As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
EMPLOYING OR MASTER PLUMBER
A person otherwise meeting the requirements of this chapter and having a regular place of business and who, by himself or journeymen plumbers in his employ, performs plumbing work.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
There is hereby created and established an Examining Board of Plumbers consisting of five members to be appointed by the Mayor, one of whom shall be the City Engineer, one of whom shall be the Building Inspector, one of whom shall be the Plumbing Inspector of the City, one of whom shall be a master plumber and one of whom shall be a journeyman plumber and all of whom shall be citizens and actual residents of the City.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
The terms of office of the three members of the Board who are City employees shall be for as long as they continue to hold such offices, and when they shall cease to hold their offices, their successors shall act on the Examining Board in their place and stead. Terms of office of the master plumber and the journeyman plumber shall be three years from the first day of January following their appointments. Vacancies occurring by expiration of a term shall be filled by the Mayor for a full term. Vacancies caused by death, removal, inability to act, resignation or removal from the City of either the master plumber or journeyman plumber shall be filled by the Mayor for the unexpired term.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
The Mayor shall, annually, appoint a person to the position of Clerk to the Board, who shall be paid the sum prescribed by the Council. The Clerk shall attend all meetings of the Board and keep the minutes of the meetings and all other records of the Board.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
The master and journeyman plumbers serving as members of the Board shall be compensated for attendance at Board meetings.
The Examining Board of Plumbers shall have power and it shall be their duty:
A. 
To meet at stated intervals, not less frequently than once every three months. They shall also meet whenever the Mayor shall, in writing, request them so to do. Their meetings shall all be public.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
B. 
To have jurisdiction over and to examine all persons desiring or intending to engage in the trade, business or calling of plumbing as employing or master plumbers in the City, with the power of examining persons applying for certificates of competency as such employing or master plumbers or as inspectors of plumbing to determine their fitness and qualifications for conducting the business of master plumbers or to act as inspector of plumbing and to issue certificates of competency to all such persons who shall have passed a satisfactory examination before such Board and shall be by it determined to be qualified for conducting the business as employing or master plumbers or competent to act as inspectors of plumbing.
C. 
To charge and collect from each person applying for examination the sum of $250 for each examination made by such Board, which sum shall be paid at the time of making his application and all moneys so collected shall be paid over by the Board, monthly, to the Department of Finance.
[Amended 12-27-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-20]
D. 
To charge and collect for the issuance of a certificate of registration or for the renewal of such certificate to qualified employing and master plumbers the sum of $200. All certificates of registration issued shall expire on the 31st day of December of the year in which they shall be issued and may be renewed within 30 days preceding such expiration upon payment of the renewal fee. Such renewals shall be for one year from the first day of January in each year.
[Amended 1-5-1981 by Ord. No. 80-163]
E. 
To determine, within the performance objectives of the plumbing standards of the New York State Building Construction Code and subject to the limitations imposed therein, the durability of materials and joints used under local conditions. Determination by the Examining Board of Plumbers shall take precedence over the uses of standard materials and joints permitted in the plumbing standards of the New York State Building Construction Code.
A. 
A person desiring or intending to conduct the trade, business or calling of a plumber or of plumbing in the City as employing or master plumber shall be required to submit to an examination before the Examining Board of Plumbers as to his experience and qualifications for such trade, business or calling, and it shall not be lawful for a person to conduct such trade, business or calling unless he shall have first obtained a certificate of competency from such Board or permit issued for a specific job to a person holding a master plumber's license issued by any municipality of the State of New York as herein provided.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
B. 
Persons applying for examination for certificates to engage in the business of master or employing plumber shall, before being examined, file with the Board an application on such forms as may be prescribed by the Board and shall furnish to the Board such information as it may require concerning the applicant's fitness and qualifications to receive a certificate as aforesaid. Each applicant shall be required to furnish two references, one of whom shall appear before the Board and sign, under oath, on forms prescribed by the Board certifying to the time the applicant has been employed by him as journeyman plumber; said person, at the time of signing application, must be lawfully engaged in the plumbing business in the City. The Board shall refuse to receive an application from any person who, at the time of making application, may be unlawfully engaged in business as a master or employing plumber.
C. 
No person shall be examined unless he shall have had either experience of at least five years as journeyman plumber or graduation from a four-year college or university with major course work in plumbing, engineering and, in addition, one year of experience as a journeyman plumber. Any equivalent combination of training and experience may be substituted for the above requirement, each year of training having equal weight with experience. The applicant must furnish satisfactory evidence of above training or experience and demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that he is a person of good repute, character and responsibility and otherwise qualified to engage in business as a master or employing plumber. No application will be accepted from any person who is not a citizen of the United States.
D. 
The examinations of the Board shall be in two parts, namely, a practical test to determine the applicant's skill as a journeyman and a written examination. The written examination shall consist of questions to determine the applicant's fitness and qualifications to engage in the business of master or employing plumber.
E. 
An applicant who fails in the examination shall not be eligible for another examination until the expiration of 12 months.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
F. 
In case a certificate of competency is lost by the holder thereof, the Board shall issue a duplicate where such original certificate was issued during the term of office of all the members of the Board in office when such duplicate certificate is requested. The charge for such duplicate certificate shall be $5. In other cases, the Board shall issue a certificate of record stating that the records of the office show that a certificate was issued to a specific person. The charge for such certificate of record shall be $2.
G. 
Where the Board issues a metal sign, such metal sign shall not be transferred to any person, firm, copartnership or corporation.
H. 
The Examining Board of Plumbers shall have the power to conduct hearings on charges of incompetency or the violation of any provision of this chapter by any plumber to whom a certificate of competency has been issued and may revoke or suspend the certificate of competency of any plumber found guilty of any or all of the charges preferred against him. The plumber charged with incompetency or a violation of this chapter shall be served with a written notice specifically setting forth the charges of incompetency or violations with which he is charged, which notice shall be served on him personally or by registered mail not less than 10 days prior to the hearing. The party charged may be represented by counsel, and he shall have the right to cross-examine witnesses produced in support of said charges or violations and shall also have the right to produce his own witnesses in the defense of the charges or violations. A majority vote of the entire examining Board of Plumbers shall be required in order to revoke or suspend a certificate of competency.
I. 
No person may be examined by the Examining Board of Plumbers for a certificate of competency to permit him to conduct the trade, business or calling of a plumber or of plumbing as an employing or master plumber within a period of one year after revocation of a previous certificate of competency issued to said applicant.