§ 19-7. Board of electrical examiners.

(a)

Creation of the board of electrical examiners. There is hereby created the board of electrical examiners of the city.

(b)

Appointments. Board of electrical examiners members shall be appointed by the city council.

(1)

When appointing members of the board of electrical examiners, the council will endeavor, to the extent possible, to appoint persons in a manner to reflect a balanced representation of individuals or organizations. The chairman of the board of electrical examiners shall be the electrical official.

(2)

The board of electrical examiners shall consist of seven (7) voting members. One (1) board member will be a city certified master electrician, and one (1) board member will be a city certified journeyman electrician.

(3)

In considering the appointment of board members, the council may solicit recommendations made by interested organizations and entities, including but not limited to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 505, the National Electrical Contractors Association, the Master Electricians Association of Alabama, the Alabama Power Company, the Associated Builders and Contractors Association of South Alabama, and the Home Builders Association of Metro Mobile. The council is not, however, bound by any recommendation that may be made or compelled to accept or otherwise act upon any recommendation that may be made.

(c)

Terms. Each member of the board of electrical examiners shall serve a term of two (2) years. Vacancies for any reason shall be filled in the same manner as their appointment, and such appointments shall be for the unexpired term of the member replaced. Members shall be eligible for reappointment.

(1)

If, at the expiration of any term of office of any member of the board of electrical examiners, a successor thereto has not have been appointed by the city council, then the member whose term of office has expired will continue to hold office until his or her successor has been duly appointed by the city council.

(2)

This section shall not serve to vacate any appointment made prior to its effective date.

(d)

Compensation. Each appointed member will receive no compensation.

(e)

Quorum. A quorum as established by the board of electrical examiners operating procedures shall be required to conduct board of electrical examiners business. The board of electrical examiners shall hold such meetings as necessary. The chair or a majority of the members of the board of electrical examiners shall have the authority to call meetings of the board of electrical examiners.

(f)

Duties. It shall be the duty of the board of electrical examiners to:

(1)

Adopt the necessary rules and regulations to administer and enforce this Code.

(2)

Establish qualifications of electrical contractors.

(3)

Revoke or suspend the recognition of any electrical certification for the jurisdiction.

(4)

After advance notice of the public hearings and the execution of such hearings, as established by law, the board of electrical examiners is authorized to establish and update the provisions for the safety of electrical installations to conform to the currently adopted edition of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) and other nationally recognized safety standards for electrical installations.

(5)

Establish procedures for recognition of electrical safety standards and acceptance of equipment conforming to these standards.

(g)

Examinations. The board of electrical examiners shall hold examinations for master electricians, journeyman electricians, and maintenance electricians at least twice yearly.

(h)

Policies and procedures. The board of electrical examiners shall promulgate policies and procedures for the administration of examinations, which shall be on file with the clerk of the city and available in the electrical inspection unit.

(i)

Suspension or revocation of certificates of competency. After a hearing following notice, the board shall have the power to suspend any certificate of competency issued by it for a period of not more than thirty (30) days, and may revoke certificates of competency issued by it, upon evidence presented to it that the holder of such certificate of competency has persistently or willfully violated the provisions of this code. When such certificate is revoked, the holder thereof shall not be entitled to apply for a new certificate within six (6) months of the date of such revocation.

(j)

Complaints. Whenever a complaint is made to the board of electrical examiners concerning any holder of a certificate of competency and the board of electrical examiners finds there is probable cause that the complaint is grounded in fact and that the facts, if true, would warrant revocation of the certificate, then the board of electrical examiners shall hold a meeting at which meeting the certificate holder and complainant may appear and present evidence as to such charges and defenses. Notice of the meeting shall be given to the holder of the certificate of competency not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date set for said meeting and shall specify, in detail, the basis of the charges against him or her.

(k)

Continuing education requirements for holders of active certificates of competency.

(1)

Each person who is certified by the board of electrical examiners must, as a condition of renewal of the certificate, provide proof of at least fourteen (14) classroom hours of continuing education in one (1) or more courses approved by the board of electrical examiners per three-year period.

(2)

A person who holds more than one (1) certificate issued by the board of electrical examiners is required to complete the continuing education requirements only once during each three-year period. Proof of completion by any such person must be submitted with the renewal application.

(3)

No continuing education requirements apply for the year in which a certificate is initially issued.

(l)

Certification Issuance and Renewal Fee.

Table 1

Maintenance electrician	$50.00
Journeyman electrician	50.00
Duplicate card fee	10.00
Master electrician	30.00 with business license
Low voltage certificate fee	50.00
State issuance fee	25.00
Inactive master	10.00 per year
Inactive master conversion fee	250.00
Apprentice/trainee certificate	10.00
Certification late renewal	Double fee
Electrical exam fees:
Master electrical exam fee	145.00
;hgJourneyman electrical exam fee	95.00
;hgMaintenance electrical exam fee	95.00

 

*All electrical fees shall comply with the city ordinance known as the "Building Code Permit Fee Schedule Ordinance."

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(m)

Certificate fees and terms.

Table 2

Application	Fee	Prerequisite	Term of Certificate of Competency
Application for maintenance electrician examination	$95.00	Same as journeyman
Application for master electrician examination		Any person shall be eligible for examination as a master electrician who has been in actual employment as a certified journeyman electrician for at least one (1) year, or has passed a previous examination with the city as a master electrician, or has a professional electrical engineering license, or such experience in the electrical field as shall be approved by the board of electrical examiners, or has had five (5) years of such experience in the design of electrical systems and their construction shall be approved by the board of examiners.	Master certificates will expire the day prior to March 1 and shall be renewed every three (3) years between January 1 and March 1 without a re-examination, under one (1) of the following provisions: (1) $30.00 fee if purchasing a city electrical contractor's license; (2) if not purchasing a city electrical contractor's license a fee equivalent to the amount paid for the minimum electrical contractor's business license.
Application for journeyman examination	$95.00	Four (4) years' experience as an apprentice or a current journeyman or master electrician in another jurisdiction of the state or other training approved by the board of electrical examiners.	5 years
Application for associate journeyman	$95.00	An applicant for a certificate of competency as an associate journeyman must have had at least two (2) years practical experience as an apprentice of a journeyman electrician or master electrician, or shall be sponsored by the electrical department of the city or must have had other training approved by the board of electrical examiners.
Application for low voltage examination	$95.00	Low voltage contractors must be licensed by the Alabama Electronics Security Board and must be issued a limited certificate of competency by the city. Worked performed under the certificate shall be limited to the specific installation specified on the certificate.	5 years
Reciprocal certificate of competency	$100.00	Applicants who attain a minimum score of seventy (70) percent on an examining board approved commercially-produced standardized test administered by an approved governmental agency, shall be eligible for a certificate of competency, without additional examination, subject to payment of the required fee.
Replacement of lost certificates	$10.00
Inactive master's certificate basis until the next licensing period (January 1—March 1). During this regular licensing period (January 1—March 1) an "inactive" certificate may be converted to an "active" certificate by compliance with the electrical code. Also a holder of an "inactive" certificate may acquire an active master's certificate at any time during the year by a successful completion of the prescribed master examination.	$10.00

 

(Ord. No. 19-028-2015 , § 2, 3-10-15; Ord. No. 19-044-2015 , § 4, 4-7-15)

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