Board advances online licensing and WDO reporting: Connect upgrade, town halls planned for October rollout

Board staff told the Oct. 1 meeting that the board’s licensing platform (Connect) has reached an 84% adoption rate for online applications and that a major system update improved performance. Staff reported an anticipated rollout for a new WDO (wood‑destroying organism) reporting system with the first online WDO filings expected on or about Oct. 22. To prepare licensees and firms staff will publish step‑by‑step notices, hold weekly town halls (starting Oct. 7), record sessions for later viewing and train internal staff to support industry inquiries.

Staff asked branch‑3 companies to update email addresses in the existing WDO system to ensure contact information is current for transition notices. Licensing surveys from Jan.–June 2025 showed 92% satisfaction with licensing interactions and staff noted common issues when applicants use phones rather than a computer. The executive officer said staff will monitor the rollout and provide ongoing support.