Section 219-52-5 - Recertification Standards And ProceduresExcept as provided in section 10, all code enforcement officers shall be recertified in each specific area and in legal issues and enforcement techniques within six (6) years of obtaining any certification.
1.Recertification StandardsA. A code enforcement officer may become recertified by examination as described in section 4. B. An examination is not required for recertification. A candidate who chooses not to become recertified through examination shall demonstrate, through recertification training or training activity, that the candidate has remained current in the candidate's specific areas of job responsibility. 1. To become recertified by completing training activity, a code enforcement officer shall demonstrate successful completion of twelve (12) contact hours of recertification training or training activity for each specific area of job responsibility and twelve (12) contact hours for legal issues and enforcement techniques every six (6) years. This paragraph does not apply to building standards recertification standards which are set forth in the paragraph below.2. For recertification, a code enforcement officer shall demonstrate successful completion of recertification training or recertification training activity for each applicable code in the building standards specific area every six (6) years. The following number of contact hours is required for each applicable code: a. | residential building code | 9 contact hours |
b. | commercial building code | 15 contact hours |
c. | residential energy code | 9 contact hours |
d. | commercial energy code | 9 contact hours |
e. | residential radon code | 3 contact hours |
f. | indoor residential ventilation code | 2 contact hours |
g. | indoor commercial ventilation code | 3 contact hours |
3.Recertification Training Contact Hours Recertification training contact hours may be gained through either basic training provided by the Office or training provided by another organization. Recertification training contact hours must be applicable as determined by the Office.
4.Alternative Recertification Contact HoursA code enforcement officer may apply for up to six (6) alternative recertification contact hours using the Office's application form. Alternative recertification contact hours must be directly related to a specific area of code enforcement, as determined by the Office. The Office applies the training activity contact hours to the most closely-related specific area of certification. Applicable training activity may consist of:
a.Work Experience(1) A code enforcement officer may apply work experience in municipal codes administration to that officer's recertification. Work experience may be applied based on the following years of full-time service: (a) five (5) to nine (9) years = 2 contact hours(b) ten (10) to fourteen (14) years = 4 contact hours(c) fifteen (15) or more years = 6 contact hours(2) If a code enforcement officer has part-time work experience in municipal codes administration, the Office converts any part-time employment period into its full-time equivalency.b.Post-secondary EducationA code enforcement officer may apply post-secondary education towards that officer's recertification. Education must be directly related to a specific area of certification and must be applied based on the following types of academic learning:
(1) Completed bachelor's degree = three (3) contact hours(2) Completed associate's degree = two (2) contact hours(3) Completed two-year vocational program = two (2) contact hours(4) Completed certificate program = one (1) contact hour(5) Completed apprenticeship or internship = one (1) contact hour(6) Post-secondary courses credited towards a new degree during the six-year certification cycle = one (1) contact hour per creditc.Professional License or Certification(1) A code enforcement officer who holds an applicable professional license in the state of Maine or a state or national professional certification may apply two (2) contact hours per specific area in each six-year recertification cycle towards that officer's recertification.(2) The building standard recertification requirements in this section may be waived if the code enforcement officer holds a valid certification from a nationally recognized, building or energy code-related, professional certification program. The Office determines whether the certification is applicable and applies the waiver to the most closely related building standards code.d.Professional Activity(1) A code enforcement officer may apply documented time spent in a professional activity towards the officer's recertification. One contact hour may be applied for each hour of actual time spent in a professional activity during the current six-year certification period. A maximum of six (6) contact hours may be applied towards recertification in each specific area in a six-year certification cycle.(2) For purposes of legal issues and enforcement techniques recertification, professional activity may mean documented work experience using Rule 80K procedures such as filing court documents, preparing for court or appearing in court. The same contact hours may not be used for both legal issues and enforcement techniques recertification and Rule 80K recertification in section 6. 2.Recertification ProceduresA candidate for recertification shall file evidence of successful completion of training activity for recertification on application forms provided by the Office. The code enforcement officer is responsible for obtaining and keeping track of required documentation.
3.Recertification for Building StandardsA. A code enforcement officer need only be recertified in the individual code(s) within the building standards specific area that are applicable, meaning the code(s) for which that officer has responsibility to enforce.B. For purposes of this section, the definition of "enforce" in section 2.15 of this chapter applies.4.Requirements for Six-year Recertification CycleA. All code enforcement officers shall be recertified in the building standards specific area within six years, except as provided in section 10. B. Contact hours needed for recertification must be acquired in accordance with sections 5.1 and 5.2. 16- 219 C.M.R. ch. 52, § 5