COUNCIL ADOPTS TRADES-LICENSING LAW

The Cape Girardeau City Council Monday agreed to end a five-month debate on construction contractor regulations and approved a scaled-down version of a trades-licensing law that members called far from perfect.

"I'm not happy with it; we've compromised it," said Councilman Al Spradling III. "I'd like to see full licensing requirements for all contractors such as we have for plumbers and gasfitters, and we should move toward that."

But Spradling said the general registration requirements of the licensing law will give the public a greater degree of safety from unqualified contractors, who now will be more accountable to city inspectors.

"It gives the city the opportunity to enforce a policy we haven't been able to enforce in the past," he said.

Councilman David Barklage agreed that the licensing law wasn't perfect, but said it was a good start that provides a "safeguard" to allow the city to remove licenses from unscrupulous contractors.

He said the law would give the city a "hammer to use on fly-by-nighters who would take advantage of the community."

John Boos, a local contractor, said he considered the law a matter of contractors paying for a license that did little for them or the public. He said the $35 licensing fee was too high, particularly for people like himself who would need licenses for more than one trade. Boos also questioned how the city would enforce the law.

"Who's going to catch all these renegade contractors and electricians?" he asked. "Are city police going to catch every guy with a two-by-four sticking out of his pickup truck? Are the police going to stake out the hardware store and catch every guy walking out with a role of wire and ask him what he's going to do with it?"

Boos said the ordinance could only be enforced when contractors applied for building permits at city hall. He said contractors already are sufficiently regulated by the permit process.

"Doesn't this law just create another bureaucracy that's already there, and the $35 just feed that bureaucracy?" asked Boos.

But council member Mary Wulfers said she didn't think the ordinance went far enough to regulate contractors.

"I'm not happy with this ordinance," she said. "My whole perspective on this issue has been on a safety aspect. My whole problem with this ordinance is that it's too watered down. I'll vote for it because I'm looking at it simply as a starting point."

Construction contractor Tom Mogelnicki said he thought insurance requirements that were removed from the ordinance after many contractors raised objections should be included.

"You just can't protect the public without insurance," he said. "If we're spending thousands of dollars a month with city inspectors and codes, we need to go all the way and require insurance."

Ron Scheper, a local plumber, said he also favored more stringent licensing requirements. He said he thought $35 was a "reasonable, nominal fee."

But Councilman David Limbaugh said he thought the fee was arbitrary and could be a hardship for some "handyman" contractors who don't do a large volume of work each year.

Limbaugh said he didn't think the fee would bring in enough revenue to significantly offset planning and inspection costs to justify hurting a few contractors. He made a motion that the fee be amended to $15.

The amendment failed, with only Councilman Doug Richards voting with Limbaugh.

Councilman Hugh White said he thought the subject had been thoroughly researched by the city staff and council, and that the ordinance was a good compromise.

"I think we've had sufficient data to make a reasonable decision on the issue," White said. "I support the ordinance, and I can't see any negative impact it should have on building trades.

"Whether you think this is the case or not, the people up here really do want to protect the community. That's what we're trying to achieve, and this won't get there completely, but it's certainly a good start."

The law requires licensing of all contractors who perform any work that is regulated by city building codes and requires a building permit. Plumbers and gasfitters already are regulated by testing and experience requirements.