Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2018

Senator Bart Hester Raises Issue of Construction Trades Being Under One Roof As an aside to other questioning during the Red Tape Reduction Work Group meeting on August 20, Senator Bart Hester, Senate District 1 in Cave Springs, asked Denise Oxley and Charles Covington of the Labor Board how they felt about bringing the construction trades under one agency. The answer from both Oxley and Covington was a surprise and momentous. To paraphrase, they said that “it made too much sense.” I was floored. I never dreamed that any agency would be willing to admit that it might be better for Arkansans if their agency gave up some of the turf they worked for and served for thirty-nine years. Maybe this genuine interest in serving Arkansas consumers will be contagious. For years, various persons have suggested that all construction trades should be under one umbrella and under one roof.

would understand construction and be focused on construction related needs. One roof means that they would be in one location. Whatever your concerns, you could walk in the front door and out the back having spoken with every department and received all the information you need for a construction project, craft, or career. Oxley and Covington were right, “It makes too much sense.”

Under One Roof

Remodelers Others

Home Builders

Who should be in this construction agency? Well, let’s name a few. (The trade is followed by agency under which they presently operate.) 1. General Contractors CLB 2. Remodelers CLB 3. Home Builders CLB 4. Sub-contractors CLB 5. HVACR - Health Department 6. Electricians - Labor Department 7. Plumbers - Health Department Others would make sense but probably not be happy with the idea: 8. Asbestos Abatement - ADEQ 9. Home Inspectors - AHIRB 10. Home Appraisers - AALCB 11. Real Estate – AREC 12. Others? While this list can become quite long, one thing is sure, just adding HVACR, Electricians, and Plumbers to the Contractors Licensing Board is a great beginning place and may be

Under One Umbrella

One umbrella means that one agency would be responsible for serving the administrative needs of all the construction trades. This agency