OKEMOS, MI — While Michigan faces one of the worst pothole seasons in history, drivers are jumping at the chance to locate and photograph the largest, frame-bending pothole among Michigan roads.
The contest, sponsored by the Michigan Transportation Team (MTT), began February 11th and runs through Friday, March 28, 2008. The contest will award three $318 “service center scholarships” ?– to cover the average cost crumbling and congested roads cost Michigan motorists ?– to each of the top three entrants who report the worst potholes.
“This year is by far the absolute worst pothole season Michigan has ever seen,” said Mike Nystrom, vice president of government and public relations for the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association and co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team. “We’ve received many photos showcasing enormous potholes throughout the state. This contest is proving that there is a large demand for funds to fix Michigan’s roads.’”
The contest is part of an ongoing effort to educate policy-makers and others that the dire condition of Michigan roads and bridges poses both an immediate public safety risk to motorists and represents a roadblock for economic development and job creation in the state.
Contestants can log on to www.drivemi.org to submit a picture of the pothole, its approximate location and contact information by midnight on Friday, March 28th. Participants should pull off the road and use caution in taking pictures of the gaping potholes. The public will be able to vote for which pothole they think is the worst at www.drivemi.org. Winners will be announced the week of April 1st.
“Michigan’s freeze-thaw cycle, which causes potholes, shows no sign of change, but that doesn’t mean the funding for roads should remain the same either,” Nystrom said. “We hope that this pothole contest will motivate policy-makers throughout the state to consider the conditions and realize that road reconstruction is desperately needed.”
MTT is a broad-based bipartisan partnership of business, labor, local government, associations and citizens working to improve Michigan’s transportation infrastructure. The Drive MI campaign is committed to promoting the development and maintenance of a safe, convenient and efficient transportation network that serves the public, private and economic development needs of Michigan. For more information, visit www.drivemi.org.
DLEG Sending Notices to Prepare Builders & Contractors for New Consumer Protection Laws Taking Effect on June 1
LANSING, MI — Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth Director Keith W. Cooley announced today that builders and maintenance and alteration (M&A) contractors will be receiving notices of new consumer protection laws most of which take effect June 1.
“Even though most of the laws don’t take effect until June 1, we wanted to ensure that builders and contractors are all notified well in advance and are aware of these changes since they have a significant impact on their future licenses,” Cooley said. “These changes were put into place to help protect consumers and the reputation of the industry as a whole.”
One of the highlights of the new law increases penalties for unlicensed activity, which became effective upon the bill signing in December, 2007. The increased penalties allow for misdemeanor charges with stiff financial penalties of $5,000-$25,000 and possible prison terms. In the event a person is seriously injured or is killed, an unlicensed builder or contractor faces all the previously mentioned penalties and the offense is boosted from misdemeanor to felony with up to four years in prison.
Cooley said DLEG will have greater ability to track down unlicensed builders and contractors as a result of the law. The new law earmarks a portion of license fees for a newly established Builder Enforcement Fund to pursue investigations of unlicensed activity.
“Rule number one for consumers: if you are having a home built or work done, check to ensure the work is being performed by licensed individuals. By using unlicensed workers, you run the risk of shoddy workmanship, financial hardship or worse,” Cooley said. “Rule number two: always get it in writing.”
DLEG’s online license search is available at http://www.michigan.gov/licenselookup or by calling the Licensing Division at (866) 630-6608. Other key changes taking effect June 1 for builders and M&A contractors:
• Required to provide information regarding their company or individual license as part of a contract.
• Moved to a new three-year license cycle rather than the current two-year split license cycle.
• Required to meet competency requirements in order to renew their licenses. For those licensed six years or less, they must complete up to 21 hours of continuing competency activities for the 3-year license cycle. Those with more than six years as a licensee must complete three hours of continuing competency activities during the three-year cycle.
• ALL Qualifying Officers must hold an ACTIVE license as an individual Residential Builder or M&A Contractor. If a Qualifying Officer for a corporation, limited liability company or partnership does not hold an active individual license on June 1, 2008, the license for the company will be suspended. The department will be mailing notices in February to all affected companies and qualifying officers along with an individual license application. The department is developing an expedited process to enable current qualifying officers to obtain their individual licenses.
• Anyone applying for a new residential builder or M&A contractor license as of June 1, 2008, will be required to complete 60 hours of approved prelicensure education courses.
• All applicants and qualifying officers will be required to submit a copy of his or her driver’s license or state personal identification card with the application.
Full text of Senate Bills 450, 451, 452 and 453 is available on the Michigan Legislature’s Website at www.legislature.mi.gov. For a summary of the legislation and applications, visit www.michigan.gov/builders.
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