Ore. AG Sues Former Contractor; 7 Other Actions Reported

Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers has filed a lawsuit in Deschutes County Circuit Court against unlicensed contractor Richard Allen Boisselle, formerly of Keizer and currently of Harrah, Washington, primarily for illegal construction operations in Bend.

Myers also announced the previous filings of seven court actions against unlawful contractors and landscapers in Lane, Multnomah, Josephine, Linn and Lincoln counties. The actions are part of a joint effort by the Oregon Department of Justice, the Oregon Construction Contractors (CCB) and the Landscape Contractors (LCB) Boards to combat fraudulent and unlicensed activities in these industries.

According to Myers, this action against Boisselle follows several years of the defendant ignoring Oregon licensing laws for contractors and taking thousands of dollars in down payments from consumers for construction work that was either never performed or for construction materials that were never delivered. The defendant was served with a Notice of Unlawful Trade Practices and a proposed agreement in October 2005 but reportedly failed to deliver a signed Assurance of Voluntary Compliance.

The complaint alleges both violations of the consumer protection laws and the CCB licensing laws and asks for restitution for seven victims, up to $25,000 in civil penalties for each violation of the law and attorney fees.

Named in the seven other court actions regarding fraudulent or unlicensed activities are the following construction and landscape contractors:

* Edwin Eugene Norman and Jennifer Anne Norman of Sweet Home, doing business as Ed Norman’s Asphalt Paving, Stipulated General Judgment and Richard Wayne Dauley, also of Sweet Home, a Stipulated Limited Judgment.

* LeRoy L. McNeal of Grants Pass, doing business as LeRoy’s Tree Service, General Judgment Permanent Injunction Money Award.

* Kelly Michael McMonagle of Portland, doing business as Kelly McMonagle Painting, Remodeling and Carpentry, General Judgment with Permanent Injunction.

* Nathan Louis Miller of Eugene, doing business under the assumed business names of A-1 Services and A-1 Painting and Repair, Stipulated General Judgment for Contempt.

* Richard Fossing of Lincoln City, doing business as Richard Fossing Complete Landscape Service and Maintenance, Richard Fossing Landscape & Home Maintenance and Richard Fossing Complete Landscape, General Judgment and Permanent Injunction.

* Michael W. Varble of Yachats, doing business as Driftwood Design Group, Stipulated General Judgment for Contempt.

Consumers wanting licensure and complaint information about construction contractors in Oregon may contact the CCB at (503) 378-4621 or online at www.oregon.gov/ccb/. Brochures on choosing a contractor are available on the CCB Web site. Information on landscaping businesses in Oregon may be found at www.lcb.state.or.us or contact the LCB at (503) 986-6561.