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Item U07 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: May 21, 2003 Division: County Attorney AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval to advertise an ordinance amending Sec. 6-90, MCC, Powers and Duties of the Contractors Examining Board, in order to enhance fines for aiding afld abetting unlicensed activities and amending the assessment of administrative fees. ITEM BACKGROUND This clarifies authority of CEB to fine property owners and locally licensed contractors for aiding and abetting unlicensed work. It also allows high fines for repeat violations to act as a deterrent. Many repeat violators have exhibited an attitude that since consequences are negligible, there is no incentive to abide by the law. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION CONTRACT I AGREEMENT CHANGES N/A STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS Approval to advertise for ONE public hearing for June 18, 2003 in Marathon. TOTAL COST COST TO COUNTY BUDGETED Yes No SOURCE OF FUNDS APPROVED BY: County Attorney - OMB/Purchasing 0 Risk Management 0 DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:~~ J . COL S DOCUMENTATION: Included 0 To Follow 0 Not Required 0 AGENDA ITEM # U;7 Contractors Examining Board ORDINANCE NO. - 2003 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SEC. 6-90, MONROE COUNTY CODE, POWERS AND DUTIES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPOSITION OF ENHANCED FINES FOR AIDING AND ABETTING UNLICENSED ACTIVITIES, AMENDING THE ASSESSMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND RENUMBERING 01; SUBSECTIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the Contractors Examining Board for Monroe County has observed that there are numerous violations ongoing and being repeated of aiding and abetting unlicensed activities; and WHEREAS, it is desired to enhance the penalties for such activities to deter construction by unlicensed contractors, unlicensed contractors who are not appropriately insured and may be performing unpermitted and unsafe work; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to clarify provisions regarding the imposition of administrative fines; now, therefore BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Section 1. Section 6-90(b)(2)(g), Fine Schedule, is hereby renumbered to 6-90(c) and amended as follows: 6-90( c) The applicable civil penalty if the person elects not to contest the citation, which penalty shall be pursuant to the following schedules: Fine Schedule: First Violation Second (Repeat) Violation Third & Subsequent (Repeat) Violation Unlicensed Activity Aidina and Abettina All Other Violations $500 $500 $150 $1000 & Referral $1000 $250 $1000 & Referral $1000 $500 Repeat violations of unlicensed activity shall be referred to the state's attorney for criminal prosecution. All ~ddition~1 rcpc~t violations subsequent to the third violation shall be heard by the Contractors Examining Board under the disciplinary hearing provisions of this article. A repeat violation is any violation on which a fine has been issued or disciplinary action has been taken where the Sumc contr~ctor person had previously had disciplinary action taken against him or received a letter of reprimand in a prior case; and said definition is to apply (i) regardless of the chronological relationship of the acts underlying the various disciplinary actions, and (ii) regardless of whether the violations in the present and prior disciplinary actions are of the same or different provisions of this chapter. The fine shall be paid to the clerk for the county commission. An administrative fee for costs incurred sAa# may be assessed in the amount of the greater of ten (10) percent of the fine or one hundred dollars ($100.00). Monies collected pursuant to this section shall be used to support administrative costs and future enforcement activities against unlicensed contractors. Section 2. Section 6-90(b)(6), is hereby amended as follows: 6-90(e) The Contractors Examining Board may impose an administrative fine. oursuant to the provisions of Sec. 6-68(d)(5) or this section for any violations of this chapter by the Contractors Examining Board and in the amounts stated in the Fine Schedule in this section for the ~cts prohibited in p~rilgraph (1) ~lAd (2) upon a finding of violation when a citation is contested. Pursuant to this paragraph, the board shall conduct a probable cause hearing as to the alleged violation. Upon a finding that probable cause to believe such violation has occurred, the board shall deny the appeal and impose a civil penalty in an amount no less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and no more than the amount of fine possible under this chaoter design~tcd in thc ~bo'lc schcdule and may assess costs of the proceedings, including but not limited to costs of personnel, equipment and supplies necessary to process the appeal, not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) in addition to the civil penalty imposed pursuant to paragraph ~. (c) of this section or section 6-68(5) or the reduced amount pursuant to this paragraph, if the board has found mitigating circumstances exist. . Section 3. Additional renumbering of Section 6-90 shall be as follows: Sec. 6-90(b)(5) shall be 6-90(d) Sec. 6-90(b)(6) shall be 6-90(e) Sec. 6-90(b )(7) shall be 6-90(f) Sec. 6-90(b)(8) shall be 6-90(g) Sec. 6-90(b)(9) shall be 6-90(h) Sec. 6-90(b)(10) shall be 6-90(i) Section 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or prOVISion of this ordinance is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected by such invalidity . Section 5. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict. Section 6. The provisions of this ordinance shall be included and incorporated in the Code of Ordinances of the County of Monroe, Florida, as an addition or amendment thereto, and shall be appropriately renumbered to conform to the uniform numbering system of the Code. Section 7. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon receipt of official notice from the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida that this ordinance has been filed with said Office. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioner:s of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the day of " 2003 Mayor Spehar Mayor Pro Tern Nelson Commissioner McCoy Commissioner Neugent Commissioner Rice (SEAL) Attest: DANNY L.KOLHAGE, Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By By Deputy Clerk Mayor/Chairperson JdordCEBpower APPROVED AS 10 FORt AND LEGAL SUFF BY. ZAN~i.~. HunON DP- 5J'IroJ