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State Rep. Larry Ahern brings back controversial bill to fix Pinellas construction licensing board

 
Rep. Larry Ahern, R- Seminole, brought proposed legislation back to life that would help reform the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board. But that's news to the Pinellas County Commission and the agency's interim director. Ahern, a longtime pool contractor, had also said he would wait until the completion of a grand jury investigation before reforming the agency. [SCOTT KEELER   |   Tampa Bay Times
Rep. Larry Ahern, R- Seminole, brought proposed legislation back to life that would help reform the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board. But that's news to the Pinellas County Commission and the agency's interim director. Ahern, a longtime pool contractor, had also said he would wait until the completion of a grand jury investigation before reforming the agency. [SCOTT KEELER | Tampa Bay Times
Published April 27, 2017

Legislation aimed at reforming the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board that died last month has suddenly been resurrected.

State Rep. Larry Ahern, R-Seminole, has brought the bill back to life as the Florida legislative session winds down. That came as a surprise to the Pinellas County Commission, which wants far stronger reforms, and the agency's interim director, Gay Lancaster, who was appointed to clean up the agency's operations.

Lancaster said she has not heard from Ahern –– a pool contractor –– or any other member of the Pinellas legislative delegation about the bill.

"We would welcome the opportunity to have that conversation," said Lancaster, a former county administrator.

One of the reforms in Ahern's bill would be to appoint a county commissioner to the agency's governing board. But that's not good enough for the commission. They believe the best way to reform the agency is to place it under county control.

SPECIAL REPORT: Pinellas licensing board leader Rodney Fischer described as a 'bully' and 'suspicious' in clashes with employees and county officials

That's because under state law, the board reports to no one save its own governing board.

"That's an ineffective approach," County Commissioner Ken Welch said about Ahern's latest bill. "I don't have faith in that proposal."

The first version of Ahern's bill came under scrutiny in March because former licensing board executive director Rodney Fischer helped shape it.

That was before Fischer left the agency on Jan. 31 after the Tampa Bay Times reported about issues with how he managed the agency, treated customers and disciplined contractors. The agency is now being investigated by a grand jury.

SPECIAL REPORT: Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board plays fast and loose with disciplinary process

Last month, Ahern said it was unlikely that the Pinellas legislative delegation would propose any reforms until the grand jury inquiry is done. Why did he change course? Ahern did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Ahern's original bill was supposed to make nominating members to the agency's governing board more transparent. That's because of a controversy that erupted in November over who was being nominated to serve on the board and who was doing the nominating.

That month, the Times reported that eight people nominated for two spots on the board did not know their names had been submitted until a reporter contacted them.

Two of the names Fischer submitted had also served for decades as the licensing board's chairman and vice chairman, Paul Skipper and Tom Tafelski. For decades, trade associations submitted names of candidates to serve on the agency's governing board to the Pinellas County Commission.

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Commissioners accused Fischer of submitting fake nominations to stock the 21-member board with his preferred candidates. He denied the allegations, but the county commission refused to vote on any of Fischer's nominations.

The latest version of Ahern's bill appears to strip out Fischer's changes. But there is a new provision that raises more questions about the nominating process.

Ahern's bill calls for the Alliance of Florida Contractors in Clearwater or a pool association to pick one board member. In 2015, the Alliance of Florida Contractors nominated window contractor Steve Gleaton to serve on the licensing board, according to county email records.

The nominating letter was signed by the association's president, Tom Tafelski. There are several issues with that nomination:

First, Tafelski was already the licensing board's vice chair when he nominated Gleaton. In fact, a June 2015 email showed that Tafelski told the agency he wanted Gleaton on the board.

Three months later, the official nomination was made through Tafelski's letter from the Alliance of Florida Contractors.

Second, Florida corporate records show Tafelski and Gleaton are business partners at the Florida Alliance for Construction Education, whose address is listed on Cleveland Street in Clearwater. So not only did Tafelski help pick his fellow board members, but he selected his business partner.

Third, the Times could not find any state records that shows the "Alliance of Florida Contractors" is an actual trade association. The website and email address listed on the nominating letter do not currently work. The alliance's address on Cleveland Street and phone number actually belong to Douglas Manufacturing, a window and door company.

"We don't do anything with them," Douglas Manufacturing employee Heather Greve told the Times last week. "It's Tom Tafelski. He asked to use our mailing address and telephone number. Tom is the only person who can talk about that."

Tafelski and Gleaton did not respond to requests for comment.