Escambia County board finds probable cause in complaint against LM Construction qualifier Saul Spade; case referred to disciplinary hearing

The Escambia County Contractor Competency Board on Jan. 1 voted to find probable cause that LM Construction and Roofing LLC violated county code after a staff investigation and testimony by the complainant, Melissa Shea.

The board’s investigator, Melissa Reber, told members staff received Complaint No. 250876COM on Aug. 1, 2025, arising from work at 7170 Klondike Road, a fire-damaged property the complainants planned to convert into eight apartments. Reber said a stop-work order was issued April 3, 2025, after County Fire Safety reported roof and truss replacement work being done without approved plans or permits and inspections. Reber described supporting files in the agenda, including photos, permit history and evidence of payments.

Shea said she and her husband paid multiple wired draws to the contractor. "We did give him multiple draws," Shea said, adding that the work was left incomplete and the unresolved violations had attached to other properties she owns and prevented refinancing. In the record, Shea told the board an initial wire of $40,000 was sent on Feb. 6, 2025, followed by $45,000 in March 2025 and an additional $40,000 on April 22, 2025 after a stop-work order had been issued.

Counsel for LM Construction, John Trawick, disputed making this a purely contractor-versus-owner civil dispute and provided operating agreements and deeds to the board. Trawick said the ownership and business relationships among the parties were complex and that some aspects likely belong in a civil courtroom. Logan Martin, who appeared as an owner/operator connected with LM Construction, testified about project funding, permitting steps and on-the-ground work done before the stop-work order.

After discussion focused on permitting—county staff and counsel emphasized this board’s jurisdiction is limited to local permitting privileges—the board voted on probable-cause motions. Members found probable cause on three counts spelled out in Escambia County Code: 18-37(c)(11) (fraud/deceit/gross negligence/ misconduct), 18-37(c)(8) (project abandonment after 90 days) and 18-37(d)(15) (work finished without required permits or late permitting that results in missed inspections). Motions to forward the matter to a disciplinary hearing were made, seconded and approved.

The board noted the license qualifier, Saul Spade, was not present for the hearing; staff reminded members that local action would affect permitting privileges and that any state-level license action would be handled by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation or the Construction Industry Licensing Board. The record indicates staff moved supporting exhibits into evidence and the board will schedule a disciplinary hearing to determine penalties or further action.

The board’s action was procedural: finding probable cause and referring the case for a formal disciplinary hearing; no county permit suspensions or fines were adjudicated at this meeting.