Buchanan Abbey must bring facility up to fire code
INDEPENDENCE — Add a new concern to Ryan St. Anne Scott’sgrowing list: building codes.
The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Division during an inspection Nov.30 noted numerous deficiencies at the alleged monk’s new facility,the Buchanan Abbey.
Problems include multiple electrical junction boxes and panelsnot covered properly; exposed wiring in numerous locations; and alight fixture hanging by wires in a bathroom, according to a reportreleased Wednesday by the fire marshal’s office in Des Moines.
Scott already faces a judgment worth $161,000 in Illinois owedto a former follower, and in December he filed for Chapter 7bankruptcy protection for his failed venture, the Holy Rosary Abbeyin Galesburg, Ill. Scott also filed a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcyDec. 21 in Iowa.
Deputy Fire Marshal Steve Sonderleiter of Cedar Falls inspectedScott’s facility near Independence. He noted a need for portablefire extinguishers and for an emergency power supply to activatelights and illuminate corridors, stairwells and other passages toexits. Scott’s building also needs lighted exit signs, and weatherstripping that blocks two fire escape doors must be removed.
“At the time of inspection I was informed the fire alarm systemlocated in the building was not operating,” Sonderleiter added inhis report. “The existing fire alarm system must be maintained andin proper working order at all times.”
Scott also must ensure working smoke alarms are installed in andnear sleeping areas and on each story. And then an annual,documented inspection of the fire alarm system will be necessary,according to the report.
“I would consider any fire-related deficiency serious,”Sonderleiter said.
Sonderleiter said he spoke to Scott, who he described ashelpful.
“He was cooperative and allowed me to do the inspection freely,”Sonderleiter said.
Sonderleiter saw an elderly woman as well but said it was notclear to him how many people are living in the building.
Despite being disavowed by the Roman Catholic Church and by theArchdiocese of Dubuque, Scott, whose real name is Randell Stocks,offers Mass in Latin and has invited the public to attend theservices. that amounts to a change in how the building is beingused and therefore regulated.
Ellen Gaffney, a member of the Buchanan County board ofsupervisors, suggested if Scott and his followers were the onlyones going in and out, the building codes and fire inspectionlikely would not be much of an issue. But Scott is welcomingguests.
“He opened the building to the public. That’s where he raninto problems,” Gaffney said.
Consequently, Scott must get an architect to draw scale plansverifying the structure meets requirements and must submit thedocuments to the state’s Building Code Bureau, according toSonderleiter’s report.
“What’s going to have to happen is they’re going to have to comewith a plan of correction,” Sonderleiter said.
Scott has 60 days to bring the Buchanan Abbey intocompliance.
Sharon Patton, a spokesperson for the state fire marshal’soffice, confirmed Scott got a copy of the four-page document.
“I did talk to him, and he did receive his report,” Pattonsaid.
Scott did not respond to an email requesting comment for thisstory.
The review of the Buchanan Abbey apparently was prompted bysomeone’s concern.
“It started with a complaint. Who it originated with, I don’tknow,” Sonderleiter said.
Similar deficiencies were reported at the Holy Rosary Abbey.Scott moved his group and llamas from that property earlier thisyear.
According to public records, the Galesburg Fire Departmentlearned about Scott’s plans for the former nursing home aftertechnicians working on its system triggered an alarm. FirePrevention Capt. bill Thomas visited the abbey in August 2004 andspoke to Scott.
“(Scott) said they do not allow anyone past the receiving areaof the monastery. I told him they need to get me in before theyopen,” Thomas wrote to the Galesburg fire chief at the time, JohnCratty.
A subsequent message shows Scott had not filed for permits andwas contemplating a significant change at his abbey.
“I am under the impression they would remove the fire alarmsystem,” Thomas wrote in an email dated Aug. 20, 2004.
The copy received by the Courier also bears hand-written noteswith three website addresses. two are no longer accessible, but thethird leads to information that paints Scott and an associate,Marvin Kucera, in an exceedingly harsh light.
“We had a bad feeling right out of the get-go, but it wasn’tanything we could put our finger on,” said Mike Whitson, who laterinspected Scott’s facility with Thomas.
Thomas and Whitson identified multiple issues.
“Fire alarm system not operational,” a record dated Sept. 7,2004, reads.
Other problems included missing smoke detectors, pull stations,exit signs and emergency lights; and exposed wiring.
In January 2005, Scott penned a letter releasing a company fromliability because he directed the business to remove some sprinklerheads.
“I agree that I requested that the sprinkler head be removed,although … advised against it,” Scott wrote.
In subsequent letters to Scott, Capt. Thomas noted altering asprinkler system required fire department approval and thatdocumentation of sprinkler tests was mandatory. Thomas also orderedScott to produce plans to remedy the deficiencies that was signedby a licensed architect or structural engineer.
Whitson said after Scott’s group left, a subsequent inspectionrevealed likely ongoing code violations had occurred.
“They started doing some interior alterations that we weren’teven aware of,” Whitson said.
Those included partitions and walls in corridors and changesthat could have affected a person’s ability to get out of thebuilding.
“There were a number of modifications that probably should nothave been done,” he added.
In hindsight, Whitson said the Galesburg Fire Department perhapsshould have acted more aggressively in forcing compliance.
But when faced with daily demands, the Holy Rosary Abbey slippedon the inspectors’ priority list.
“Our concerns sometimes go down when we don’t think there are200 people in there compared to five or six,” he said.
