Charlotte County licensing board backs staff recommendations to suspend or revoke permitting privileges for multiple contractors

The Charlotte County Construction Industry Licensing Board voted Aug. 7 to accept staff recommendations to suspend or revoke local permitting privileges for multiple contractors who failed to renew or close building permits, and to forward those cases to the state regulator for potential further discipline.

Assistant county attorney Mus Moscoso framed the board's authority at the start of the hearing, saying, "jurisdiction over certified construction contractors rests primarily with the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board." He added that local boards have narrow powers — for example, to deny or limit a certified contractor's ability to obtain local building permits only if a local finding shows fraud or a willful building-code violation.

The board followed licensing staff recommendations in a series of disciplinary cases presented by contractor-licensing investigators and compliance officers. Tom Atkinson, presenting multiple cases, described repeated failures to complete and close permits and recommended that the county revoke local permitting privileges and forward the files to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the appropriate state licensing board. "He's got six months to get that permit closed... Today, we're at the end of that process... You're not gonna pull any more permits," Atkinson said of the local enforcement step intended to push compliance.

Cases the board acted on included matters involving contractors doing business as Bridal Development Corporation (license CGC1509635), Danto Electric Inc. (EC13007391), J. Patrick Construction Inc. (CBC1259426), Hastings Roofing Services Inc. (CCC1330946), and James Jankowski Enterprises Inc. (CBC1264369). In each matter, staff reported open or expired permits and recommended local revocation of permitting privileges; the board closed the public portions of those hearings and voted to accept staff recommendations. In several cases the contractors were not present at the hearing.

In a separate case alleging financial mismanagement, investigator Ken Garcia told the board that Envision Real Estate Investments, LLC and its qualifying contractor had received a 16% down payment — $30,000 — and had not performed contracted work. Garcia said the licensing division recommended suspending permitting privileges and formally asking DBPR for disciplinary review and an order of restitution in the amount of $30,000 to the affected customer. Board members also noted that the Charlotte County Sheriff's Department had been involved and that an arrest had occurred in connection with that matter.

Board members discussed whether the local board could set strict time limits for compliance rather than relying on the statutorily described "timely manner" language that staff typically uses; the attorney and staff explained that local action can restrict permit privileges but that ultimate licensing discipline on state-certified licenses rests with the state agency.

Sean McNulty of Community Development delivered the licensing manager's report, saying staff completed 74 site visits, issued 16 citations and handled 42 counter customers in the reporting period. McNulty said single-family building permits were slightly down month-to-month (159 in July, 163 in June) and that total permit activity for July was roughly 2,835, down from about 3,600 earlier in the year.

The board closed the meeting after handling dismissals, routine business and the licensing report. The next meeting was announced for Oct. 2, 2025, at 4 p.m.

The board's actions were primarily procedural local enforcement steps — revoking the right to obtain local permits — and staff consistently recommended forwarding each file to DBPR or the relevant Florida licensing board for consideration of state-level discipline and, where appropriate, restitution. The board's orders will be included in the investigative files sent to DBPR for any further action.