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Show 2 Vay Responsibility on Contracted Work Advised by State ilgency Ross Glass, investigator for the , State Department of Contractors, I stated this week that many ques- j tions as to the responsibility of citizens regarding contracted work have arisen within the past .several months. Under the present laws of the State of Utah any contractor should be licensed by the State, Glass stated, and persons contemplating con-templating work of any kind, are advised to negotiate with licensed licens-ed contractors. The relatively new agency for which Mr. Glass Is serving was authorized in 1957 by action of the Utah State Legislature and is an agency of the State Department Depart-ment of Business Regulations. District office of the department depart-ment is located in Cedar City and operated by Mr. Glass for the entire southern Utah area. During 1960, third year of the department's existence, 184 complaints com-plaints against contractors were reported, and 134 separate contractors con-tractors were called to show cause why their licenses should not be revoked. Obligation bonds are also another an-other means of assuring proper performance of work contracts an da method as well of making the contractor responsible for i materials purchased and labor performed under the terms of the I contract. , The State Department of Con-, Con-, tractors code requires such bonds for projects over $500 and before any work is commenced. Such bonds, according to the code, "should be obtained from the contractor In a sum equal to the contract price, with good and sufficient sureties, conditioned for the faithful performance of the contract and prompt payment pay-ment for materials furnished and labor performed under the contract. con-tract. Such bond shall run to the owner and to all other persons per-sons as their interest may appear; ap-pear; and any person who has furnished materials or performed labor for or upon the project." Under the terms of the state code failure to require bond for projects of over $500 simply makes the property owners responsible re-sponsible for materials and labor. la-bor. The coe'e wads as follows: "Any person .... who shall fall to obtain such good and sufficient suffici-ent bond, or to exhibit the same shall be personally liable to all persons who have furnished furnish-ed materials or performed labor under the contract for the reasonable rea-sonable value of such materials furnished or labor performed." These two simple precautions 1. Require that contractor be licensed and 2. Require a bond for projects over $500 should be taken by all citizens when having work performed for them. Should complaints arise from work performed by contractors Mr. Glass should be contacted at his office at 109 North Main in Cedar City. Procedure of complaints includes in-cludes the examination of work complained of and a report by the investigator to the administrator. adminis-trator. If the complaint is sound and most of them are so found :he contractor Is called on to satisfy It. It not, order is Issued, requiring the contractor to show cause why his license should not be revoked, Mr. Glass concluded. |