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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES vs. GULF COAST PEST CONTROL, INC., 77-002024 (1977)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 77-002024 Latest Update: May 17, 1978

Findings Of Fact Respondent is licensed by the State of Florida, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Service as a pest control service authorized to perform all functions for which such organizations may be licensed. Gilbert Bellino was certified operator for Respondent from prior to the earliest charge in the Administrative Complaint until mid-1977. He was certified in the four types of treatment authorized by pest control companies, viz. fumigation, general household pest control, including rodent control, termite or other wood infesting organisms control, and lawn and ornamental pest control. A certified operator is required to supervise and direct the activities of all employees engaged in pest control. Many of the complaining witnesses made their first contact with Respondent when answering an advertisement for a onetime household pest treatment and a free termite inspection. Lloyd Green responded to an ad in which Respondent offered a spray treatment of the yard and house for $15. Folsom and Jones appeared and after an inspection of his house advised Green that he had dry wood and subterranean termites and induced him to sign a contract to treat them at a price of $286. After reflection and before any work was done Green called and cancelled the contract. He had the house inspected by Mr. Chapman of Chapman Pest Control who found no evidence of active infestation. All evidence Chapman found of wood damage was done prior to the timber having been processed. The house was later inspected by David Jones, District V Entomologist and he too found no evidence of active infestation. A second inspection of Green's home was made by Jones in company with Casale, the President of Respondent. The only evidence found was one hole in a bed slat which had occurred before the lumber was processed. Turpentine beetles and pine sawyer beetles are wood borers that attack trees but not processed lumber. Once lumber is processed any further damage from these beetles is highly improbable if not impossible. Evidence of the damage they have caused will remain in the wood but is readily distinguishable from an active infestation by one with almost any training in pest control. Wood borers make round holes and any eliptical hole found in timber is indicative that the hole was made before the wood was processed. The oblique angle to the borer's tunnel cut by the saw when the lumber was processed causes an eliptical hole. Charles Casale visited Robert Rankin's house for a free termite inspection and identified himself as an employee of Respondent. He was accompanied by another man who inspected the crawl space under the house. Upon completion of the inspection Casale advised Rankin he had an infestation and needed treatment which would cost $300. After getting an opinion from another pest control company that he did not have termites Rankin called HRS and David Jones inspected the entire house. At this inspection Jones found no evidence of active infestation but a colony of fleas from Rankin's two dogs. At the time of Casale's inspection application for an identification card had not been submitted for Casale. Thelma P. Wray contracted with Respondent for fumigation of her house. No written instructions were given her by Respondent, nor was she advised to remove medicines. She was advised to remove only milk cartons, cheese and open food. The only warning sign placed on front and rear of house during fumigation (Exhibit 4) on November 10, 1974 did not show type of fumigant used and stated house is safe for reentry at 10:30 a.m. December 11, 1974. This sign appeared on the house the evening of December 10, 1974 and was placed only at the front and rear. No notice of this fumigation was provided to the County Industrial Hygienist who maintains records of notices of all fumigations. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Chaney testified. No one having personal knowledge was called to identify Exhibit 6 and no evidence was offered that Larry A. Donald, Jr. was employed by Respondent and visited the Cheney home without a valid identification card. Mrs. Ruby Moser did not testify. No witness was produced to testify regarding Phillip Jones' visit to the Moser home on June 10, 1975 or identify Exhibit 7. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Donald R. Seldes testified. No evidence was presented regarding the alleged visit of Bill Gillian, while an employee of Respondent, to the home of the Seldes. Judith Bashline was contacted by Respondent through telephone solicitation for special pest cleanout and termite inspection. One man sprayed for the pest cleanout and he was followed by Phillip Jones and Ken Ely, Jr. who, after inspecting the attic, advised her she had an infestation in the attic in a dormant state which needed immediate treatment. She entered into a contract for spot treatment for $190. After Jones and Ely left Mrs. Bashline began having misgivings and called another pest control company for information. She was referred to HRS and there contacted David Jones who inspected the property. Upon inspection Jones found no evidence of active infestation - only the preprocessed type damage found in the other homes. When Helen M. Hopper purchased her home at 1037 - 12th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida she acquired a subterranean termite policy from Respondent. She then started monthly sprayings with Respondent. After the first spraying on September 16, 1975, Ken Ely, Jr., an employee of Respondent, went into Hopper's attic and told Mrs. Hopper she had borers in the roof and needed immediate treatment to save the roof. After he left she called another pest control company for verification. When that company inspected the attic they reported no problem with borers. She then called HRS and David Jones inspected the premises October 24, 1975 and in the attic he found only old damage which had occurred before the wood was processed. There was no infestation for which treatment was indicated. When Donald R. Bond II and his wife purchased a home his mother recommended they use Gulf Coast Pest Control. In January, 1977 Robert R. Plowman, an employee of Respondent, advised the Bonds that they had powder post beetles and dry wood termites and the attic needed to be treated. He came back that evening when Mr. Bond was home and a contract for the work was signed. The following day Mrs. Bond had two other pest control companies inspect the house. Whey they advised her there was no evidence of active infestation she cancelled her contract and called HRS. On February 10, 1977 David Jones inspected her property. He found no evidence of borer or termite infestation; however Jones did find evidence of rat infestation. On June 26, 1976 Robert R. Plowman, an employee of Respondent, inspected the home of Rita M. Spera at 9783 - 52nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida and reported to her that there was an infestation of wood borers in the attic and she needed to have fumigation. The previous year the Speras had replaced the shingles on the roof and had found the wood in good condition. Accordingly Mrs. Spera really didn't believe Plowman and called HRS for verification. When David Jones Inspected the house on July 2, 1976 he found only evidence of old damage that had occurred before the wood was processed. No evidence of active infestation was observed. Mrs. Ellen M. Hameroff received a telephone solicitation from Respondent for a cleanout and termite inspection. She accepted the offer and on September 2, 1976 Robert R. Plowman, an employee of Respondent, inspected her attic and reported that powder post beetles were present and treatment was needed which would cost $200 to $400. Plowman returned that evening to talk with Dr. Hameroff but they didn't sign a contract. The following day another pest control company was contacted for an inspection. They reported no infestation. She then called HRS and on November 22, 1976 David Jones inspected the property and found only evidence of old damage. On September 1, 1977 William C. Bargren, Scott Askins and F. R. DuChanois, Entomologists with HRS inspected the Hameroff property. They found evidence that pine sawyer beetles had been in the tree from which some sheathing boards in the attic had been processed. There was no evidence of infestation in the Hameroff home. In December, 1976 Robert L. Dill had a spray and free inspection by Respondent on his home at 1551 Citrus Street Clearwater, Florida. Following an inspection of the home, Robert R. Plocnan and John D. Lucas, employees of Respondent, advised Dill that he had powder post beetles in the attic, ceiling and floor under the house and needed treatment. Before agreeing to the treatment for the powder post beetles and preventive treatment for termites for which Respondent wanted $500, Dill had two other pest control companies inspect the property. Both of these companies advised Dill he had no infestation. Jimmy Robinson of Exterminator Terminix, International, a certified operator, inspected the Dill property on November 22, 1976 and found no evidence of powder post beetles or termites for which treatment was indicated. He noticed no damage to floor but did see some evidence of borers before the wood was processed. When Dill reported the incident to HRS, David Jones inspected the property on January 20 and 26, 1977, the second time in company with the Casales, Plowman and Donald. Damage to wood in the floor was done before the lumber was processed and no infestation was present for which treatment was indicated. Lawrence A. Donald, an employee of Respondent, holds a certified operator's license and he found evidence of "tremendous damage due to boring animals" under Dill's house. He opined that there were live larvae in the wood, however, his credibility and expertise left a great deal to be desired. During a monthly contract spraying Robert R. Plowman, an employee of Respondent, told Mrs. Shirley I. Bond that she had powder post wood borer beetles in the attic of her home at 6701 - 19th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida and needed to have the attic power dusted. Mrs. Bond gave Plowman a check for $295 but after her daughter-in-law's experience, stopped the work. She called HRS and David Jones inspected her property on April 14, 1977. He found no evidence of infestation and in Jones' opinion the power spray of Dridie (a trade name for silica gel) would not be appropriate to treat dry wood termites or powder post beetles. Raymond L. Jackson employed Respondent for the advertised "clean-out" and free inspection. On January 6 and 7, 1977 Robert R. Plowman, an employee of Respondent, inspected Jackson's property at 6243 - 6th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida and advised Jackson that he had active termites and powder post beetles and needed treatment. Jackson signed a contract and paid Plowman $300 for the work. About two weeks later two men power dusted Jackson's attic. After reading an article in the newspaper about powder post beetles Jackson called HRS and his property was inspected by Askins on July 26, 1977 and by Askins and Bargren on August 10, 1977. The only evidence of damage they found was that caused by turpentine beetles prior to the wood being processed. In their opinion no treatment was indicated before the power dusting was done. Mrs. Helen Stambaugh had a "clean-out" and free termite inspection in July, 1977 at her home at 2518 - 67th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida by Respondent. Larry D. Brown, an employee of Respondent, to whom an application for identification card had not been submitted, told Mrs. Stambaugh that dry wood termites were infesting her garage and treatment was necessary. Spot treatment was offered for $130. She contacted another pest control company who, after inspection, advised that no treatment was indicated. She then called HRS and on July 20, 1977, Bargren and Askins inspected her property and found only evidence of old turpentine beetle damage in the garage which had occurred before the wood was processed. No infestation for which treatment was indicated was observed. In October, 1975 representatives from Gulf Coast Pest Control, Louis Casale, the company manager, Carmine Casale the owner and Gilbert Bellino, the certified operator, met with HRS representatives in Jacksonville to discuss the numerous complaints HRS had received about Respondent and to formulate remedial action. At this meeting the need for additional training of their salesman was discussed in connection with the complaints filed by Green, Rankin, Wray, and others with particular emphasis on the need to train their operators to distinguish old damage in the preprocessed tree from damage requiring correction. Respondent agreed to increase their training to improve the quality of their inspectors. Respondent has discharged all of the salesmen who made the misrepresentations noted above. Plowman was finally discharged because "he was too dumb" to learn to distinguish between old damage not requiring treatment and new damage which did require treatment. However, Plowman was continued as an employee even after criminal charges involving fraudulent misrepresentation had been filed against him.

Florida Laws (3) 482.091482.152482.161
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES vs. DIANE M. JELLEN, 86-002582 (1986)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 86-002582 Latest Update: Oct. 24, 1986

The Issue Whether or not an Administrative fine may be imposed upon proof of allegations contained in the Administrative Complaint dated June 6, 1986, wherein Respondent is charged with violations of Section 482.226(1), (2)(f) and (g), and 482.161(1)(a),(e) and/or (f) Florida Statutes. Petitioner presented the oral testimony of Roger Gagnon and Frederick Hassut, Jr., and had 3 exhibits admitted in evidence (P-1, P-2, and P-4). Respondent presented her own oral testimony and that of Susan Rickenbach and had admitted 1 exhibit (R-1). At the close of Petitioner's case in chief, and at the conclusion of her own case. Respondent moved to dismiss for failure to prove the allegations of the Administrative Complaint. Ruling on same was reserved for disposition in this recommended order. No transcript was filed. Both parties have filed post-hearing proposals. To the extent they contain proposed findings of fact, these proposals are ruled on pursuant to Section 120.59(2), F.S., in the appendix hereto. Respondent's post-hearing Motion for Dismissal is ruled on in the course of this recommended order.

Findings Of Fact On October 16, 1985, Diane M. Jellen, representing Terminix International, Inc., Cocoa, inspected the property consisting of 12 units which is located at 141 Bluff Terrace, Melbourne, Florida. The inspection was for purposes connected with a real estate transfer. Ms. Jellen issued a report of findings on a Wood-Destroying Organisms Inspection Report (HRS Form 1145, May 1983) dated October 16, 1985. At the time of making the inspection, Ms. Jellen felt herself to be sexually harassed by an individual representing the seller who obstructed her entry into certain units, and she did not complete the inspection of each and every unit for this reason. The top portion of the report issued by Ms. Jellen indicates that Ms. Jellen is the "inspector" and states: "Specific structures inspected: 12 units; Structures on property NOT inspected: none; Areas of structures NOT inspected: none." Essentially the report goes on to indicate that no wood destroying organisms existed. However, at the bottom on the COMMENTS line, Respondent wrote "not all apts accessable" and "low crawl." She made the latter comments in reliance on instructions from her Terminex supervisor that this was sufficient. 1/ Thereafter, partly in reliance on Ms. Jellan's report, Mr. Roger Gagnon purchased the 12 units previously inspected. On May 14, 1986 Mr. Roger Gagnon, owner of the property, filed a written complaint alleging that the inspection performed by Ms. Jellen on October 16, 1985, had failed to detect evidence of wood destroying organisms which were present within the structure at the time of the October 16, 1985 inspection, and which wood destroying organisms Mr. Gagnon had subsequently discovered. On May 15, 1986 Frederick Hassut, Jr., Entomologist-Inspector for the State of Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services performed a wood-destroying organism inspection of the premises which revealed wood-decaying fungus damage present in wood braces and overhang located above apartments No. 3. and No. 4; in several wood members of the stairway and railing adjacent to apartments No. 3 and No. 4; in several floor joists located within the storage room of building No. 2; in the baseboard located in the bathroom of apartment No. 10; and in several wood members of the stairway adjacent to apartment No. Further, he found drywood termite fecal pellets and damage in the east window frame located in the living room of apartment No. 3. Mr. Hassut determined, within his expert education, training and experience, that the old wood decay, fungus damage and the dry-wood termite evidence and damage had to have been present and visible on October 16, 1985, when Ms. Jellen issued the inspection report indicating an infestation. Terminex International subsequently repaired all losses incurred by Roger Gagnon at its own expense. Prior to the time of the inspection, October 16, 1985, Respondent had filed an application to become a pest control employee identification cardholder. Petitioner did not affirmatively show that the card was issued prior to the October 16, 1985 inspection, however Ms. Jellan's application, admitted in evidence as P-4, specifies the agency policy that: "The effective date of this ID Card when issued will be the date of receipt of post- mark if mailed, of this application." The application bears two receipt dates: "10-3-85" and "October 07, 1985," both of which pre-date the inspection at issue. The parties agree that an identification card was subsequently issued. Accordingly, Respondent is found to have been an identification cardholder as contemplated by Chapter 482 F.S. 2/ and therefore subject to Petitioner's jurisdiction at all times relevant. Respondent's unrebutted testimony that she was hired by Terminex International as an office salesperson and was insufficiently trained by that employer to do wood-destroying organism inspections is accepted but deemed irrelevant and immaterial. In mitigation, it is noted that Respondent has, at her own initiative, recently completed 5 days training in pest control with an eye to continued competent employment in this field.

Recommendation That DHRS issue a final order of private reprimand to Respondent for negligent performance of a pest control inspection. DONE and ORDERED this 24th day of October 1986, in Tallahassee, Florida. ELLA JANE P. DAVIS Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The Oakland Building 2009 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1550 (904) 488-9675 FILED with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 24th day of October 1986.

Florida Laws (3) 482.021482.161482.226
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES vs TURNER PEST CONTROL, INC., AND WILLIAM D. KINCADE, 93-006624 (1993)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Filed:Jacksonville, Florida Nov. 18, 1993 Number: 93-006624 Latest Update: May 17, 1994

Findings Of Fact Respondent Turner is engaged in the business of pest control, including the application of termiticide to the soil of pre-construction sites for the prevention of subterranean termites. Respondent is licensed by the Petitioner under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes, as a pest control business and maintains its primary place of business in Jacksonville, Florida. Respondent Kincade is employed by Turner as a pesticide applicator technician. The Petitioner is the state agency with jurisdiction to regulate and license pest control businesses and technicians. On June 12, 1993, Mr. Phil Helseth and Mr. Montgomery, employees of the Petitioner, were returning from lunch and observed one of Respondent Turner's trucks turning onto the Blodgett construction area in Jacksonville, Florida. Helseth surmised the Respondent's truck was there to do a pretreatment for termites. Helseth then observed activities by a Turner Pest employee, later identified as Mr. Kincade, who was spraying a substance on the soil on foundation areas at sites one and two. Mr. Helseth concluded the Respondent's agent was engaged in termite pretreatment. When the Turner employer concluded his activities, he drove his truck to the construction trailer on the building site where he was confronted by Mr. Helseth and Mr. Montgomery. At that time a third employee of the Department, Mr. Parker, had arrived, bringing calibration equipment to measure the rate of discharge from the Turner Pest pumper truck. Petitioner's inspectors introduced themselves to Kincade and identified themselves. Petitioner's representative requested Kincade to produce the identification card issued to him by Petitioner. Mr. Kincade did not do so. Petitioner's representative asked Kincade questions about what he was doing, and Kincade demurred, stating it was Turner's policy for him to call a supervisor who would answer their questions. Kincade called his office, and shortly thereafter Joe Turner arrived on site. The spraying equipment utilized by Kincade was then calibrated to determine the amount of pesticide mixture being emitted. Joe Turner, President of Turner Pest Control, Inc., denied that they were performing a pre-construction treatment for termites. Mr. Turner testified that the purpose of spraying the Dursban 2E on the site in question was to empty the tank and that this was proper disposal of the chemical in accordance with the label instructions. A local pest control operator testifying for Respondents stated that the disposal of the pesticide Dursban 2E in this manner was perfectly in accordance with the label and that he has emptied tanks of Dursban 2E on construction sites twenty to thirty times in the last two or three years. Petitioner did not offer any testimony that this method of disposal was contrary to the label. Petitioner concluded that Turner Pest was conducting a termite pretreatment, although informed by Joe Turner at the time such was not the case, and filed the initial Administrative complaint. The Blodgett site contractor's job superintendent, Joe Wilson, testified. Sites prepared for construction at Blodgett Homes would receive termite pretreatment and pest control. Joe Turner had consulted with Wilson about spraying the Dursban 2E to dispose of the chemical. The job superintendent knew the operator, Kincade, was not performing a pretreatment for termites. Dursban 2E is a general insecticide. It, according to its label, can be used in a variety of concentrations, for a variety of insects, but termites are not one of those insects. Disposal, according to the labels, is by spraying the chemical on soil such as to lawn or a building site.

Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services dismiss the charges against Turner Pest Control, Inc. and impose an administrative fine in the amount of $100.00 against Respondent, William D. Kincade. DONE AND ENTERED this 14th day of April, 1994, in Tallahassee, Florida. STEPHEN F. DEAN Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1550 (904) 488-9675 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 14th day of April, 1994. APPENDIX TO RECOMMENDED ORDER CASE NO. 93-6624 Both parties filed Proposed Recommended Orders which were read and considered. The following states which of these proposed findings were adopted and which were rejected and why. Petitioner's PFOF: Paragraph 1 and 2 Adopted. Paragraph 3 True, but irrelevant. Paragraph 4 Respondent's paragraph 3 et seq. better states the facts. Last part adopted as paragraph 5. Paragraph 5 Adopted RO paragraph 5. Paragraph 6 Adopted RO paragraph 6. Paragraph 7 Adopted RO paragraph 7. Paragraph 8 Rejected as argument. Paragraph 9 Contrary to better evidence. Mr. Helseth conclusions were based upon his conclusion that Dursban 2E was being used as a termite pre- treatment, not being disposed of. Paragraphs 10, 11 RO paragraph 8. Last sentence is rejected because it was accepted that use and disposal was controlled by the instructions on the label. The label indicates disposal by spraying on soil was appropriate. Respondent's PFOF: Paragraph 1 RO paragraph 3. Paragraph 2 RO paragraph 4 and RO paragraph 9. Paragraph 3 Irrelevant. Paragraph 4 Restated in RO paragraph 5 and 6. Paragraph 5 RO paragraph 11. Paragraph 6 RO paragraph 11. Paragraph 7 RO paragraph 12. COPIES FURNISHED: Bob Crawford, Commissioner Department of Agriculture The Capitol, PL-10 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0810 Richard Tritschler, Esquire Department of Agriculture The Capitol, PL-10 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0810 Robert G. Worley, Esquire Department of Agriculture Room 515, Mayo Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800 William G. Cooper, Esquire COOKER MYERS 136 East Bay Street Post Office Box 1860 Jacksonville, FL 32201

Florida Laws (4) 120.57482.051482.091482.161 Florida Administrative Code (1) 5E-14.106
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ROBERT MATHEW BALES vs. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, 83-000762 (1983)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 83-000762 Latest Update: Sep. 26, 1984

Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED: That the administrative complaints against Byron Bales (Case No. 83- 1224), Aubrey L. Blocker (Case No. 83-767), Colonel Matthew Bales (Case No. 83- 762), and Robert M. Bales, Jr. (Case No. 83-766) be dismissed; That the identification card of Stanley E. Fryer (Case No. 83-778) be suspended for ninety (90) days and that a fine in the amount of $100.00, payable within thirty (30) days, be assessed against Fryer; That the identification card and certificate of John H. Witherspoon (Case-No. 83-777) be suspended for six (6) months and that a fine in the amount of $250.00, payable within thirty (30) days, be assessed against Witherspoon; That the Company's Jacksonville business license (Case No. 83-776 and 84-0855) be suspended for six (6) months and that a fine in the amount of $250.00, payable within thirty (30) days, be assessed against the licensee; and That the Company's Live Oak/Wellborn license (Case No. 83-765 and 84- 0038) be suspended for twelve (12) months and that a fine in the amount of $500.00, payable within thirty (30) days, be assessed against the licensee. RECOMMENDED this 7 day of August, 1984, at Tallahassee, Florida. J. LAWRENCE JOHNSTON Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The Oakland Building 2009 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32301 (904) 488-9675 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 7 day of August, 1984.

Florida Laws (6) 482.021482.061482.091482.152482.161482.226
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES vs LARRY KRAVITSKY, 06-000132 (2006)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Filed:Lauderdale Lakes, Florida Jan. 10, 2006 Number: 06-000132 Latest Update: Sep. 11, 2009
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STEVEN D. DAY, THUMB PEST CONTROL, INC. vs. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, 87-003900 (1987)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 87-003900 Latest Update: Jan. 27, 1988

Findings Of Fact Respondent is and at all material times has been a certified pest control operator in the category of fumigation. He works for Thumb Pest Control, Inc. He was the supervisor present when the company performed the tent fumigation of a residential structure located at 11 West Muriel Street, Orlando, Florida, on May 29, 1987. On May 28, 1987, Respondent gave Petitioner and the Orlando Fire Department written notice of the details of the job, including his night telephone number. The night number was for Respondent's home telephone. Respondent lived in Tampa. His telephone number was in the "813" area code, not the "305" area code of Orlando. The notice did not disclose Respondent's area code. However, the form bore the address of Thumb Pest Control, Inc., which was in Tampa. It was Respondent's understanding-- uncontradicted by Petitioner-- that he was required by law to give this notice only to Respondent; he gave the notice to the Orlando Fire Department as an added precaution. Respondent and Tim Lightner, a certified operator and the Orlando branch manager of Thumb Pest Control Inc., testified that the tent did not have tears when they released the fumigant at around 3:00 p.m. on May 29, 1987. Their testimony is credible and unrebutted. The fumigant that they used was methyl bromide. The fumigant also included chloropicrin, which is a warning odorant accompanying the odorless methyl bromide. The commercial formulation of the fumigant in this case was Brom-O-Gas. This is a highly toxic gas which causes nausea, convulsions, and death to humans exposed to it. The manufacturer states in a booklet accompanying Brom-O-Gas that "two persons trained in the use of this product must be present at all times when worker exposure exceeds 5 PPM. . . ." Petitioner's Exhibit Number 4, page 1. In another document, entitled "Structural Fumigant: A guide for fumigating effectively with Bromo-O-Gas," the manufacturer emphasizes, as the title suggests, methods designed to increase the killing efficiency of the pesticide. The manufacturer suggests frequent monitoring during fumigation when persons are occupying an adjacent building sharing a common wall with the building being fumigated. Petitioner's Exhibit Number 5, page 2. By negative implication, the manufacturer does not suggest monitoring when persons occupy buildings that are nearby but not sharing a common wall. At around 8:30 p.m., the Orlando Fire Department received a telephone call from a neighbor living nearby the tented house. She reported that fumigant was escaping from the tent. Members of the Orlando Fire Department responded to the call and found that the tent had approximately ten tears in it with some as much as one foot long. It took six firemen about two hours to repair the tears with duct tape. Prior to making the repairs, the firemen contacted their dispatcher and directed him to try to reach a representative of Thumb Pest Control, Inc. There was no admissible evidence concerning precisely how the dispatcher or dispatchers, who did not testify, tried to reach Respondent or other representatives of Thumb Pest Control, Inc. In any event, the Orlando Fire Department was unable to reach anyone with Thumb Pest Control, Inc. that evening. Respondent testified that he, his wife, and one-year old child were home all evening on May 29, 1987, and that he received no calls. He also testified that he uses a telephone answering machine when away from home and, even though he was home all night, he had no messages from that evening. There does appear to have been some confusion concerning area codes. There also was no positive testimony that anyone tried to telephone the night number of Respondent, as shown on the fumigation notice that he had delivered the prior day, together with the "813" area code.

Florida Laws (3) 120.57482.152482.161
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JAMES D. COOLEY AND JAMES D. COOLEY vs. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, 77-001606 (1977)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 77-001606 Latest Update: Mar. 07, 1978

The Issue Whether or not James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., is entitled to a business license to engage in pest control in Florida, in the category of general household pest control. Whether or not James D. Cooley is entitled to the issuance of an identification card under the licensee James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., and in direction and control of James D. Cooley, certified pest control operator. Whether or not James D. Cooley is entitled to the issuance of a certified pest control operator's license in the general household category.

Findings Of Fact The Petitioner, James D. Cooley, is the holder of pest control operator's certificate no. 2236 held with the Respondent, State of Florida, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. This category of pest control operator's certificate qualifies the Petitioner to perform treatment on termites and wood-infesting organisms. By separate action, the Respondent has moved to suspend the aforementioned pest control operator's certificate held by the Petitioner for a period of six (6) months, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 482, F.S. It has as an aspect of the contention the failure of the Petitioner to make a timely renewal of the pest control operator's certificate. The basis of this separate action by the Respondent is premised upon a letter of August 8th, 1977, addressed to the Petitioner, apprising him of the factual allegations and statutory references upon which its action is predicated. A copy of that letter is attached and made a part of the record herein. The facts reveal that the Petitioner, James D. Cooley, entered into an agreement with the proprietors of the "Romp and Tromp Day Care Center" located at 143 State Road 13, St. Johns County, Florida, for purposes of spraying for roaches. At that time, James D. Cooley was operating under the name "Tropical Pest Control", located at 355 Monument Road, Jacksonville, Florida. He identified himself in the form of a business card, (which is Petitioner's Exhibit 3 admitted into evidence in the Division of Administrative Hearings' Case Number 77-1564), as a termite control and complete pest control service. Cooley did, in fact, spray the "Romp and Troop Day Care Center: for the extermination of roaches. The sprayings took place in April and May, 1977. The substance being sprayed had a peculiar odor which the witnesses, Alice E. Stock and Ellen Perry Church indicated seemed like household bug spray. They also indicated that they noticed a resulting improvement with the roach problem after spraying. James D. Cooley, under the guise of "Tropical Pest Control", also sprayed the residence of Ellen Perry Church, which is at 1975 State Road 13, St. Johns County, Florida. He sprayed this premises for roaches and ants. Again the substance had an odor which was similar to retail bug spray. The ant and roach problem did not go away in her home. In both instances, when dealing with the proprietors of the "Romp and Troop Day Care Center" and the residence of Ellen Perry Church, James D. Cooley had identified himself as the owner of "Tropical Pest Control" and a person qualified to perform complete pest control services. In fact, James D. Cooley was not qualified to perform general household pest control, which is the category of treatment he was performing in spraying for roaches and ants. By that, it is meant that James D. Cooley at the time he performed the functions for the proprietors of the "Romp and Troop Day Care Center" and the residence of Ellen Perry Church, was not the holder of a certified operator's license in the category of general household pest control, as contemplated by Chapter 482, F.S. Moreover, the company he was operating under, to wit "Tropical Pest Control", was not licensed with the State of Florida, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and no identification card was on file for James D. Cooley as an employee of "Tropical Pest Control". The only document on record pertaining to James D. Cooley was one pertaining to his certified operator's license for termites and other wood-infesting organisms, license no. 2236, which at the time of the investigation of Mr. Cooley's activities was due for renewal in accordance with the terms of Section 482.071, F.S. By his actions in dealing with the premises known as "Romp and Troop Day Care Center" and the residence of Ellen Perry Church, the Respondent, in performing these tasks as "Tropical Pest Control", was unlawfully operating a pest control business that was not licensed by the Respondent, in violation of Section 482.071, F.S. Cooley was also in charge of the performance of pest control activities of a category in which he was not properly certified, namely general household pest control, thereby violating Section 482.111(4), F.S. In addition, James D. Cooley failed to have a valid pest control identification card as am employee of "Tropical Pest Control", because "Tropical Pest Control" was not licensed and no employee for that organization could have an identification card, thus causing a violation of Section 482.091, F.S. By his activities in dealing with the two premises, the Respondent was unlawfully soliciting, practicing, performing or advertising in pest control in a fashion that was not authorized by Chapter 482, F.S., in violation of Section 482.191(1), F.S. Finally, James D. Cooley, by holding himself out to be a certified operator in general household pest control, was guilty of fraudulent or misleading advertising or advertising in an unauthorized category, in violation of Section 482.161(8), F.S. For these violations, set forth above, sufficient grounds have been established for the Respondent to suspend, revoke or stop the issuance or renewal of any certificate or identification card, under authority of Section 482.161, F.S. The Respondent has taken action to bring about a suspension of certified pest control operator's license no. 2236, in keeping with the provisions of Section 482.171, F.S., and is warranted in suspending, revoking or stopping the issuance or renewal of any certificate or identification card. In consideration of the violations established in the Petitioner's dealings with the "Romp and Troop Day Care Center" and Ellen Church, the Respondent has refused to issue a business license to James Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., which intends to do business in the general household pest control category. If James D. Cooley is not granted his certified operator's license in the category of general household pest control, then he may not serve as a certified operator in that category, in behalf of the proposed licensee James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc. If James D. Cooley is unable to serve in the capacity of certified pest control operator, general household category, them the business known as James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., must employ am alternate certified operator in the general household category, before the Respondent shall issue a license to the business to operate in the general household category. That operator must be a resident of the State of Florida. This is in keeping with the license requirements of Section 482.071, F.S. James D. Cooley does not qualify for certification in the category of general household pest control, because through the violations established in his dealings with the "Romp and Tromp Day Care Center" and Ellen Perry Church, he has shown himself not to be of good character and good reputation for fair dealings, as required by Section 482.132, F.S., prior to the issuance of any certificate. Therefore, the only possibility that James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., would have for operating under the general household pest control category and for receiving a license would be to have another duly qualified certified operator in general household pest control to be hired by the licensee. No identification card can be issued to James D. Cooley or any other person who might be employed by James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., to operate in the general household pest control business, unless it will be under the supervision of a certified pest control operator in the specialty of general household pest control, other than James D. Cooley. The results of the examination which James D. Cooley completed in the general household pest control specialty, should stand until he is otherwise qualified or the requirements for certification have changed prior to his obtaining further qualification in the terms of his good character and good reputation for fair dealings. This conclusion is reached upon a reading of Rule 10D-55.177 (5 FAC) which only prohibits those persons from being examined who have been suspended, revoked or on probation. James D. Cooley was not in one of those categories prior to taking the examination which he passed and was notified of the passing grade in September, 1977.

Recommendation Pursuant to the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED: That a business license for James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., only be issued if some person other than James D. Cooley will be serving in the capacity of a certified pest control operator in the category of general household pest control, which is the desired license specialty. That no identification card be issued to James D. Cooley as an employee of James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc., in view of the fact that the license is not being issued to that organization and no employee shall receive an identification card without being employed by a licensed pest control business and under the authority of a certified operator. This position of the recommendation shall be in effect until and unless a separate certified operator is employed, which would allow the license to be given to James D. Cooley, d/b/a Murder, Inc. That James D. Cooley's application to be a certified operator in the category of general household pest control be denied, because he has been shown to' be lacking in good character and good reputation for fair dealings. DONE and ENTERED this 28th day of December, 1977, in Tallahassee, Florida. CHARLES C. ADAMS Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings Room 530, Carlton Building Tallahassee, Florida 32304 COPIES FURNISHED: Robert M. Eisenberg, Esquire Department of HRS 5920 Arlington Expressway Jacksonville, Florida Paul M. Harden, Esquire 2601 Gulf Life Tower Jacksonville, Florida 32207 ================================================================= AGENCY FINAL ORDER =================================================================

Florida Laws (6) 482.071482.091482.111482.132482.161482.191
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FLORIDA PEST CONTROL ASSOCIATION, INC. vs CHERYL MANSKER AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES, 94-002801 (1994)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Filed:Tallahassee, Florida May 16, 1994 Number: 94-002801 Latest Update: Dec. 03, 1995

Findings Of Fact The Parties Lan-Mac Pest Control-Englewood, Inc. and Lan-Mac Pest Control-Fort Myers, Inc. (Lan-Mac) are pest control operators conducting business in the general area of each individual respondent regarding whom they have requested a formal hearing. Larry McKinney owns these companies and has over 4,000 customers, nine pest control routes, six lawn care routes and a termite crew, all servicing the west coast from Collier County up through Sarasota County. Certified Operators of SW Florida, Inc. and Florida Pest Control Association, Inc. (FPCA) are trade associations with members who are pest control operators conducting business in the geographical area of each individual respondent regarding whom they have petitioned for a formal hearing. The members of these associations are substantially affected by the issues raised in this proceeding. As stipulated by the parties, the petitioners described above have standing to petition and participate as parties in this proceeding. (Prehearing Stipulation, page 12) Each of the individual respondents has submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) an application for registration as an especially pesticide-sensitive person, together with the statutory fee and a purported physician's certificate. Each individual respondent's claim is addressed more specifically below. The DACS is the state agency responsible for administering and maintaining the pesticide-sensitive persons' registry as provided in section 482.2265(3), F.S. The Registry Upon payment of a fee and submittal of an appropriate physician's certificate, pesticide-sensitive persons are placed on a list of persons who are entitled to 24-hour advance notice when a pest control operator is going to make an exterior application on property adjacent or contiguous to the pesticide- sensitive person's primary residence. The certificate must be from a physician qualified in a category established by department rule. The department has adopted rule 5E-14.146, F.A.C. specifying the categories. The DACS may designate a person "especially pesticide-sensitive" if, in addition to the submittal described above, the person provides "clear and convincing proof" that he or she is so sensitive to pesticides that the standard notice is not enough, and notification of applications at greater distance is necessary to protect the person's health. The notification distance requirement may not exceed one-half mile from the boundaries of the property where the hypersensitive person resides. The required notice is limited to use of a pesticide or pesticide class to which sensitivity is documented or for which the department determines sensitivity is scientifically probable. The department may limit notice requirements in applications in excess of a stipulated quantity and may not require notice of applications at a distance beyond the minimum distance required to prevent endangerment of the health of the individual. Section 482.2265, F.S. requires the individual registrant (pesticide- sensitive person) to notify the department of the properties or residences falling within the notice parameters (either adjacent or extra distance) so that the department can supply this necessary information to the pest control operators. Without this information, the operators cannot know whether a specific application is subject to notice. Pest control operators who fail to provide the notice required by section 482.2265, F.S. are subject to administrative sanctions by DACS, including fines and license suspension or revocation. Violations of the Pest Control Act are third degree misdemeanors. John Mulrennan, Ph.D. is the Bureau Chief of DACS' Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control, which bureau administers the requirements of Chapter 482, F.S. Dr. Mulrennan has a Ph.D. in entomology from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Mulrennan has delegated the day-to-day administration of the registry to Philip Helseth, Administrator of the Pest Control Section; and to Cherie Decker, Philip Helseth's secretary. Mr. Helseth, and more often, Cherie Decker, review applications from persons seeking to be placed on the registry. They determine whether the application is complete, the fee is attached or waived, and the physician signing the certification is properly qualified under the rule. The department has no medical personnel on staff to review medical records and it relies entirely on the physician's certification for the determination of eligibility for the registry. Dr. Mulrennan considers that a physician who is licensed and board-certified should be able to make the necessary diagnosis and the department is in no position to question that diagnosis. There are several versions of the application form/physician's certification that have been used by the agency, DACS, and its predecessor agency, the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS), but the current version is a one-page form with blanks to be completed on the front and printed guidelines on the back. The form elicits the person's name and primary residence address, with day and night telephone numbers. The form includes this "Physician's Certification:" I certify that the individual named above is a patient of mine and should be placed on the list of pesticide-sensitive persons. This individual has a documented sensitivity to a particular pesticide or class of pest- icides. The specific pesticide or class of pesticides to which registrant is sensitive: [blanks provided] The individual named above is currently under my care for a diagnosed condition or ailment for which I have proof that the normal appli- cation of a pesticide would aggravate the condition or ailment to such an extent that placement on the registry for prior notification is necessary to protect that person's health. Diagnosed condition or ailment: [blanks provided] (FPCA Exhibit #17) For persons registering as especially pesticide- sensitive, the form requests the special distance required: one block, two blocks, 1/4 mile, up to 1/2 mile limit. The certifying physician's signature, address, telephone number and the signature of a witness follows this statement: I further certify that I am a qualified physician, board certified and recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties in the specialty of toxicology, allergy or occupational medicine. I have diagnosed this patient's sensitivity based on the guidelines set forth by the department (see reverse side). Board certification will be verified by this Bureau. (FPCA Exhibit #17) The guidelines on the reverse of the form were developed with the assistance of the State Health Director, Dr. Mahan, and the Florida Medical Association. The guidelines are: GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSING PESTICIDE SENSITIVITY The department recommends the following basic steps be considered in diagnosing an individual as pesticide sensitive: good evidence of exposure history clinical manifestations from a particular exposure body testing related to an exposure, such as x-ray, blood test, urine test, etc., necessary to make a diagnosis environment [sic] examination of the site where the exposure occurs, such as a person's place of work, to determine the existence of exposure in the environment (FPCA Exhibit #17) According to FPCA expert, Dr. Ronald Gots, these guidelines, with minor modifications, are appropriate in determining whether or not someone has sustained a pesticide exposure and reaction and whether there is a causal relationship between a more distant application and endangerment to health. In Dr. Gots' view, the clinical manifestations ought to be the kind that have been specifically associated with the particular substance at issue. Dr. Gots also contends that specific laboratory evidence is not always required to determine pesticide toxicity. Guideline number four is particularly important in dealing with symptoms from remote applications. DACS does not require that the certifying physician use the guidelines provided on the form, as they are only intended as an aid. The agency only intends that the physicians make a diagnosis and reflect that fact in the certificates by their signature. DACS also does not require that the applicant provide actual addresses within the notification area. Instead, if there is a complaint that an operator made a pesticide application without the required notice, the agency will have to determine in that case whether the operator should be held accountable. Placement on the registry for extra distance notice is based solely on the physician's certificate, and whether the individual provides specific addresses or simply distances for the notice is immaterial, according to Dr. Mulrennan, until the agency is confronted with an enforcement issue. DACS checks the qualifications of the doctors who are making the certification. The secretary who checks the applications, Cherie Decker, has a phone number for the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to call to check on physicians. Examples of qualifications that have been rejected include academic doctorates. The agency has specifically accepted certificates from osteopathic physicians who are certified by the American Osteopathic Association but are not certified by the ABMS. That acceptance was based, in part, on correspondence from the ABMS, American Osteopathic Association, and Albert F. Robbins, D.O. (Department's Exhibits #3-8). Nothing in that correspondence establishes that one board certification is considered equivalent to another by the ABMS or is "recognized" by the ABMS. The Certifying Physicians The individuals at issue in this consolidated proceeding were all certified by one of the following: Albert F. Robbins, D.O.; Michael J. Waickman, M.D.; Neil Ahner, M.D.; Rory P. Doyle; S. J. Klemsawesch M.D.; Hana T. Chaim, D.O.; Paul F. Wubbena, Jr., M.D.; Linda A. Marraccini, M.D.; and Caren B. Singer, M.D. Dr. Robbins practices at the Robbins Environmental Medical Center, 400 South Dixie Highway, Boca Raton, Florida. He has a doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine; he is board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Preventative Medicine, with a sub-specialty in Occupational and Environmental Medicine; he has a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of Miami. He is not board-certified by the ABMS but he strongly avers that his board certification is equivalent to the specific requirement of the DACS rule referenced in paragraph 7, above. Dr. Waickman practices in Akron, Ohio. A medical doctor, he is board- certified in pediatrics, in allergy and clinical immunology and in environmental medicine. He practices with his son, who is also a medical doctor and who is board-certified in internal medicine and in allergy and clinical immunology. Dr. Ahner is a medical doctor who practices in Jupiter, Florida. The only evidence of his qualifications is his certificate on a patient's application for registration as a pesticide-sensitive person. The certificate, dated February 16, 1993, has all of the language regarding board-certification crossed out. Rory P. Doyle is the name appearing on a certificate for Carol Arrighi's application for registration. Nothing on that certificate indicates whether R. Doyle is a physician. The signature appears beneath the printed statement described in paragraph 16, above. Dr. Klemsawesch is a medical doctor who is board-certified in internal medicine and in allergy and immunology. Dr. Chaim is an osteopathic physician practicing primarily in the areas of family practice and environmental medicine. She is board-certified under the ABMS in family practice. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. She is not board- certified in any areas other than family practice. Dr. Wubbena is a medical doctor practicing in Jacksonville, Florida. He is board-certified in pediatrics and in allergy and immunology and he practices primarily in the specialty of allergy. The only evidence of qualifications of Drs. Marraccini and Singer is what purports to be their signatures beneath the certificate statement on the DACS application form. Both indicate they are medical doctors. Dr. Singer's signature has the handwritten notation, "Board certified internal medicine only"; Dr. Marraccini's signature has the handwritten notation, "family practice 1989." (Department Exhibit #1) The Individual Applicants Cheryl Mansker's application for registration was certified by Dr. Robbins on March 24, 1993. According to the certificate, she is sensitive to the following: organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethrum. The certification states that notification of 1/2 mile radius is required. Ms. Mansker has been a patient of Dr. Robbins since 1987. He considers her one of the most highly allergic individuals he has seen in his practice. He attributes the onset of her sensitivity to an occasion when she was employed in a bank when, in the process of repairing an air conditioner, a worker ripped the lining of a fiberglass duct and sent fiberglass throughout the entire building. This occasion, according to Dr. Robbins, subjected the patient to mold, formaldehyde and fiberglass. He has no record of any incidents of pesticide exposure, but believes her extreme chemical sensitivity qualifies her as eligible for certification. Dr. Robbins concedes that the amount of dosage is a factor in deciding whether a person is going to react, and whether it is necessary to protect that person. Thomas Milo has been a patient of Dr. Robbins since at least 1986. The certification by Dr. Robbins states that this patient "becomes very ill when exposed to pesticides and other chemicals - Pt. has been advised to avoid exposure to any and all pesticides." (Department exhibit #1) Mr. Milo used to have a florist shop but had to let his son take over because he could not continue to be exposed to pesticides or the flowers in the shop. Although he is functioning better, he must avoid fragrance products, pesticides or automobile exhaust fumes. Generally, when Mr. Milo visited Dr. Robbins with a reaction, the patient gave an exposure history. Sometimes the physician surmised the reaction was to cumulative exposures. Dr. Robbins recalls only one outdoor exposure incident, when a lawn was sprayed, but has no notes to evidence the date or specifics, including distance. According to Dr. Robbins, Mr. Milo needs at least a quarter mile notice to protect his health. This distance is based on the history, apparently given to the doctor by Mr. Milo, that he had reactions to pesticides that affected his health within a quarter of a mile. Joyce Charney has been a patient of Dr. Robbins since approximately 1982. On his certification on her application he listed these classes of pesticides to which she is sensitive: "Organophosphates, chlorinated [sic] and pyrethrum." Someone else apparently added the words "pesticides" and "Dursban" to the certification form. Dr. Robbins has tested Ms. Charney extensively for her multiple severe allergies to pollen, dust and mold. He does not test for allergies to pesticides, but for this and other patients he relies on their history with regard to exposures. In his words: ...[G]enerally, when I fill out those forms I just - if a patient is very chemically sensitive and very allergic I put all classes. It is hard for me to determine which one of the -- If they have said they have had reactions when they go by lawns, or have been in someplace like a Home Depot and they get around the pesticide and they have reactions, or they were spraying with some- thing and have a reaction, it is hard to tell which ones. * * * So if they have had multiple exposures and multiple reactions I just put the full class. (Deposition of Albert Robbins, page 59-60) Dr. Robbins designated two blocks as the required notice distance for Ms. Charney based on her explanation to him that if she gets in the wind drift of a pesticide that has been sprayed, she gets a reaction. He also considered the fact that Ms. Charney and her husband own and live at a motel a few miles from the doctor's office. The motel is an "allergy-free" motel patronized by some of Dr. Robbins' patients who come from out of town and are very chemically sensitive and allergic. He feels that it is appropriate for these patients to have some protection against significant exposures to that motel. Carrietta Kelly was never a patient of Dr. Robbins and he never met her. He signed the certification on her application for registration as a pesticide-sensitive individual after she and her husband, a physician, called him. Her husband is a medical doctor in Naples, Florida, but not a physician qualified according to the DACS rules. Dr. and Mrs. Kelly sent Dr. Robbins a two-page letter describing her health history and describing the symptoms she experienced after her apartment was treated six years prior to the letter, and her condominium was sprayed with Cynoff and Orthane a year prior to the letter. Dr. Robbins classifies those products as fungicides. Based on the history he received from Dr. and Mrs. Kelly, Dr. Robbins identified on the certification form these groups to which she is sensitive: organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethrum; and he designated a 1/2 mile notification distance. Charlene McClure has been a patient of Dr. Robbins since July of 1993. Skin testing reveals that she is food sensitive, pollen sensitive, dust and mold sensitive; and she is sensitive to terpenes, which are the odors from flowering plants. When she comes to Dr. Robbins' office she is generally in a state of collapse. Because of the general sensitivities, Dr. Robbins certified on Ms. McClure's application that she is sensitive to three classes of pesticides: organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethrum. He further certified that she needs notification within a 1/2 mile radius. As part of the exposure history which Ms. McClure gave Dr. Robbins, she stated that in the summer of 1992 there was an aerial application of Decromal 14 mosquito spray over her house. She told him that as a result she suffered from severe headaches, exhaustion, nausea and stomach cramps. Dr. Robbins does not know whether droplets from the spray landed on his patient; he assumes that the Decromal is an organophosphate. The evidence does not establish that it is. Marilyn Friedman has been a patient of Dr. Robbins since 1989. He signed the certification on her application for registration and stated that she is sensitive to these specific pesticides or pesticide classes: organophosphates, carbamates and chlorinated pesticides. At his deposition he indicated that pyrethrums should also be on the list. As with his other patients, the list is based on her history of being severely allergic and chemically sensitive. Ms. Friedman's allergies include pollens, dust, mites, insects, molds, terpenes and foods. According to Dr. Robbins, she cannot tolerate someone coming in the office with a fabric softener on clothing. Dr. Robbins' determination that Ms. Friedman requires one block distance notification is based on his patient's request. His records, as he testified in deposition, do not document specific exposures and reactions but he believes that his certification probably resulted from her request to him and her desire to be protected. The application for Sally B. Platner, dated October 2, 1992, includes a certificate by Michael Waickman, M.D., the son and partner of Francis Waickman, M.D. The certificate includes this description of the pesticides or class of pesticides to which Ms. Platner is sensitive: Fungicides including "Twosome" Chem-lawn Fertilizer application liquid. (Department exhibit #1) There is some further notation, but the evidence fails to establish who made those notes. Dr. Francis Waickman treated Ms. Platner, and his son saw her in his absence. She had previously been treated and tested by Dr. Bill Rea in Texas and she was determined to have many allergies and sensitivities. Sometime in 1982, she was living in an apartment complex in Ohio and reported that she was exposed to some pesticide application by a company called Chem-lawn. Dr. Francis Waickman surmised she had both dermal and respiratory absorption since she developed a skin rash within two hours of the exposure. He is not certain what chemical was implicated, but he is confident that it was a pesticide because he has personally observed that company's practices in the area. Dr. Francis Waickman's regimen of treatment for Ms. Platner included one thousand milligrams of vitamin C hourly, until she improved or got a loose stool from too much vitamin C. The record does not establish whether this treatment was successful for Ms. Platner. The certification in 1992 was based on Ms. Platner's phone call to the Ohio doctors' office and her description of the exposure. Dr. Waickman believes she was exposed to the fungicide, "Twosome," when it was sprayed on a golf course across the street from her residence in Florida. He surmised that since she had angina and other problems with other chemical exposures, she was also sensitive to "Twosome" as a related chemical and through what he described as a "spreading phenomena." Jesse Naglich has been a patient of Dr. Klemsawesch since 1992. She is allergic to a multitude of medicines, has allergic rhinitis and asthma. Dr. Klemsawesch certified her application for registration on November 16, 1993, stating that she is sensitive to Diazinon and organophosphates. She requires two blocks' notice of any application of those substances. Dr. Klemsawesch's assessment of Ms. Naglich's condition and requirements is based on her history. She reported to the doctor that she had adverse reactions after exposure to various chemicals. Sandra Metzger is also a patient of Dr. Klemsawesch. He has treated this "very complex patient" since 1986. On his most recent certification on Ms. Metzger's application for registration, he notes that she is sensitive to "organophosphates, pyrethrins and petrochemical-based compounds." Her diagnosed condition for purposes of the registration is "respiratory allergies and chemical sensitivity," and she requires a two-block notice, according to her physician. Dr. Klemsawesch prefers the term "sensitivity" instead of "allergy" with regard to his patients' reactions, because there is no specific test to determine an allergy to pesticides. Ms. Metzger had to leave her employment because of her reactions to insecticides sprayed in her workplace. She was exposed in 1991 at the same time that her office was being painted. In order to have an adverse reaction, in Dr. Klemsawesch's view, the patient must actually receive a dermal or respiratory exposure, or contact with the mucus membranes of the mouth or eyes. Mere olfactory detection (smell) might be an unpleasant event, but an olfaction reaction is not an allergic or toxic reaction unless the substance is being absorbed into the mucus membranes. Dr. Paul Wubbena has treated Pia Valentine since 1987. She is currently ten years old and suffers from asthma and allergic rhinitis; and, according to Dr. Wubbena's certification dated December 29, 1993, she is sensitive to pyrethrums, Diazinon and Dursban. She had recurring problems when riding her bicycle to the grocery store with her mother, and when pesticides were being sprayed she would start wheezing and coughing and getting sick. Also, based on her history given to the physician, she reacted to pyrethrums in flying insect spray. Dr. Wubbena based his conclusions regarding the specific chemicals on the history given to him by his patient and her mother and on his knowledge that Dursban and Diazinon are commonly used for lawn spraying. Miss Valentine has been tested for reactions to pollens and molds and is allergic to things of that type. Her allergic reactions are similar to her reactions in the presence of the specific pesticides listed by Dr. Wubbena. Jeanne Pellegrino has been treated by Dr. Hana Chaim for multiple chemical sensitivity and pesticide sensitivity since July of 1992. Dr. Chaim signed the certificate on Ms. Pellegrino's application for registration on June 2, 1993, indicating that she is sensitive to "organophosphates, pyrethrums, cypermethrin, especially Dursban" and that she needs 1/2 mile distance notification of application of those pesticides. The determination of what chemicals to put on the certificate was based on discussion with the patient, whom Dr. Chaim understood had established the specific pesticides she had been exposed to in the past. The distance determination was based on Dr. Chaim's understanding that sprays can go from a 900 to 1500-mile radius and the 1/2 mile notice is the maximum required by law. Although she suspected organophosphates were involved in Ms. Pellegrino's first exposure between April and June of 1993, this was not confirmed. Within the files of DACS for Kathryn Kaeding are two physician's certifications, dated February 16, 1993 and June 12, 1992, by Dr. Ahner. On the forms it is noted that she is sensitive to "Hydrocarbons, all pesticides, chlorinated compounds." Her diagnosed condition is "allergy - hypersensitivity - immune dysfunction." There is no other evidence in the record, from the individual or her physician, regarding Ms. Kaeding's condition or eligibility for registration. Nor is there any evidence, other than her application, regarding the eligibility of Carol Arrighi. From the form in the record it is impossible to determine whether the individual or her physician completed the application, or whether the signature on the certification is that of a physician. The certification for Kayleigh Marie Nunez is signed by Dr. Chaim. It states that she is sensitive to "organophosphates, all pesticides and herbicides, one-half mile limit requested." The certification for Estelle Greene, dated July 2, 1993, is signed by Linda Marraccini, M.D. The class of pesticides to which the individual is sensitive is noted as "All." Dr. Robbins appears to have signed certifications for Betty Jane Napier and for Susan and Donald Maxwell (both Maxwells are included on a single application form). The notation typed on Ms. Napier's form states: "Known to react to ethylene oxide." The pesticides or class of pesticides listed on Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell's form are "organophosphates, organochlorines, pyrethroids." The certification by Dr. Chaim on Barbara Rauker's application states that she is sensitive to "all classes of pesticides." The certification by Caren B. Singer, M.D. on Judith Lessne's application states that she is sensitive to "Pesticides in general, Petroleum based products." Pesticide Industry Practice A reliable pest control operator will determine the nature and extent of a problem before attempting a treatment. The operator must consider the surroundings of the area to be treated and the environmental factors such as rain, wind and sun. Treatment is tailored to reduce drift, which not only can cause harm but also causes needless expense due to waste. Good industry practice includes training technicians and carefully following the manufacturer's instructions regarding the most safe and effective use of the product. While careful use can control drift, unexpected wind gusts can disperse the product beyond its target, and even Petitioners' expert concedes that a post-application vapor of pesticide could drift for a half mile. Pesticide Sensitivity According to the Department's expert, Dr. Teaf, pesticide sensitivity by definition relates only to the substance that was the subject of an initial exposure and subsequent exposure that causes a reaction in an individual. The medical and toxicological link for pesticide sensitivity is much tighter than for the condition referred to as "multiple chemical sensitivities" or "MCS". There is no generally accepted definition in the scientific community of what constitutes pesticide sensitivity and there is no simple blood test to establish pesticide sensitivity. While there is commonly a psychological or psychogenic factor in pesticide sensitivity just as there is with other health conditions like heart problems, pesticide sensitivity is not solely a psychogenic or psychological condition. Pesticide sensitivity can be reasonably determined, even through the mechanism by which an individual acquires that condition is not clearly understood. A reaction to a specific chemical or pesticide class can be documented and quantified by a physical change in the body. Exposure histories are significant so long as the pesticide or pesticide class is identified. However, exposure histories alone are insufficient unless other causes are reasonably ruled out. Specifically, many individuals in the cases here were determined to be sensitive to many different agents: molds and pollens, food, animals, petroleum products and perfumes. It is impossible to deduce that an individual's symptoms are caused by exposure to one, rather than another agent, unless there is some process of elimination or isolation of the suspect agent. Summary of Findings Evidence of the process for diagnosis for the individual respondents in this proceeding is meager. Not one individual applicant testified, and only eleven applicants were addressed through the deposition testimony of their certifying physicians. Not one of the certifying physicians could testify that he or she actually followed the guidelines provided by the department, which guidelines, although non-binding, are accepted by experts for both sides of the dispute as important to good diagnosis. Dr. Klemsawesch, a very credible and competent witness and specialist in allergy and immunology, conceded that in order to respond to questions regarding the connection between exposures to pesticides and subsequent reactions, from a scientific point of view, you would need to test people by exposures in a controlled fashion and determine their physiological response. For Dr. Klemsawesch's patients, Ms. Naglich and Ms. Metzger, the specific events reported to him stood out beyond the background of their other common allergies to lead him to his conclusion that the chemicals he listed on their certificates were having an effect. That conclusion falls short of the finding required by law for the extra distance notice. Dr. Klemsawesch's conclusion, like that of the other certifying physicians, was based primarily on the individual's history. While that is an appropriate and accepted method of diagnosis, the histories described in the record of this proceeding are wholly lacking in the detail necessary for the determination required by law. No individual in the multiple cases consolidated presented adequate proof of the need for notification at greater distance than that specified for pesticide-sensitive persons.

Recommendation Based on the foregoing, it is RECOMMENDED: That the agency enter its final order denying the petition in Case #94-3237 (Carol Ann Rodriguez) as moot (see preliminary statement); and granting the remaining petitions by denying the applications for designation as "especially pesticide-sensitive." RECOMMENDED in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, this 31st day of May, 1995. MARY W. CLARK, Hearing Officer Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1550 (904) 488-9675 Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 31st day of May, 1995. APPENDIX A INDIVIDUAL CERTIFYING DOAH CASE# RESPONDENT PHYSICIAN 94-2801 Cheryl Mansker Robbins 94-2802 Sally Platner Waickman 94-2803 Thomas Milo Robbins 94-2805 Kathryn Kaeding Ahner 94-2852 Carol Arrighi Doyle 94-2853 Jessie Naglich Klemsawesch 94-2855 Joyce Charney Robbins 94-2858 Carietta Kelly Robbins 94-2859 Kayleigh Nunez Chaim 94-2862 Pia Valentine Wubbena 94-2864 Sandra Metzger Klemsawesch 94-2865 Charlene McClure Robbins 94-2866 Estelle Greene Marraccini 94-2867 Jeanne Pellegrino Chaim 94-2869 Marilyn Friedman Robbins 94-2871 Betty Jane Napier Robbins 94-2872 Susan Maxwell Robbins 94-3235 Carietta Kelly (see 94-2858) 94-3236 Susan Maxwell (see 94-2872) 94-3237 Carol Ann Rodriguez (moot) 94-4243 Barbara Rauker Chaim 94-6376 Judith Lessne Singer APPENDIX B The following constitute specific rulings on the findings of fact proposed by the parties. Florida Pest Control Association, Inc. Adopted, or adopted in substance or in summary form: #1-7, 11-18, 22-28, 38, 41, 48-49, 62-82, 88-90, 93-105, 107-109, 115-121, 124-126, 129-133, 137, 140-147, 158. Accepted, but not incorporated, as unnecessary or immaterial: #8-10, 19- 21, 29-37, 39-40, 42-47, 50-61, 83-87, 91, 106, 110-114, 122-123, 127-128, 134- 136, 138-139, 148-157. Rejected, as inconsistent with or unsupported by the weight of evidence: #92. Certified Operators of Southwest Florida, Inc., Lan-Mac Pest Control-Englewood,Inc. Lan-Mac Pest Control-Ft. Myers, Inc. Adopted, or adopted in substance or in summary form: #1-5, 8-11, 13-15, 18-22, 24-25. Rejected, as inconsistent with, or unsupported by the weight of evidence: #27. (The remaining numbered paragraphs are designated as conclusions of law.) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adopted, or adopted in substance or in summary form: #1-4, first sentence of #5, 6, 8-10. Accepted, but not incorporated, as unnecessary or immaterial: #7. Rejected, as inconsistent with or unsupported by the weight of evidence: Second sentence of #5. Individual Respondents Adopted, or adopted in substance or in summary form: #2-7, 10, 12-14, 22, 24-33, 40, 42, 47-56, 58-63, 66, 69-71, 80, 82-86, 90-95, 101, 106-109, 111-113. Accepted, but not incorporated, as unnecessary or immaterial: #8-9, 11, 15-21, 23, 34-38 [the issue is not the patient's sensitivity, but the extra distance notice requirement], 43, 46, 67 (not the required Board), 68, 72, 74- 77, 81, 88, 98, 99, 100, 115. Rejected, as inconsistent with or unsupported by the weight of evidence: #1, 39, 41, 44-45, 57, 64, 65, 73, 78-79, 87, 89, 96-97, 102-105, 110, 114, 116- 117. COPIES FURNISHED: Honorable Bob Crawford Commissioner of Agriculture The Capitol, PL-10 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0810 Richard Tritschler General Counsel The Capitol, PL-10 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0810 Robert G. Worley, Esquire Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services 515 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800 Jonathan A. Glogau, Esquire Assistant Attorney General The Capitol, PL-01 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050 Lance McKinney, Esquire O. Box 88 Cape Coral, Florida 33910-0088 Howard J. Hochman, Esquire 1320 S. Dixie Highway Suite 1180 Coral Gables, Florida 33146

Florida Laws (7) 120.57120.68482.011482.071482.155482.2265482.242
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES vs LEE ANN KENNEDY AND KENCO INDUSTRIES, LLC, 12-001055 (2012)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Filed:Westbay, Florida Mar. 20, 2012 Number: 12-001055 Latest Update: Oct. 12, 2012

The Issue Whether Respondents Lee Ann Kennedy ("Kennedy") and Kenco Industries, L.L.C. ("Kenco"), engaged in various activities constituting pest control under chapter 482 without having obtained the required licenses from Petitioner Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in violation of sections 482.161(1)(j), 482.165(1), and 465.191(1), Florida Statutes.

Findings Of Fact The Parties Petitioner is the state agency charged with administering the Structural Pest Control Act, chapter 482. Respondent Kennedy is a resident of Wellington, Florida. Respondent Kenco Industries, L.L.C., is a registered Florida Limited Liability Company. Kennedy is the manager and sole member of, and the registered agent for, Kenco. Pest Control Regulation under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes Chapter 482 authorizes Petitioner to regulate activities constituting "pest control" and to impose sanctions for violations of that chapter. "Pest control" is broadly defined in section 483.021(22) as: The use of any method or device or the application of any substance to prevent, destroy, repel, mitigate, curb, control, or eradicate any pest in, on, or under a structure, lawn, or ornamental; The identification of or inspection for infestations or infections in, on, or under a structure, lawn, or ornamental; The use of any pesticide, economic poison, or mechanical device for preventing, controlling, eradicating, identifying, inspecting for, mitigating, diminishing, or curtailing insects, vermin, rodents, pest birds, bats, or other pests in, on, or under a structure, lawn, or ornamental; All phases of fumigation, including: The treatment of products by vault fumigation; and The fumigation of boxcars, trucks, ships, airplanes, docks, warehouses, and common carriers; and The advertisement of, the solicitation of, or the acceptance of remuneration for any work described in this subsection, but does not include the solicitation of a bid from a licensee to be incorporated in an overall bid by an unlicensed primary contractor to supply services to another. Petitioner is authorized to issue licenses to qualified businesses to engage in the business of pest control in this state. § 482.165(1), Fla. Stat. It is unlawful for any person, partnership, firm, corporation, or other business entity to engage in the unlicensed practice of pest control as that term is defined in section 482.021(22). Id. Section 482.191(1) makes unlawful the advertisement of pest control services except as authorized under chapter 482. Absent limited circumstances not applicable here, persons or entities engaging in such advertisement must be licensed by Petitioner to practice pest control. Petitioner also is authorized to fine persons who impersonate an employee of Petitioner. § 482.161(1)(j), Fla. Stat. Respondents' Acts Alleged to Violate Chapter 482 Respondent Kennedy did not hold a pest control business license or other license to practice pest control at any time relevant to this proceeding.2/ Respondent Kenco also did not hold a pest control business license or other license to practice pest control at any time relevant to this proceeding. On or about April 1, 2011, Kennedy entered Saigon Oriental Market in Lake Park, Florida. According to its owner, Hung The Thach, Kennedy walked around the store inspecting it, then told him that she was employed by Petitioner, that some of his produce was infested by insects, and that he would have to have pest control services performed or she would return in a week to conduct another compliance inspection. Kennedy gave Mr. Thach the telephone number for Outside In, a pest control company, and the business card of its owner, Dennis O'Rourke. Concerned that Kennedy would shut down his store or fine him, Mr. Thach called Outside In; the following day, an employee of that company performed pest control services at the store. Outside In performed additional pest control services at the store on or around May 26, 2011. Mr. Thach paid Outside In for these services. In mid-May 2011, Kennedy inspected Fajita's Super Market in Lake Worth, Florida, and told its owner, Ali Jaber, that she was employed by Petitioner as an inspector, and that he had a fly problem in his store. She recommended that he contact Outside In to correct the problem. Mr. Jaber told her he used another pest control company, but thereafter, a representative from Outside In visited the store, left a business card with Mr. Jaber, and offered to provide pest control services for the store for $150.00 per month with no contract. Kennedy returned to the store approximately a week later and wanted to know why nothing had been done to correct the fly problem; she also asked an employee of Fajita's who was going to pay for her time to inspect the store; when she was referred to Mr. Jaber, she left the store and did not return. On or around May 24, 2011, Kennedy entered the Fortune Cookie oriental supermarket in West Palm Beach, Florida, and told its president, David Chang, that she was with an inspector with Petitioner. She inspected the store, told him that there was a fly problem, and stated she would return in two weeks. Mr. Chang testified that Kennedy did not provide him the name of any pest control businesses, but that approximately a week before Kennedy inspected the store, a representative of Outside In had come to the store and tried to sell him pest control services, but that he had declined to purchase the services at that time. Dennis O'Rourke, President of Outside In, testified that Kennedy was not on his company's payroll, but that she had solicited pest control business for his company for approximately four months prior to September 2011. She successfully solicited four accounts and he paid her 30% of the profits made on those accounts. At the time she solicited the accounts, she did not possess a valid identification card to perform pest control services on behalf of Outside In.3/ Mr. O'Rourke subsequently obtained a valid identification card for Kennedy so that she could perform pest control, including business solicitation, for his company. Petitioner initiated an investigation of Kennedy in June 2011, after being notified by several small food markets in Palm Beach County that she was holding herself out as a food inspector with Petitioner, inspecting the stores, notifying the store operators that there was a pest problem, and recommending that Outside In be contacted to correct the problem. In the course of the investigation, on September 7, 2011, John Berquist, an inspector with Petitioner's Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control, took photographs of Kennedy's motor vehicle4/ bearing magnetic signs on the front passenger and driver side doors labeled "Kenco Industries," which depicted a photograph of Kennedy and advertised the provision of pest control services. Berquist checked Petitioner's pest control licensing records and determined that Petitioner had not issued a pest control business license or other pest control license to Kennedy or to Kenco. At the hearing, Kennedy acknowledged that she conducted food store inspections, pointed out pest problems to store operators, and recommended that they contact Outside In for pest control service. However, she denied holding herself out as an employee of Petitioner. She testified that she is certified in food safety by the Department of Health and that if she observed a pest problem while shopping, she would show her food safety certification card to the store operator and point out the problem. She claimed she did this because she is Vietnamese, so often shops at Asian food markets and wants the stores where she purchases her family's food to be pest-free. She also claimed that she only wanted the stores "to get what they needed" in the way of pest control service and that it did not matter whether she was compensated for soliciting business for Outside In. However, she acknowledged that she had been compensated by Outside In for the pest control business she had successfully solicited on their behalf. Kennedy testified that she did not intend to do anything that was against the law, and was not aware that she was engaging in conduct that violated the law. The evidence established that neither Kennedy nor Kenco previously violated chapter 482 or Petitioner's rules. Ultimate Findings of Fact Regarding Alleged Violations Based on the foregoing, Petitioner established, by clear and convincing evidence, that Kennedy impersonated an employee of Petitioner, as alleged in Count 1 of the Amended Administrative Complaint, in violation of section 482.161(1)(j). Kennedy's testimony that she did not hold herself out as an employee of Petitioner was contradicted by all other witnesses and was not credible. Petitioner also established, by clear and convincing evidence, that Kennedy and Kenco advertised pest control services without obtaining a pest control business license in violation of sections 482.165(1) and 482.191(1). There was no dispute that Kennedy advertised the provision of pest control services by herself and by Kenco by placing signs on her vehicle depicting her image and Kenco's business name. Further, Kennedy is Kenco's manager, sole member, and agent, so her actions in advertising the provision of pest control services by Kenco are imputed to Kenco.5/ Petitioner also proved, by clear and convincing evidence, that Kennedy solicited pest control business for Outside In for compensation, in violation of sections 482.165(1) and 482.191(1). Kennedy's testimony that she was motivated by altruism and personal interest in food safety at markets where she shopped, rather than by being compensated for soliciting business for Outside In, was not credible. The undisputed evidence establishes that she was compensated by Outside In for soliciting pest control business on its behalf. However, Petitioner did not establish, by clear and convincing evidence, that Kenco solicited business on behalf of Outside In. The evidence does not show that Kennedy represented to the food store operators that she was acting on behalf of Kenco when she solicited business for Outside In. To the contrary, the evidence established that Kennedy represented that she was an inspector employed by Petitioner. Accordingly, it is determined that Kenco did not solicit pest control business for Outside In, in violation of sections 482.165(1) and 482.191(1). As further addressed below, Petitioner's Enforcement and Penalties rule, Florida Administrative Code Rule 5E-14.149, makes the deliberate commission of an act that constitutes a violation of chapter 482 an aggravating factor in determining the applicable fine. Here, the evidence shows that Kennedy intentionally misrepresented that she was employed by Petitioner specifically to solicit and induce food store operators to purchase pest control services for which she would be compensated. Accordingly, it is determined that Kennedy acted deliberately in impersonating an employee of Petitioner and in soliciting business on behalf of Outside In for compensation. Furthermore, the evidence shows that Kennedy——and by operation of the law of agency, Kenco——deliberately engaged in advertising the provision of pest control services without having obtained the required license.

Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is hereby RECOMMENDED that Petitioner Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services impose a fine of $2,600.00 on Respondent Lee Ann Kennedy, and impose a fine of $1,000.00 on Respondent Kenco Industries, L.L.C. DONE AND ENTERED this 27th day of June, 2012, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S CATHY M. SELLERS Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 27th day of June, 2012.

Florida Laws (10) 120.54120.569120.57120.68482.021482.091482.161482.165482.191483.021
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES vs JAMES BARTLEY, 07-005026PL (2007)
Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Filed:West Palm Beach, Florida Oct. 31, 2007 Number: 07-005026PL Latest Update: Jun. 19, 2008

The Issue The issues in this case are whether Respondent, James Bartley, violated Section 482.091(1), Florida Statutes (2007), as alleged in Petitioner’s Amended Administrative Complaint issued by Petitioner, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, on October 31, 2007, and, if so, what disciplinary action should be taken against his Florida pest control certified operator’s license.

Findings Of Fact Rudy L. Benvin was employed as a pest control employee by Diligent Environmental Services, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “DESI”), on February 15, 2007. While DESI was the “licensee” for which Mr. Benvin was employed, the evidence failed to prove who the certified operator in charge (hereinafter referred to as the “Certified Operator”) was upon Mr. Benvin’s employment. Clearly, Mr. Bartley was not the Certified Operator when Mr. Benvin was employed or during the 30-day period thereafter. DESI failed to apply for a pest control identification card for Mr. Benvin upon his employment, during the 30 days after his employment, or at any time that Mr. Benvin was employed by DESI. Respondent, James Bartley, became the Certified Operator of DESI on April 12, 2007. Mr. Bartley was employed as the DESI Certified Operator until May 24, 2007. Mr. Benvin was still in the employee of DESI on April 12, 2007, and continued as an employee of DESI during the period that Mr. Bartley served as the DESI Certified Operator. Because Mr. Benvin was already “employed” by DESI at the time Mr. Bartley became Certified Operator and had been continuously so employed since February 15, 2007, Mr. Bartley could not have, simply by becoming the DESI Certified Operator, “employed” Mr. Benvin. On or about August 14, 2007, an application for an identification card was filed by Mr. Bartley with Petitioner, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (hereinafter referred to as the “Department”). The name of the employing company reported on the application by Mr. Bartley was incorrect. Mr. Benvin continued his employment with DESI until sometime during the week of September 9, 2007. In settlement of DOAH Case No. 07-5417, DESI agreed that it had violated Section 482.091(1), Florida Statutes, by failing to apply for a pest control identification card for Mr. Benvin “within 30 days after employment of [Mr. Benvin] ”

Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that a final order be entered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services dismissing the Amended Administrative Complaint against James Bartley. DONE AND ENTERED this 8th day of February, 2008, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S LARRY J. SARTIN Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 SUNCOM 278-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 8th day of February, 2008. COPIES FURNISHED: Howard J. Hochman, Esquire Law Offices of Howard J. Hochman 7695 Southwest 104th Street, Suite 210 Miami, Florida 33156 David W. Young, Esquire Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Mayo Building, Suite 520 407 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800 Richard D. Tritschler, General Counsel Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Mayo Building, Suite 520 407 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800 Honorable Charles H. Bronson Commissioner of Agriculture Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services The Capitol, Plaza Level 10 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0810

Florida Laws (4) 120.569120.57482.09182.091
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