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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12201977First Organizational Meeting of the Licensing Board was held on December 20, 1977. Present: Absent: Ed Paluch, Merl~ Hasson, Ed Sch~ucker, Terry Verner, Art-Mayer, Houston Tripp Jim Harris This organization was first approved by the City'Council of the City of Sebastian. A discussion as to who would be licensed arose and it was stated that sub-contractors that owner-builders hire should and must be licensed; all roofers, masonaries and sheet rockers. This is for the good of the consume~ that all these people be licensed. If they are licensed and fail to meet the requirements and codes of the city and state, then the State Licensing Board can take action on that man, after the local licensing board has made their decision. This ~icensing Board is mainly after the fly-by-nights that come into the city and do sloppy work. They are not licensed (and probably don't even bother to secure a building permit for the work they do)-and, after they leave, there is nothing anybody can do to reprimand this man. Everyone who is licensed will be on the look-out for anyone unlicensed, and will report this to the Board. The Board will check into the matter and take whatever action they deem necessary. It was stated that, if this Licensing Boardis set up well and organized to the best of its efficiency, then hopefully, Indian River County will adopt this Board. This should be something uniform and accepted in the whole county, not only in the city in which it's set up. The name of this Board will be decided at the next meeting and will be a name that all the members of the Board have chosen. The Board should be set up first and than all the ordinances that this Board wishes to enforces%should b~ written up. It'was stated that the licensing and the ordinances were two different things entirely. A question was asked as to,whether any other small communities had a 1~¢al licensing board. The county of Okeechobee, not the city, has one; St. Lucie county has one. AS far as the cities ~nd towns having licensing boards, it was stated-thath~hese boards were set up within the counties of different cities. A member of the State Board can be a member of the local board and'thiS will be looked into and announced at the next meeting. Or this me~ber of the State Board could sit in on-~.~these me~ngs~,mndj j.ust'~a~p~esmn~a~i~ec~'f%~;aess~e ~ '¥~ex~y Verner, from the State Licensing Baord, will find out if he can be On ~hisBoar~. After this Board is set up, the only time it would meet is when there is'a problem. This Board is composed of people who are knowledgeable of construction. We haVe on this Board two men who are certified general contractors, a certified electrici.an, plumber,'~ngineer and a concerned citizen. The Committee may decide'toc~hoose more people to be on this Board. when it comes time for the people to take the test to be licensed, anyone who knows construction and can do a .good job should be able to pass the test. If a.~an cannot take a written test, he will be given an oral test. There will be a fee p~t on taking these exams so thay anyone who takes the test will be truly interested in getting a license and not just doing this for something to do. If anybody fails the-test, he can came back in six months and take it again. This Board is not really a Board at present. Right now, we are just a'Co~mittee of the Council. In the initial set up of the Board ,'the Council may object to certain things, but once the Board is finalized, then that is the end of the'council. What we want to generate is a fair board and not take favorites. Some things to consider in setting up this Boards 1. Who's competency are you going to accept? HH Block or HH Block Proctor? The expense will be paid by the applicant. You don't have to accept anybody"s test. /'~ The HH Block Proctor test will be the better test to give. This test is mailed to the Board in a sealed envelope. This envelope is opened in the presence .of the applicant and, when the test is completed, it is put in an envelope an~ sealed in the presence of the applicant and mailed '.immediately. With the HH Block test, the applicant must go to Gainesville whenever this test is given. 2. Are you going to require a bond? 3. What areas would you feel must be violated before you take a man's license away? 4. You must decide when the Board will make its changes. For example, are you going to replace one man at the end of a year's time or at the end of two year's time? The decision is e~tirely up to the Board members. A credit report, if you require one, Will give a complete background of the person applying for ailicense. Everyone at this meeting agreed that a personmust pay 4o become licensed. As a Board, you must define the applicant's scope ~f work. Define proCeSSes of taking action against a contractor. The State does not license subs, but we, as the Board in the City of sebastian, will. The subs should be ~ubject to all-the rules and regulations that the cQntracter is subject to. It will be advertised to the consumer not to .let anyone do any work uBles~ they can produce a building permit. Without a permit,' the person is probably & f~y-~y~night. All they want is your money. They will do sloppy work and inferior'wOrk'~aR~ take your money and that's the last you'll ever see of that man again. Beware Qf-.people This Board will give (or should give) the Building Official'the right to s~u%.a job down if the work is poor ~nd don~il~lpg~al'l~. Nothing will super¢ede''the'~''l~¢&l laws of this Licensing Board-~e~C~P Only the people who have a city license will be grandfathered. This,'.mus~.'~e a~ertised- Right now, in order to secure a building permit, you must show your state Registration or Certification. Only owner-builders are exempt f~om this. The Board will set up whatever a person wi'll need in order'-for hi~ to-take t~ ~est. You should approve all his requirements before you issue him a license. THE NEXT MEETING OF THIS COMMITTEE (NOT YET A BOARD) WILL BE JANUARX'!~'/ 1978 AT 1 P.M. HERE AT CITY HALL.