CLB Minutes 06/21/2000 RJune 2t, 2000
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
CONTRACTORS' LICENSING BOARD
Naples, Florida, June 21, 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
Les Dickson
Daniel Gonzalez
Richard Joslin
Bob Laird
Carol Pahl
Arthur Schoenfuss
Sara Beth White
NOT PRESENT:
Robert Meister, Jr
ALSO PRESENT:
Patrick Neale, Attorney for the board
Robert Zachary, Assistant County
Attorney
Bob Nonnenmacher, License Compliance
Officer
Page I
AGENDA
COLLIER COUNTY CONTRACTORS' LICENSING BOARD
DATE June 21,2000
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: April 19, 2000
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Robert A. Dampier- request to qualify 2nd entity.
2. Richard Ray Burkholder- wants to appeal citation #0618 issued to him by Mike Ossorio, for
hiring unlicensed sub-contractors
3. Kendall William's - req. to qualify 2"a entity.
VI. OLD BUSINESS:
VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
VIII. REPORTS:
IX. DISCUSSION:
X. NEXT MEETING DATE:
May 17th, 2000
June 21,2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'd like to call this meeting to order of
the Contractors' Licensing, June 21st at 9:10 a.m.
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'd like to start with roll call at my right.
MR. GONZALEZ: Dan Gonzalez.
MR. LAIRD: Bob Laird.
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. Nonnenmacher?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes. Good morning, Mr. Chairman,
members of the board. For the record, my name is Bob
Nonnenmacher, licensing compliance officer.
We have a few additions and deletions. Under new business,
No. 2, Richard Ray Burkholder has been deleted and has been
dismissed altogether per county attorney and per State DMV.
Addition to discussion is the memo from Mr. Palmer dated
4-27.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Say that again?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Under discussion, staff would like to
discuss with the board's attorney and the board Mr. Palmer's
memo dated 4-27.
MR. NEALE: There's two memos that Mr. Palmer issued on
the 27th. One --
MR. NONNENMACHER: It's the first one.
MR. NEALE: Which is? Because there's -- I can't tell which is
first and which is second here. Because there's one --
MR. NONNENMACHER: On qualifying a second entity.
MR. NEALE: Okay. I think it would be -- if I may suggest, it
would be appropriate probably to discuss both of them -- MR. NONNENMACHER: Okay.
MR. NEALE: -- both the qualifying, second entity and local
Page 2
June 21,2000
specialty contractors and other CLB issues. Because both of
them have some relevance.
And I think Mr. Hayes -- I had mentioned to Mr. Hayes that
possibly discussing the first one, the qualifying a second entity, is
something we might want to do before discussing qualifying
second entities today.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yeah, I would agree. Except the
entities that are requesting to qualify a second today are not state
registers.
MR. NEALE: Right. And I just reviewed that and I think
you're right. So, you know, whatever is the board's pleasure. It
doesn't make any difference.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Not a big deal then. We can probably go
on with the --
MR. NEALE: We can go on.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- agenda in the order it's written in.
MR. NEALE: Okay.
MR. NONNENMACHER: And finally, next meeting date, delete
May 17th, 2000 and add July 19th, 2000.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Any other additions or deletions to the
agenda? I need a motion for approval.
MR. JOSLIN: So moved.
MR. GONZALEZ: So moved.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All in favor?.
Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well, let's move on into new
business.
Robert Dampier, request to qualify second entity. Are you
here, sir? Would you come up to the podium.
For the record, I'm going to ask that you be sworn in.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: If you'll bear with me just a minute, I've
made an error here. Just stand still for a minute.
I have the minutes of April 19th in front of us. I failed to ask
for approval of those minutes. I hope we've reviewed them. And
if so, I need a motion for approval.
MR. LAIRD: So moved, Mr. Chairman.
MS. PAHL: I'll second it.
Page 3
June 21,2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
favor?
Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES:
backwardness.
I have a motion and a second. All in
Very well. Apologize for the
Okay, you've been sworn in. Your name, sir?
MR. DAMPIER: Robert A. Dampier.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And your reason for being here this
morning?
MR. DAMPIER: To qualify a second entity.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What business do you operate currently?
MR. DAMPIER: Painting.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What business name?
MR. DAMPIER: Gulf Stream Painting.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And you're qualifying Gulf Stream
Painting currently?
MR. DAMPIER: No -- I'm qualified, yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You're qualifying that company
currently?
MR. DAMPIER.' No, Warner Painting is what I'm qualifying.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what I'm --
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. How long have you done that?
MR. DAMPIER: Painting business?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, qualified Warner Painting.
MR. DAMPIER: The one that's getting qualified today is
Warner Painting. The one that I'm qualified already for is Gulf
Stream.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. You currently qualify Gulf Stream
Painting?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: How long have you done that?
MR. DAMPIER: About six months.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And now you're asking to qualify a
second company?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: May I ask why?
MR. DAMPIER: I took a partner out on the second company.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Be your competition in your first
Page 4
June 21,2000
company?
MR. DAMPIER: To an extent, yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Our packets are without a credit report.
When you fill in the applications to qualify a second entity, part of
the instructions is that you supply us with a credit report.
MR. DAMPIER: I -- when I went down and gave her the entire
packet, everything was included. She checked it all off. I had a
credit report then.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You do have a credit report?
MR. DAMPIER: I had one in that packet when I gave it to her.
I might have one in the car right now, if you want me to go get it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Oh, you did have a credit report?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, I did have--
CHAIRMAN HAYES: It just failed to get in our package.
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, it did. She had everything. And I was --
had everything and I was going to come last month, but the
meeting didn't happen, so --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, I hate to put you out and I hate a
delay, but I'm going to tell you this: This board will probably not
grant you a second qualification without a review of a credit
report. So we can either proceed and not allow you to do that
until we see that credit report, or you can go down to your car and
get that credit report and we can review it.
MR. DAMPIER: I might have the credit report in the car, so --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Now, is there any other comments on
that from the board? Perhaps we'll let this gentleman go and get
his credit report? Okay, and in the meantime --
MR. NONNENMACHER: I have one question, Mr. Hayes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, sir.
MR. NONNENMACHER: The company you're with now, Gulf --
MR. DAMPIER: Stream.
MR. NONNENMACHER: -- Stream?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Are you the owner of that?
MR. DAMPIER: I'm -- yes, owner of both.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Why is that company not listed under
Item 9 in the application? It says list all business firms which
you've been associated during the last 10 years, and I don't see
that company listed there.
MR. DAMPIER: I don't know why I didn't put it in there. I
Page 5
June 21,2000
probably skipped over it and missed it. Not on purpose.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: We got a problem letting this gentleman
go and get his credit report? MR. LAIRD: No.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: If you would do that, sir, we'll patiently
wait for you.
MR. DAMPIER: Okay. Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, just come right back.
In the meantime, Mr. Zachary, I'd like to have you introduced
to the board, and let the record know that you're part of the
Collier County Contractors' Licensing group. I hope -- you're
temporary or you're going to be here with us a while?
MR. ZACHARY: Well, I think I'll be here a while. The changes
that we made in our office are permanent.
Sorry, let me introduce myself. I'm Robert Zachary. I've been
with the County Attorney's Office for about two years. Mr. Palmer
and I have sort of switched roles. He took some things that I was
doing and I took over -- specifically Mr. Weigel wanted to make
some changes in the office to give some people some more
opportunity to do some things they hadn't been doing. Right now I
think I'm doing everything. We had a -- we have a -- one of our
members of our office is out on maternity leave, Marni Scuderi -- I
don't know if any of you are familiar with her -- and we had
Melissa Vasquez leave. So I'm Melissa, Marni and me,
temporarily.
But this is going to be as permanent as it gets. I mean, I plan
on doing the function that Tom Palmer was doing and trying to
learn from him. Because I know he was rather emersed in that.
My background before coming to the County Attorney's
Office, I was in the State Attorney's Office, a prosecutor for eight
and a half years. So if there's anything that has to be brought
before the board that you all need to have presented, I'm sort of
familiar with how to present evidence and how the courts work
and what have you, so --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Good. Appreciate your presence. We've
found out a number of years ago that county attorney's presence,
our attorney's presence are somewhat necessary for some of the
hearings that we've been known to partake in throughout the
years. There's sometimes a difference in perspectives and point
of views. And I don't think anybody on the board has got a legal
Page 6
June 21,2000
license to practice law, and it's nice to have some input from
somebody that does have a license to practice law. So we
appreciate you being here.
MR. ZACHARY: I do have a background in construction as
well. I was involved in that business for several -- this is about my
third life, this lawyer business. I worked for --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Used to be a plumber, right?
MR. ZACHARY: Well, I worked for Eastern Airlines for 10
years and so I'm sort of a plumber. I was in maintenance and
engineering.
And before that I did some carpentry work and contracting
work. So -- I've built a house, so I know what goes on and what
needs to be done, back of my mind somewhere; so therefore, my
interest in this. And Tom is willing to take a little break, so here I
am,
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Well, welcome aboard.
MR. ZACHARY: Thank you.
MR. NEALE: We could probably move on to Mr. Williams while
we're waiting for Mr. Dampier to get back with his credit report.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yeah, that's possible. I don't see a
problem with it, if you wanted to move on with Kendall Williams.
Let's do that.
Mr. Williams, are you here?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Would you come up to the podium. I'm
going to have you sworn in also.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Your name?
MR. WILLIAMS: Kendall Williams.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And your reason for being here?
MR. WILLIAMS: To qualify a second entity.
I need to get these to you. I've got a package. I was told I
could give them to you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: For the record, the addition to the
packet is just the affidavit affirming the requirements of the
Collier County ordinance to be met.
Again, as was pointed out on the previous application, Item
No. 9, it says list all businesses, firms, entities and contracting
businesses you have been associated in the past 10 years, and
you write "none."
Page 7
June 21,2000
What business are you currently qualifying?
MR. WILLIAMS: My office did that. I apologize. Debbie, my
office manager, did that.
Metro Tile and Marble. I currently-- I've been 18 years here
in Collier County. Metro Tile and Marble. And I currently qualify
that company.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And you're looking to qualify a company
called Tile One?
MR. WILLIAMS: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Is that a new company?
MR. WILLIAMS: Actually, about five years now. I've had
previous qualifters to qualify the company in the past who have
moved on.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What's the difference between the two
companies?
MR. WILLIAMS: Metro Tile and Marble has been around for 18
years. It's primarily a wholesaler through the years. I established
Tile One about four and a half years ago to do the retail side of the
business.
In our industry, things have changed through the years, and I
chose to form this company to pursue the retail side of the
business, installation side of the business, while trying to
maintain my existing place in the industry as far as European
factories, where I can buy material through European factories
through Metro Tile and not confuse the two.
The primary reason I'm doing this is basically this: We have
both companies in the same location, separate offices, separate
accounting office and so forth, but my customers are confused
sometimes who they're dealing with. When they call the county
and ask for Judy or Maggie to verify status, sometimes they'd ask
for Metro Tile, which was not qualified till recently. They'd ask for
-- and of course they would reply to them that Metro Tile is not
licensed. So it caused a problem for me at that level.
What I'm trying to do now is get both of them qualified so
they can call and ask at any time of each company which one's
qualified and so forth.
You understand that; I'm sure you do.
MR. DICKSON: Never had any complaints on them, Mr.
Nonnenmacher?
MR. NONNENMACHER: No, sir, not at all.
Page 8
June 21,2000
MR. DICKSON: If you notice in your packet, everything he's
saying is correct. His original incorporation of Tile One is 1995.
Also, his Articles of Incorporation. Beautiful credit report.
Mr. Chairman, I move that the approval be granted.
MR. JOSLIN: I have one question.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I need a second on the motion, first.
MR. LAIRD: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second.
We have discussion?
MR. JOSLIN: I just have a question. On the insurance
certificate, I see--
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes.
MR. JOSLIN: -- Tile One is an installer? Would it be installer
or is it --
MR. WILLIAMS: That's correct.
MR. JOSLIN: -- sells retail out of the store?
MR. WILLIAMS: Tile One will actually do the install of the tile
as Tile One, yes.
MR. JOSLIN: Okay.
MR. WILLIAMS: Is that --
MR. JOSLIN: That's what I thought it was.
MR. WILLIAMS: Virtually what it is, is that I've got Tile One
basically doing the retail business. Walk-in customers and so
forth come into the showroom, that becomes a Tile One customer.
We still sell wholesale to the builders and trade and design
community.
MR. JOSLIN: So therefore then Tile One is going to install
tiles that Metro Tile possibly could sell?
MR. WILLIAMS: That's correct. Actually Tile One -- Metro --
Tile One is a customer of Metro Tile. We sell tile to Tile One.
MR. JOSLIN: Right. Okay, I have another question, though.
MR. WILLIAMS: Okay.
MR. JOSLIN: Is -- is -- do you have -- Does Tile One have
employees?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes. The general manager--
MR. JOSLIN: The question I have then, is that on your
certificate of insurance I see no Workmen's Compensation.
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, actually the Workmen's Comp is all into
one -- both the -- the same company qualifies Metro and Tile One.
I mean, not actually qualifies, but has insurance written for Tile
Page 9
June 21,2000
One and
MR.
say so.
MR.
MR.
Metro on the same policy -- or the same carrier.
JOSLIN: I understand that. But on the policy it doesn't
WILLIAMS: It does not say that?
JOSLIN: No.
MR. WILLIAMS: On the very top? Judy questioned that also
at the county.
MR. JOSLIN: I take it back. I did find it, yes. I'm sorry.
MR. WILLIAMS: Yeah, because Judy said the same thing. And
she actually -- I had faxed over another certificate from my
insurance company showing that both companies are -- MR. JOSLIN: I see.
MR. WILLIAMS: -- insured.
MR. JOSLIN: Right. Okay, no further questions.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Any other questions from any of the
board?
I am going to ask the questions. In '98 sometime through '9 --
from '95 through '98, your credit report shows a few charge-offs.
One for Sikes Tile for $3,871, and there's a list thereafter of
charge-offs. And then later on we see a satisfaction of judgment
that was dated October of last year. That's quite a distance of
time between '96, all of these debts, and a judgment satisfaction
of '99. Would you mind explaining a little of that?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yeah, that was a case that was in courts for
almost three years. It was into appeal. It was appealed by the
appeals court. And it took that long to get to the courts. It was
overturned and we won the case.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You won the case, you just didn't pay?
MR. WILLIAMS: Actually -- which case are you referring to?
I'm not really sure what you --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well--
MR. WILLIAMS: The Jones?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- what I've got here is Sikes Tile --
MR. WILLIAMS: Sikes Tile.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- Merchants Association, NRS, MedCLR,
Mid America, Mid America Radiology, and a few more on the back
page here. And I see a satisfaction of judgment for Sikes Tile.
MR. WILLIAMS: Sikes Tile, uh-huh.
MR. NEALE: I don't think the ones below Sikes Tile are all
charge-offs. I think only Sikes Tile is the only charge-off.
Page 10
June 2~,2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what I'm thinking is my point.
MR. NEALE: No, that's the way it reads, at least the way I
see it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Right. You've got a satisfaction of
judgment on the Sikes Tile thing, which is business related, as far
as I'm concerned --
MR. WILLIAMS: Right.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- and that's what we're more interested
in than anything else.
MR. WILLIAMS: Right.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: But we see a bunch of more charge-offs
here.
MR. NEALE: As I said, Mr. Hayes, I think the only charge-off
is the Sikes Tile one.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, aren't the ones that aren't
collected charge-offs? They're classified as past due as of March
of 4000 -- or 2000, I mean?
MR. NEALE: That's just the date of the last payment.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So maybe I'm saying the wrong thing.
They're not really charged off, they're still on here as uncollected.
MR. NEALE: No. I mean, from Providian Financial down,
those are just current accounts.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And every one of them are listed under
the past due heading.
MR. WILLIAMS: May I see that, possibly, so I can look at it?
MR. NEALE: I don't see it listed under past due, Mr. Hayes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I guess I'm confused or something.
MR. NEALE: Because that last -- are you looking at the far
right column?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, it's not on the far right. Look at the
past -- date last past due heading and go down. You see Sikes
Tile that you're talking about, the 3,871. That one is there. But
we have a judgment on --
MR. NEALE: But it doesn't say any of the rest are past due.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I beg your pardon. One says Merchants
Association for $704. That's under the past due category. Then
below that for 436, below that for 332, below that 250 and below
that 154. The way I read it, all those are past due. Unless I'm
confused and not reading it properly.
The way I see it, there's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
Page 11
June 21, 2000
eight, nine, 10 -- 10 that have been listed on the credit report as
past due. And most of -- and all of them are medical related.
MR. NEALE: They all look like medical bills.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yeah, I agree. But I'm just trying to
confirm that I am in fact reading it correctly.
MR. NEALE: And most of them look like, as you say, date
back to '95, '96, '97.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Right.
MR. DICKSON: Was Sikes Tile just a dispute?
MR. WILLIAMS: That's correct.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, I mean, Sikes Tile, the final judgment
wasn't entered until October of '99.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I don't have any further discussion on it.
Anybody else?
MR. DICKSON: Call for the vote.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second on the
floor.
Without any further discussion, all in favor of approval?
Opposed?
(No response.}
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well, motion carries. Not a
problem.
MR. WILLIAMS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Dampier, you want to come back up?
MR. DAMPIER: Mr. Hayes, I didn't have it in the car. There's
not one there.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay.
MR. DAMPIER: I did check everything in with her, and there
was one with it. And it's the same as the one that went with Gulf
Stream when it came in, so --
MR. LAIRD: Is there any way we could check with our office
to see if they have that?
MR. DAMPIER: I mean, I could go to my office and get it. I
probably could have done it by now if I knew you were doing him.
But I didn't know I was going to take it, so --
MR. DICKSON: Why can't we call Judy and she'll fax it over
here to the commissioners' office?
MR. NEALE: That would be the most logical thing, yeah.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What I want to do, I don't have a problem
doing it that way. We can continue on with the discussion on the
Page 12
June 21, 2000
rest of his packet and perhaps approve based on, or deny based
on the credit report when we do get it later on into the meeting.
Is that okay? Do you want to continue?
MR. DICKSON: I've got a question for you. I've been on this
board a long time. I'm talking to you. MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
MR. DICKSON: I've never seen anybody come before this
board that has a company that's six months old and already
qualifying his second one. And I want a better explanation than
what I've heard so far.
MR. DAMPIER: The only explanation that I can give is to
receive this guy's work I had to make him a partner, so I made
him a partner. So I wasn't going to give him a percent of jobs I do,
but jobs he gets for me, then I'll give him a percent of. That's the
only reason I'm here.
MR. DICKSON: What do you mean receive his work? Is he a
customer or a partner?
MR. DAMPIER: Partner.
MR. DICKSON: What does he do?
MR. DAMPIER: He gets his work, I get my work. So when his
work comes in, I do it as Warner, and when my work comes in, I
do it as Gulf Stream.
MR. DICKSON: And he's willing to share your work -- his work
with you?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, he will because he's qualifying him.
MR. DAMPIER: Yeah, you got it.
MR. NONNENMACHER.' Excuse me, how long has he been in
business painting?
MR. DAMPIER: He's never been in business painting. Only
me,
MR. NONNENMACHER: Oh, so you don't even know if he has
any customers then.
MR. DAMPIER: He has a lot of customers, yes, he does.
MR. NONNENMACHER: And who was painting for him and his
customers?
MR. DAMPIER: Now, nobody. That's his -- well, other painting
companies are painting for his customers right now. But they
aren't his partner either, so --
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mr. Hayes, I'm on hold.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Not a problem.
Page t3
June 21, 2000
I'm going to continue with some of the questions.
This new corporation, Warner Painting and Waterproofing, are
you 100 percent owner of it?
MR. DAMPIER: No, I'm only 70 percent owner of it. Actually,
I'm 35 and my wife is 35.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. This other individual is not part of
the ownership on this company?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, he is. He's a 30 percent of Warner
Painting.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what I'm asking.
MR. DAMPIER: Yes.
MR. DICKSON: How long have you known Mr. Warner?.
MR. DAMPIER: Probably two to three years.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Are -- you are definitely aware, Mr.
Dampier, that as your qualifying agent for this new company, you
are a responsible financial officer. You must make sure that all
monies coming in, all bills going out will rest on your shoulders.
MR. DAMPIER: I run all the books, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You run all the books.
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The quality of the work produced by
Warner Painting will rest on your shoulders. MR. DAMPIER.' Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The disputes, customer disputes and
everything else, will rest on your shoulders. MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You are the man.
MR. DAMPIER: I am the man.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do we have any other questions from the
board at this point? Any other questions from the board?
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Well, we have what looks like a good
application for Warner Painting; the only thing missing being the
credit report we're talking about. But I don't feel we know enough
about the business that you're currently qualifying, the first one.
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Is that --
MR. DAMPIER: I already qualified that business. I'm already
qualified for Gulf Stream.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: That answered the question?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No. We all knew that. What was your
Page 14
June 2t,2000
question?
MR. SCHOENFUSS: I just -- I don't understand, how active is
the first company that he is qualifying?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The Gulf Stream Painting.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: The Gulf Stream Painting, the one that's
not listed on here, how much business is that company doing?
MR. DAMPIER: Quite a lot.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Quite a lot.
MR. DAMPIER: Yes.
MR. DICKSON: That's immaterial.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: And you are active in the management of
that entity?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: To the same degree that you're going to
be for Warner?
MR. DAMPIER: Yes, sir.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Thank you.
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Chairman, I'll entertain -- I'll make the
motion and see where it goes. I move that this application be
approved pending Mr. Nonnenmacher's review of the credit report.
If that credit report has no glaring problems with it, that it be
approved. That if the credit report has excessive negative items
on it, that it come back before this board at the next meeting.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yeah, maybe Bartoe has the file back
in the office.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion on the floor. I need a
second.
MR. LAIRD: I'll second that, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any other
discussion before I call for the vote?
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Let's wait until we hear what Mr.
Nonnenmacher has to say as a result of his phone conversation.
MS. WHITE: I think there's too many questions here.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Apparently the file is not up front and
she doesn't know where it is at this time. So I'm sure it's either
back by Mr. Bartoe or in a cabinet someplace.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Thank you.
MS. PAHL: Maybe behind the copier.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: What was that discussion earlier?. You
had -- you were saying something?
Page 15
June 21,2000
MS. WHITE: I think there's too many questions here; too
many holes for us to vote on it.
MR. DAMPIER: Well, I mean, ! brought the packet in. I've
already been held up a month. I've got jobs lined up for this
company to do as soon as you approve me. I really need to get
approved. So if I had known that that was missing, I would have
gladly brought one. I can go to my office, send you one, fax you
one, do whatever you need to do. I mean --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: We're not going to allow you to qualify
this entity without review. At least as the motion on the floor, at
least the licensing has to review it to begin with. I'm not going to
say that if you get it to Mr. Nonnenmacher this afternoon and he
review it and accept it the way it is that you can't go off tomorrow
and do your thing. But I'm going to tell you that until that occurs,
if we approve this motion, you're not going to be able to.
MR. DAMPIER: That's fine. I don't have any problems with
anybody reviewing the credit report.
MR. GONZALEZ: In your opinion, how is your credit?
MR. DAMPIER: There's nothing on it. Absolutely zero. I
mean, everything's paid. I pay everything off.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Ms. White, what questions are you
referring to? I mean, now is the time to get them out.
MS. WHITE: Well, first of all, of course the credit report.
Second of all, the question that was brought up about qualifying a
second entity within six months of the first one. And the third one
is I see -- it just seems like there's so much overlapping, I don't
see why -- what is the difference in the two companies?
MR. DAMPIER: The only difference between the two
companies, ma'am, is I have a partner, that's all. MR. DICKSON: He just explained that.
MS. WHITE: I mean, it just seems like you're competing
against yourself.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No, let me try to explain the way I
envision what he's trying to do here. He would like this individual
to be an employee of his company, but this individual refuses to
do that. He wants to be on his own. However, this individual is
not licensed. So he's striking a deal with this individual saying
look, I'll qualify you so that you can have a license, but I want a
piece of the action. Since I can't hire you as an employee, I'll
partner with you in this separate company.
Page 16
June 2t,2000
Does that about sum it up?
MR. DAMPIER: Pretty much sums it up.
MR. DICKSON: As a license holder, he has a right to qualify a
second entity, unless we have negative information to deny that
right. And we have no such negative information. So therefore,
my motion, assuming that the credit report is good, and Mr.
Nonnenmacher will verify that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Ms. White, does that make a little
more sense?
MS. WHITE: Yeah, it does make more sense.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Nonnenmacher, while you were on
the phone, the motion was made that we approve this, based on
your review of the credit report. If there's some ambiguities or
questions or you're not comfortable in reviewing that report, then
you are to bring it back before the board. If, however, it's nice
enough, clean enough and satisfies you as a civil credit report,
then the motion has been made that we approve that second
entity. Is that a problem with you?
MR. NONNENMACHER: No, sir, it's not.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Any further discussion before I call for
the vote?
All in favor?
Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well.
MR. DAMPIER: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All of the concerns and it's no big deal.
MR. DAMPIER: Thank you.
MR. NONNENMACHER: If you'd check with Judy and Maggie
tomorrow --
MR. DAMPIER: I can bring one. I have a copy at my office
already. I just didn't bring it with me today.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Okay. If you want to drop it off with
them, I'll give them an answer this afternoon around 3:30, 4:00,
and you can call them and find out what my answer is. MR. DAMPIER.- Okay, no problem.
MR. NONNENMACHER: But still tomorrow would be the
soonest you could pick up your license.
MR. DAMPIER: That's fine. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Dampier.
Page t7
June 2t,2000
Thank you, Mr. Nonnenmacher. I appreciate that.
Okay, moving right along. We had an item struck off of the
agenda, and as far as hearing the item, perhaps we can't formally
hear the item, but I've got a couple of questions as to the reach of
our arm of the law and our limitations.
And with our new county attorney, Mr. Zachary, present, it
might not be a bad thing to have a little discussion regarding it.
I understand that the citations were issued on work on an
unlicensed contractor's setting up or building mobile homes. Do
you know anything about it?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Briefly what it
amounted to was there was a mobile home being set up in North
Naples. There were gentlemen doing, I would imagine you call it
the skirt work, the aluminum work around the bottom.
Mr. Asaro came upon the site and asked them for the -- the
pertinent questions with licenses and how they're getting paid
and Workmen's Comp and so on, so forth, and found that they
were hired off the street to do this aluminum work. He cited the
unlicensed contractors and he also cited the mobile home setup
person as aiding and abetting an unlicensed contractor.
Mobile home setup is licensed by the State Department of
Motor Vehicles. The only thing I can tell you is what I was told,
that they are completely exempt from Statute 489. They are
controlled by the Department of Motor Vehicles. They are not
contractors. They are auto -- vehicle repair people. They are not
required to abide by 489 or any of our local ordinances regarding
contracts.
The mobile home is not a structure. It's not a building. It's --
when it's being set up, the only time it becomes a residence or a
habitable place to live is after a CO is issued. Up until that point,
we have no control whatsoever upon that agency. They are
regulated by HUD, the federal government, the state, and that's it.
They are not contractors. What they do is not in the
contracting business. They are licensed to do mobile home setup.
And that is plumbing, electrical work, anything they have to do to
make that mobile home habitable.
And up until the point that the county issues a CO, it is not a
structure, it is not a residence, it is a vehicle.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I'm interested in the play on words here.
CO, what's that stand for?
Page t8
June 21,2000
MR. NONNENMACHER: It gives a Certificate of Occupancy.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And by what authority was the permit
issued that that CO follows up on?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Okay, let me explain that, too. The
attitude of the State Department of Motor Vehicles is you can call
it whatever you want to call it. You happened to call it a building
permit. We don't apply for a building permit. If that's what you
want to call it, that's fine. We're not going to tell you what to call
your permits. But we do not apply for a building permit. We apply
for a setup, and that's what we apply for.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And the only thing that we have to
accommodate that is the building department's system for
building permit issuance and CO, and that doesn't do any
inspection.
MR. NONNENMACHER: I believe the only inspections we
actually do are the connects of everything. Because everything is
engineered through the manufacturer and the engineering is
accepted.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: But don't we require licensed plumbing
contractor and electrical contractor to make those physical
connections?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes, the state does. Or the mobile
home setup person can. They are the only trades that if the
mobile home setup person does not do, that they must be
licensed, the plumbing, air conditioning and electrical.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So those three -- well, in this case here
where we have a utility connection to the public utilities purveyor,
that being the electric and the plumbing, then those two must be
permitted by a licensed plumbing contractor and electrical
contractor.
MR. NONNENMACHER: If the mobile home setup licensee
does not do it himself. He is able to do it himself.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Under what authority is he allowed to
connect?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Under the State Department of Motor
Vehicles.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Oh, really?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes, sir. Mr. Palmer really went into
this in quite depth in -- he argued on our side all the way till the
end. Then it went up to the state's attorney. And then a memo
Page t9
June 21,2000
came out telling us that no, we did not have any control over that
mobile home while it was in the process of being set up.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: And I can go along with that until such
time as it's actually physically connected to our public utilities. I
can go along with it. But at that point --
MR. NONNENMACHER: At that point we do have complete
control. In other words, that mobile home now is CO'd. It's a
habitable residence now, okay? If those same gentlemen went
back now and added a screen enclosure, we would have full
authority over it. It's only during the setup process that we have
no authority over anyone on that job.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The setup process I understand all on
the personal property. But at the point in time where it reaches
public domain, which is the county utility easement and taps into
the public utilities, we start to take some authority on how it's
connected, which means that it should be a licensed plumbing
and electrical contractor to make those utilities connections.
The actual connections, the piping and everything else prior
to that connection, I can understand it where our hands are tied.
But I can't imagine with all the controls and desires of controls to
keep from contaminating our public utilities or electrocuting
someone that we would allow anybody to hook up anything they
wanted to a public utility as long as they're calling it a mobile
home.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, the only thing -- the only way I
can explain that to you is that when you got your license, you had
to prove certain things that you were competent in the field that
you want to be licensed in. Apparently the test for mobile home
setup is quite stringent, according to the state. And they make
sure that these people know what they're doing before they
license them to do the setup.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, in that particular case then, those
people that you all cited for not having a license, what license did
they not have?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, they were cited for unlicensed
aluminum contractors, because the setup person was not doing it
himself. And he had, quote, unquote, people off the street putting
the aluminum on the mobile home.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: But it was permitted under a -- what kind
of license?
Page 20
June 21,2000
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mobile home setup.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So there is such thing in the state as a
mobile home setup licensed contractor?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Yes. Which we have no control.
They're vehicle repair people, okay? And it's -- it got quite nasty
in Mr. Perico's office between the head of the Department of
Motor Vehicles and Mr. Palmer. And we were still under the
opinion that we had every right to cite those unlicensed
contractors, because they were doing aluminum work without a
license.
MR. DICKSON: I might add, I'm kind of glad it came out the
way it did, because I don't want our building department to deal
with mobile homes, nor do I want mobile home issues coming
before this board.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, that's exactly what Mr. Ballard
said, the building official for this county. And the turnout was
straight from the state and their attorney that we have no
authority whatsoever on that mobile home as it's being set up.
Our authority begins after it's habitated.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Interesting. I just had heard about it
prior to the meeting, and I figured that there would be some
interesting conversation to realize just, you know, what the
direction of the state statutes are. It's not addressed basically in
489 is what it boils down to.
MR. NEALE: It's truly exempt from 489.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. However, as someone that reads
the code all the time, the Southern Standard Building Code
addresses mobile home connections.
MR. NEALE: Except that there -- and Mr. Nonnenmacher's
right, I haven't researched the issue, but I've looked at it in the
past, and there's this whole separate class. Mobile homes are set
out as an entity almost to themselves in Florida law. They have
their own sort of mystical cover. Because I believe Florida is the
number one state in number of mobile homes in the State of
Florida. They are more here than anywhere else in the county, I
believe.
And any time you've got an industry that's that large, it
typically has a lot of power with the legislature, and they've
created a niche for themselves where they can sell them, license
them, set them up, do everything.
Page 21
June 21,2000
But the test for a mobile home setup contractor apparently is
a very stringent test, that they actually have to show that they
know how to take wheels off and hook up pipes and do all kinds of
things.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Interesting. Okay, I just wanted to
discuss it a little bit there.
Anybody got any other discussion on that issue?
I can move along with the agenda. We don't have any old
business, apparently. We have no public hearings.
Are there any reports, Mr. Nonnenmacher?
MR. NONNENMACHER: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, under discussion, we do have a
couple of memorandums that I'm hoping that the board has read,
because we definitely need to discuss both issues to make us
aware of what we are burdened with and what we are not
supposed to burden ourselves with.
First memorandum to the Contractors' Licensing Board from
Thomas C. Palmer, Assistant County Attorney, regarding
qualifying a second entity. It cites the Subsection 489.119,
Paragraph 7 under Florida Statutes.
Basically the way I read it, if the qualifying agent for a
business organization desires to qualify additional business
organizations, the board shall require him or her to present
evidence of ability and financial responsibility to -- of each
organization. The issuance of such certificate of authority is
discretionary with the board.
In my opinion, the Collier County Contractors' Licensing
Board cannot authorize any state certified contractor or any
contractor required to register with the state construction license
-- industry licensing board to qualify a second entity.
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Neale, this is nothing new. We never have
had anyone qualify a second entity that had a state license.
MR. NONNENMACHER: I think it comes up, Mr. Dickson,
where we're now into this state registered. In other words, you
have a county license to do a trade and yet the state requires you
to register with them.
MR. DICKSON: But those required -- those that are required
by state be registered are your major contractors.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: No.
MR. NEALE: No.
Page 22
June 2t, 2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: There's a lot more of them.
MR. DICKSON: I thought it was just like plumbing, electrical,
roofing, carpentry, that.
MR. NEALE: If you'd like, and I have -- did this get sent to the
board or not? I gave a copy to Balzano. This is the state
application for a business -- additional business organizations. If
not, I'll make sure that it does, because I gave a copy to Paul.
And I think -- did he deliver one to you, Bob?
MR. ZACHARY: No.
MR. NEALE: Okay. It must be in the same place the credit
report is.
There's a fairly long list of contractors that are required to be
state registered, and I'll just read them off to you. You're right,
general building and residential, sheet metal, roofing, Class A air
conditioning, Class B air conditioning, Glass C air conditioning,
mechanical, commercial pool and spa, residential pool and spa,
plumbing, underground utility and excavation, specialty structure,
pollutant system specialty, solar, gas line specialty, residential
solar water heating, gypsum drywall specialty, registered
precision tank testers, and swimming pool and spa servicing.
Those are all required to be state registered.
MR. DICKSON: That still kind of follows the guideline that I
was talking about, though. We're not dealing with painting, we're
not dealing with stucco. Gypsum's not stucco.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Gypsum's drywall, though.
MR. NEALE: It is drywall.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: So a drywall contractor has got to be
registered.
MR. DICKSON: Read the --
MR. NEALE: It's gypsum drywall specialty, which is drywall
contractor.
MR. DICKSON: Okay. So it's just drywall's the one.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, so I think -- and Mr. Palmer and I talked
about this, after he issued the memo, quite a bit. And I talked to
Rodney Hurst about it also. Any of these classes of contractors
that propose to our staff that they should want to come forward
and qualify a second entity, they can't do it here.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: There's a question -- there's an omission
here, I think. There's no reference here to county qualified
electrical contractors. Electrical contractors, not state certified,
Page 23
June 21,2000
but county qualified who have taken the county test and received
licenses in the counties or in other municipal jurisdictions are not
required by the state to register with the contractors' industry
licensing board. They are required by the state to register with
the state electrical contractors' licensing board, which is a
different board under the DVPR.
And it would seem to me that the logic would be the same,
and that these electrical contractors who are required to register
with the state, although a different board from what's mentioned
here, would fall under the same thing.
Now, in the past any number of times we've had electrical
contractors come before our board, county qualified electrical
contractors, asking to qualify second entities. And we have
judged their qualifications to do that. And in many cases we've
approved them and we've taken the authority to approve them.
And in some cases we've taken the position of not approving
individual cases.
Now this, as I see it, is an omission here. But if we read it
the way it probably should be interpreted, then what we've done
in the past we can no longer do. Is that correct?
MR. NEALE: I certainly would go along with your analysis.
Absent doing some research on the issue, I would say that you're
correct, that, you know, we prob -- this board probably has no
authority over electrical contractors either because of the
requirement that they --
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Well, what happens at our next board
meeting when an electrician comes up and wants to qualify a
second entity or an electrician walks into the office at the
contractors' licensing offices with an application to qualify a
second entity?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Or a drywall contractor.
NEALE: Well, a drywall contractor has to go to the state,
MR.
period.
MR.
MR.
NONNENMACHER: Even if he's county licensed?
NEALE: He's supposed to be state registered, he's got to
go to the state.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: This board, there's no question
throughout the years, I know a couple of specific cases, has
authorized electricians, plumbers and air conditioning contractors
to qualify second agencies (sic) for as long as I've been on this
Page 24
June 2t, 2000
board. And every one of them was an overextension of our
authority per 489.
MR. NEALE: That's Mr. Palmer's reading of it, and after doing
my own independent research on it, I concur with what Mr. Palmer
CHAIRMAN HAYES: If that's the case, then technically those
second qualifying entities out there are illegal. Kind of sort of
again the law.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Thank God my time is in, I can retire.
MR. DICKSON: Again?
MR. NEALE: I agree that technically they are probably in
violation. I want to get Mr. Zachary to take a look at this one, too.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Zachary, any time you talk in here,
you're going to have to have a microphone.
MR. ZACHARY: At first blush, it appears the same. I agree
with you, that according to Mr. Palmer's interpretation, if there are
second entities qualified, that where they overlap, it would appear
that -- that's the case, it may be -- I don't know whether it's illegal,
but -- I mean, I don't know whether there's a provision to
grandfather those in or not, but I'd have to look into that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I was going to suggest that there's
probably not a provision to grandfather. But what concerns me
now, if this is truly the case, we, this board, has jeopardized the
legal position of Collier County, because should there be a
problem come up one time, if they can't be grandfathered in, they
would actually lose their license to operate. We may end up being
a little bit liable for losses of business.
MR. ZACHARY: It appears that those liabilities may be out
there. I mean, I can think of all kinds of dire consequences that
could happen.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Exactly. I can, too. I'm just sitting here
rolling things over in my head and I'm getting a little bit
concerned. I know two or three businesses that are operating in
Collier County right now that per 489 are illegitimate.
MR. NEALE: Well, my sense on the issue, and I want to sit
with Mr. Zachary and talk a little bit more and maybe get better
heads together on this. But my sense is that typically when
you've got a body that is operating under statutory authority, as
this board is, and if it follows established procedures that this
board has established for doing something, and just because of
Page 25
June 21,2000
misinterpretation by our local attorneys, both myself and whoever
is my predecessor in the County Attorney's Office, that we've
allowed this board to potentially overstep its authority.
I think it's something that those people are certainly
operating under the color and apparent authority of this board and
the apparent authority of Collier County as a subdivision of the
State of Florida. And I would think that even though technically
they may not be operating legally, I believe that there's some
authority to say that they are operating within the color of the law
and that it's something that would be their -- once it's discovered,
there be an opportunity to cure. I haven't researched the issue.
And it probably is an issue that's never surfaced before.
But my sense is that while there may be apparent dire
consequences, I think that they may not be as dire as we're first
painting them. I don't know what your thought is, Mr. Zachary.
MR. DICKSON: You also consider, the ones that you're
thinking we're worried about are still required to register with the
state. They've registered with the state. The state's accepted it.
I don't really think it's an issue.
MR. NEALE: Well, and the state is -- you know, the
contractor, when he registers with the state, I'm sure has listed
on that registration the entities that he is contracting for. So if
he's put more than one entity on there -- and not to put a knock on
the State Contractor Licensing Board and their staff, but --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: They would have no clue.
MR. NEALE: -- I have sent more than a few pieces of
correspondence, made more than a few phone calls up there, and
there's this -- I think it goes directly through the office into the
Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville. Because --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Not only that, but I mean, if everybody in
the State of Florida was made abruptly aware of 489, Section 119,
the Contractors' Licensing Board would be inundated with just
what I would be -- if I were a second qualified entity in Collier
County by virtue of this and then I found 489, Section 119, I would
be on the phone real quick with the state and start the procedure
for that review board so that I could get legitimate. Which would
make for tons of reviews. And we already know that the state's
basically, what, a couple years out on their agenda? Could you
imagine how long that would take?
MR. NEALE: Well, and I think one of the issues is if every
Page 26
June 2~,2000
swimming pool servicing contractor that wanted to qualify a
second entity, or every drywall contractor realized that if he
wanted to do this he would end up having to go to Palm Beach on
July the 12th and would have had to get his application in by May
the 8th to qualify a second entity, we'd have -- I mean, while that
is in fact what they'd have to do, and I think -- you know, I would
propose that Mr. Zachary and I spent a little bit of time looking at
this and discussing with staff as to how to proceed from here.
MS. WHITE: We may need to do something about our
ordinance. Because all those things you just mentioned are listed
in 1.6 that we have.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Our ordinance says we have authority
over those --
MS. WHITE: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: -- licenses.
MS. WHITE: So if that's the case, we're going to have to do
something about the ordinance, aren't we?
MR. NEALE: No, this board does have authority over those
contractors as far as enforcement authority. And it's divided up in
our ordinance between state certified contractors. And we don't
really address state registered contractors at all. We consider
them to be locally licensed. And the state considers those to be
locally licensed contractors. So the only ones really that are of a
concern or a problem are the state certifieds, which we've always
treated differently under the ordinance.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: May I suggest --
MR. NEALE: But as far as second entity -- and I think -- I
know from my point of view, and this is from when I first came
onto this assignment is, my interpretation, and I believe it was
county attorney's interpretation was when the board quote,
unquote, was referred to in 489, the interpretation was it was
either the State Construction Industry Licensing Board or the
local board, through its assigned authority under 489.
Because the board has authority transferred to it under 489,
this board, to enforce the rules and laws of the -- of 489 on our
local contractors. So -- and we have the ability to draft an
ordinance that is more stringent.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I would suggest, though, that we do
review our ordinance. And I think that there may be some
amendments in line for those sections referring to second entity
Page 27
June 2~,2000
qualifications, like except where not authorized under 489, the
wording being added to those subsections.
MR. NEALE: Or maybe even outlining it.
One other issue that follows from this -- and as I say, Mr.
Zachary and I will get together over the next couple of weeks and
pound our heads on this one and come up with a proposal or
policy, if that's okay with you.
I've also got a copy -- and I'd hoped it would be in your
packet, but it's not -- of the State Additional Business
Organization Guidelines and Application. It's a total of nine
pages. And having reviewed it several times now, it is really an
excellent document as far as answering the kinds of questions
that this board normally asks.
Number one, it goes through an 18-point very clear guideline
as to what the applicant has to put in. What -- a statement of
need from the licensee for maintaining the present entity
qualification while requesting to qualify an additional entity.
Which is the question that's always asked here is, you know, why
do you want to do this if you've already got that?
A list of principal suppliers for the present and proposed
entities. List of persons authorized to pull permits for the
licensee. A lot of very detailed information. Now, verification of
the bank balance for each entity.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Bank balance?
MR. NEALE: Bank statements for the previous three months
on both the present and proposed entity that reflect the minimum
cash balance requirements. Because the state sets out minimum
net worth requirements and minimum cash balance requirements.
And the state guideline is net worth shall be defined to
require showing for all contractor and licensure categories that
the applicant has a minimum of 50 percent of that amount in cash.
Cash is also defined to include a line of credit.
So if you've got a $20,000 minimum net worth requirement,
you've got to have 10 grand in the bank.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I wonder how many second entities
we've qualified over the years that can meet that qualification.
MR. NEALE: No, but aside from that, the application itself
certainly asks the basic questions, but it also sets out minimum
amounts required for general liability insurance for both entities,
Workers' Comp, and then it has this questionnaire that asks a
Page 28
June 21, 2000
number of points, including, you know, the question of why do you
want to keep your present license, has the proposed entity been
previously qualified. If it has been, explain why the previous
qualifier's no longer willing to continue to qualify this business.
Which is a question that this board has asked a lot of times,
you know, why? Well, you know, is it because there are a lot of
problems here, or what?
If the proposed entity's been qualified within the last 12
months, list the last three jobs completed by the proposed entity.
Include dates of completion, address, description of work, name
of previous qualifter and the name of the owner.
List the last three lobs completed by you under your existing
license. This is for the applicant. Include the date of completion,
address, description of work, name of previous qualifier, name of
owner,
Does the business you presently qualify or wish to qualify
have any outstanding liens against them or against the property of
consumers as a result of work that they had with your firm?
Principal suppliers of both entities. How they're -- a question that
I think is one of the more interesting ones here is, how are you
being paid by the businesses you presently qualify? Salary?.
Percentage of the profits? What? Which is a question that this
board, I think, asks all the time is, is the guy getting $500 a month
to hang his license or is he really qualifying the entity? How will
you be paid by the business you're applying to qualify? Again, a
question that's always asked.
Not to belabor the issue -- oh, and one of Mr. Hayes' favorite
questions, do you the applicant have check-writing authority for
both the present and proposed entity? If yes, provide a letter from
the bank.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Wow.
MR. NEALE: So what I'm saying is, if this -- and Mr. Zachary
and I will review this -- if this application were adopted by this
board as being the application for authorized second entity
qualifications here, it's my feeling that second entity
qualifications would take about 30 seconds then. Because if the
board had this in their packet, they'd already read it, most of the
questions that this board normally asks would be already
answered.
And I think that's probably -- and Mr. Laird sat on the state
Page 29
June 21, 2000
board, that's probably why the state did it that way is to speed up
the meetings a little bit and make it easier for the board to
operate.
MR. LAIRD: I served on that subcommittee, and I was
confused most of the time I was on it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: How often does the board meet, the
state board meet?
MR. LAIRD: They meet the -- each month, second week,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Do they actually meet every month or do
they --
MR. LAIRD: Oh, yes.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: They end up meeting every month.
MR. NEALE: Every month except December, it says.
MR. LAIRD: Right.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Mr. Neale, a question on the state
application to apply for a second entity on a registered
contractor. The procedure would be to have that contractor fill
out the application we were just speaking of, send it to the state.
Would we get some kind of correspondence from the state saying
he's approved, issue a license, or he's been disapproved? Will we
be kept in the loop, or we won't know what's going on?
MR. NEALE: Well, apparently, I mean, for all of the contractor
classifications other -- you know, that are listed here, they've
been doing that all along. And I don't know that we've gotten any,
you know, comment from the state that, you know, John Doe
qualifies both ABC Electric -- or ABC General Contractor and XYZ
General Contractor.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, how could that happen? It
requires another competency card. In other words, if we went out
and checked the company that just qualified a second entity and
he gave us that name, ABC Company, ABC Company wouldn't be
licensed by us. And naturally not licensed by the state, just it
would be a local license registered with the state.
MR. NEALE: I mean, probably a better example is somebody
that's a registered contractor, not a certified contractor.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, that's what I'm saying, locally
licensed --
MR. NEALE: Yeah, But certified.
MR. NONNENMACHER: -- state registered cannot apply to
Page 30
June 21,2000
this board for a second entity, according --
MR. NEALE: That's the way Mr. Palmer --
MR. NONNENMACHER: So he now applies to the state for
this second entity. How are we going to know -- what kind of
correspondence are we going to receive from the state? Because
he would actually need another Collier County license.
MR. DICKSON: He would need an occupational license, and
he'll show his information when he gets his occupational license.
And the county will then be aware of it. Correct?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, we would have to issue him a
license for the second entity. It's a county comp. card that he
has. Just state registered, he is. He's not licensed by the state,
he's just registered. He's locally licensed.
MR. JOSLIN: No, he's licensed to the state. I get a license
from the state. Then I bring that copy to county, and county
issues me the county comp. card. My license comes from the
state, not from Collier.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Your registration comes from the
state. You're not a state certified contractor.
MR. JOSLIN: I'm a state registered contractor.
MR. NONNENMACHER: State registered.
MR. JOSLIN: But my license that starts the process rolling
comes from the State of Florida, it doesn't come from Collier
County. Then I come to Collier County, then -- with a copy of that
license, and they issue me the county comp. card, that makes me
legal in Collier County to work whatever.
MR. NONNENMACHER: Exactly. Without a Collier County
comp. card, your state registration would mean nothing to us, is
that correct? We would cite you for unlicensed contracting. MR. JOSLIN: Exactly.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, you have to have the county-- I mean, to
be registered by the state, the process, at least according to the
statute, and I'm just talking from the statute point of view, is to be
registered, the applicant submits the fee and files evidence of
holding a current local comp. card. So that's, you know, the
process. It goes to the state, they register him and they send it
back. But it's still -- in order to get that process started, they
have to have a local competency card.
MR. JOSLIN: Say to speak, if a second entity qualified -- or
I'm sorry, a licensed holder qualifies a second entity and goes
Page 31
June 21, 2000
through the process and goes through the hoops and gets that
qualifying registered license, the only way that Collier would know
about it apparently would be that if they came to Judy or Maggie
and added that comp. card to the list of licenses that they --
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, that's more or less what I'm
saying. Let's take you in particular. You want to qualify a second
pool company--
MR. JOSLIN: Right.
MR. NONNENMACHER: -- and you go fill out a state
application now because you can't come before this board. MR. JOSLIN: Right.
MR. NONNENMACHER: You go through the process and they
decide that they're going to allow you to qualify this second
entity. We have to get some kind of notification, because you're
right now ABC Pool Company, you're going to qualify DEF
Company, and you're not going to be licensed in Collier County
until we issue you that comp. card.
MR. JOSLIN: Exactly right. So you would have no record of it
until, say, an investigator saw one of the trucks from ABC Pool
Company out there working and said who is your license holder,
and it would be me, and I would not be really legal at that time.
So you are correct. It would be -- MR. NEALE: I mean, that--
MR. SCHOENFUSS: No, you're going to have an occupational
license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: One at a time, remember.
MR. NEALE: I see the problem. And I think Bob sees the
same thing I'm seeing here. This is a real can of worms, because,
I mean, our investigators could go out to a contractor who is
legally licensed, according to the state, and cite him for not being
properly licensed in Collier and be technically correct on that
issue, because he's not properly licensed in Collier.
Without having -- and I'm sort of thinking out loud, but, I
mean, it seems to me to be a heck of a burden to put on a license
holder to go to the state, go through the hoops of getting a second
entity qualified, then have to bring that card back to the county,
and then we have to create some sort of mechanism at the county
to keep track of state registered second entity qualified
contractors when the state doesn't give us an advice on that.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: We already have that mechanism in the
Page 32
June 21,2000
computer when it comes to issuing permits. If you try to go down
and pull a permit in your new company, they don't have anything
in record in there, you're not going to be issued the permit.
Now, if you're doing work, if you're a license holder that
doesn't require a permit, I don't know what that would be. I mean,
if you're going to do drywalling or painting, you don't have to have
a permit to do painting. You have to have a license to be a
painter but you don't have to have a permit.
MR. NEALE: The one that comes to mind immediately, and I
think Mr. Joslin's got the same thing, swimming pool serving
contractor, you don't need a permit to put a $150 pump in to a
swimming pool.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: But you do have to have a license.
MR. NEALE: But you've got to have a license.
MR. JOSLIN: The only thing that I do know, too, is that on the
license it says that, right on the license, that you must meet all
local requirements. Now-- MR. NEALE: Yeah.
MR. SCHOENFUSS: But isn't the requirement for an
occupational license before anyone can sell a newspaper or build
an enormous building or do anything else? There's some
machinery right there. Before he can do anything, he has to have
an occupational license.
And at that point, in order to get an occupational license in a
trade which requires licensed people, at that point he has to show
his license, registration, certification or whatever it is from the
state or from the county. And that would take care of it right
there. Before you can start your second pool company and do
business, before you even apply for a permit, you have to have an
occupational license. Why isn't that completing the loop?
MR. NONNENMACHER: Well, it is, but it's in the process. In
other words, when you're filling out the application and it's been
approved and it's all typed up, then Judy and Maggie will make
you go get an occupational license, bring that back, show them,
and then they'll issue the comp. card.
Now, on this registered, it seems to me that it would work,
they would apply to the state to qualify a second entity. The state
should correspond back to us saying we approve that application.
Then we issue the competency card and tell you, you now have
to register with the state.
Page 33
June 21,2000
MR. JOSLIN: As far as I see it, the registering is already
done. I have to register before I get a comp. card. I already get a
license back via the mail, or if I go there. I get a license back via
the mail in my hands. And then I go to Judy and Maggie, and
Maggie and Judy now have record of this. And then they issue me
then, send me over to get the comp. card. I come back with the
comp. card and then everything is issued.
MR. NONNENMACHER: So in other words, you're registering
with the state a company that's not even licensed yet?
MR. JOSLIN: No, it's technically licensed. I've technically
passed the state examination.
MR. NEALE: The registration is the contractor --
MR. JOSLIN: I'm registered with the State of Florida.
MR. NEALE: The contractor registers his license with the
state, and the state accepts that registration, and then if they --
and they register it for a company. If they want to get a second
entity qualified under that same registration, then they have to go
through these hoops.
It doesn't add a new registration, really, it just adds another
entity under the registration, is the way I read it.
MR. JOSLIN: I think he has to have a license.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I think it just boils down to the fact that
we just need to be aware, as this board, the limits to our ability to
hear and grant or deny second quality entities, based on 489,
Section 119.
Hopefully none of our past qualifyings will bite anybody, jump
up and bite anybody, and we can just move forward from here.
But as a board, we are limited, it says, to -- we can authorize only
locally licensed specialty contractors to qualify a second entity,
and the second entity must also be such a locally licensed
specialty contractor that it is not certified by the state and which
is not allowed to register with the state.
MR. NEALE: And the -- I think the list that I would propose
that the staff work from, absent Bob and I coming up with -- Bob
Zachary and I coming up with something different -- is the list
that's on this additional business organizational guidelines, is
that, you know, anybody that comes in to qualify a second entity
that's one of these -- and as I say, I gave two copies of it to Paul --
they just get told that you've got to go to the state.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The memo goes further and says the
Page 34
June 21,2000
license -- the Collier County Licensing Board is not required to
authorize any local specialty contractor to qualify a second entity.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, we're not required to, but it's something
that this board has done with practice in the past.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, our statute says required to.
MR. NEALE: It says that we're permitted to.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Oh, permitted to. So what it boils down
to is that if somebody wants to qualify a second entity, they don't
need to come to this board.
MR. NEALE: Oh, yeah, they do.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's my point. It doesn't say we're
authorized to do so by state statute, but we are required to do so
by our ordinance.
MR. NEALE: Yeah, by our own ordinance we -- if somebody
wants a second entity qualified, they have to come here.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay. We need to move on to this
second memorandum.
The second memorandum was issued at the same time. The
Contractors' Licensing Board, from once again Thomas C. Palmer
regarding local specialty contractors and other CLB issues.
The primary reason behind the memo is to enlighten this
board that we are not authorized to even allow or hear any state
registered or state certified contractor regarding financially
responsible officers. Financially responsible officers other than
the original qualifter are only heard by the state board.
MR. DICKSON: Well, that's just redundant of what we just
spent an hour talking about.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Well, no, we're talking about financially
qualified people, not just second entities.
MR. DICKSON: But we're not going to hear those companies
either, anyway. Because if you read the first part, a locally
licensed specialty contractor, we are authorized to hear their
financial responsibility.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You got it.
MR. DICKSON: So what was taken away in the first memo,
that's just redundant right there.
Am I not correct, Mr. Neale?
MR. NEALE: Well, except that this one is more specific on
the financial responsible officer issue that was being kicked
around for awhile.
Page 35
June 21,2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yeah, the first memo is specific about
second entity qualifications.
MR. DICKSON: I was just trying to avoid another hour.
MR. JOSLIN: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All right. I don't have a problem with
avoiding another hour.
Is there any other reason that we need to look at this, except
for the fact -- am I reading it correctly, Mr. Neale, when I say that
-- what I said previously, that it is only to inform us that we have
no authority over a state registered or certified contractor with
regards to financially responsible officers, other than the primary
qualifying agent?
MR. NEALE: Uh-huh, right.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: That's what this memo boils down to.
Is that short enough?
MR. DICKSON: You're doing great.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Zachary, do you have any thoughts
on this?
MR. ZACHARY: Nothing further.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Nothing?
Mr. Nonnenmacher?
MR. NONNENMACHER: No, I have nothing.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Neale?
MR. NEALE: All set.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Anybody else on the board want to
discuss them any further?
MR. SCHOENFUSS: Is this going to reduce the amount of
work our board will have in the future? MR. DICKSON: Hallelujah.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Kind of looks that way.
MR. NEALE: A little bit, but not much. Because if you look at
most of the second entity qualifications that are done, they are
locally licensed contractors. I mean, today it was a tile and
marble and a painting, so --
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, any other items for discussion?
Any other issues?
MR. DICKSON: I would. We had three things left out of our
packet today that I've heard in this meeting, and one gentleman
has come back and I think he's carrying in a credit report. I think
we should hear him.
Page 36
June 21,2000
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I don't have a problem doing that. We
already have approved it based on Mr. Nonnenmacher's review.
We can look at it if you want to, but I don't see a reason to reopen
the case.
MR. DICKSON: I would just as soon -- I would move that we
go ahead and look at it just to -- in case there's anything there.
MS. WHITE: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, Mr. Neale, you got any questions?
MR. NEAL. E: No, I think that's fine. Go right ahead.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: For the record, Mr. Dampier is handing
the chairman a credit report.
Mr. Dickson, would you like to review that quickly?
Any other items of discussion while we're reviewing this?
MR. NEAL. E: The only item that I remember from the past
meetings that we had discussed was getting an ordinance
revision process moving forward. And I wanted to know if that is
the pleasure of the board. And I know there had been some items
brought up by staff and so forth, if the board wants to start this
process.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I would very much love to start the
workshop.
MR. NEALE: Okay. Maybe -- would you like a workshop
scheduled at the next meeting in July?
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yeah, that wouldn't be a problem, unless
our agenda would prohibit it with its additional length. If we don't
have a large agenda next month, perhaps we could do at least a
review of some of the recommended or suggested amendments by
the staff.
MR. NEALE: Since Mr. Zachary and I are getting together
anyhow, we'll kick it around some, too. CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay.
MR. DICKSON: Mr. Chairman, looking over Mr. Robert
Dampier's credit report, and which, by the way, this is an original
that he handed me, so I don't have any question on its
authenticity. There's what one, two, three, four legal pages of
credit reporting on here, and there are four -- I should say only four
past due payments, and all of those were MasterCard, Visa and
Discover Card, and which he went -- he was late, 30 days late.
I've had more than that.
So based on the credit report and based on our previous
Page 37
June 21,2000
motion for approval, I now approve that the board go ahead and
grant him a second entity. And anyone can look at this, if they
want.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Anybody else want to review this? Would
it be appropriate to make a motion?
MR. DICKSON: I did make a motion.
MR. LAIRD: He did, and I second the motion, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: I have a motion and a second. Any other
discussion?
All in favor?
Opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Mr. Nonnenmacher, you're off the hook.
Thank you, Mr. Dampier. Very much appreciate you going out
of your way and bringing it to us.
MR. DAMPIER: Oh, I need the license.
MR. NONNENMACHER: You will not be able to pick that
license up until tomorrow.
MR. DAMPIER: That's fine. I got the subs planned for next
week, that's why.
MR. LAIRD: I think Mr. Nonnenmacher--
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thanks again, sir.
MR. ZACHARY: Can I suggest that he make a copy of that
and bring it with him tomorrow so they can get in in the record.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Yes, you're going to have to bring a
copy. Apparently we have misplaced our copy. MR. DAMPIER: Okay.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: You need to find out perhaps where that
might be hidden.
MR. NONNENMACHER: The file.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: The file.
MR. DAMPIER: Okay, I'll bring the file.
MR. NEALE: It's that round file with the plastic liner in it.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Thank you, sir.
MR. DAMPIER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, any items of discussion?
Our next meeting at this point, Mr. Nonnenmacher, does it
look like we're going to have a meeting on July 19th?
MR. NONNENMACHER: So far it does. Yeah, I know we have
one second entity coming up that I couldn't get his paperwork in
Page 38
June 21, 2000
on time.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Okay, does anybody know now that
they're not going to be here on the 19th?
Okay, so our next meeting is July 19th, same place, same
time. I need a motion for adjournment.
MR. JOSLIN: So moved.
MS. PAHL: Second.
CHAIRMAN HAYES: All in favor?.
(Unanimous vote of ayes.}
CHAIRMAN HAYES: Very well. Done.
There being no further business for the good of the County,
the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 10:30 a.m.
CONTRACTORS' LICENSING BOARD
GARY HAYES, CHAIRMAN
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC., BY CHERIE' R. LEONE, RPR
Page 39