STUART, Fla. — Customers of Pro Pool Builders are taking their next steps in trying to hold the company accountable.
They tried Wednesday to tell the Martin County Licensing Board about Pro Pool Builders taking their payments, but not finishing the job and no longer showing up or returning calls.
"We're talking about being fair and consumer protection," said customer Barry O'Sullivan. "It's not existent."
Wednesday's meeting only added to their frustrations.
No one from Pro Pool Builders showed up to the meeting, so the board could not take any official action against the company. The business is licensed to Robert Warren Sigman Jr.
The county sent Pro Pool Builders a certified letter to serve as notice for the meeting, but it wasn't signed as received, so the county can't be sure anyone from the company was aware of the meeting.
The county will send another letter and post the meeting so complaints can be formally heard next month with or without Pro Pool Builders representatives in attendance.
"Kind of disappointed," said customer Anna Trapasso.
"Time is of the essence," customer Angela O'Sullivan said. "If we don't jump on this, who knows where they are and you'll never be able to find and serve them."
But the board still listened to some public comments, though they could not be considered on the record as evidence or have weight in future decisions about the company.
Some of the comments were directed to the building department.
"I do feel like the county did not do its due justice and make sure that when they're doing permits, they're doing it with a reputable business," said customer Chandra Talerico.
The licensing board is no stranger to this kind of complaint. The board recently heard similar complaints about Amore Pools, whose owners are now in jail.
"What's been put in place sinceAmore?" a customer asked.
"There's little, legally, we have the ability to do," said Larry Massing, the county building director.
Massing told the board that, because Pro Pool Builders is licensed by the state, "Your ability is to either suspend or revoke permitting privileges in Martin County."
That means requests from customers like requiring bonds for pool companies or capping the number of open permits allowed per company are not within the powers of the county.
"Somebody has to start making laws and somebody has to start taking action to protect the consumer," said Barry O'Sullivan.
State Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, said he is looking into what the state might be able to do and has asked the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to suspend Pro Pool Builders license.