Board wants reports of contractor fraud

Members of the city of Sarasota’s Board of Rules and Appeals, which was established to hear building department appeals, deal with contractor issues and approve alternative standards for various building codes, are starting to question its very existence.

Board member Ellen Berman said during the Aug. 31 meeting that she’s tired of coming to sessions only to discuss the state’s Sunshine Law procedures.

“We are here because this group is the adjudicator of contractor fraud, but there appears to be none, by the shortness of our meetings,” Berman said.

Berman, however, says she is a victim of contract fraud in the city, and she believes other victims are out there.

“The public doesn’t know how to lodge a complaint or doesn’t lodge a complaint at all because it makes them look bad or foolish,” Berman said.

Berman proposed the board hold a future open house during which residents could learn about the options available to them if they report being victims of contractor fraud.

“Consumers can be welcomed and lodge any type of complaint they have,” Berman said, “and discuss how to remedy the issue with city officials.”

Berman suggested the city advertise the open house to entice people to talk about bad experiences.

“I hate to come here when we have no business and I know this sort of thing is happening out there,” Berman said. “If something can be done to clean up the industry, then I think we can come and do more than just learning about our email and Sunshine Laws. I would like us to be more proactive for the average citizen. If we do our best shot and no one shows up, then at least we tried.”

Board member Michael Epstein and others voiced approval of Berman’s suggestion.

Deputy building official Lawrence Murphy agreed that contractor fraud is not uncommon.

“Contractor fraud is when a consumer contracted with someone who doesn’t have a license and suffered a financial loss from lack of performance,” Murphy said. “Fraud goes on every day that’s not brought to our attention, in many cases because of embarrassment.”

Problems cited with city employee
When city of Sarasota Deputy Building Director Glenn Bliss told the Board of Rules and Appeals at its Aug. 31 meeting that the department was improving its processes and was open to any criticism board members might have, local contractor and board member Michael Epstein spoke up.

Epstein told Bliss and deputy building official Lawrence Murphy that some contractors “can turn in a sketch on a cocktail napkin and receive a building permit immediately.”

“Others can turn in thousands of pages of documents that are requested by a certain employee, and we can get no response back, no return calls to address our issues and no permit,” Epstein said.

Epstein said the problems rest with a single employee in the Neighborhood and Development Services Department.

“One house that we were trying to get a permit for while working with this individual took four months to receive a permit,” Epstein said. “In those four months, the price increase that occurred for the contracted work was $50,000. My customer was not happy.”

Bliss asked to meet with Epstein to discuss those concerns, and he promised the problems would be resolved.

“There will be changes in the future on how we interact with the public,” Bliss said.