The issue is you should not have a frivolous complaint filed against you in the first place. The state should throw it out and reprimand and fine those making these complaints. If it's a case of fraud or gross negligence, that is another story. Joyce posted last week about the state board going after an appraiser over the use of canned comments. Really? If that is the case, about 99% of appraisals used for the secondary market will go to the state.
Our board is required to open every complaint. What may seem frivolous to the appraiser may seem like something else to the one filing the complaint. Some can be resolved quickly others. The appraisals boards are there to protect and serve the public....not the appraisers. That is not a problem for me. In the early years out board was completely corrupt. Not the staff.......the board members. Proven cases of contributions made to one of the three officials who make appointments, all public record. Some were made in less than 2 weeks before or after the appointments. We had board members discussing cases outside of the office, at lunch, dinner and the bar. We had board members flying all over the country to"conferences" and sometimes never attending a single meeting. $100,000 spent on travel one year that was not needed. I had a case (low value) against me discussed at a appraisal organization function BEFORE he was even supposed to know about it. He was not reappointed. On two occasions board appointments were made that did not meet the requirements. I contacted the appointers in both cases and the appointments were cancelled. IN NC the appointments are made by the Governor, Speaker of the House and President Pro Tem of the Senate. Of course some lower level flunky is checking to see who to appoint.
Many years ago the board decided to STOP anonymous complaints. Some complaints were against board members and that was not in their best interest . Now all complaints must be signed by the one complaining along with their contact information. If there is another board or commission in NC that does that I am unaware. I can file an anonymous complaint with the FBI, SBI, CIA, IRS, State Highway Patrol, any police department, district attorney, state senator, Governor, US Representative, US Senator and on and on. Hell, some of those agencies PAY for complaints! A complaint is either valid or not, no mater how it arrives. If a complaint (signed or not) has no basis, no facts and no evidence it hopefully be dismissed quickly. I have a current complaint (low value of course) that was made 6 months ago. I am not worried about the facts but it would be nice to be done with it.
Over the years I had a desire to be appointed to the board to try and expose the corruption. I have not applied in recent years after the current board chairman of the NCAB who is VP of a bank and runs the AMC owned by the bank directly told me over the telephone was the only way to get appointed was to write some checks. I told him then and I say again now....there is no damn way I am going to PAY to be appointed to any board. I am not going to PAY to get appraisal assignments as required by USPAP and NC state law. See a conflict there? Like a fool I thought it would allow mew to expose some of the unethical and illegal crap going on. At my age and health condition it is no longer an issue for me.
I have not been to an NCAB meeting in many years in the palace they built that far to large and expensive for a small staff and a dwindling number of appraisers. I will not repeat the rumor about who was involved building the building. It was said to be a general contractor on the board. I had someone in the know say it was true, but I have no first hand knowledge. Our board has no term limits. I recall one member staying 12 years and perhaps one even longer.
The NCAB is better now as members have been added including several women who I believe to be less corrupt. There has to be a better way to fill board seats than by political contributions by individuals and organizations. Of course that same concept applies to all governmental bodies.
Some states have fantastic boards, some are corrupt and some like the NCAB somewhere in the middle. Just tell me the rules, apply them to every appraiser in the same manner and I will follow them. Most of us would never stray from the rules, laws and applications we work under. We just need to know what our boards expect and have that be the same for every appraiser.
