HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05.18.2022
Contractor Licensing Board Minutes – Draft
May 18, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. St. Lucie County Administration Board of County Commissioners
Commission Chambers
PRESENT ABSENT STAFF PRESENT Contractor Licensing Supervisor…………………………………………………… Danielle Williams Building Official………..……………………………………………….……………. Doug Harvey Assistant County Attorney………………………………………………………….. Katherine Barbieri Code Compliance Manager……………………………………………………….. Monica Graziani Contractor Licensing Investigator………………………………………………… Mike Cicio Board Recorder……………………………………………………………………... Roxann Johnson A. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. B. ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS:
The roll was called. Board member Adam Sampson was excused. C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 28, 2022 Contractor Examining Licensing Board Special Meeting. Motion was made by Mr. Langel or to approve the Minutes of the February 28, 2022 meeting. Mrs. Taylor seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. D. SWEARING IN OF STAFF: The following staff members were sworn in by the Recording Secretary: Danielle Williams, Douglas Harvey, and Mike Cicio. E. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. F. APPLICATIONS TO BE APPROVED BY CONSENT VOTE: Motion was made by Mr. DiFrancesco to approve the applicants recommended by Consent vote. Mr. Langel seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The names were read into the record:
Chairman.…………………………..................................................................... Travis Leonard
Vice Chairman………………………………………………………………………. Tony Jerger
Secretary…………………………………………………………………………… Michael DiFrancesco
………………………………………………………………………………………… Chris Langel
……………………...………………………………………………………………… Michael Pride
………………...……………………………………………………………………… Sheila McCarthy-Taylor
…..…………………………………………………………………………………….. Adam Sampson
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Qualifier Business Name Type of Contractor Testing Agency
APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY RECIPROCITY: Motion was made by Mr. DiFrancesco to approve the applicants recommended by Reciprocity vote. Mr. Leonard seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Qualifier Business Name Type of Contractor Matthew E. Gray Stormproof Roofing Inc. Roofing Contractor
APPLICATIONS APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY BASED ON RECIPROCITY FROM THE CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE OR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE: The applicant’s names were read into the record.
THE FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR REVIEW BY THE BOARD:
Chairman Leonard stated we received four (4) applications to be reviewed by the Board. He asked the Board I they had an opportunity to review the application and if they had any questions, deletions or comments. Hearing none he asked Staff to bring the Board up to speed on the applications. 1) Brandon M. Schmidt dba B.K.C Security – Communication and Sound Contractor
Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Schmidt to come up to the podium to speak to the Board and be sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Mr. Brandon M. Schmidt was sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Chairman Leonard welcomed Mr. Schmidt to the meeting. He asked staff to give a brief summary of the item.
Timothy M. Crouch Gutter Professional Inc. Aluminum W/out Concrete Contractor PROV
Michael S. Lynch Treasure Coast Sprinkler Inc. Irrigation Sprinkler PROV
Robinson Hernandez N/A Journeyman Electrician PROV
Christopher Camello N/A Master Electrician (Non- Contractor) PROV
James A. Baldino Sandhill Fence LLC Fence Contractor PROV
Qualifier Business Name Type of Contractor
Brian T. Neu Island Harbor Custom Builders LLC Building Contractor
Juan C. Liberato Jr. JNL Concrete LLC Concrete Contractor
Qualifier Business Name Type of Contractor
Brandon M. Schmidt B.K.C Security Communication and Sound
Layton V. Albury N/A Journeyman Electrician
Roberto L. Resto RM Electric LLC Electrical Contractor
Henry Williams HW Road Construction LLC Paving Contractor
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Officer Williams stated Mr. Schmidt is requesting to be licensed with St Lucie County. He currently has a license with Brevard and Miami Dade County. She stated according to the ordinance he has to provide a letter of experience from a licensed contractor. Officer Williams stated he provided a letter from a gentleman in the State of New Jersey, who is not licensed in the City of New Jersey. She stated that is why he is before the Board today to see if the Board will accept his letter from the gentleman from New Jersey in lieu of a letter of experience from a local or licensed contractor. Chairman Leonard asked if Staff recommends that the Board approve this letter. Officer Williams answered yes. Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Schmidt how long he has been working as a Low Voltage/ Communication and Sound Contractor. Mr. Schmidt answered about sixteen (16) years now. Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Schmidt how long he has been living in Florida. Mr. Schmidt answered five (5) years now. Chairman Leonard asked what type of work he has been doing in the last five years. Mr. Schmidt answered he has been doing a lot of low voltage cabling, cc tv and alarms. He stated mainly low voltage cabling, new store build outs, stuff like that. Mr. Leonard asked Mr. Schmidt if he could not find a contractor in Florida that could write him the letter. Mr. Schmidt stated no. He stated in New Jersey a licensed is not required to do low voltage work. He stated you get a telecommunication exemption, so that is where he is running into a little issue to get the affidavit of experience. He stated Palm Beach County did eventually take the letter and he is also licensed in Miami Dade, and Martin County. Chairman Leonard asked the Board if they had any other questions for Mr. Schmidt. Mr. DiFrancesco asked Mr. Schmidt if he took the exams in Palm Beach. Mr. Schmidt stated yes, in Boca. Mr. DiFrancesco stated he noticed that he received a score of 92% in the Business and Law exam. Mr. Schmidt stated yes, he did better in the Business and Law than the Low Voltage exam. Mr. DiFrancesco made to accept Staff’s recommendation to approve Mr. Brandon Schmidt’s license to work in St. Lucie County. Mr. Langel seconded and the motion carried unanimously. 2) Layton V. Albury – Journeyman Electrician
Chairman Leonard stated up next, we have Layton Albury, Journeyman Electrician. He asked Mr. Albury to come up to the podium and be sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Mr. Layton V. Albury was sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Chairman Leonard welcomed Mr. Albury and thanked him for attending the meeting. Officer Williams stated Mr. Albury is here today to request to be sponsored to take the Journeyman Electrician exam. He works for the City of Port St Lucie and he is unable to provide the letter of experience from a licensed contractor in his field. Officer Williams stated he provided letters of recommendation from the City of Port St Lucie’s Utility Department. She stated Staff’s recommendation is to approve him to take the test. She stated we have done the same thing in the past in 2016 and 2017. She stated the applicant had the same issues that came before you, so we are requesting that you allow him to take the test. Chairman Leonard stated he remembers reading it in the packet that the Board had approved cases like this in the past.
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Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Albury if he likes what he does. Mr. Albury answered he loves what he does. Chairman Leonard asked the Board if they had any questions for Mr. Albury. Mr. Pride made to accept Staff’s recommendation to approve Mr. Layton Albury to be sponsored by St. Lucie County to take the Journeyman Electrician exam. Mr. DiFrancesco seconded and the motion carried unanimously. 3) Roberto Resto dba RM Electric LLC – Electrical Contractor
Chairman Leonard stated up next, we have Mr. Roberto Resto dba RM Electric LLC, Electrical Contractor. He asked Mr. Resto to come up to the podium and be sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Mr. Roberto Resto was sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Chairman Leonard welcomed Mr. Resto and thanked him for attending the meeting. Officer Williams stated Mr. Resto is requesting to receive a Certificate of Competency in St Lucie. She stated he has a license in Polk County. Stated we do require six (6) years of experience from a licensed contractor, but he can only provide us with four (4) years. She stated he does have two (2) years of W2s from a licensed Electrical Contractor, so Staff is requesting that the Board approve Mr. Resto request to be licensed with St Lucie County based on what he has provided to us. Chairman Leonard asked the Board if they had any questions for Mr. Resto. Mr. Pride made to accept Staff’s recommendation to approve Mr. Roberto Resto’s license to work in St. Lucie County. Mr. Langel seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
4) Henry Williams dba HW Road Construction LLC – Paving Contractor
Chairman Leonard stated up next, we have Mr. Henry Williams dba HW Road Construction LLC, Paving Contractor. He asked Mr. Williams or his representative to come up to the podium and be sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Mr. Felipe Rodriguez addressed the Board and stated he is here on behalf of Mr. Williams. He stated he is not Mr. Williams himself. He stated Mr. Williams could not make it to the meeting this morning. Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Rodriguez if he is representing Mr. Williams. Mr. Rodriguez stated yes, he is. Chairman Leonard addressed Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri and asked if it ok accept testimony from a representative. Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri stated Staff is leaving it to Board discretion if the Board wants to hear this even without him here or not. Contractor Licensing Board Attorney, Richard A. Neill addressed the Board and stated another question might be whether you all allow representation by a non-attorney. He stated he takes it that this is the applicant’s request that the Board continue to consider it with his representative present, and he does not see any reason that the Board cannot do it. Contractor Licensing Board Attorney, Richard A. Neill stated it is what he is asking, and his suggestion would be to proceed. Chairman Leonard thanked Mr. Neill his direction. Mr. Felipe Rodriguez, representative for Mr. Henry Williams, 6611 Kansas St., Bradenton, Fl 34207, was sworn in by the Recording Secretary. Chairman Leonard addressed Mr. Rodriguez and stated he just wants to make sure that he is representing Mr. Williams. Mr. Rodriguez stated yes. He stated Mr. Williams asked him to let the Board know that he has interest to making sure that everything is continued and for him to relay back to him the Board’s decision today. Chairman Leonard asked Mr. Rodriguez what his relationship with Mr. Williams is.
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Mr. Rodriguez stated they have had a working relationship for many years. He stated he has been Mr. Williams’ financial advisor. He stated prior to his retirement, he spent twenty (20) years on Wall Street as a Stockbroker/Financial Advisor, so that is how their relationship has developed. Mr. DiFrancesco asked Mr. Rodriguez if there is any reason why Mr. Williams could not get a letter of experience from someone that he worked with in the road division. Mr. Rodriguez stated he has personally tried to get a letter for him, and it has been very hard to get someone from the same industry to write him a letter of recommendation. He stated he though the competition would be a good thing for everybody. He sated he thinks competition would not just be a good thing for the industry, but also the community which they serve because now people would have an option. Mr. Rodriquez asked the Board if Mr. Williams was able to get a letter from someone outside of Florida’s jurisdiction if that would be acceptable. Chairman Leonard stated one of the three (3) letters has to be from a licensed contractor. He stated it does not have to be from someone that is in his field. It could be from a general contractor, a building contractor, or a residential contractor. He stated we received a letter from an electrical contractor; however, if the letter was from one the licensed contractor mentioned earlier, it would have been sufficient, and his application would have been approved. Chairman Leonard stated he is sure Mr. Williams has been working in this County for a very long time, so he should have been able to get a letter from a licensed contractor. He stated this would be his recommendation to Mr. Williams. Mr. Rodriguez stated the contractor does not have to be from this jurisdiction. Chairman Leonard stated it can be from a licensed contractor in the State of Florida to write him the letter. Contractor Licensing Board Attorney, Richard A. Neill stated it would be good to put on record Staff’s recommendation. Officer Williams stated Staff’s recommendation is to deny the application until Mr. Williams is able to provide a letter from either a Building, Residential, General or a Paving Contractor. Chairman Leonard thanked Officer Williams. Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri stated if nothing else, Staff would like Mr. Williams here so the Board could inquire about his knowledge. She stated without him being here, it is impossible to if he has any knowledge in his field. Chairman Leonard thanked Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri. Mr. DiFrancesco stated since Mr. Williams has stated that he has been in business for eight (8) years, he has been in front of the Board a couple of times and Staff has tried to encourage him to get his license, he thinks he should have been able to get a letter from a license contractor. Based on these facts he would like to make a motion. Mr. DiFrancesco made to accept Staff’s recommendation to deny Mr. Henry Williams’ application to be sponsored St. Lucie County to take the Paving Contractor exams. Mr. Langel seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Chairman Davis asked for a roll call vote. Mrs. Taylor – Yes, Mr. DiFrancesco – Yes, Mr. Jerger – Yes, Mr. Langel – Yes, Mr. Leonard – Yes, Mr. Pride – Yes. The motion carried unanimously. Chairman Leonard stated next on the agenda is a Waiver of Right to a Hearing for failure to pay or appeal a citation for Mr. Larry Botkin. G. WAIVER OF RIGHT TO A HEARING FOR FAILURE TO PAY OR APPEAL THE CITATION 1) Larry D. Botkin and/or Vero Fence LLC Officer Williams addressed the Board and stated this case has been removed. He paid the citation.
H. OLD BUSINESS: Chairman Leonard stated for old business the agenda has none. He asked the Board if they had any questions of Staff.
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Mr. DiFrancesco addressed Staff and stated a few meetings ago there was a discussion on rewriting the Ordinance regarding the vacant post of engineer that needs to be filled on the Board. He asked if the Board needs someone in the engineering field or has knowledge of engineering. He asked if Staff has done anything or has found any one to fill the position. Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri stated no, at this point the Board wanted the Ordinance re-worded, but did not seem enthusiastic about it, so Staff has been trying to find an engineer or an architect that is licensed and has been doing some outreach. She stated at this point it has been unsuccessful. Mr. DiFrancesco asked if Staff has not received any good response from any engineers. Assistant County Attorney, Katherine Barbieri stated or architect. She stated Staff is having the same issue with both of those professions, but Staff is trying to do some more outreach on that issue. She stated Staff is reaching out to some of the local affiliations to see if they can assist. Chairman Leonard asked Staff if this item could be placed on the agenda for the next meeting for further discussion. I. NEW BUSINESS: None. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 08:53 a.m. The next Contractor Examining Board Hearing will be held on WEDNESDAY, July 20, 2022, AT 8:30 A.M. Respectfully submitted, ------------------------------------------------ Tony Jerger, Board Secretary Or Travis Leonard, Chairman