Richard Hickok is the executive director of the City’s Construction Trades Qualifying Board and was recently elected president of the Construction Licensing Officials Association of Florida.
HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN WITH THE CITY?
Since 1998.
WHAT DOES HE DO?
“We regulate about 600 local construction tradesman. We discipline them, license them and test them. I also represent the City before the Florida Legislature on construction industry related issues.”
WHAT MADE HIM TAKE THE JOB?
“I’ve been involved in construction regulation since 1992. I like being involved in the legislative process. When I became involved in this position, the City was in a position where they were always reacting to stuff. From this board’s perspective, they never really had a presence in Tallahassee. Their idea of lobbying was shrill letters after the fact, which was not effective at all. I had a background in legislative liaison work for several private sector groups and for Florida.”
WHAT DOES THE CTQB DO?
The board protects Jacksonville residents from unscrupulous or incompetent members of the construction industry. The board ensures that the members of the construction industry working in the fields of general, building, residential, roofing, pool, sheet metal, electrical, heating/air-conditioning/refrigeration, plumbing, water treatment installations, irrigation, natural gas, pool subcontractors and carpentry subcontractors meet the competency, financial responsibility, credit and insurance threshold qualifications established under both City ordinance and State law.
HOW WILL HE BE INVOLVED IN DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT?
He will be licensing the tradesman who are working on the downtown projects. “If they have to get a license, they have to come to us. If there is a discipline or violation of either the state practice act or the local practice act, they will have to answer to this board. The board can take their license, fine them up to $5,000, suspend their license and basically make their life miserable.”
IS THERE HELP FOR THE PERSON/COMPANY VIOLATED?
The Construction Industry Recovery Fund allows the person using a licensed contractor to get restitution for their loss. The person can file a complaint with the board and the board can order the contractor to pay restitution. “If the person files suit against the contractor and he cannot collect because the contractor absconded the funds, then he can get up to a one-time payment of $25,000.”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS AND LICENSED CONTRACTORS?
“We are trying to impact unlicensed contractors. Licensed contractors in Jacksonville pay workers compensation and have liability coverage. Unlicensed contractors do not pay workers compensation or have liability coverage and it’s not an even playing field. The unlicensed contractors can offer a better deal to consumers and once the deal goes south there is little or no recourse after that. You can’t even sue an unlicensed contractor because the contract is unenforceable.”
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR CONTRACTORS TO BE LICENSED?
“From a consumers point of view, if a person doesn’t have a license and they get injured at your residence or at your job site, more than likely they don’t have workers compensation or liability insurance so you would have to foot the bill.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT?
“From my perspective, I think it is a super idea. It’s going to really fix up the infrastructure of the city on a long term basis. It’s also going to add a lot of wonderful building projects, which I think will enhance the quality of life. The Better Jacksonville Plan has something for everyone. The people that wanted the new roads got that, the people that wanted the new baseball stadium got that and the people who wanted a new courthouse got that.”
HAVE YOU NOTICED A LABOR SHORTAGE?
“Yes, I have talked to the people from the various trade associations and it is a real problem to get trained individuals on a job. The need outstrips the demand. Historically, construction was looked upon as one of those low wage kind of professions. The perception is changing and people are noticing that it is a good career path to pursue.” He thinks there will be workers coming in from other cities to work on the upcoming local projects.
WHAT DOES CLOAF DO?
It is an organization dedicated to the protection of the public from unscrupulous contractors by enforcement of rational regulatory policies. The membership of CLOAF includes construction industry regulatory officials representing over 100 local governments throughout the state.
WHAT WILL HE DO AS PRESIDENT?
“We have two general membership meetings each year and I help plan the event and the programming. We also actively lobby the legislature on issues which are important to local governments in construction areas.”
BEFORE HIS ELECTION TO PRESIDENT?
He served as CLOAF’s legislative chairman during the 1999-2001 legislative sessions.
GOALS AS PRESIDENT?
“I would like to increase the membership. There are only about 100-150 members. We have about a 100 jurisdictions that are nominally involved and some are very actively involved. In any organization, you will get people that are there, that just show up at receptions. I want people to get more actively involved and get involved in contacting their local legislative delegations when issues come up instead of sitting back and having everyone else do it.”
WHAT OTHER POSITIONS HAS HE HELD?
He served as the government liaison for the Mechanical Contractors Association of South Florida, Harcourt General and Assessment Systems, Inc. He also served as the executive director of both the State of Florida’s Construction Industry Licensing Board and the Electrical Contractor’s Licensing Board.
BIRTHPLACE
Toledo.
COLLEGE
He has a bachelor’s degree in history and a law degree from the University of Toledo.
MOVED TO JACKSONVILLE?
In 1993.
FAMILY
He has been married to Andrea Ashley since 1993.
KEEPING FIT
He and his wife get up every morning at 3:15 to lift weights for an hour and then run. “We run 53 miles a week.”
HOBBIES
He and his wife enjoy going on cruises and train trips.
FAVORITES
A book he would recommend is “Nothing Like it in The World,” by Stephen Ambrose. His favorite movie is “Memphis Belle.” Because he goes to bed quite early to be ready for his morning run, he enjoys watching the news before turning in. When dining out, he enjoys Travini Restaurant in Ponte Vedra Beach.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis