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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2007)
Page 13 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, March 21, 2007 HOMETOWNE INTERIORS held a cribbage tournament to benefit Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance. More than 30 players turned out and raised close to $400. (Photo by ‘Illinois Valley News’) Contractors Board urges use of its new Website Just when home owners begin to think about spring home improvement projects, the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) has rolled out its new con- sumer-friendly Website at hirealicensedcontractor.com. “The agency’s primary Website includes a lot of information important to construction contractors,” said Gina Fox, spokesman for the CCB. “The new Website is all about what a consumer might need to help make a project run smoothly.” Helpful information on the site includes these time- tested tips that CCB recom- mends to all home owners contracting for work: *Make sure the contrac- tor is licensed with CCB. Before hiring, check the contractor’s license and complaint history at the Website or phone (503) 378-4621. Take the time to make an informed decision. You wouldn’t trust an unli- censed driver with your car. Don’t give the keys to your most precious investment to an unlicensed contractor. Licensing is required for those that offer painting, roofing, carpentry, siding, plumbing, electrical, floor covering, concrete, asphalt, window, insulation, manu- factured dwelling installa- tion, inspection services, heating and air conditioning, and most other construction and repair services. *Use a written contract. Put all agreements, and all changes, in writing. Gener- ally, the more detailed a contract, the fewer problems that occur later. A big pro- ject needs more than a vague contract: “Remodel master bedroom, $19,500” is insufficient. Know what your con- tract does, and does not cover. Don’t sign unless you understand everything. *Get more than one bid, but don’t automatically ac- cept the lowest bid. The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” applies to con- struction projects. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials, work- manship and reliability. A large number of CCB complaints are a result of home owners accepting an unrealistically low bid and then being unhappy with the low quality of work. *Communicate. Asking lots of questions before the job starts helps prevent problems later. Talk to your contractor throughout the project. Most disputes hap- pen because people fail to communicate at every step. *Check references. Learn as much as you can about the contractor you are hiring. *Get building permits. Most home improvement, repair or remodeling jobs require permits from the appropriate city or county building department. Usu- ally, contractors get them because they know what permits are required. But ultimately, the owner is re- sponsible for making sure the required permits are ob- tained. Failing to get building permits doesn’t save you money -- it can cost you your safety and sense of security. According to CCB, most construction projects go smoothly when consum- ers do their homework by checking out their contrac- tor, set realistic expecta- tions, and make wise, in- formed decisions during the project. CCB is a state agency licensing more than 44,000 contractors. Anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home must be li- censed by the CCB. ID theft protection announced A new legislative pack- age to strengthen protections for Oregonians against ID theft was announced. The Oregon Consumer Identity Protection Act (Senate Bill 583) would establish new standards for safeguarding personal infor- mation. It would ensure that consumers are notified promptly if the security of their information has been compromised, and gives the public the right to freeze their credit files if they become a victim. “Identity theft remains a major problem plaguing Oregon families and businesses alike,” said Gov. Kulongoski. “Once a victim discovers a crime has been committed, it can sometimes take years to clear up the damage,” he said. “This legislation would help protect consumers and give them the tools to take back control of their credit,” he said. He made the announce- ment with Sen. Floyd Pro- zanski (D-Eugene) and Rep. Larry Galizio (D- Tigard), flanked by fellow lawmakers, business leaders, and consumer advocates. ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR- GANIZATION (IVCDO) recognized the efforts of several people Thursday evening, March 15, during its annual general membership meeting at the Josephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction. Kenny Houck, chairman of the IVCDO board, presented a certificate of appreciation to Bill Moore (above, left in left photo) who has been coordinating mentorship, job training, and business development activities for IVCDO, Houck noted that Moore has counseled some 140 clients with their business ideas and problems. He also was instru- mental in formation of Illinois Valley Merchants Asso- ciation. Moore has accepted employment with Rogue Truck Body in Kerby, and is stepping down from IVCDO; Bill Waggoner (left) was recognized for his extensive service as a member of the IVCDO board; Rebecca Pearson (above) was honored for her involve- ment in Second Friday ArtWalk, and recognized for having brought BeBe’s Art For Everyone gallery to Downtown CJ. (Photos by Michelle Binker/’IVN’) SHADES OF TOM SAW- YER - Painting the fence for Picket Fence Fabrics in Cave Junction was accomplished as a fund- raiser by members of the Illinois Valley High School football team on Friday, March 16. Coach Bob Thornhill said that the project will help boost funds for the team come next season. (Photo by ‘IVN’) Mandatory school health insurance approval disliked by some Oregon House Democ- rats passed legislation last week to increase education administrative costs by $99 million, said House Repub- lican Leader Wayne Scott (R-Canby), who led the fight against SB 426. The bill would establish a mandatory health insur- ance pool for school dis- tricts, community colleges and education service dis- tricts. Scott said that the bill will increase education costs, take money away from the classroom, and take away local control. “Our local school boards tell us SB 426 will cost them $99 million in its first year, forcing them to direct taxpayer dollars away from the classroom,” Scott said. “This bill does not save tax dollars; it only under- mines our local elected offi- cials and school administra- tors.” House and Senate Re- publicans have supported amending SB 426 to author- ize an indep end en t actuarial study, and to im- plement the program if true savings were found. On a party-line vote, Democrats rejected this amendment in committee. Republicans were not alone in opposing SB 426. The bill also is opposed by the Oregon School Boards Association, the Confedera- tion of Oregon School Administrators, Oregon Community College Asso- ciation, League of Oregon Cities, Association of Ore- gon Counties, Special Dis- tricts Association of Ore- gon, Oregon Association of Health Underwriters, and the Oregon Association of School Business Officials. SB 426 was pushed by the Oregon Education Association, which gave more than $355,000 to House Democrats during 2006. Water Wells Pump Sales Installation Service 592-6777 1470 Caves Highway Licensed • Bonded • Insured Locally owned and operated in the valley for over 25 years. WWC #1504 • CCB #152266 • CPl #7-113 The Kerby Transfer Station Member Oregon Ground Water Assoc. is open to help you... Hours: Mondays - Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information phone (800) 922-1025 Linda Sallman 128 S. Redwood Hwy. Cave Junction OR 97523 541-592-4541 Across from Caves Pharmacy on Redwood Hwy. Open Mondays - Fridays, 9 to 5 Auto - Home - Life - Commercial Support the merchants who advertise in the ‘Illinois Valley News’
