Oregon landscape board in Medford - consider attending.

[M.D. Vaden]

For Tree Services, you mainly may be interested in this because of the legal side of planting trees in Oregon. But you may know tree people, or maintenance people in Oregon that are interested in other issues.

One of my main concerns is being able to lease labor when I have a lot of material to move, without the lease labor company having to jump hoops to get a landscape license.

Also, you really have to witness a board meeting to understand how things are really done, and how important one vote is.

PLEASE, don't read the following and assume I fully support or oppose the list of information. I'm mainly making sure word goes out to as many interested parties as possible. I know people don't like surprises. So this is one avenue to keep shocking surprises to a minimum, and input to a maximum.

In case some of you were unaware, I am on the Oregon Landscape Contractors Board - this is year number 4 for me.

Next July, 2003, the landscape board will be meeting in Medford, which is rare. Almost every meeting is in Salem.

The schedule is under “BOARD INFO” at www.lcb.state.or.us. But I think the July 18th date will be changed, or was changed to about July 26th.

The “CONTACT INFO” has an email you can use for direct communication to check the July date.

I encourage any of you, or your acquaintences, to attend that meeting if you are interested in Oregon landscape issues, laws, rules, etc.. It should not amount to the loss of a day’s income, if you make the meeting day your day off in that week. That’s what I need to do.

Several issues should be included at that meeting:

1. Currently, there is debate about Temp ( Lease ) Labor companies being required to have a landscape contractors license to send laborers ( hole diggers and dirt movers ) to ALREADY licensed landscape contractors.

2. There is the dilemna that most tree companies are licensed with the construction board, and landscapers with the landscape board. Legally, most arborists - even ISA Certified Arborists - cannot advertise planting work of trees.

3. There is diversity of opinion about MINOR AND INCONSEQUENTIAL work up to $500 - an allowance for maintenance type companies or others for landscape work without a license. One side of the fence says “that should be for replacement only”, the other side says “the mechanics of replacement and new planting are the same, so what difference does it make how the $500 total is reached”.

4. The fate of “THE LANDSCAPE DESIGNER ISSUE” may have some bumps. The landscape board in Oregon is not totally settled on this matter, but was supportive of the OREGON LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION (OLCA) that introduced and filed the bill by the legal deadline. Apparently, OLCA may have pulled support for its own bill, but now discussion is continuing.

Just these 4 issues alone could affect you, your business, your personal needs, your neighbors. Please feel free to copy and send this note to anyone who may be interested.

In a similar situation regarding arborists and the Oregon CCB, about a decade ago, I started with me, and soon had about 60 other individuals involved. And it made a difference - BIG DIFFERENCE.

This is primarily for Oregonians. Remember, there is a lot of information about laws, rules and more at www.lcb.state.or.us

PLEASE FEEL AT LIBERTY TO COPY AND SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ANY INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS OR INDUSTRY GROUPS.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

In a state that does not allow you to pump your own gass, none of that suprises me.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

That gas thing is amazing isn't it?

Personally, I'd like to make that choice myself - pay less and pump when I have jeans on, or, pay a bit more for an attendent when wearing my suit.

Between you and me (and the 100s that will see this anyhow), it can be very interesting voting on a board that makes policy that affects yourself.

Recently, I have been pressing the issue that maybe we (the landscape board of past and present) have taken GOOD, and developed some of it over-efficiently into UNSIGHTLY FEATURES.

My response to a building contractor last week was "the law is for the lawless." I truly see that are enough unresponsible people in Oregon to need protective rules, laws or guidelines. But I'm beginning to realize that we cannot assume the responsibility for every decision and action that people can or will make.

I may take criticism, because past boards have voted to move in a direction (as if that sets the future course).

Well, past board members were ignorant of tree related issues, laws and problems in Oregon. Now I'm on the board, and the past director of Oregon's Pacific NW chapter of ISA is now a public board member of the landscape board.

I press the issue that the board is finally is a condition to really start to see the big picture. The big picture is not what landscapers see - it should be what all the horticulture facets see and need.

For example, the Oregon landscape test has deck and mortar questions. Hardly any landscapers here do decks. My claim is why are there no tree or pruning questions on the test? Almost every landscaper here puts in trees. And I don't see how a landscaper can really know how to properly select and care for a tree without some arboricuture knowledge. So why doesn't Oregon have arboricultural stuff on the test? I believe its proportional to what the background was of the previous board members.

 

[murphy4trees]

In general I think some protection from the force of raw greed in the free market is necessary in our present culture... and I know a lot of people that believe many requirements for licensure are merely legalized extortion.... Maybe even some of you reading this post think like that....
I heard a story about a township inspector that made a homeowner remove every 5th fencepost to prove he had the required 6" of gravel in the bottom of each hole... To me, that is overkill. An old girlfriend and I were leaving a township meeting for my old landlord years ago... she turned to me and said remind me to stop on the way out.. I need a permit 'cause I'm gonna plant some tulips... Sounds like you Oregonians are heading in that direction... There is a fine line between public protection and the the violation of basic rights.. like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The road to facism may be just around the next bend... Freedom is to be guarded by each generation...
Unfortunately far too many Americans lack the slightest understanding of unalinable rights, the declaration of independence, the bill of rights, etc.. Like my father-in-law, who got upset at me for attending the peace marches in DC last fall.. His objection was that I was violating others right by blocking the roads they needed to go to work... When in fact I was particpating in an act of true democracy at its finest, for which ALL AMERICANS can be proud... (even Stalin supported free speach for his supporters)
I also have concerns in hearing about industry executives sitting on boards that set up barriers for entry into their business, thus effectively limitting competition. Seems like a serious conflict of interest. For more on that check the below link... There's a short written piece and a great radio show... just click on the RA icon...


http://www.thislife.org/pages/descriptions/00/168.html