§ 8-55. Contractors review board.

(a)

The board of county commissioners hereby establishes a contractors review board to assist in the proper administration of this article. The contractors review board shall consist of seven members who have been residents of the county for at least two years before the date of their appointment by the county commission. The members shall serve without compensation. The members of the contractors review board shall include:

(1)

A licensed general, building, or residential contractor.

(2)

A licensed roofing contractor.

(3)

A licensed electrical contractor.

(4)

A licensed plumbing contractor.

(5)

A licensed mechanical or air conditioning contractor.

(6)

Two consumer representatives.

(b)

In the event it is not possible to obtain a member in one of the licensed categories listed in subsections (a)(1) through (a)(6) of this section, any other class I license holder may serve as a substitute, provided there are no duplicated license holders on the board. The term of office of each member shall be for four years but the board of county commissioners may remove any member at any time. Contractor members must remain authorized or certified contractors, active or inactive, throughout their term. Members appointed to fill vacancies caused by death, resignation, or removal shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of their predecessors.

(c)

Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting and a majority vote of those present shall be required to make any decision, except where a two-thirds majority is specified herein.

(d)

The contractors review board shall elect a chair and a vice-chair as necessary from among its members. Election of the officers shall be conducted annually in September, with new officers taking charge in October.

(e)

The contractors review board shall hold monthly meetings. Each meeting shall be called to order by the chair or, in his absence, by the vice-chair or senior service member.

(f)

The contractors review board shall have the authority to make such bylaws, rules and regulations governing its body, as it may deem necessary, provided, that the same do not conflict with other regulations of the county or the constitution and laws of the United States or the state.

(g)

The contractors review board shall review and approve or deny applications and licenses for persons desiring to obtain an authorized contractor's license within the county and address all other meeting agenda items as prepared by the licensing administrator.

(h)

The contractors review board shall have the power and authority to discipline authorized or certified contractors as provided in section 8-98 of this article.

(i)

When an authorized contractors license has been suspended or revoked by the contractors review board, the licensing administrator shall notify the tax collector's office of the county in writing, and the tax collector shall likewise take similar action to revoke or suspend any occupational or business license dependent upon a valid contractor's license.

(j)

Causes for board disciplinary action shall include, but not be limited to:

(1)

Failure to correct any violation of state building, health, land development, fire or life safety codes as adopted by the county ordinances upon notification of such violation in writing via certified letter by the county building official or his designee;

(2)

Failure to timely comply with any order of the county contractors review board;

(3)

Failure to comply with, or any violation of, the provisions of this article or prohibited activities contained in section 8-57;

(4)

Aiding and abetting unlicensed contracting activities;

(5)

Aiding and abetting or participating in a permitable scope of work without a permit;

(6)

Exceeding the scope of licensure;

(7)

Knowingly occupying or permitting occupancy of any structure, or part thereof, prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy/completion. A contractor shall not be deemed to have violated this section if the contractor notifies the department of an act outside of the contractors control, e.g. a customer occupies the premises against the advice/approval of the contractor; or

(8)

Failure to comply with applicable rules and regulations or laws pertaining to workers compensation insurance requirements.

(k)

For certified contractors, the contractors review board shall serve as the public hearing board required in F.S. ch. 489 to deny or limit future permitting privileges or to impose other disciplinary actions authorized by state law. Notification of and information concerning such permit denial shall be submitted to the state department of business and professional regulations within 15 days of the local construction industry licensing boards action, in accordance with F.S. ch. 489.

(l)

Under interlocal agreements between the county and one or more municipalities in the county, the contractors review board may also examine and allow testing of applicants for an authorized contractors licenses, and issue such a license for contracting in the cooperating jurisdiction and take disciplinary action against the license as provided for in this article for actions that take place within the cooperating jurisdiction.

(m)

The board may assess an administrative fee in an amount determined by the board of county commissioners for all disciplinary hearings, regardless of the outcome of such hearings.

(Ord. No. 2004-13, § 4, 6-8-2004; Ord. No. 2018-5 , § 1(attch.), 5-8-2018)