Florida Building Commission

Education POC Minutes

December 2007

 

POC Members Present: Dick Browdy (Chair), Jon Hamrick, Herminio Gonzalez, Steve Bassett

 

Meeting Attendees:

Cam Fentriss                                                   Bill Norkunas

Mark Reddinger                                              Dwight Wilkes

Joe Belcher                                                     Larry Schneider

Michael Clark                                     Lorraine Ross

Don Fuchs                                                      Jaime Gascon

Bill Dumbaugh                                     M. K. Kopczynski

Jay Johnson                                                    Sharon Mignardi

Joe Crum                                                        Jack Glenn

Larry Schneider                                              Larry Conley

Ila Jones

 

 

 Meeting called to order at 1:00 pm., December 11, 2007

                                               

     

1. Review and Approval of December 2007 Agenda

 

Motion: To add an agenda item (#11), to further the discussion from the October POC meeting having to do with the misleading advertisements of building products/services.

Motion: Steve Bassett

2nd:  Jon Hamrick

Approved Unanimously As Amended

 

 

2. Review and Approval of October 2007 Minutes

 

Motion: Steve Bassett

2nd:  Jon Hamrick

Approved Unanimously As Submitted

 

 

 

3. Discuss and review the language describing the process to be used to revoke an accreditor’s status. (Proposed Rule Development)

The Chair stated that the current language is being scrutinized within a rule development workshop during today’s Commission meeting. He further asked if there were any other suggestions/modifications/deletions, etc. to the submitted language. No new suggestions were forthcoming.

 

 

4.  Discuss the FBC Education Report – 2007 FBC Annual Report to the Legislature

The Chair asked that Cam Fentriss summarize the major points of the report. Cam stated that through the oversight of the Education POC, the following were accomplished:

  • Outreach initiatives were developed for the Fla. construction and design industries, such as to inform licensees of available resources, training opportunities, technical information, etc.
  • A clearinghouse for education was created to provide licensees with information about courses, education providers, other sources of code-related information, etc.
  • Created a website for information distribution regarding education programs
  • Identified areas of course needs and subsequent list of topics that education providers can use to develop future courses. The complete list is available in the the Building Code Education and Outreach Council Administrator final report.

The overall conclusion of the report is that education and training for the design and construction industries in Florida will benefit greatly from a well developed single source of information where all interested parties can go to find education related information.

 

The Chair stated that the report was missing the RFP process regarding The Florida Building Code Compliance and Mitigation program. Cam stated that she will add that information.

 

Commissioner Hamrick stated that he has some editorial comments to give to Cam about the report. No further action was taken.

 

 

5. Discuss and/or respond to a summary of contract activities and deliverables, for the contract of “The Florida Building Code Compliance and Mitigation Program’, to be given by a representative from Building A Safer Florida, Inc. The BCIS update timeframe will be generally discussed.

 

The Chair asked Cam Fentriss to summarize the contract deliverables. Cam stated that a quarterly work group will be put together representing all entities/stakeholders in the education program, for the expressed purpose of providing input to be used to enhance said education program.

 

Cam then introduced Mark Reddinger, who will function as the day-to-day contract manager for the Florida Building Code Compliance and Mitigation Program. Mark stated that one focus of the contract is to update the BCIS so it has a more modular look and will be much easier to navigate. He also stated that another focus is to create a clearinghouse for licensees, providers, etc., to dispense information about education, hurricane mitigation, etc.

 

Cam stated that since DCA is not in the course development business any more, that BASF, through this contract, wants to stimulate more future course development.

 

The Chair stated that the previous University of Florida’s survey of trends of code violations could be used as a type of need assessment for identifying areas of course development. Cam stated that also new areas, such as “green” construction, are coming more into focus as a need for new course development.

 

Cam stated that the first meeting of the Quarterly Work Group will be held in conjunction with the January Commission meeting. She further stated that a pre-meeting will be held after the POC meeting today, to start identifying group members. No further action will be needed.

 

 

6. Discuss and/or review the current language regarding the start of the 120 day period when training providers are supposed to update advanced courses, to ensure consistent compliance.

 

The Chair stated that the 120 day course updating language was discussed at length during the Accreditor’s Workshop held earlier in the day. He asked the General Counsel if a Work Group could be formed to revise the current language. The General Counsel stated that this could happen. The Chair stated that possibly a change of philosophy was needed regarding this issue, specifically being more sensitive to both the number of code changes that occur and the various license renewal cycles. The Chair recommended that this Updating Language Work Group meet prior to the next POC meeting in January, with the idea to present the results in the form of a Rule Development Workshop at the March Commission meeting. No further action was required.

 

7. Discuss and/or review the results of the “Florida Building Code Accreditor Workshop”, which was held on December 11, 2007.

 

The Chair stated that there was positive discussion about agenda items. He further stated that a couple of issues surfaced as more important than the others. Those issues were:

  • Eliminating altogether from the BCIS, all of the outdated DCA developed advanced courses which are currently available for free downloading to training providers.
  • A renewed focus to strongly consider changing the current 9B-70 language regarding the 120 day advanced course updating language
  • Considering different ways to disperse accreditation program/process information

 

The Chair did ask for a motion for the issue regarding the elimination of courses.

 

Motion: To eliminate from the BCIS all of the outdated DCA developed advanced courses which are available for downloading to training providers

Motion: Steve Bassett

2nd:  Jon Hamrick

Approved Unanimously

 

 

8.  Education Administrator Activity Report

 

The Education Administrator reported to the POC what activities he performed between August 23, 2007 and September 29, 2007. The following areas were reported on:

  • Phone calls handled
  • Emails handled
  • Correspondence written and sent
  • Meetings attended

No comments were made or offered about the reports contents.

 

 

9. Identify future POC member discussion items.

 

The Chair asked if Cam Fentriss had developed any strategies regarding the Commission’s or Education POC’s roles regarding false or misleading ads about building products or services. Cam stated that this issue should be discussed/reviewed by the Quarterly Work Group. She further stated that a starting point might be to find out what tools are available to use regarding this issue.

 

The Chair asked if in the State of Florida, does a product approval number have to be located on a product. The General Counsel stated that the FBC does not have the authority to require that number to be present on products. He further stated that the FBC has no real authority over misleading advertisements.

 

Lorraine Ross stated that a product approval # should be present on products being sold to the public.

 

The Chair stated that the Florida Building Commission should be the leader regarding public awareness efforts to address this issue of false or misleading advertisements of building products and/or services. No further action was needed.

 

 

10. General Public Comment

 

No comment was given.

 

 

11. Summary and Review of Meeting Work Products/Action Items, Assignments, and Next Steps

 

No extra assignments were given, other than what has been previously reported in the above items.

 

Adjourn (Adjourned at 1:54 pm.)

Motion: To adjourn

Motion: Herminio Gonzalez

2nd:  Steve Bassett

Approved Unanimously

 

 

 

 

Recommended Commission Actions

 

Approve Accreditor Application: Oak Rivers Builders LLC (Michael Rimoldi)

Categories: Accessibility, Administration, Building-Commercial, Building-Residential,

Building-Special Occupancy, Commercial Pool/Spa, Electrical Commercial, Electric Residential, Existing Building Code, Mechanical, Residential Pool/Spa, Fire, Roofing, Pollutant Storage System, Fuel/Gas, Plumbing, Other

 

Motion: To deny for cause. Applicant’s experience does not meet the qualifications of all areas requested for approval.

Motion: Steve Bassett

2nd: Jon Hamrick

Approved Unanimously

 

 

 

The following course, under the ‘Accredited, Pending FBC Approval” status, was approved by the POC.

 

Course: Advanced Training: The Florida Energy Code; Reading and Interpreting 600A Compliance Forms

Provider: JC Code & Construction Consultants, Inc.

Accreditor: BCIC LLC

BCIS #: 260

Motion: Course approved based on the FBC accreditation process that only verifies the accuracy of the Florida Building Code related content

Motion: Jon Hamrick

2nd: Steve Bassett

Approved Unanimously

 

 

 

Updated Course Approvals

The courses listed below have been updated with the 2006 Code Supplement. The chair listed all of the courses and asked for a Consent Agenda approval for all of the courses.

 

Motion: To approve as submitted

Motion: Jon Hamrick

2nd:  Steve Bassett

Approved Unanimously

 

 

 

Course and #                Provider                      Accreditor                   Date of Approval

 

Building Structural         Coast                           Bill Dumbaugh 11/16/07

(#256.0)                       Software, Inc.              

                       

 

Fla. Accessibility           Dep’t. of  Commty.      Bill Dumbaugh  11/16/07

Code, For Building       Affairs

Construction

(#258.0)

 

 

 

Note: This document is available in alternate formats upon request to the Department of Community Affairs, Codes and Standards, 255 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, Fl. 32399, (850) 487 – 1824.