County Fires Inspector For Violations
A Spokane County building inspector was fired Tuesday for approving shoddy construction of a home he had a financial interest in, and then falsifying public documents.
The inspector, Dave Silva, has denied all wrong-doing and hired an attorney. He did not return telephone calls Tuesday.
In addition to violating the county’s conflict of interest policy, officials want to know if Silva broke criminal laws. They’ve referred the matter to the sheriff’s office.
Meeting behind closed doors Tuesday morning, county managers and commissioners also decided not to defend Silva against a lawsuit by the homeowners.
The lawsuit - filed by Spokane Valley residents Dave and Donlee Marlin - includes the county as a defendant, however.
“We feel this person gained materially from the sale of this house, and it was their own personal venture that caused this lawsuit,” Commissioner Steve Hasson said after the private meeting. “So we’re not going to cover him.
“We’ve terminated Mr. Silva as of today.”
County officials deny any wrongdoing and blame the whole affair on a rogue inspector.
Silva’s wife, Eileen, who also is named in the Marlins’ lawsuit, called the county’s case “bogus.”
Silva worked for the county since 1988 and earned $41,000 a year. A shop steward for county employees union Local 1553, he said in late June he was being punished for his union activity.
The bizarre tale began in late 1993 when the Marlins agreed to buy a $145,000 home in the Ponderosa subdivision from builder Eugene Sykes and Eileen Silva.
Dave Silva joined his wife as the seller right before the closing papers were signed, saying he was protecting friend Sykes from an IRS lien.
Silva said he only signed the final inspection tag because the original one - signed by another inspector - had been lost and he didn’t want to delay the sale.
The other county building inspector, Frank Calasopa, denies ever seeing the Marlins’ house, Hasson said. County officials accuse Silva of forging Calasopa’s name on the original inspection tag, which has since been located.
Right after the Marlins moved in, their driveway began cracking, runoff poured into their garage and basement, and a hillside collapsed in their back yard.
County officials told them construction on their home failed code. The Marlins are suing the builder, the Silvas, a neighbor who owned the land, a real estate company and the county.
Told of Silva’s firing, Donlee Marlin said, “Great. I’m happy. All this frustration and heartache we’ve gone through is finally paying off. Finally justice has been served, maybe.”
, DataTimes