PLUMBERS’ LICENSING BOARD
Meeting No. 313 October 18, 2006
A meeting of the Plumbers’ Licensing Board was held on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.
Present were:
Chair Tedd Evans
Other Board Members: Vice Chair John Pendleton, James Varotsis and David Rieth
Staff: Chief Inspector Nancy Allen, Inspectors Roy Pender, Scott Allen and Randy Sherman
Others Present: Dianne Swain, representing PMC.
Approval of
Minutes:
A motion was made by Board Member Varotsis, seconded by Board Member Rieth and unanimously voted to approve the minutes as written.
Chief Inspector’s
Report:
Chief Inspector Allen submitted her monthly report to the Board for review. First, the examination results were reviewed with particular attention to the pass/fail rate. It was reported there are no plea agreements to be reviewed or court action initiated by the inspection staff this month. A code review meeting is being held October 26, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. at the Plumbing Board Conference Room.
The Chief Inspector reported that UNH has installed waterless urinals that are not according to the New Hampshire Plumbing Code. The urinals have been installed at 31 ½ inches high; the normal height is between 17” and 24”; ADA requires the installation to be 17” high. Recently there have been issues with the Dining Service Director. He does not want any inspections performed by outside individuals, which include the New Hampshire State Plumbing Inspector. This division at UNH has a master plumber on staff and this individual performs the inspections. Inspector Pender reported that the matter has been resolved and inspections will be conducted on a regular basis.
Administrative
Report:
The Chair inquired about the budget process and Mrs. Tear reported that initial round has been completed. The next step will occur when the Governor’s budget has been filed. Once that has been completed, the agencies will be called to testify before house and senate committees and if the Governor has not funded a specific request, the agency will have opportunities to present their case for an item to be included in the budget. The hearings will begin in January and culminate when the budget is signed by the Governor prior to June 30, 2007.
Page Two
Meeting No. 313
October 18, 2006
Building Code Review
Board:
Chair Tedd Evans reported that the State Building Code Review Board met Friday, October 13, 2006 and held a public hearing to adopt the 2006 International Residential Code. There were no objections to the proposed adoption. There was a committee formed to study the definition of potable water. Left up to the local community enforcement, water testing standards are not consistent in the State of New Hampshire. Board Member Pendleton said there are only six communities that require a broad range of testing water.
Chair Evans consulted the State Building Code Review Board about the omission of enforcement with regard to the Plumbing Board’s ability to initiate court action against unlicensed plumbers doing work in the State of New Hampshire. The Chair of the Building Code Review Board, Senator Clegg, suggested that we contact our Board Council to assist the Plumbers’ Board with the drafting of an emergency rule.
Administrative
Rules:
Chair Evans reviewed the draft of proposed Chapter 300 and the Board approved the draft. The Board instructed the Chair and the Chief Inspector contact Attorney Trudy Mott-Smith and proceed with the necessary steps to file the rules. The Board was requested to review Chapter 400 and prepare to discuss them at the next meeting.
Non-Public:
A motion was made by Board Member Varotsis and unanimously voted to go into a non-public session to discuss pending applications for licensure.
Chair Evans - yes
Vice Chair Pendleton - yes
Board Member Varotsis - yes
Board Member Rieth - yes
A motion was made by Board Member Rieth and unanimously voted to come out of the non-public session. It is noted that no votes were taken at the session.
Chair Evans - yes
Vice Chair Pendleton - yes
Board Member Varotsis - yes
Board Member Rieth - yes
Meeting No. 313
October 18, 2006
Chief Inspector Allen and Chair Evans discussed with the Board the proposed seminar packet for 2007. Chair Evans had minor corrections that needed to be addressed in the packet and the Chief Inspector was instructed to proceed with the seminar as proposed.
Correspondence:
A letter, forwarded to the Board prior to the meeting, addressed the concerns of the board and inspectors with respect to licensed plumbers performing work in modular homes. Now all modular homes are third party approved. This process was closely monitored by the Fire Marshal’s Office and the position became vacant and never filled. There has been conversation about having the inspection position under the State Code Review Board but this Board does not want to become a regulatory Board. It has been reported that the third party inspector deputizes an employee of the modular home company and that individual issues the sticker that indicates the home meets code requires. According to information from the modular home industry, the product must comply with the 2006 International Residential Code.
Board Member Varotsis suggested that the Board contact our attorney at the Attorney General’s office for direction, specifically if the Plumbers’ Licensing Board has the authority to inspect and require a licensed New Hampshire Plumber to perform plumbing installations.
Chair Evans reported that the modular home association is scheduled to make a presentation to the State Code Review Board about the inspection process.
Old
Business:
Chief Evans reported that a letter has been sent to the Commissioner of Labor inviting the members of the State Apprentice Council to the November 15, 2006 meeting to discuss the apprenticeship program and ways to more effectively process the applications.
New
Business:
None to report this month.
Page Four
Meeting No. 313
October 18, 2006
A motion was made by Board Member Rieth and seconded by Board Member Varotsis to adjourn the meeting.
IMPORTANT
DATES: