[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Muhlenberg 4-21-2003 by Ord. No. 381; amended in its entirety 6-14-2004 by Ord. No. 393[1] (Ch. 103 of the 1982 Code). Subsequent amendments noted
where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. I, Adoption of
Standards; Modifications; portions of Art. II, Administration and
Enforcement; Art. III, Permits; Art. IV, Modifications to Standards;
and Art. V, Enforcement and Penalties, were repealed by Ord. No. 393.
The remaining portions of former Art. II are retained in this chapter
at the direction of the Township.
A.
Plumbers' Examining
Board.
(1)
Board personnel.
A Plumbers' Examining Board, properly qualified and existing in a
Berks County municipality, shall be designated by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Muhlenberg to act as the official examining board
for the Township of Muhlenberg.
(2)
Examination
and certification. The examining board as designated by the Board
of Commissioners shall establish standards and procedures for the
qualifications, examination and licensing of master plumbers and journeyman
plumbers. Upon notification from the examining board that such person
who meets the qualifications has successfully passed the examination
given by the examining board, the Township of Muhlenberg may issue
an approved license to such person applying for such license. The
designated examining board shall keep official records of all its
transactions. Applicants should present themselves to the designated
examining board for the purpose of qualifications and examinations.
B.
Master plumber.
No person desiring to engage in the business of plumbing shall engage
in such business as a master plumber in the Township of Muhlenberg
unless:
(1)
He/she shall
hold a valid master plumber license after having successfully passed
an examination from the designated board of examiners; and
(2)
He/she shall
submit to the Township of Muhlenberg a certificate of insurance establishing
that the master plumber is currently insured by a reputable insurance
company acceptable to the Township of Muhlenberg, covering said master
plumber for property damages in the amount of not less than $50,000
for any one claim and not less than $100,000 for multiple claims arising
from the same undertaking, as well as public liability insurance in
the amount of not less than $100,000 from any one claim and not less
than $300,000 for more than one claim arising from the same undertaking.
The Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities' requirements
go into effect on August 31, 1993. Act 44 requires the submission
to the municipality of proof of workers' compensation insurance or
an affidavit that insurance as not required before issuing a permit.
Said certificate shall be for continuous coverage unless canceled
by said insurance company, at which time the Township of Muhlenberg
shall be notified in writing by said insurance company.
C.
Journeyman plumber.
A person desiring to engage as a journeyman plumber in the Township
of Muhlenberg must hold a valid journeyman plumber license after successfully
passing an examination from the designated board of examiners.
D.
Apprentice plumber.
(1)
An apprentice
plumber shall be employed by a registered master plumber and shall
be registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Apprenticeship Training,
United States Department of Labor.
(2)
An apprentice
plumber shall not be permitted to install plumbing or house drainage
work unless under the supervision of a registered plumber.
E.
Heating/HVAC contractor. No person
desiring to engage in the business of heating/HVAC contractor shall
engage in such business in the Township of Muhlenberg unless:
[Amended 3-20-2017 by Ord. No. 567]
(1)
He/she shall have served at
least two years as a registered heating/HVAC contractor.
(2)
He/she shall hold a valid
heating/HVAC contractor license after successfully passing the examination
therefor with the designated examining board.
(3)
He/she shall deposit with
the Township of Muhlenberg a certificate of insurance establishing
that such heating/HVAC contractor is currently covered by a reputable
insurance company acceptable to the Township of Muhlenberg, insuring
such heating/HVAC contractor for property damages in an amount not
less than $100,000 for any one claim and not less than $300,000 for
multiple claims arising out of the same undertaking, as well as general
public liability insurance in the amount of not less than $250,000
for any one claim and not less than $500,000 for multiple claims arising
from the same undertaking. In addition, each heating/HVAC contractor
shall submit to the Township of Muhlenberg that it has workers' compensation
coverage, as required by Pennsylvania law. Each certificate of insurance
shall provide for 30 days' prior notice of cancellation to the Township
of Muhlenberg.
F.
Heating/HVAC installer. No person
desiring to engage in the business of a heating/HVAC installer shall
engage in business in the Township of Muhlenberg unless:
[Amended 3-20-2017 by Ord. No. 567]
Any person desiring to be licensed as a master
plumber, journeyman plumber, apprentice plumber, appliance contractor
or appliance installer shall make written application to the Township
of Muhlenberg. Fees for license applications shall be designated from
time to time by the Board of Commissioners. Payment of such fee should
accompany each application. The license application fee shall include
the first yearly license fee.
The Township of Muhlenberg may issue a temporary
operating permit pending examination, provided the applicant holds
a current license from an equivalent board. Such temporary operating
permit shall not be valid for more than 30 days and may be revoked
at any time by the Township of Muhlenberg.
All licenses issued by the Township of Muhlenberg
shall be issued annually and shall expire December 31 at the end of
the year following the year in which such licenses were issued, but
the same may be renewed upon satisfactory showing of an intention
to continue the business of plumbing and payment of the prescribed
fee to the Township of Muhlenberg within five days of the expiration
date of the issued license.
All licenses issued by the said Township of
Muhlenberg shall expire on December 31 of the year following the year
in which such licenses were issued but may be renewed upon payment
of the annual fee. Expired licenses may be renewed at any time upon
payment of a penalty of a sum equal to the annual license fee.
The Board of Commissioners of the Township of
Muhlenberg, acting as the governing body of the Township of Muhlenberg,
may revoke any license if obtained through nondisclosure, misstatement
or misrepresentation of fact, or for noncompliance with any of the
provisions of this chapter. Notice of such revocation shall be given
by mailing the same to the licensee at the address shown on his license.
The notice of revocation shall include a statement of the reasons
for the action taken. The licensee shall be entitled to a hearing
before the Board of Commissioners if he requests same in writing within
10 days after the date of said notice of revocation. Said hearing
shall be held within 20 days after the date of receipt of the request
for hearing. After the hearing, the Board of Commissioners shall render
its decision either reinstating the license or sustaining the revocation.
A person whose license has been revoked and not reinstated shall not
be permitted to apply for another license for a period of one year
from the date of revocation.
No person who has obtained a license shall allow
his name to be used by another person either for the purpose of obtaining
permits or for doing business or work under the license. Every person
licensed shall notify the Board of Commissioners of the address of
his place of business, if any, and the name under which such business
is carried on and shall give immediate notice to the Board of Commissioners
of any change in either.
