Protecting Kennett homeowners: City mandates license for repair workers

Kennett Code Enforcement Officer Victor Mode warned those in construction trades affecting repairs to homes and businesses as a result of Saturday's storms must stop in to city hall and register for tradesmen's licenses.

"There is no cost for the license," Mode said. "But people doing repair work must register so we know they're insured."

Mode and Kennett City Clerk Jan McElwrath emphasized companies must carry a minimum of $100,000 worth of protection.

"We've got a lot of them that we've heard aboout and noticed they are not licensed to work within the city limits," Mode said. "The licenses require us to make sure they have insurance.

"So, they have to be insured, or homeowners and businesses are taking a big risk," he added. "If we catch them working without a license, we give them a ticket."

Mode said he wasn't sure, but penalties could reach as high as $1,000, and that the city has experienced these kinds of issues in the past.

"This just seems like more of it," Mode said. "More people coming into town to do repair work that aren't licensed.

"And we don't want our citizens to be taken or to accept sub-par work," he added. "I don't know if people travel around, following tornadoes to try to cash in on homeowners' tragic circumstances. We've only come across three or four. We made them stop work and instructed them to report to city hall to register for the licenses."

McElwrath agreed.

"We're trying to get the word out," McElwrath said. "If you're coming to Kennett to do repair work, you must register with the city."