Charlotte County licensing board approves minutes, hears reports on licensing and permits

The Charlotte County Construction Industry Licensing Board met on May 6, 2025, approved routine minutes and consent fines, received updates from its licensing manager and the county building department, and adjourned.

The board voted to approve the minutes for the Feb. 6, 2025 hearing after a motion and second; the chair called the motion passed following an 'aye' vote (individual tallies were not specified at the meeting). The board also approved consent affidavits of noncompliance fines on a separate motion, which likewise passed by voice vote.

The licensing manager reported steady licensing activity and introduced a new licensing officer, Darrell Dillo, who has been working in the field. "We've had about a 100 proactive contacts out in the field," the licensing manager said, adding that staff handled roughly "50" front-desk contacts, "about 205" phone calls, issued "12 citations" in recent months, and opened "11 contractor licensing cases," two of which were closed for lack of evidence. The manager said staff will review and investigate advertising flyers that lack license numbers or proof of insurance when members or the public turn them over to the office.

Board members flagged mailers and advertisements that advertise handyman, electrical and plumbing services without a license number or insurance information as a consumer-protection concern and urged residents to report such materials. The licensing manager said staff will cross-check any flyers received and make phone inquiries to identify potential unlicensed activity.

Sean McNulty of community development told the board that permitting activity has picked up following recent storms. "We actually issued 236 single family homes, 49 in Babcock," McNulty said, and reported total permits for March as "3,345" as stated at the meeting. He said the department is coordinating with code enforcement on special magistrate hearings relating to unsafe structures after hurricane damage.

When asked whether a homeowner can dispute a county finding that a structure is substantially damaged, McNulty said the homeowner can use the permit process and submit a "50% packet" that details repair costs to demonstrate that repairs would not exceed 50% of the structure's replacement cost — the threshold the county uses to distinguish repair from demolition.

Jean, the assistant county attorney, told the board this was her last meeting and introduced David Muscoso, who was present and will take over counsel for the board going forward. Mr. Bernsen, the board attorney, thanked Jean for her service.

The board adjourned after a motion by Mike Milton and a second; the chair closed the meeting and confirmed the next scheduled meeting for June 5, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the same quarters. The meeting record does not specify individual vote tallies for the motions taken.