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Evansville board approves a dozen contractor licenses, flags multiple suspended licenses and staffing needs
Summary
The Board of Examiners of Construction and Roofing approved the majority of license applications presented, left one application pending for missing notarized recommendation, and discussed multiple open criminal cases and suspended licenses. Staff said a new permit clerk has likely been hired pending background checks.
The Board of Examiners of Construction and Roofing in Evansville approved most license applications presented at its meeting and discussed ongoing enforcement challenges after a string of contractor criminal cases.
At a meeting that opened with an attendance call, board members approved license applications for 11 candidates and left one application pending because it lacked a required notarized recommendation. Board members also voted to approve the minutes from the previous meeting and adjourned after concluding business.
The approvals included applications for residential and commercial building licenses, roofing, excavation and fire-sprinkler contractors. Each approved applicant had three letters of recommendation on file that the board noted were notarized. The board placed the application for Scott Horner (commercial building) on hold because Horner’s file lacked a third notarized recommendation and the application was described as “pending.”
Board members discussed enforcement activity affecting license holders. Members said the office has several open criminal cases involving contractors; one person recently pleaded guilty and will be ineligible for licensure, and the board has suspended several licenses while cases proceed. Board member remarks described “five or six” active cases and a pattern of cases being delayed in the court system. The board said license suspensions remain in place “until we get the outcome of these cases.”
Staff also told the board that the building commission is replacing its permit clerk. Board members said a candidate has likely been selected and the hire would be finalized after customary background checks and drug testing; staff estimated the new clerk could start in a few weeks. The board discussed limits on what staff can tell homeowners about specific contractors’ histories, noting the office can report open cases but cannot recommend specific firms.
Board members repeatedly raised the need for more staff and better notification tools so the public can check license status online or by phone. One member urged sending a staff inspector into the field more often to help resolve complaints faster.
Votes at a glance — approvals and outcomes: Kyle Sturchi (residential building): approved; Joseph D. Cordell (commercial building): approved; Juan Camacho (unlimited roofing): approved; Jesus A. Ramirez-Lopez (residential and commercial building): approved; Jeremy Bugg (excavation contractor): approved; David S. McCauley: approved; Wayne W. Cooper Jr. (fire sprinkler and alarm): approved; Jim Nichols (unlimited roofing): approved; Roy M. W. Schaefer (unlimited utility, commercial and residential): approved; Scott Horner (commercial building): pending (missing notarized recommendation); Scott M. Beard (residential and commercial building): approved; Leo Post (commercial building): approved. The board also approved the minutes from the prior meeting and motioned to adjourn.
The board did not reference any specific state statute or ordinance by citation during the meeting; members referred generally to licensure rules and internal procedures. Several members said suspensions and prosecutions are proceeding through the criminal-justice system and that the board’s enforcement options are constrained while charges are pending.
The meeting closed after a roll-call–style approval of the final motion to adjourn.
