CLB Minutes 11/15/2000 RNovember 15, 2000
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
CONTRACTORS' LICENSING BOARD
Naples, Florida, November 15, 2000
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Contractors' Licensing
Board, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted
business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR
SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East
Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRPERSON:
Gary Hayes
Walter Crawford, IV
Les Dickson
Daniel Gonzalez
Richard Joslin
Bob Laird
Arthur Schoenfuss
Carol Pahl
Sara Beth White
ALSO PRESENT:
Patrick Neale, Attorney for the board
Robert Zachary, Assistant County
Attorney
Bob Nonnenmacher, Chief License
Compliance Officer
Thomas Bartoe, License Compliance
Officer
Michael Ossorio, License Compliance
Officer
Paul Balzano, License Compliance
Officer
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AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY CONTRACTORS' LICENSING BOARD
DATE November 15, 2000
TIME: 9:00 A.M.
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
COURTHOUSE COMPLEX
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL NEED A RECORD OF
THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A
VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THAT
TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
I. ROLL CALL
II. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS:
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
DATE: October 11,2000
V. NEW BUSINESS:
6.
VI. OLD BUSINESS:
VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
VIII.REPORTS:
IX. DISCUSSION:
1. WORKSHOP: Ordinance Amendments
X. NEXT MEETING DATE:
1. Woody S. Ryan wishes to contest citation #0707 issued to him by Mike Ossorio.
2. Mario Rodriguez - request to qualify 2"d entity with Masonry license.
3. Fred W. Rogers - request to get paving restricted to patching license, has sealing & striping
license and was grandfathered in.
4. Charles D. Walton - would like a Master Plumber's license without taking trade exam, passed
business & law.
Mike Olson - request to qualify 2® entity.
Hector Ortegon - request to qualify 2nd entity.
December 20, 2000
November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm going to call this meeting to order.
9:04 a.m., November the 15th, Contractors' Licensing Board.
Any person who decides to appeal a decision of this board
will need a record of the proceedings pertaining thereto and,
therefore, may need a -- to ensure that a verbatim record of the
proceedings is made, which record includes that testimony and
evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
I'd like to start with roll call to my right.
MR. CRAWFORD: Walter Crawford.
MR. LAIRD: Bob Laird, public member.
MR. DICKSON: Les Dickson.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Gary Hayes.
MR. JOSLIN: Richard Joslin.
MS. PAHL: Carol Pahl.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Arthur Schoenfuss.
MS. WHITE: Sara Beth White.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do we have any additions or deletions
to the agenda?
MR. BARTOE: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, board members.
For the record, I'm Tom Bartoe, licensing compliance office.
Staff has no additions or deletions at this time.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I need a motion to approve the agenda.
MR. LAIRD: So moved, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion.
MS. PAHL: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And I have a second. All in favor?
Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. Approval of the minutes of
October the 11th. We have them in front of us, such as they are,
as thick as they are. Could be that the type size was grown so
some of us can read it.
MR. BARTOE: This is thanks to computers.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: To computers.
MR. DICKSON: It's kind of like the ballot in Palm Beach,
bigger print.
MS. PAHL: We don't have any hanging chats, do we?
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November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I need a motion for approval.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: I move we approve the minutes of the
last meeting.
MR. JOSLIN: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion? All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Motion carries. Very well.
MR. BARTOE: Mr. Chairman, before I forget, I would like to
advise the board and everyone that Mr. Nonnenmacher now has a
new position in supervision. He is called the chief licensing
compliance officer.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Congratulations.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Thank you, sir.
MR. DICKSON: Does that mean that the two of you work for
him?
MR. BARTOE: Correct. I did before, anyway.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Did they just create that for you?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Are you acting?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Am I acting? No.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Oh, you are the permanent?
MR. BALZANO: No one else wanted it.
MR. NEALE: He wasn't at work that day, is that what
happened?
MS. PAHL: He drew the short straw.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, under new business, Woody S.
Ryan wishes to contest a citation issued to him by Mike Ossorio.
Mr. Ryan, are you here?
MR. RYAN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Would you come up to the podium,
please, sir.
As this is a public hearing, I'm going to have to ask that you
be sworn in.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I don't believe we're going to have to
have our officers and staff members sworn in, are we?
MR. DICKSON: Yes, you will, Mr. Hayes.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
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November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Ryan, you've requested a hearing on
a citation?
MR. RYAN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Would you care to elaborate on that?
MR. RYAN: First, I'd like to thank the ladies and gentlemen
of the board. I'd like to thank you for granting this hearing. I
realize that the board has a very busy schedule; therefore, I will
be as brief as possible.
I come before the board for two reasons: I would like to
make the case for my doing only the fire caulking on the head
wall systems, which is part of my rated wall system.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Ryan, would you get a little bit
closer to the microphone~ please.
MR. RYAN: Okay. Is that better?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, fine.
MR. RYAN: I'd like to make the case for my doing only the
fire caulking on the head wall system, which is part of my rated
wall system. I've been working with Collier County for seven
years, and each of the dry wall contractors I worked for, before
starting my own business, always did their own fire sating on
their rated wall. This particular item is always found in the
scope of work of the dry wall contractor. It's also found in the
dry wall contract.
When the process of fire sating and the new fire caulk was
instituted for the metal roof or rib decking, I was instructed by
Mr. Jim Quigley, the fire inspector, of the changes and exactly
what would be accepted, including leaving a copy of the UL
applications, manufacturer's product, and the MSDS which I have
complied with for the last two, two and a half years.
I have never been apprised that this scope of work was
outside the scope of my license. Mr. Jim Quigley has been the
fire inspector on at least 25 or 30 of the jobs that I have
completed. He's the same person that lodged the complaint
against my company. That is why I was surprised.
And I ask you to debate my fine and leave me with a clean
license. I have no other violations on my license.
I also would -- I also would like the board to write into the
scope of work of the dry wall license the ability for fire sating
and/or fire caulking that is part and parcel of our rated wall
system so that all the dry wall contractors will not be in violation
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November 15, 2000
of working outside their scope of their license.
And I sincerely would like to thank you for your time and
consideration in this matter.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Ryan, I'm looking --you're
absolutely right. In the carpentry license, in the Ordinance
99-45, Section 1.6.3.6, the carpenter contractor's license does
not mention fire sating as part of its scope of work. Also, the
same thing applies for the dry waller, it does not mention it in a
dry wall contractor's license either at this point.
MR. RYAN: That's correct. But I truly was unaware of the
fact that we weren't allowed to do it, because as I explained
previously, for the last seven years I've worked in Collier and Lee
County and I've worked for three or four other dry wall
contractors before I opened my own business, and we always did
it, as a matter of fact. And since I've gone into business for
myself, I've noticed that every single bid document that I get
always includes -- under the dry wall always includes the fire
safing on the rated wall. As well as the fact that when I do get a
contract, it's included in the contract as part of my scope of
work.
MR. OSSORIO: Mr. Hayes, it should be noted it's under the
insulating contractor for fire-stopping.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what I was looking for. We don't
have a specific license.
MR. OSSORIO: There is a license in the state for a 489 for
gypsum dry wall, and that does not include it either.
Fire-stopping is not permitted as well.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So we don't have a specific license for
fire sating?
MR. OSSORIO: Insulation.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: If we have to -- if you do fire sating, you
must be a licensed insulation contractor. MR. OSSORIO: That is correct.
It should be noted that even the fire marshal is the one that
called this complaint. So, you know, it's kind of hard to believe.
I wish Mr. Quigley was here from fire. But he's the one that
actually called it in in the first place.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Historically, I've seen that everyone
that needs to patch a hole patches their own holes in some of
the contracts out there. I, as a plumbing contractor, have been
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November 15, 2000
requested to fire safe my penetrations. Well, I'm not licensed for
anything but plumbing. So I don't know that if -- if we're running
into a little situation here that heretofore we haven't even
noticed and maybe we need to address it.
MR. CRAWFORD: I think we do, Mr. Chairman. I've spent
four and a half years employed by Wall Systems, one of the major
dry wall contractors in Collier County. And it's very typical for
dry wall contractors to do their own fire caulking and their own
fire sating. Typically the MEP contractors like yourselves will
seal their own penetrations. Although sometimes dry wall
contractor does it.
I think that perhaps we need to look at updating the code --
or the ordinance to allow dry wall contractors to do that.
Because this is very common.
MR. OSSORIO: But you're absolutely right. But you have to
understand something, that we didn't have a choice but to bring
it in front of the board. You know, I recommended to Mr. Ryan,
you know, to come in front of the board to do this -- CHAIRMAN HAYES: For that reason.
MR. OSSORIO: -- application for this reason.
But it should be noted that in 489, the state statute for dry
wall, gypsum, it doesn't mention fire-stopping. I don't know if
that's a --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: It does not mention it?
MR. OSSORIO: No.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, that's my point. It does not
mention it in any of the trades that do their own fire caulking.
Not even in the state level, in 489. Mr. Neale?
MR. OSSORIO: That is correct.
MR. NEALE: Just looking at it, fire sating is really only
mentioned in the insulation contractor's section, of our code at
least.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So technically everyone that has done
their fire sating without an insulation license are in violation
technically of the licensing code.
MR. NEALE: And theoretically what should be done is that
the dry wall contractor should have to bring in another sub, an
insulation contractor, just to do the fire sating to be precise --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I wonder if that was the original intent.
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November 15, 2000
I think maybe not. I think maybe it was an oversight. I mean, if it
was the original intent, maybe we need to study as to why it was
intended to be that way before we act on it. However, if it was an
oversight, then maybe we can act on it and correct it.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mr. Chairman, if I may, would we be
allowed to correct that without the state adding it to their
gypsum dry wall license? Can we be more lenient than the state
is? The state, it is not included in their category of dry wall and
gypsum. Now, the county feels that maybe it's an inadequacy
and we should do it. Are we permitted to do that if the state
doesn't do it?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, I think just the opposite would be
my approach to it. And that is, that if it -- that if we added it, we
would be more restrictive because now we're focusing on the
fact that if you don't have it specifically written into your license
to do, we need to cite you for it. You're not supposed to do it.
So I think it's the opposite might occur. By adding it to the
dry waller's license, we've actually restricted the ability to do it
by anybody that doesn't have it in their license.
So what I'm scared of is that if that's the case, should we
add that wordage to every single license that could penetrate a
floor and require -- or wall and require fire sating before we'd be
legal across the board.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, exactly how much fire safety is
involved in dry wall?
MR. BARTOE: Quite a bit.
MR. NONNENMACHER: And the reason why I bring that up is
because you brought your point when you penetrate, you
fireproof your hole. Most trades do have incidental to. Roofers,
you know, incidental to replacing any wood or anything. I think
there's quite a difference in what you do when you fireproof a
hole that you've made and the extent of complete fireproofing
that a dry waller does.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's true. I see what you're saying.
MR. RYAN: Could I add a comment?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Sir.
MR. RYAN: Basically speaking, what we're talking about is
it's an integral part of our wall system. In order for me to provide
a one-hour wall or a two-hour wall with the rating that it requires,
it really turns out to be part and parcel of my wall. When you
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November 15, 2000
start bringing other additional subcontractors in to perform a
portion of the scope of work that I really should be doing, I'm in
some respects losing the ability to control that process and
make sure that it's absolutely right.
The other thing is that if I'm having to do that, then it means
that every other contractor for every little hole is going to have
to hire somebody special to come in, it's going to drive the price
up,
MR. DICKSON: What's the testing difference between the
two contractors?
MR. NEALE: I don't know exactly what the difference is.
MR. DICKSON: Between the insulation contractor that can
do fire sating.
MR. NEALE: I don't know what the block exams exactly
contain for each of those.
MR. ZACHARY: The insulation contractor, I'm looking at the
ordinance, it requires 36 months experience, a passing grade on
a three-hour test, and a passing grade on a two-hour business
and law exam.
MR. NEALE: Dry waller also requires a three-hour test, but
obviously we don't have the information as to what each of those
tests are comprised of.
It would appear, just from a reading of the definitions, that
the insulation contractor's license exam does include questions
on fire sating and fireproofing; whereas, there's nothing, at least
in the text of the definition of the contractor, to say that the dry
wall contractor's license exam does include the same kind of
questions.
MR. BALZANO: Mr. Hayes, if you do your own fire stopping
and --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You're going to have to have a
microphone.
MR. BALZANO: You do your own fire stopping when you
penetrate a firewall and when you penetrate a two-by-four or a
two-by-six, and they make you put the foam around it so that you
don't get drafts through it. Because you could end up with a
plumber, an electrician, a mechanical contractor, an air
conditioning contractor, all going through this firewall, and
you're going to put in their license that they can all come in and
do their fire stopping. I would rather have one person
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November 15, 2000
responsible for all the holes that are in that wall than five or six
people.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I agree. And I think it does make sense
as well that the person that covers and finishes the wall is the
one that experiences the inspection. And that if it is isolated to
a specialty license and the wall installer's license, then it
probably makes sense to leave it at that. I agree.
MR. CRAWFORD: That makes sense. That's just not the
precedent in Collier County.
MR. BALZANO: But it's illegal what you've been doing.
MR. CRAWFORD: It could be. It's been done that way for 10
years.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, I agree, it's as illegal as this
gentleman is this morning.
MR. RYAN: The other problem that you have with that is
there's no way that a dry wall contractor could possibly bid --
MR. CRAWFORD: That's the real issue.
MR. RYAN: -- the fire sating in a building when you've got
nine different trades doing penetrations, making holes and doing
whatever. There's no way that a dry wall contractor could sit
down and figure out what the cost would be on the finished
product. Because we don't know going into it what they're going
to do.
MR. CRAWFORD: That's right.
MR. OSSORIO: Mr. Ryan, have you ever subcontracted out
an insulating contractor for doing fire stopping on one of your
jobs?
ever
here
MR. RYAN: I haven't to date.
MR. OSSORIO: Have you ever seen an insulating contractor
do fire stopping on any of your jobs?
MR. RYAN: Never.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I just wish, Mr. Ryan, you'd have been
last month.
MR. RYAN: I wish I would have been here last month myself.
It is a kind of thorny issue. And the problem is it seems like it
would be cut-and-dry, but it's really not as cut-and-dry as it
seems. Because like I just said, if you put the onus on the dry
wall contractor to do it, then what you've got is you've got a
scenario where there's no possible way he can figure out how
many holes the plumber's going to leave him with, and how many
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November 15, 2000
holes the electrician's going to leave him with, how many holes
the sprinkler system people are going to do, the HVAC.
I mean, you've got all those trades and every one of them
has a separate requirement. If a pipe penetrates a wall, in some
cases, you can use fire caulk around it. In other cases, you have
to put a collar around it. In other cases, you have to box the
whole thing out. I mean, it's a fairly complicated issue.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Crawford, another thing that
concerns me is the fact that if in fact we were to do something
like add it to the dry waller's license who has done it and been
understood to do it for quite some time now, he definitely has
more skill and knowledge to do it than my plumbers have and
some people's electricians have. I mean, it's almost like we
pretty well need a specialist crew within our individual discipline
to do that fire caulking.
I know that I refuse to take it on in my contracts because I
for one have no skill in that whatsoever. And two, I'm not real
thrilled about being lifesaving in my work. I'm a plumber.
MR. CRAWFORD: It's definitely a skill. And it's -- we're
talking about commercial work only.
You're involved in commercial work as well?
MR. RYAN: Yeah.
MR. CRAWFORD: All I know is that today the plumber
typically seals his own holes, fire sprinkler seals his own holes,
dry wall contractor picks up the joints at the top of the wall, at
the bottom of the wall and the incidental areas. And for the
reason he stated, that dry wall contractors are not
knowledgeable enough to figure out where all the pipes for the
four other different trades go, and it just becomes complicated.
That's -- the system we have in Collier County now, it works
in the field. It doesn't sound like it applies to the ordinance,
though.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, let me ask you, the system we
have that works, is it multiple fire inspections, or is there one?
Each trade, once they fire wrap, fire safe their penetration --
MR. CRAWFORD: It's essentially one inspection. It's the fire
inspection. It's the fire marshal's inspection.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So am I understanding this then, that a
contractor, if he has eight specialty tradesmen that penetrate
firewalls, he has eight people to chase down to try to put the fire
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sating in, and eight people to have approve or fail by the fire
marshal's whim.
MR. CRAWFORD: That's correct. And you bring up a good
point in that typically a fire marshal likes to see it done one way
and there's different systems, different manufacturers, different
types of caulk. A lot of projects now have a special meeting with
the fire marshal to say okay, on this project we're all going to
use 3M caulk, we're going to do it this way. So there is some
coordination involved, but I --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what I'm questioning. Perhaps
maybe we need to consider the possibility of standardizing it
then.
MR. CRAWFORD: We could. I just -- I'm afraid we're turning
the world upside down by doing that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That makes sense. And you're right, for
10 years we've been doing it that way. But it's like everything
else, I guess, we have to look at our evolution.
MR. RYAN: Either that or maybe we need to get a separate
category and let all of the different trades go and get that
specialty. Make it a specialty license and just make it for that
particular issue, fire caulking, fire sating.
They have books, programs that you can get into. And I'm
sure a few of the major manufacturers would probably be more
than happy to set you up with some sort of program that might
provide the basis to put a test together in an individual specialty
license. And that way we could all still be responsible. We go
take the test, we get the license, and then we continue doing
what we've been doing, only we now have another license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Dickson?
MR. OSSORIO: Or you can just take the insulating
contracting license, which is a three-hour exam. MR. RYAN: That would work well, too.
MR. DICKSON: Obviously we've opened Pandora's box. As
soon as I think we've got everything covered, something like this
comes up. And the fire marshal's obviously aware of it, and it's a
good point. But we're not going to resolve this here today.
MR. NEALE: If I may, the reason that this gentleman is here,
the reason Mr. Ryan is here, is because he's appealing a citation.
MR. DICKSON: I understand.
MR. NEALE: So the first order of business this board has to
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do, has to tend to really in this matter is resolving the matter of
the contest of the citation.
MR. DICKSON: That was --
MR. NEALE: I'm sure you were going there, but --
MR. DICKSON: My recommendation is, one, that we put this
on hold till people, professionals and experts in the field, wall
systems, I think of Russell Budd and some others, because this
is a big issue. It's a bomb going off.
Let me finish, Mr. Balzano.
Right now is not the time or the place to do this. And we're
not capable of doing it today. And so I would recommend that,
one, we put this on hold. Two, we get together professionals
within the field to come up with a solution to the problem.
Number three, we continue operating like we have been
operating until that happens.
And four is I would be in favor of deleting or cancelling this
fine because -- dismissing this fine. Because yes, in the letter of
the laws, the way it's written, he's in violation. But you also
have to consider the fact it's common knowledge, this has been
precedent in Collier County for at least 10 years. And precedent
also sets guidelines and rules, as well as what's written.
I don't know how the rest of the board feels about this, but
we can be here till 5:00 and we're not going to get anywhere.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Balzano, do you have something to
add to that?
MR. BALZANO: If his problem was as large as what Mr.
Dickson is saying, we'd have every insulation contractor calling
us every day complaining about these people doing their work,
and we don't. If Mr. Dickson had general contractors doing new
roofs, he'd be calling. We don't have these people calling. So I
don't think the problem is as big as he says it is. I mean, there
are big insulation companies out there and you see them on all of
your high-rises, and they're doing fire stopping and insulation,
and they took an exam for it. If he wants to do fire stopping, we
already have an exam. Why are we going to have another
category? It's under insulation and fire-stopping. I mean, we're
just spinning our wheels going to put another license in this
ordinance that's already an inch thick.
MS. WHITE: I have a suggestion. Why don't we forgo the
fine if he will take this insulation exam.
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November 15, 2000
MR. CRAWFORD: I think because it's a bigger problem than
that. He's one of hundreds of dry wall contractors that are fire
sating and fire caulking as we speak.
MS. WHITE: I agree, but we're only dealing with this one
issue right today.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's all I'm trying to do. We need to
focus on the citation, the resolution of the citation only, and then
we can discuss maybe holding a workshop or adding this to a
workshop that we were supposed to have already had.
MR. NEALE: It's within this board's power, if I may, to hold --
take this matter under advisement and hold any enforcement of
this citation until such time as you're able to give further
evidence on the matter. So what the board could do is stay the
enforcement of this citation until such time as the board feels
comfortable in ruling on the matter, or dismissing it, however the
board may see fit. So that is one alternative that the board can
take.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: I think this whole thing has been a
revelation. I think we should commend Mr. Ossorio on his
vigilance, and keep it up.
But I agree with Mr. Dickson, I think we should just dismiss
the citation. This gentleman didn't know he was doing anything
wrong, he didn't intend to do anything wrong, and there's a lot of
confusion here as to the status of it. I think we ought to dismiss
the citation but recognize that we learned something and future
action on the part of the board may be required.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Is that in the form of a motion?
MR. SCHOENFUSS: I make that a motion.
MR. DICKSON: Dickson, I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion?
MR. JOSLIN: I would just like to say one thing. What is
going to happen now in the future if this particular motion falls
into play with Mr. Ossorio out in the field now and he finds other
dry wall contractors that are doing the same type of work and he
tickets those people?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think we can discuss that after this
motion.
MR. OSSORIO: Okay, just one quick motion before you
deliberate. This was called in by the fire marshal. I believe that
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the insulating contractors are getting more in-depth in fire
stopping and it's getting more detailed. 10 years ago it was easy
to caulk something, but now it's getting more and more in-depth.
And that's why he called in, because he's tired of all of these
dry wall contractors -- not Mr. Ryan himself, but other
contractors -- doing the wrong job and he has to go back and
replace or do some remedying, you know, for violations courtesy
from the fire marshal. And that's what the whole issue is. He
has no problem with the insulating contractors, just the dry wall
contractors not doing the application right in the first place. So
there's a problem in the installing.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: But I believe at this point in regard to
the citation, it has served its purpose. We are definitely aware of
the problem and we are definitely going to make further action
on it.
MR. OSSORIO: My recommendation is, is that you find him --
you adjudicate him guilty and go ahead and dismiss the fine.
MR. NEALE: There's a motion and a second on the table.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm aware of that, Mr. Neale.
MR. BARTOE: May I make one more opinion from staff? I
agree with Mr. Ossorio, because according to the ordinance, Mr.
Ryan cannot do that. So I feel he should be adjudicated. He
should be in violation, but staff would not object to dismissing
the fine.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think you also make an excellent
point, because he is technically and legitimately in fact in
violation of our ordinance as it is written. And for it to be the
case that sets a precedent, we probably need to act properly on
it.
MR. DICKSON: But I have a problem with that. Like you
said, we're aware of the problem, we're going to act on the
problem, so the citation has served its point. To make this
gentleman a sacrificial lamb, when I've got hundreds of people
out there doing it --
MR. OSSORIO: Then what's going to stop from someone
going tomorrow, like the fire marshal, which he's going to do, call
in tomorrow and he wants me to address the problem and it's
written in the ordinance, it's black and white, that the dry wall
contractors are doing fire stopping?
MR. JOSLIN: And because they've been doing it for the past
Page 14
November 15, 2000
10 years makes it okay?
MR. NONNENMACHER: I believe you're putting staff in quite
a position here. And I'm not trying to make this gentleman a
sacrificial lamb by any means at all. But if you have a problem
with people doing things they shouldn't be doing, then change
the ordinance. They change speed limits all the time, they
remove stop signs, they put stop signs up. And to just come out
and say yes, he is in violation but we're not going to find him in
violation, I don't know what kind of liability that leaves the board
with.
You're asking this man to go out and enforce our ordinance,
which he does, and he does very well. And then when he comes
in here, you're telling him yeah, this gentleman is in violation, he
shouldn't have done that, you're 100 percent right, but we're
going to dismiss it because we feel everybody else is doing it,
too. I don't agree with that.
MR. DICKSON: Let me ask a question --
MR. NEALE: If I may, just from a legal point on this, is
489.127(D)(3) is the ordinance -- or the statutory provision that I
think covers this. And it reads, if the person issued the citation
or his or her designated representative shows that the citation is
invalid or that the violation has been corrected prior to appearing
before the enforcement or licensing board or designated special
master, the enforcement or licensing board or designated special
master may dismiss the citation unless the violation is
irreparable or irreversible.
So the grounds under which a citation may be dismissed are
either that it's invalid or that the violation was corrected prior to
this hearing.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So the record would show, after it's all
said and done, that Mr. Ryan was the precedent setting case that
we had to act on to amend the ordinance to be more applicable.
And that is the only thing on record that will be is that he was
the contractor that was cited to get this issue remedied. I don't
think that's going to serve as a black eye.
MR. DICKSON: That was my question for staff. If it comes
down that Mr. Ryan has to get a second license or a specialty
license, would the fact that he has a citation for acting like this
citation is stating, with that being on his record, with an
adjudication of guilty, would that affect him on getting another
Page 15
November 15, 2000
license?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Not at all.
MR. BARTOE: No, sir.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: It's still not going to do his reputation
any good.
MS. WHITE: Would -- Mr. Ossorio, would you be happy with
the trade-off if we deferred the fine in exchange for him taking
the --
MR. OSSORIO: I have no problem with Mr. Ryan. I've talked
to him several times.
MS. WHITE: -- exam?
MR. OSSORIO: And he understands that the black letter law
is that he can't do it. Maybe in the real world, you know, the dry
wall contractor must do it. And that's something that's going to
be decided in six months.
But for right now, I think you should find him in violation,
adjudicate him and withhold the fine. I have no problem with
that.
MR. DICKSON: What if we postpone any adjudication? What
does that do to you, until this matter is resolved?
MR. OSSORIO: My job is complete when I've issued the
citation. It's up to the board what they want to decide. But you
have to realize, when you're out there and we're on TV, we have
to make sure that we follow the procedures and be very
consistent on how we conduct business out there in the field, or
in this office as well.
MR. NEALE: If I may, if the -- as Mr. Dickson suggests, if the
board postpones any action on this matter, it then can fall under
the provisions that I read earlier, 489. Whereby, if the board
postpones action on this, Mr. Ryan gets his additional license as
an insulation contractor, reappears in front of the board, at that
point in time he has corrected the violation and the board may
dismiss the matter at that point.
MR. DICKSON: And that doesn't tie the hands of county in
the interim.
MR. NEALE: It does not tie the hands of the county in
enforcement in the interim period, because it does nothing to the
matter, so --
MR. NONNENMACHER: If I may, if the board is considering
that, I would strongly recommend that a time limit be put on the
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November 15, 2000
respondent. And if it isn't done in that amount of time, then the
citation is brought before you again and a decision is made.
MR. RYAN: I'd be happy to take the very next test.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second on the
floor. I need to call for the vote. All in favor? Opposed?
MR. DICKSON: Explain the motion.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, the motion on the floor -- all right,
since there is confusion on the vote, the motion on the floor is to
dismiss this citation 100 percent at this point, period. That's all
the motion is for.
MR. NEALE: And please note what I had read you from 489.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And we can continue to debate and we
can make other motions afterwards.
MR. NEALE: But if you dismiss it, it's dismissed.
MR. DICKSON: If you dismiss it, it's dismissed, correct.
MR. NEALE: So you vote you just took dismissed this
citation.
MR. DICKSON: Then I withdraw my second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, so I have a motion and a
withdrawn second.
MR. LAIRD: Am I allowed to make a second?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, sir.
MR. LAIRD: I second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Now I have a motion and a second
second. Any further discussion?
Starting at my right, I'm calling for the vote.
All in favor?
MR. CRAWFORD: Aye, Walter Crawford.
MR. LAIRD: Bob Laird, aye.
MR. DICKSON: Nay, Dickson.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Nay, Hayes.
MR. JOSLIN: Nay, Joslin.
MS. PAHL: Carol Pahl, aye.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Aye, Schoenfuss.
MS. WHITE: Sara Beth White, nay.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I didn't do the math.
MR. RYAN: 4-4.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What is the vote, aye --
MR. NEALE: It's 4-4.
Page 17
November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Aye was 4, nay was --
MR. DICKSON: 4.
MR. NONNENMACHER: And I believe if you look in your
ordinance, the chief licensing investigator gets the final vote.
MR. NEALE: According to rules of order, the motion -- if it's
a tied motion, the motion fails.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Tied motion has to fail, that's correct.
Okay.
MR. DICKSON: Dickson, I'd like to make a motion. I move
that any action on this citation be suspended until this board
resolves whether it's going to be a specialty contractor or an
insulation contractor. But in no case should this issue not be
resolved any longer than 120 days from now, four months. It may
be that he will go get an insulation contractor, it may be there'll
be another avenue after we have some meetings with the other
professionals in the field.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, in making that motion, you're still
leaving the door open that the citation could in fact be levied
against Mr. Ryan in the future.
MR. DICKSON: It could be leveled against him, or it could be
dismissed following the guidelines as were read to us by the
statute; whereas, he would have remedied the situation, or
gotten the appropriate license.
MR. BARTOE.' Mr. Chairman, I think with what Mr. Dickson
proposed, if Mr. Ryan came in and took a test and received his
insulation license within that 120-day period, that staff could
come here and recommend dismissal, because he came into
compliance, and Mr. Ryan would not have to come back before
you.
MR. NEALE: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Ryan, you
don't have a problem with that either?
MR. RYAN: I have no problem whatsoever. I'd be happy to
take the test.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All right. I have a motion. I need a
second.
MR. JOSLIN: I'll second that one.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion?
Calling for the vote.
Page 18
November 15, 2000
MR. CRAWFORD: Crawford, aye.
MR. LAIRD: Laird, aye.
MR. DICKSON: Dickson, aye.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Hayes, aye.
MR. JOSLIN: Joslin, aye.
MS. PAHL: Pahl, aye.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Schoenfuss, no.
MS. WHITE: Sara Beth White, aye.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, motion carries.
That's the way we'll leave it, Mr. Ryan. We will have it in
suspension at this point up to 120 days so that we may act on it,
and you may also apply and take your insulation license exam at
this point.
MR. DICKSON: May I add a comment? I do think it's a
bigger issue, because we've got hundreds of people out here
doing this right now, and we have major stucco and dry wall
companies that are doing this now.
I'd like Mr. Crawford's guidance. Do you believe that it's
worthwhile that the industry leaders in this field in Collier
County, that we get them together and decide --
MR. CRAWFORD: It needs to be resolved. And it's probably
a joint effort with the fire marshals and the dry wall contractors.
The point is that Tom was making, it is a specialty field and
there's some skill to doing this fire rating, but I think the dry wall
contractors are just as skilled at doing it as the insulation
contractors. So it needs to be resolved.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Ryan, you had something to say?
MR. RYAN.' I was just going to say, I'd like to thank the
board for their forbearance in this matter.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You're welcome, sir. Thanks for making
our life smooth.
MR. RYAN: Thank you. At least this is over temporarily.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, sir. We have a box open. Thank
you, sir.
MR. RYAN: Thank you.
MR. BALZANO: Mr. Hayes?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes.
MR. BALZANO: I make a recommendation that maybe at the
next meeting we contact some of the insulating companies and
see what their thoughts are on this. Because if these people are
Page 19
November 15, 2000
doing all the work that Mr. Crawford says they are, I don't know
how the insulation companies are staying in business. Because
there's more dry wall companies than insulation.
And if you read the ordinance, if general contractors are
allowing this to happen, then they're aiding and abetting an
unlicensed contractor or a contractor working outside the scope
of his license.
And number three, when people come in to apply to take an
exam for a certain trade, they know, right in that ordinance it
tells them what they can and can't do under that license. So to
say that for 10 years or 15 years I've been doing it, well, you've
knowingly been doing it. Because when you apply, it tells you
you can't do it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, not necessarily, Mr. Balzano.
Some of the licenses -- in fact, in one of our cases later on has
the same kind of example. Just merely because it doesn't
mention that you can do it doesn't make it illegal for you to do it.
MR. BALZANO: I have to sit down on that one, Gary.
MR. DICKSON: And these licenses get changed quite often
from the time that they originally applied.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, can we move along?
Mario Rodriguez requests to qualify second entity with
masonry license.
Mr. Rodriguez, are you here?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Yes, sir.
MR. BARTOE: Mr. Hayes, if I may have a second. I want
anyone that's here to know, who is requesting to qualify a
second entity or has any other special requests of the board as
far as obtaining a license, that should the board grant your wish,
you are not automatically licensed. You will have to come into
our office and complete the paperwork. And you will not be able
to do that today. I will not -- I have everyone's folder here, and I
will not be able to get it back to the office till late today. So it
will have to be -- everything would have to be completed after
today.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thank you, sir.
I'm going to have to ask you to get sworn in, sir.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Your names, for the record?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Mario Rodriguez.
Page 20
November 15, 2000
JUAN RODRIGUEZ: Juan Rodriguez.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, sir. First, Mr. Rodriguez, your
reason for being here?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: I want to qualify a second company
under my masonry license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What's wrong with the first company?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Well, the first company, which is KC
Tile and Marble, is made up of two partners, both of them friends
of mine. This is one of them. They've decided to go their
separate ways. We're still subcontracting from the same people,
doing the same work, but they've split up the employees and
they want to work under two different companies. So basically
we're going to be functioning the same, it's just going to be two
different entities as far as companies.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, I'm a little bit confused. In the
application I have applicant's name as Juan Rodriguez. And in
the application part one I have Mario Rodriguez.
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: I am the qualifying agent. Juan is --
maybe there was some confusion in the paperwork. He's from
Stones of Time.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Let me ask you this: You are?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Mario Rodriguez.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You are Mario. And Mario, your brother,
Juan, owns this company?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Well, he's not my brother. Same last
name. We're just friends.
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
Okay, so --
JUAN RODRIGUEZ:
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
JUAN RODRIGUEZ:
You really know how to complicate life.
Mr. Chairman, if I may explain it to you.
Yes, sir.
Myself and Guimell Doreste own KC
Marble. That's the original company that Mario took the test for
and qualified. And now Guimell and I are separating and we have
two separate companies now, it's KC Marble and my company,
Stones of Time.
So what Mario whats to do is qualify my company as well,
since we're going to be billing the contractors separately. We
have separate bank accounts now, and we're going to be billing
separately. I do need the license in order to be able to be
licensed and insured in order to bill my contractors.
Page 21
November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I am clear on that. Thank you, sir.
Mario Rodriguez, are you aware of your responsibilities of
your qualifying this individual entity now? MARIO RODRIGUEZ: I sure am.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: It's the same requirements as your
previous qualification is, legal, financial.
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: I understand that.
MR. DICKSON: I'm sitting here looking over the Articles of
Incorporation, and Mario Rodriguez, who holds the license, I do
not see that he is an officer, director or has any financial
responsibility. Is that incorrect?
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: No, that's correct, sir. I was appointed
the qualifying agent for Stones of Time.
MR. DICKSON: I understand qualifying agent, but that's not
a director, that's not an officer, nor does that give you any
financial responsibility for Stones of Time.
JUAN RODRIGUEZ: If I may answer that question?
MR. DICKSON: Yes.
JUAN RODRIGUEZ: We took a resolution. In Stones of Time,
we held a board meeting, and we elected him to be a qualifying
agent for the company. And he is responsible economically and
any other way for Stones of Time. And all the members agreed
that he would be.
MR. DICKSON: Okay, I see it.
Any complaints against Mario Rodriguez?
MR. BARTOE: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I don't see any substantial problems in
the credit report. I need a motion.
MR. LAIRD: I move for approval, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion. I need a second.
MR. DICKSON: Second, Dickson.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion? All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well, go forward and do masonry.
JUAN RODRIGUEZ: Thank you very much.
MR. BARTOE: After you come in the office tomorrow.
MARIO RODRIGUEZ: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Fred W. Rogers requests to get paving
Page 22
November 15, 2000
restricted to patching license, has sealing and striping license
and was grandfathered in.
Mr. Rogers, are you here?
MR. ROGERS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Would you come up to the podium,
please, sir?
Your name, sir, for the record?
MR. ROGERS: Frederick William Rogers.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm going to ask you to be sworn in.
MR. ROGERS: Yes, sir.
(Speaker was duly sworn.}
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Good morning, Mr. Rogers. Your reason
for being here this morning?
MR. ROGERS: I would like to have a patching license to go
along with my seal coating license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do you know what license that is?
MR. ROGERS: I'm not 100 percent sure.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm not aware there is one.
MR. BALZANO: I don't know why he isn't up here, he's the
chief.
We have a couple others that were granted to sealing and
striping contractors. Mr. Rogers has been licensed in the county
for about 16, 18 years. And what's happening, if I may speak for
him, is he had called me and he's turned down a couple of
contracts because they want him to patch potholes while he was
doing the sealing.
Now, Bonay's (phonetic) or any asphalt company is not
going to come in and fill in a one-foot hole in a parking lot. And
we did this for another contractor that does the sealing and
striping, that they can patch a pothole or a crack in the parking
areas.
He called before he even went out and did it. He said I can't
do it, but I can't get the job, and they can't get anybody to fill the
hole. So that's why he's here.
CHAIRMAN HAYES'- Okay, I did a little bit of research, and
our Licensing Ordinance 99-45, Section 1.6.3.31 under paving
contractor, it does not mention patching. It mentions experience
and skill to construct roads, airport, runways, aprons, et cetera.
It has nothing to say about repair.
And in section -- the same, 1.6.3.3 under sealing and
Page 23
November 15, 2000
striping, it mentions no repair there as well.
My question is that if it doesn't specifically mention
something, whether you can or cannot, does that make you
unable to perform that activity?
MR. BARTOE: Mr. Hayes, if I may. As Paul Balzano said, I
believe it was a couple of years ago we had a gentleman before
you, I believe his last name was Mr. Stanley, and he had the
same license, sealing and striping. And the board gave Mr.
Stanley approval to do patching. And office staff has created -- if
you would give approval of this gentleman, office staff has
created a restricted license to patching.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So from that perspective, we feel in
Collier County that to patch a pothole, you should be -- have
taken an exam to be able to patch a pothole?
MR. NONNENMACHER: I think what we're saying, Mr. Hayes,
is that if this gentleman is qualified to do his sealing work, then
when he comes upon a crack or a hole or some kind of deformity
in the material he's patching, he should have the right to repair
that before sealing it. It would be ludicrous to expect him to seal
over a crack or a small hole or -- and yet we don't want to just
arbitrarily give him a paving license.
But the patching is incidental to the work that he's doing.
And although we have issued a restricted paving license for
patching only, and I have no objection to this one being issued, I
would like to see wordage put in the ordinance as we're in the
process of amending, similar to other categories where they can
do minor work incidental to their major category.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I most assuredly agree. So you're
saying that if we added the words minor patching to the
ordinance under sealing and striping, we would completely
eliminate this problem.
MR. NONNENMACHER: I believe we would. Yeah, I don't
think you'd even have to put minor patching. You would just --
any necessary work incidental to his. Whether it be a crack,
whether it be patching or any way you want to word it. It just
seems very foolish for a man to go out and try to do his job and
run across a hole or a crack and seal over it.
MR. DICKSON: I would -- to me, the language would be and
minor repairs incidental to the work described. Otherwise, you
create a guy that can go out here and patch a hole on a runway,
Page 24
November 15, 2000
because he wasn't sealing, striping or painting. You follow what
I'm saying?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yeah, and I agree with Mr. Dickson
fully. It has to be incidental to the work that he's doing. He
cannot go out and contract a patch. But as he's sealing, he runs
across a deformity and it's incidental to him sealing, then he can
repair it.
MR. BARTOE: And also, I believe that probably 99 percent of
your companies that are licensed to do paving, you know, are not
interested in patching at all.
MR. ROGERS: That's right.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, so we're looking at adding
another effort to our completed workshop once again, so this
ends up with three items.
MR. CRAWFORD: I think this is an easy one, though. I think
we could all agree today that we add that -- when someone calls
this gentleman out to do work, you're sealing a beat up old
parking lot typically and there's going to be minor patching that's
required. This is probably something that happens all the time.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So if we were to make a
recommendation to add the words minor incidental patching --
MR. NONNENMACHER: Or repairs.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- or repairs, then that probably would
settle the issue and this gentleman wouldn't have to try to apply
for another license or ask for a restricted license in any other
field.
MR. CRAWFORD: Yes.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Makes sense.
MS. WHITE: Makes sense.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, is that something that we want to
act on right now?
MS. WHITE: Let's do it.
MR. NEALE: Just an issue, and I know this is probably
ludicrous, but that's what I'm here for. Does the board want to
consider how large of a hole that he can patch, or that someone
could patch? I mean, a patch can be that big or a patch can be
something the size of this desk.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think that if we use the word minor,
that most of us, even without a formal written definition, could
probably get away with just differentiating between a minor
Page 25
November 15, 2000
patch and repair and a re-blacktopping job.
MR. NEALE: And I'm just anticipating the person that gets
cited by our officers for doing what he considers to be minor
because there's a five-acre parking lot and he's doing 100 square
feet. That's minor in terms of a five-acre parking lot, but it's not
so minor in terms of a minor patch.
MS. WHITE: I agree with Mr. Neale. I think -- what do you
think?
MR. CRAWFORD: Mr. Rogers, what do you think is a
reasonable --
MR. ROGERS: Well, if you put, let's say, a bottom line, a ton
of asphalt because you may have a hole over here, another hole
over here and one over here and you'd have a patch here and
there all over. That will would add up.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I would say minor would be defined
under no equipment other than hand and wheelbarrow. And then
most of your repairs, your minor repairs, don't take a roller.
MR. ROGERS: A hand roller you would need and you also
need a tamper.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's correct. Hand is what I'm
getting at, by hand. If you had to bring roller equipment,
spreading equipment, et cetera, in there to do it, that's not
minor.
MR. ROGERS: You do need a gas operated plate tamper to
do any kind of repair that's going to last at any time.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: This is a hand machine.
MR. ROGERS: Yeah. You start it up and you hand drive it.
MR. BARTOE: I can see adding this to the sealing and
striping license. But how many months before this ordinance
gets approved and possibly Mr. Rogers has some jobs lined up
that he would like to do prior to this ordinance getting amended,
and that's why he's here requesting to do this restricted
patching.
MR. DICKSON: We issued a license to Mr. Sullivan and
called it restricted patching.
MR. BARTOE: To who, sir?
MR.
MR.
MR.
MR.
DICKSON: To Mr. Sullivan who was here before.
BARTOE: Mr. Stanley, I believe.
DICKSON: Stanley?
BARTOE: Yes, we did.
Page 26
November 15, 2000
MR. DICKSON: And did restricted patching. See, I don't like
what we're doing here, because I see it growing as well. And it's
not ludicrous to Mr. Neale. You know that's going to happen, I
guarantee it will happen.
I make a motion that upon a full application, something
more than just a letter that would be given to county that Mr.
Rogers be approved to have the same restricted patching license
that we gave the other gentleman two years ago.
MR. BARTOE'. Yes, sir. We can have him update his folder.
MR. DICKSON: And no changes to the ordinance.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Well, then maybe the same issue will
come up again and again and again. Maybe the ordinance does
need to be changed, if we can solve a problem by adding two or
three words.
MR. NEALE: Well, except this board doesn't have the power
to add it to the ordinance. That has to go through the County
Commission.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All he's going to do is settle this issue
today on that. I'm going to suggest that we can make other
motions immediately following and more recommendation on the
ordinance amendment itself.
MR. CRAWFORD: Contrary to what Mr. Dickson says, I'm just
worried that every parking lot you go to seal has some kind of
minor repair, whether it's this big or this big or cracks. There's
always a little bit of repair before you seal a parking lot typically.
MR. ROGERS: Most parking lots, you look anywhere you bit
on, the asphalt is only put in about this thick, and when you try
to repair it you physically can't repair it because the stones and
the aggregate are too big, and you have to almost dig the hole to
put in a proper patch.
Yes, most of the times whenever you run into a private
driveway, you're going to see a little bit of a patch that needs to
be done.
MR. CRAWFORD: And that's the right thing to do is to fix it
before you seal it.
MR. ROGERS: Otherwise the customer is not getting a good
job. And then the customer says well, we'll have to get this
repaired, and then they call in a paving contractor and they want
to saw cut and take out big areas.
MR. CRAWFORD: I think when you minor repair, I share your
Page 27
November 15, 2000
concern that someone may get carried away with it, but --
MR. DICKSON: Someone will get carried away with it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion on the floor. I need a
second.
MR. LAIRD: What was the motion, Mr. Chairman? I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The motion, I believe, if I understood it,
was to grant Mr. Rogers this restricted paving license, period.
MR. DICKSON: Patching license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Patching -- no, there is no patching
license. It's a paving license restricted to patching. MR. BARTOE: Correct.
MR. NONNENMACHER: That's correct.
MR. LAIRD: I would second that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes, Mr. Chairman. I agree with Mr.
Schoenfuss. As I stated before, staff has no objection
whatsoever to this man being granted a restricted patching
license. My feeling was exactly like Mr. Schoenfuss', that maybe
we should look at our ordinance and include incidental to minor
repairs and patching. But staff has no objection whatsoever of
this gentleman getting a restricted paving license restricted to
patching.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, I have a motion and a second.
We'll call for the vote. All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. Then we're going to allow
you the application for the restricted paving license to make your
repairs.
MR. ROGERS: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thank you, sir.
Okay, further on that issue, shall we at this point discuss
that, or put that under discussion under our workshop toward the
end of this meeting?
MR. BARTOE: Mr. Hayes, my own opinion, we have the
discussion -- workshop discussions scheduled here, and I feel we
should do it then.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Excellent. Then we'll continue with
new business.
Page 28
November 15, 2000
Charles D. Walton would like a master plumbing license
without taking the trade exam.
Mr. Walton, would you come in?
MR. DICKSON: We've got two cases, and both of them have
resulted in workshop items.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Aren't you glad I didn't already have the
workshop?
MR. CRAWFORD: Two out of three.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, I'm sorry.
name for the record.
sir.
Mr. Walton, I need your
MR. WALTON: It's Charles D. Walton, Sr.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And I'm going to ask you to be sworn in,
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And your reason for wanting -- or for
feeling that you qualify for a license without taking the trade
exam?
MR. WALTON: Well, it's my understanding there's
provisioning in the licensing law that says that if the person can
show he's well qualified, that he can be grandfathered in. And
I've been in business for -- well, in New Jersey. I've just moved
down here recently. I've been doing business for over 20 years in
New Jersey as a plumbing contractor. I'm a licensed plumbing
inspector, sub-code official and mechanical inspector also.
So I mean, you know, I just -- you know, I did take the test
and I failed it by -- I got a 68.8 on the plumbing part. And I passed
the business and law section of it. I had a little problem with the
one part of the test as far as the drawing goes, you know, the
venting and everything else on it. Only because our codes are a
little bit different here than it is for the national plumbing code in
New Jersey. And down here is the standard plumbing code. And
it kind of through me off.
But, you know, I don't know, based on my qualifications, I'd
appreciate it if I could get a license. If not, it's up to the board.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mr. Chairman, if I may. We
interviewed every one of our plumbing inspectors and showed
the credentials that are submitted to you, and we're
recommending that this does fit under the category that testing
would be superfluous. His credentials are excellent. In fact,
they're quite impressive, according to our plumbing inspectors.
Page 29
November 15, 2000
So staff would have no objection whatsoever of this license
being issued, if that's what you decide.
MS. WHITE: My question is you said that the plumbing here
is different than it is in New Jersey?
MR. WALTON: No, New Jersey is based on the national
standard plumbing code and down here is the standard plumbing
code in this state. There's just slight differences as far as
venting goes, sizing, you know, that type of thing. Which like I
say, it through me a curve ball when the testing came up, you
know.
MS. WHITE: And it's not necessary that Mr. Walton is aware
of Collier County's codes?
MR. WALTON: Well, I am aware of them now. Since I took
the test, I'm very aware. In fact, I have all the books and
everything. You know, I purchased and reviewed and -- but like I
say, you know, that part of the testing is what I failed, because I
wasn't really up on it at the time I took the test. I want to start a
small service business, basically just myself, sole proprietorship,
to supplement my income, basically is what it boils down to.
MR. DICKSON: When is the next test?
MR. WALTON: I'm really not sure, to tell you the truth. I
mean, I -- you know.
MR. DICKSON: You've taken it one time?
MR. WALTON: Yes.
MR. DICKSON: How often is the test given?
MR. NONNENMACHER: It's given any day of the week, if you
want to go to Gainesville. But every month, it's either given in
Lee County or Collier County.
MR. DICKSON: Why don't you just take it again?
MR. WALTON: Well, I guess I could, quite frankly. But I
mean, I don't know, it just seems like the older I get, the harder
the test is to pass. You know what I mean? So I -- you know, I
guess I could, but, I mean, I -- you know, like I say, I'm more than
well qualified. I guess the reasoning for the testing and
everything else is to see that the person is qualified to do his job.
MR. DICKSON: Were you taking the county?
MR. WALTON: County test, yes. And, you know, therefore, I
feel that I'm well qualified. I've been in business -- I mean, I've
been in plumbing all my life, basically. And if I'm not qualified,
then --
Page 30
November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You were an inspection official?
MR. WALTON: Yes, a sub-code official and mechanical
inspector also.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Mr. Walton, I would ask you,
thinking on the terms of an official, if you had a plumber or a
person that wanted to do plumbing and you were the inspector in
an area but he didn't want to take the exam because he couldn't
pass it, how quick would you give him his license?
MR. WALTON: Well~ like I say, you know, I would have
reviewed his qualifications, and if the man is well qual -- I mean,
there are a lot of people around that, you know, they can
basically -- they could be a great plumber but that doesn't --
because they can't pass the test doesn't mean they're a good
plumber. If they don't know what they're doing, they're not
qualified. I would grant it myself, but, you know, that's my
personal opinion.
MR. DICKSON: What's the -- Mr. Balzano, maybe you can --
or Nonnenmacher, maybe you all could answer this. Maybe you
can't. On the county plumbing license, what is the percentage of
people that pass the test the first time?
MR. NONNENMACHER: I cannot answer that.
MR. DICKSON: I know on a state level for certified licenses
that pretty much across the board the first time pass is 17 to 20
percent. The number one reason for that is people that have
been in the trades for years and years do not prepare for the test,
don't buy the necessary books, they walk in thinking they're
going to breeze through and therefore they fail it.
And that's why they give it numerous times a year. And you
do what everyone else did who fails it the first time, you don't
come before the board and ask for an exemption, you go take the
test again. And that's my feelings on this matter. I see no
hardship. I see no reason to make an exception for this
gentleman. Go take the test again.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Mr. Walton, you must have taken any
number of tests in New Jersey to get all these very impressive
credentials.
MR. WALTON: Yes, I did.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: How do you account for the fact that
you did so poorly on the local test?
MR. WALTON: Like I said, you know, the -- well, actually the
Page 31
November 15, 2000
part of the test is -- what I failed on, the part was the drawing
part, and that was like on drainage fixture units, sizing, you
know, things of that nature. I don't know. I mean, I studied. I got
the books. And I really thought I would pass the test. I didn't go
there with the assumption that, you know, I was going to walk in
and bingo, you know, ace it. I mean, I just I did assume -- I did
study for, I guess, probably three weeks prior to that. And like I
say, I got all my books and everything else and I failed it. I
mean, you know, I don't know--
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion that
the request be denied.
MS. WHITE: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and second. Any
further discussion? All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. Mr. Walton, we do have the
power to grant you that license, but I think there has to be some
circumstances, some evidence of some hardship, some reason
for it. I do know that the plumbing code here is very different
than it is in New Jersey. For me to -- or any of us apparently to
be able to feel that you're as qualified to do code according to
the standard -- sub and standard code just because you were in
the national code in New Jersey doesn't really make you
qualified to do it. 57.4, I believe, was your results on that exam.
The combination was 70 -- or 69.
I personally came down here quite a few years ago as a
state certified teacher in the industry and a master plumbing
license holder myself and failed the test twice. So I felt -- I didn't
study. I just felt that me being a certified teacher, me having the
license for half my life, this has got to be a breeze. And you
probably felt the same way. It turned out not to be a breeze.
The southern standard code has a whole lot of quirks
different from the national code. So I believe that for you to be
able to actually do plumbing by the southern standard code, you
need to study a little bit, qualify for it, so --
MR. WALTON: All right, then I appreciate your time. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thank you, sir.
Mike Olson request to qualify second entity.
Page 32
November 15, 2000
Mr. Olson, are you here?
MR. OLSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Apparently you have more than one
individual here. I'm going to ask for your names one at a time.
Your name, sir?
MR. OLSON: Michael Eric Olson.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And your name, sir?
MR. KESSLING: Gerald R. Kessling, III.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm going to ask you both to be sworn
in,
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Olson, your reason for being here
this morning?
MR. OLSON: To qualify Gerald Kessling as a second entity
on my carpentry license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You wish to qualify Off The Wall
Construction?
MR. OLSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Who do you qualify currently?
MR. OLSON: Just myself.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And yourself is what?
MR. OLSON: Michael Olson Custom Carpentry.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: As we have seen on prior applications
in review of your application on Section 6, it says list all
businesses, firms, entities or contracting businesses you have
been associated with in the past 10 years and you wrote no,
none applicable. So that's why I brought it up.
MR. OLSON: I must have read the question wrong.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: One of those things that were missed.
What's your reason for wanting to do this?
MR. OLSON: I'm known as a framing contractor, and Gerry
is known as a trim carpenter, and if I went to put the two under
my name, it wouldn't -- you know, it kind of gives contractors
different -- you know, they don't want a framer coming in and
putting baseboards down.
So Mr. Kessling wants to do trim
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
carpentry?
MR. OLSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
kind of carpentry?
And he doesn't have a license to do any
Page 33
November 15, 2000
MR. OLSON: Right, correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Now, from what I understand, he is not
a corporation, he is strictly a sole proprietor, and that's what you
are as well?
MR. OLSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, not having any corporate minutes
approving this gentleman to do any of the legal business rulings
of the entity, how do we know, short of an affidavit, that he's
able to do that, Mr. Neale?
MR. NEALE: You can take his sworn testimony.
MS. WHITE: I have a question for Mr. Neale. Off The Wall --
it's called Off The Wall Construction Company. Can you have the
name construction company when it's not like a GC thing? MR. NEALE: Yeah. I mean, it doesn't--
MS. WHITE: It doesn't matter? Just curious.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, Mr. Olson has signed the affidavit
that was identical to the request prior for the second entity,
stating that the qualifter license holder understands that all the
contracting matters, he will be held strictly accountable for any
and all activities involving his license. So he has that affidavit,
Mr. Neale.
MR. NEALE.' Yes, he does. And there's also an affidavit
signed by Mr. Kessling, appointing him as the qualifying agent.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm going to ask Mr. Olson, do you
remember why Mr. Kessling submitted a credit application?
MR. OLSON: I think it was a little confusion from the
licensing office. As far as I know, he didn't need to turn in a
credit application, correct?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, because you're not a corporation.
You are a sole proprietor and so is Mr. Kessling. And I'm going to
assume that that's the reason that you were both asked to
submit credit applications. And I very much appreciate that.
However, review of your credit application, I see no blemishes of
any substance, but Mr. Kessling's is a little different story.
MR. DICKSON: Do you realize, Mr. Olson, that you're
responsible for everything he does?
MR. OLSON: Me and Mr. Kessling have worked side by side
for about seven years now.
MR. DICKSON: And if he does anything wrong, that your
license is the one in that's in jeopardy?
Page 34
November 15, 2000
MR. OLSON: Right.
MR. DICKSON: And you could lose both companies?
MR. OLSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
paying his bills.
MR. OLSON: Right.
That includes not paying your-- he not
The blemishes on his credit came from
a messy divorce a couple of years ago. Some of the stuff was
out of his control.
MR. DICKSON: I'd also -- whatever we do, I'd like for county
to verify insurance for Off The Wall, Gerald Kessling. I've never
seen a handwritten certificate of insurance before. I can't
imagine an insurance agent putting one out like this. I'm not
saying it's false, I'm just saying -- have you seen those before?
MR. BALZANO: (Nods head.)
MR. DICKSON: Really? I've never seen one. It's all
handwritten.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, I have seen them.
MR. DICKSON: Have you?
MR. NONNENMACHER: And yes, we will verify it, Mr.
Dickson.
MR. DICKSON: Okay.
MR. LAIRD: Mr. Chairman, I move for approval.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion. I need a second.
MR. CRAWFORD: I'll second it. Crawford.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion? All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. Mr. Olson, you've been
approved. As staff had mentioned at the beginning of this
meeting, if you weren't here, you cannot go down today and have
your license and paperwork taken care of. Your file is here. It
will have to be -- the earliest will be tomorrow.
MR. OLSON: Not a problem. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thank you, gentlemen.
Hector Ortegon, are you here, sir?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: We have individuals, two again. I'm
going to ask both of you for your name first and then ask you to
be sworn in. Your names, sir?
Page 35
November 15, 2000
MR. ORTEGON: Hector Ortegon.
MR. ALAMO: Eliezer Alamo.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Good morning, gentlemen.
Mr. Ortegon, your reason for being here?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir. I would like to request for approval
to qualify Mr. Alamo with my painting license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The business that you currently qualify,
what's its name?
MR. ORTEGON: Four Seasons Painting.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And the new business that you want to
qualify, what is its name?
MR. ORTEGON: Four Seasons Painting Services.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So you currently qualify Four Seasons
Painting?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And is that a corporation?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So that's Four Seasons Painting,
Incorporated?
MR. ORTEGON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And you want to now qualify Four
Seasons Painting Services?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Is that a corporation?
MR. ORTEGON: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, you --
MR. DICKSON: Can I ask why?
MR. ORTEGON: Why it's not a corporation?
MR. DICKSON: Why you're doing the second entity.
MR. ORTEGON: Oh, yes. He just wants to go in business on
his own and I would like to help him out. He's been a friend of
mine for many, many years, and I have no problem with trusting
him or anything.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: First, Mr. Ortegon, am I saying your
name correctly?
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: On your application, again, Section Item
No. 9, list all businesses, firms, entities, contracting businesses
you have been associated with in the last 10 years, and you write
Page 36
November 15, 2000
none.
MR. ORTEGON: Maybe we misunderstood the question.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Then you went further and stated
a minute ago that your Four Seasons Painting Services was not a
corporation.
MR, ORTEGON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have your application that says Four
Seasons Painting Services, a Florida corporation. Is it a
corporation or is it not a corporation?
MR. ALAMO: I'm sorry, I guess --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Your name, sir?
MR. ALAMO: Eliezer Alamo.
Mr. Hayes, I apologize, we probably didn't understand the
question correctly, and we were kind of a little bit confused
about that. But I will in the future incorporate. At this time, it's
not incorporated.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You personally are going to be a sole
proprietor. At this point in time you are not a Florida corporation,
you are a sole proprietor.
MR. ALAMO: Correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's the clarification I needed. We
will have to make that modification, Mr. Balzano, on the
application. He has got a sworn -- MR. BARTOE: It's Bartoe.
I am looking through his folder. I'm confused. His license
that he already has at present, I believe he said he -- it is
incorporated. And I can't find that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what Mr. Dickson was pointing
out. There's no Florida corporations involved anywhere with Mr.
Ortegon or Mr. Alamo. Not that that's a big deal either way, you
just need to understand the difference between the entities.
MR, ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
MR. DICKSON: So the one company is Four Seasons
Painting, not a corporation. The second company is Four
Seasons Painting Services, not a corporation.
Why did you make it so confusing? I mean, serious -- that's
a serious issue. People aren't going to distinguish between Four
Seasons Painting and Four Seasons Painting Services. MR. NEALE: Well--
MR. DICKSON: Did you get a fictitious name registration?
Page 37
November 15, 2000
MR. ORTEGON: Yes, sir.
MR. DICKSON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: It's in the packet.
MR. DICKSON: Wow.
MR. NEALE: I guess Four Seasons -- and I must have been
obviously as confused as everybody here. Four Seasons Painting
is or is not incorporated?
MR. ORTEGON: I guess we're not.
MR. NEALE: So neither of the entities are incorporated.
MR. ORTEGON: That's correct.
MR. DICKSON: I'm surprised the fictitious name was
approved.
MR. NEALE: That's the second question, is did you register
a fictitious name for both entities?
MR. ORTEGON: Originally when I got my license 18 years
ago, I did. And it was also registered this time. MR. DICKSON: I don't see that.
MR. NEALE: Well, what may have happened is a fictitious
name registered that long ago, it may have gotten loss in the
mall of the state government when you refile. Because the state
will catch them. They'll --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's the old one. The new fictitious
name was filed for on 11-6 of this year.
MR. NEALE: Right, but as I say, I have -- it's been my
experience, dealing with the department of state, that I would
find it unlikely that they would allow two names this similar in
the same county.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Well, the Department of State
had nothing to do with it. See, the fictitious name thing is not
necessarily a because you're a corporation and you're operating
an individual as a corporation. These people are wanting to put
a formal name to their company without their personal name in
it. That means that they've created a fictitious name.
Not a problem whatsoever. No state registration. Strictly
they're not operating under their personal name and they're filing
a fictitious ad in the paper to let the public know that's the case.
MR. NEALE: But you're still supposed to file a fictitious
name with the state.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Oh, the fictitious name requirement
filing by the state as well.
Page 38
November 15, 2000
MR. ALAMO: Mr. Hayes, if I may. Before applying to the
state of Tallahassee (sic) for the fictitious name, I called
personally to make sure that there would be no problem if we
just added the word Services. And I went further to ask if I could
add the word Services, Inc., and they said there is no problem by
adding the Services period, one twice.
Second, you cannot add Inc. unless you're incorporated. So
they said once you get incorporated, which takes a little bit more
longer time, then you could resubmit, that it will read Four
Seasons Painting Services, Inc. at that time.
MR. NEALE: Probably what the Tallahassee opinion was is
that since they're both under the same ownership, apparently,
they would be able to create two entities with very similar
names.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: They are not under the same ownership,
though.
MR. NEALE: Well, that's an issue that may or may not have
been revealed to the folks in the Department of State, so --
MS. WHITE: They're the same owner on this fictitious name
application.
MR. NEALE: If you note, the fictitious name application
indicates that both these gentlemen own the name Four Seasons
Painting Services.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, for starters, whatever we do, I'm
going to suggest that their applications be brought back, Mr.
Bartoe, to properly reflect the description of their business
entered.
MR. BARTOE: I have found in Mr. Ortegon's folder an
affidavit of publication with notice of intention to register the
fictitious name Four Seasons Painting, and it was in the paper
May 24th, 31st, June 7th, and 14th, 1982.
MR. DICKSON: Say the name again?
MR. BARTOE: Four Seasons Painting.
MR. NEALE: It was registered in '82?
MR. BARTOE: 1982.
MR. NEALE: If they did it, they did it.
MR. DICKSON: Okay. The reason I brought that up and I'm
worried about it, there have been scams -- and I'm not accusing
you guys, but there have been scams and con games that have
taken place around here and other parts of the state with similar
Page 39
November 15, 2000
names like that. People get so confused they can't trace it, they
can't follow it. Whatever. I can't -- you both got fictitious names
on both. It's not for us to say. And I wasn't accusing you guys of
doing that, please understand that.
MR. ORTEGON: Right.
MR. ALAMO: Understand.
MR. BARTOE: I can add that according to our records, Mr.
Ortegon has been properly licensed since 1982. I've been with
the county since 1988 and know of no complaints against him.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Only thing I'm concerned about is their
application be corrected on Page 2 where it says that they are in
fact swearing that they are a Florida corporation. In fact, Mr.
Alamo is the one who called himself president.
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Chairman, I move that the application
with the corrections noted be approved. MR. LAIRD: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and second. Any
further discussion? All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.}
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. As bad as it sounded, it's
okay.
MR. ALAMO: Thank you very much.
MR. ORTEGON: Thank you very much.
MR. BARTOE: What do you want corrected?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Their application. You have an
application firm, part one. The name of the firm and Item No. 1
says Four Seasons Painting Services. Do you have that
application, Page 1, Collier County, City of Naples, City of Marco,
application, building review and permitting contractor's license
section?
MR. BARTOE: I have that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, second page, bottom of the page
where it says State of Florida, county of. Forgoing instrument is
acknowledged before me this date by Eliezer Alamo, president of
Four Seasons Painting Services, a Florida corporation, on behalf
of the corporation.
That is not a corporation. And I think it happens again on
the part two under the affidavit on Page 4 -- no, it doesn't, I
apologize.
Page 40
November 15, 2000
MR. BARTOE.' We will get that corrected.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think that's all there is. Okay, thank
you, Mr. Bartoe.
Okay, that concludes our new business. Do we have any old
business other than our discussion for the workshop?
Do we have any public hearings?
MR. BARTOE.' No, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do we have any reports?
MR. BARTOE: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, under discussion, our workshop.
MR. BARTOE: Should we take a break before --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, my concern is that Mr. Neale said
he had to get out of here by 11:00.
MR. NEALE: We could take a break for 10 minutes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, let's take a break for 10 minutes.
(Recess.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I want to call our meeting back to
order. Under discussion, the workshop ordinances.
As I see at this point, we have three items to go over, the
glass and glazing wordage that I want to apologize to the board
for not calling a meeting. This past month has been quite hectic,
and I haven't been able to bring it up in a meeting. But at this
point I guess I'm not too sorry, because we have two more items
to perhaps review. We can attempt to try to do that at this
meeting or we can perhaps try to put together another formal
workshop.
We have the glass and glazing wordage that we were
looking at to possibly add the integrated shutters, the hurricane
shutters with it. Now after today we have the fire sating issue
with the dry wall contractors and the minor patching to deal with
under the paving or the sealing license.
It's up to the pleasure of the board as to how we want to
handle this. I would suspect that we're probably going to need a
little bit more input on maybe each and every one of these, as
Mr. Dickson stated in last month's meetings, from the trades
themselves before we etch in the new words. Perhaps some of
these we can maybe agree to add a few words to the ordinance
or make a recommendation to add a few words to the ordinance
here today on some of these. It's just to the pleasure of the
board.
Page 41
November 15, 2000
MR. DICKSON: The last meeting, there was going to be a
meeting between the county and specialists in the field of glass
and glazing. Did that happen?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, sir, Mr. Dickson, it did not happen.
MR. NEALE: What Mr. Bartoe suggested, and I think makes
some sense, is that we've now got -- and I actually counted four
issues that we really have to do some more work on. Because
we've got the glass and glazing with the integrated window
systems. The board also wanted to consider the whole issue of
whether to create a license category for shutter contractor.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Neale, if you look at the minutes, I
believe we agreed to do that already. So that's a done deal.
That's behind us. We agreed to go ahead and put that license --
or make that recommendation to the board, or to the
commission.
MR. NEALE: And then of course the other two issues that
you brought up is the striping and sealing and fire sating. And
what Mr. Bartoe suggested is that since we're going to need
some more input on those, at least two of those items, and
really, glass and glazing, we still need more input on, is possibly
take them all up next month at a workshop to be held. And Mr.
Bartoe suggested maybe holding the workshop a week earlier
than our normal board meeting, holding it on the 13th instead of
the 20th, because there's no other pending matters that Mr.
Bartoe is aware of for next month.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So that perhaps that we can make next
month's meeting strictly the workshop final?
MR. BARTOE: On these issues and anything else that might
come up, if we can get conference room E in our building on that
day, I will check on it. That's a Wednesday, the 13th. If not,
possibly the Tuesday or Thursday, 12th or 14th.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. My concern is, is that enough
notice to put out to the general public? Because we do expect
to hear from specific tradesmen in these disciplines.
MR. BARTOE: We do expect to invite different trades to get
their input. Yes, normally you people get your packets a week
early, and so I feel it's plenty of notice.
MR. NEALE: I mean, there would have been five weeks
between the two regular meetings, now we've only got -- it's still
a four-week window.
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November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So we have plenty of time to do that.
MR. NEALE: It's a month until then, basically.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have strictly a workshop on December
the what, the 11th?
MR. BARTOE: 12th, 13th or 14th, whatever is available in
our conference room E up on Horseshoe Drive. CHAIRMAN HAYES: 12th, 13th.
MR. BARTOE: Preferably Wednesday, the 13th.
MR. DICKSON: But if I understood, do we have anything
scheduled for next month's meeting yet?
MR. BARTOE: We have nothing. That's why I feel we should
not -- the board should not meet on the 20th. You're getting
awful close to holidays. And I also want the board aware,
January of next year, the third Wednesday, which is the 17th,
was not available for this room. And I'm sure we will have to
have a meeting for second entities, because of the good work Mr.
Ossorio is doing. And we do have the date reserved for the
following Wednesday, the 24th. January 24th. I would assume
there will be another board meeting here.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. So if we do that workshop and
specifically focus on the workshop perhaps on the 13th of
December, then we'll have our second entity and our regular
meetings or whatever needs to bring up on --
MR. BARTOE: On January 24th. And possibly we can final
the ordinance amendments that day also and get it forwarded.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Neale, do you see any problems
with that timetable?
MR. NEALE: No, I don't.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Zachary?
MR. ZACHARY: No.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Anybody on the board want to discuss
that?
MR. DICKSON: Okay, so the December 20th meeting we're
going to cancel?
MS. PAHL: Right, it's going to be the 12th, 13th or 14th.
MR. DICKSON: And you'll let us know when the conference
room is available the week prior to that?
MR. BARTOE: Sooner than that. As soon as I can get a
date, hopefully the 13th, we'll have office staff call each one of
you and let you know.
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November 15, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What day is the 13th?
MS. PAHL: Wednesday.
MR. DICKSON: Can you be -- can we be specific what trades
you're going to invite to come?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Glass and glazing, I'm assuming.
Hurricane shutters, I'm assuming. Aluminum contractors, I'm
assuming. Fire safe contractors. Drywall contractors. Maybe
paving contractors. And sealing contractors. MR. DICKSON: Okay.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mr. Hayes, I know there was quite a
bit of concern expressed by Mr. Neale and Mr. Dickson as far as
the amount of work these asphalt restricted licenses would be
doing. And I -- as the board is considering which way to go on
this, whether you add the words restricted to patching to the
paving license or whether you add incidental to their work on the
sealing license, you still have the same problem as to how far
are they going to go. If they're going to do a parking lot that's
five acres, and they're doing an acre of patching, is that too
much? That problem will still come up whether you give them a
restricted paving license restricted to repair or patching, or you
add the incidental to the sealing license.
So I think the best way staff would like to look at this is
what is less work for the girls inside and staff on the outside.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: We'll need that input --
MR. NONNENMACHER: And at this point, I really don't know
what is less work, whether it be just add words to our sealing
license or leave it alone in the restricted paving license. But
you're going to have the same problem no matter where you put
it, how much work is incidental, how much work is minor repair,
so on and so forth. I don't think that should be an issue to be
considered as to where we're going to put this as to how much
work is going to be done. Because you're going to have that
problem, no matter where you put it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, that's one of the reasons why I
mentioned that we needed to invite paving contractors to this as
well. I believe you're absolutely right, but that is a realm that not
very much of us in this room today could address with any
legitimacy on what kind of complications and where this patch
would be stopped, versus major repair. But a paving contractor
could probably sit here in front of us and enlighten us to how we
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November 15, 2000
need to word that.
MR. NONNENMACHER: I do honestly believe if you do give a
restricted paving license restricted to repair work, a gentleman
could go out and contract to do asphalt work only and claim it's
a repair. I think if you put it in the sealing license where it's
incidental to his sealing, that would stop a lot of problems, rather
than allow him to go out and bid on fixing potholes and parking
fields and cracks in parking fields.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That makes perfect sense.
MR. NONNENMACHER: That's my personal opinion.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. So if we were to formally
announce this meeting and invite specifically those trades -- not
to deny anyone else, but specifically those trades, and have a
workshop specifically on these issues.
And perhaps, Mr. Neale, if there's any other ambiguities that
we've already gone over, I'm hoping that between last month and
this month that there are some things that you -- between you
and Mr. Zachary that you've gone over already. And if there's
anything that is ambiguous or questioning, that would be a good
time to bring that up as well?
MR. NEALE: I've got about three pages of notes and we've
got some 489 mandated kinds of changes that need to be made.
And between now and next month, Mr. Zachary and I will come
up with a punch list for the board to be able to have it all on one
page or -- you know, it will be more than one page, but have
proposed amendments so the board can take a look at them.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Any suggestion or concerns from the
board?
MR. CRAWFORD: Yes. I'd like to make sure that we at least
invite the local fire marshals. I believe there's five of them. Carl
Reynolds and those folks for the fire safety issue. Those are the
people that actually inspect the work and are knowledgeable
about it. We could also just send a general invitation to the
Collier Building Industry Association, CBIA, and also to the
subcontractors organization. They'll get the word out.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Bartoe, if you could get that?
MR. BARTOE: Yes, sir.
MR. DICKSON: I would like to -- I want to hear what Michael
Pedone has to say. If you would make sure that he's specifically
invited.
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November 15, 2000
MR. NEALE: Yeah, Michael would be a great one to have
come.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Perhaps we'll add insulation
contractors to that as well?
MR. BARTOE: I have that written down, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. For my information, would you
summarize what we have as invited -- specific invited trades?
MR. BARTOE: Aluminum contractors, glass and glazing, and
shutter contractors, insulation and dry wall contractors, and Mr.
Pedone, paving and sealing contractors, fire marshals, CBIA.
Anyone else?
MR. CRAWFORD: What is the subcontractor's association
called?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: ASCF.
MR. CRAWFORD: ASCF.
MR. BARTOE: Mr. Hayes, are you in charge of that?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, I'm not anymore, but I can get the
word to them.
MR. BARTOE: Would you, please.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. And also sealing contractors.
MR. BARTOE: Yes, I mentioned that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You did? Okay, very well. I'll just -- I
wanted to make sure of this as well so I can get the words
specifically out to those.
MR. BARTOE.' Will conference room E be big enough?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's my concern when you first
mentioned it. Because if one person from every one of those
comes in and this full board comes in, we have filled that room.
MR. BARTOE: Let me go check right now on availability of
this room --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's a better idea.
MR. BARTOE: -- on the 12th, 13th or 14th.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: At least we have plenty of space if we
need it. And you can check on that right now before we adjourn.
Any other items of discussion while we're waiting for that?
I haven't heard any other input from any of the tradesmen
regarding our last month's workshop that brought up anything
that we should have addressed or haven't at this point myself. I
just didn't know if anybody else has heard any input.
With this thing appearing on television as often as it does,
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November 15, 2000
there's -- it's a good possibility that the -- someone from the
public will be able to hear what we're talking about other than
specific notices to some of the tradespeople that we're aware of.
But so far I haven't heard any input outside of what we've
already experienced. Has anybody else heard from any interest
group or any trade?
Got to be doing somewhat of a satisfactory job. I guess
perhaps short of Mr. Ossorio's citations being active out there,
people are generally pretty comfortable with the way the
licensing ordinance at least reads. I don't know that they're real
happy with the way it's being enforced from time to time, based
on the volume of some of the citations we've been hearing about.
But apparently it's not in that bad of shape as it's written.
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Ossorio is doing a phenomenal job.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: He sure is.
MR. NEALE: I think staff in general is.
I got a complaint directed to me by a citizen on Marco Island
a couple of weeks ago about a roofing problem that they had,
and it was a -- I won't mention the gentleman's name, but it's
someone that if he hadn't been well satisfied, it would have been
all over the newspapers and everything else.
And staff got together with him and the person against
whom he was complaining and managed to come to a resolution
and it ended up not showing up in front of us. So I think it's -- you
know, I think this board and the public probably doesn't
appreciate sometimes how much behind the scene's work is
done by the licensing staff to satisfy the public and make sure
that the ordinances are properly enforced without having a lot of
matters come this way.
And I know from speaking with the state, they're surprised
at how few matters they see come from Collier County. And
when I talk to them about it, I attribute that to the fact that
we've managed to -- our staff manages to enforce the code
without a whole lot of hearings and trials and prosecutions. So
it's just, you know, a pat on the back to the staff from this point
of view. Makes it a whole lot easier.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That is not a matter of lack of
enforcement either.
MR. NEALE.' No. And that's the thing is the state asked the
question, are you enforcing your laws at all? And I said, you
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November 15, 2000
know, our staff issues literally hundreds of citations and things
like that, but they manage to get matters settled without having
to resort to prosecuting the contractors.
And, you know, the state statute very clearly says that the
whole purpose of the statute is compliance, it's not punitive.
And so the whole issue that this board needs to look at from time
to time is that this staff does what they're supposed to be doing,
which is make sure that people are in compliance with the
ordinance and the statutes. So they do the job that they're
assigned to do and do it very well.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I had a phone call from an individual.
Actually, it was a visit from a potential employee that was
working for a specific trade contractor that outright told him that
he was renting his license -- he was renting a license to be in
business. Apparently that's -- as long as you maintain some form
of legitimacy within the wording of the ordinance, that seems to
be a standard procedure.
MR. NEALE: It's just so hard to catch. That's -- I find it
unlikely that that same person would be willing to come up here
and say that under oath on television.
MR. DICKSON: Well, I can say this, I hired two people in the
last 60 days that for over 10 years have been working illegally in
this county as subcontractors without a license. And now they're
on my payroll full-time, with benefits, the whole -- and both of
them said I'm tired of getting citations and running from the
county.
MR. NEALE: Great endorsement.
MR. DICKSON: And they're two great employees. I'm
thrilled to have them.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Bartoe?
MR. BARTOE: The only thing available that week is Friday,
the 15th from 1:00 p.m. on. I seriously do not think Horseshoe
Drive will be big enough.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: If we could resolve the election problem
by then, perhaps the election room? We've had meetings there
before, right next door to us here.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, the auditorium in the -- or whatever it is,
the big meeting room in the supervisor of elections office.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Supervisor of elections office, yes.
MR. NEALE: We did have a workshop there several years
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November 15, 2000
ago.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do you know anybody that would
answer that question?
MR. BARTOE: I'm sorry?
MR. NEALE: Just call Jennifer.
MR. BARTOE: Yes, I can check into that. And Tuesday,
Wednesday or Thursday of that week, preferably Wednesday,
correct?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think so.
MR. BARTOE.' Preferably 9:00 a.m., correct?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes.
MR. BARTOE: Okay. I will check into that. And we will call
everybody as soon as we have something.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Is that satisfactory with the
board?
Do we have any other orders of discussion?
MR. DICKSON: I move that we be adjourned.
MR. LAIRD: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second for
adjournment. All in favor? Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well.
There being no further business for the good of the County,
the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 11.'05 a.m.
CONTRACTOR LICENSING BOARD
GARY HAYES, CHAIRMAN
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC., BY CHERIE' R. LEONE, RPR
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