Random Contractor Checks | Video

Evan Kruegel | 6/26/2012

With so much development going on around western North Dakota, it`s easy for contractors to think they aren`t being watched. But that wasn`t the case this morning as the North Dakota Contractor Compliance Task Force made an unannounced trip to Williston to perform random searches of construction sites around town.

"At times you have to draw the line and say, `We`ve discovered you`ve been working in North Dakota for six months, you aren`t licensed, your work has to stop now and immediately," said Parrell Grossman, Director of the Attorney General`s Consumer Protection Division.

But they didn`t find the violations they were expecting. The task force found only four unlicensed contractors out of the 56 they inspected.

"Although we hear often that there is a great deal of unlicensed activity in the western part of the state, so far on these two stops were not seeing that. Were happy to report that almost all the contractors are licensed and in compliance," said Grossman.

One main group the task force encounters are contractors coming to western North Dakota from out of state. Many don`t realize it`s not about how long you stay in North Dakota, but how much of your annual income you receive while working here.

"There are some very technical requirements depending on whether your workforce is brought from an out of state location for a very small job or whether they are engaged here on a constant or continual basis and earning a substantial portion of their entire proceeds throughout the year in North Dakota. So those are some of the things we have to look at."

Contractors were surprised to see the task force arrive on their job sites.

"I think the message to unlicensed contractors is we`re out there, we`re checking, we`re enforcing North Dakota laws, and it will not be a good situation if you have to immediately stop your work," said Grossman.

The unannounced visit by the task force shows that state leaders are taking development in Williston very seriously. They may not have found many unlicensed workers today, but they`ll be back.

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