Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING BOARD
Respondent: JOHN B. MORTON, III
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Filed: Jun. 23, 2006
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Thursday, August 24, 2006.
Latest Update: Dec. 23, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING BOARD
DIVISION II
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, . ; ar (-
Petitioner, a) lo . 234 4 P
Case No. 2004-032847
VS.
JOHN B. MORTON I,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
("Petitioner"), files this Administrative Complaint before the Construction Industry Licensing
Board, against JOHN B. MORTON II, ("Respondent"), and says:
1. Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the practice of contracting
pursuant to Section 20.165, Florida Statutes, and Chapters 455 and 489, Florida Statutes.
2. Respondent is, and has been at all times material hereto, a Certified Roofing
Contractor, in the State of Florida, having been issued license number CC CO11043.
3. Respondent's address of record is 700 NE 42™ Street, Oakland Park, Florida
33334.
4. At all times material hereto, Respondent was licensed as the qualifying agent for
Morton Roofing, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Contractor"). The Contractor does not have a
certificate of authority as a qualified business organization (QB license).
5. Section 489.1195(1)(a), Florida Statutes, provides that all primary qualifying
agents for a business organization are jointly and equally responsible for supervision of all
operations of the business organization; for all field work at all sites; and for financial matters,
both for the organization in general and for each specific job.
6. The Contractor failed to obtain a QB license.
7. In 1995, the Contractor contracted to re-roof, and did re-roof, one or more
buildings owned by The Entrada Condominium, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Customer”)
and located at or near 195 Jacaranda Country Club Drive, Plantation, Florida, for Eighty Three
Thousand dollars ($83,000.00). In lieu of giving the Customer a long term warranty, the
Contractor entered into a series of preventive maintenance agreements with the Customer, and in
conjunction therewith, gave the Customer warranties of a shorter duration.
8. On or about August 30, 1999, the Contractor entered into a written preventive
maintenance agreement with the Customer and gave the Customer a two-year warranty against
leaks, for Three Thousand Five Hundred dollars ($3,500.00).
9, On or about August 10, 2001, the Contractor entered into a written preventive
maintenance agreement with the Customer and gave the Customer a three-year warranty against
leaks, for Three Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty dollars ($3,750.00).
10. In 2003 the Customer notified the Contractor that the roof of the Customer’s
clubhouse building was leaking. The Contractor performed repairs, but the repairs were
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ineffectual, and the roof continued to leak. In approximately June 2003, the Customer had the
roof replaced by another company.
11. Beginning in December 2003, the Customer notified the Contractor that roof crack
repairs and other preventive maintenance work called for by the August 10, 2001 preventive
maintenance agreement was needed, The Contractor refused to perform work unless the
Customer agreed to enter into a new preventive maintenance agreement at additional cost, even
though the August 10, 2001 agreement was still in effect.
COUNT I
12. The Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs
one through eleven as though fully set forth in this Count L
13. Section 489.119(2), Florida Statutes, provides: ifthe applicant proposes to engage
in contracting as a business organization, including any partnership, corporation, business trust, or
other legal entity, or in any name other than the applicant’s legal name or a fictitious name where
the applicant is doing business as a sole proprietorship, the business organization must apply for a
certificate of authority through a qualifying agent and under the fictitious name, if any.
14. Based upon the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)(), Florida
Statutes (2000), by failing in any material respect to comply with the provisions of this part or
violating a rule or lawful order of the board.
COUNT OD
15. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through eleven as though fully set forth in this Count I.
16. Rule 61G4-17.001(1)(m)1., Florida Administrative Code, states: Misconduct or
) J
incompetency in the practice of contracting as set forth in Section 489.129(1)(n) [now
489.129(1)(m)], Florida Statutes, shall include, but is not limited to failure to honor a warranty.
17. Based upon the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)(m),
Florida Statutes (2000), by committing incompetency or misconduct in the practice of
contracting.
COUNT I
18. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through eleven as though fully set forth in this Count TI.
19. _ Based upon the foregoing, the Respondent violated Section 489.129(1)@), Florida
Statutes (2000), by abandoning a construction project in which the contractor is engaged or under
contract as a contractor. A project may be presumed abandoned after 90 days if the contractor
terminates the project without just cause or without proper notification to the owner, including
the reason for termination, or fails to perform work without just cause for 90 consecutive days.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests the Construction Industry Licensing
Board enter an Order imposing one or more of the following penalties: place on probation,
reprimand the licensee, revoke, suspend, deny the issuance or renewal of the certificate or
registration, require financial restitution to a consumer, impose an administrative fine not to
exceed $5,000 per violation, require continuing education, assess costs associated with
investigation and prosecution, impose any or all penalties delineated within Section 455.227(2),
Florida Statutes, and/or any other relief that the Board is authorized to impose pursuant to
Chapters 489, 455, Florida Statutes, and/or the rules promulgated thereunder.
Signed this 2-0" day of Aor , 2005.
THEODORE R. GAY y,
ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL
COUNSEL FOR DEPARTMENT:
Theodore R. Gay
Assistant General Counsel
Department of Business and \
Professional Regulation t
rd
8685 NW 53” Terrace, #100 popu of BEY a ERK
Miami, FL 33166 Dp
(305) 470-6783 Ext. 2225 {MV
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Case #2004-032847 DATE
PC Found: April 26, 2005 ,
Division {!; Holloway & Blankenship
Docket for Case No: 06-002244PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Aug. 24, 2006 |
Order Closing Files. CASE CLOSED.
|
Aug. 23, 2006 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
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Jul. 07, 2006 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Jul. 07, 2006 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for August 29 and 30, 2006; 9:30 a.m.; Fort Lauderdale, FL).
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Jul. 06, 2006 |
Order Granting Motion to Consolidate (DOAH Case Nos. 06-2242PL, 06-2243PL, 06-2244PL, 06-2245PL, 06-2247PL).
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Jul. 05, 2006 |
Petitioner`s Response to Initial Order and Motion to Consolidate filed.
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Jun. 23, 2006 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Jun. 23, 2006 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Jun. 23, 2006 |
Agency referral filed.
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Jun. 23, 2006 |
Initial Order.
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