town clerk and assistant treasurer. On the recommendation of Mrs. Worth, Mrs. Phinney will be paid $12 an hour out of the selectmen's expense account.