NEW PORT RICHEY To help clean up the citys image, City Council members put some finishing touches on higher maintenance standards for homes.

A work session produced suggestions for tweaking the proposed ordinance. The concept could come back soon for public hearings before the council takes a final vote.

Councilwoman Judy DeBella Thomas wanted a lower threshold before the city steps in to cut tall yard grass. The proposal once specified grass a foot tall before the city took action. Thomas and others thought that was too high. They want the standard to be grass six inches tall.

City Manager Debbie Manns outlined the changes in a recent memo to council. Additional regulations are needed which will advance a higher property maintenance standard, she wrote.

The city ordinance is modeled after the 2012 International Code Councils International Property Maintenance Code, Manns noted.

Maintenance amendments could require residential owners and occupants to maintain structures in a clean and sanitary condition, including shared or public areas.

Vacant structures and vacant land will be required to be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition and not cause a blighting problem or adversely affect public health, Manns explained.

The proposal specifies that plumbing fixtures and drinking water and wastewater pipes must be in working order.

All mechanical appliances, cooking, heating and cooling equipment will be required to be properly installed and maintained and be capable of performing the intended function, Manns added.

A three-month limit would apply to tarps as temporary patches on leaking roofs.

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NPR officials consider higher property maintenance rules

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) The heating and cooling system is up and running at Guntersville Middle School.

School board officials say crews worked through Thanksgiving break to repair the system.

This week, it is fully functioning.

Weve repaired the system with a concrete pit and we hope that will be much more substantial than what we had before and will have few problems in the future, Principal Jeff Jones says.

Construction on the system was a scene that had been constant throughout the last few weeks.

School board officials say the system has not been fully operational in that time, and the repair process took longer than expected.

The system is not very old. The pit they had put in originally just did not hold up as it perhaps should have, Jones says.

Jones says they dont anticipate any more issues with the heating and cooling system.

School officials say when the unusually cold weather hit the Valley several weeks ago, they put space heaters in the classrooms. They say moving the students was not possible, and they did not want to take them away from class for that duration of time.

More here:
UPDATE: Heating system working to full capacity at Guntersville Middle

You may have read that we are in for a tough tax season what with delays because of Congress not getting around to the extenders and IRS budget cuts. Well. Thats not all. Tangible property is of course stuff like automobiles and computers and buildings all sorts of stuff.

Outside of fairly specialized areas like equipment leasing , the biggest impact of the regulations is in the area of buildings both for landlords and tenants who have made improvements. There are some businesses that dont involve being either a landlord or a tenant in a building but not a very high percentage. Buildings are what may be yielding the refunds of biblical proportions that I discussed with Michael Greenwald of Friedman LLP. Friedman LLP is located at 1700 Broadway in Manhattan surrounded by some of the big buildings that may be yielding big refunds thanks to the new regulations. But what about the hellish part, you may ask?

Remember The AT&T Breakup?

In 1984 the Bell System, which was something of a monopoly of telephone service was broken up by a divestiture of AT&T. When a company divests it distributes stock in companies that it owns. It can be a tax-free transaction which requires disclosure by shareholders and an allocation of basis among the various assets. Well, everybody owned stock in AT&T and typically they had acquired it over a period of years. So just about everybody had a complicated return that year. The phase-in of the passive activity loss rules after the Tax Reform Act of 1986 was a similar horror show. These regulations promise a similar flurry.

Have you ever heard of Form 3115? Go ahead and take a look at the eight page form, thats why I gave you a link. Now take a look at the twenty pages of instructions. Scroll to the very end where there is an estimate of the burden that the form puts on the taxpayers as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Check out what Christian Wood wrote in the Journal of Accountancy.

With the new regulations effective for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, For example, taxpayers will need to file a Form 3115 to adopt the materials-and-supplies provision or file an election statement to use the de minimis rules. Failure to include the Form 3115 or election statement may indicate either an unauthorized accounting method change (one that did not obtain the IRSs required consent) or the taxpayers noncompliance with the final regulations.

Now I have read the repair regulations a few times without that dawning on me. That JOA article was back in February, but I have peculiar reading habits for a tax practitioner. I try to look at all the original source material to find interesting stories for my blog, so I got my wake-up call about just about everybody who is not a pure W-2 working stiff having to file Form 3115 at the Wolter Kluwer User Conference in Orlando.

The instructor indicated that if we did not join in with other practitioners in launching a tsunami of accounting method change forms on the IRS, dire consequences awaited us and out clients. Now any conference that includes a trip to Universal Studios for two haunted house experience one based on aliens and the other based on the movie Dracula and an inspirational speech by someone from a reality TV show

deserves a bit of skepticism.

Link:
Repair Regs - A Hellish Tax Season And Refunds Of Biblical Magnitude

CHANNAHON Channahon village trustees are looking into setting up a program that would offer low-interest loans to local businesses that want to make improvements in their facilities.

Qualifying projects could include faade improvements, new awnings, signage, architectural details such as cornices, new doors and windows, rooftop mechanical screening, and repair or replacement of building systems such as heating, cooling and electrical.

The village made its first foray into lending to businesses when it loaned $36,447 to Lone Star Restaurant last month in a five-year, 1.8 percent interest agreement. Lone Star owners plan to make a major changeover from its current sewage septic system to the village sewer.

Trustees agreed establishing a formal program for other businesses that might be interested in bettering the appearances or function of their buildings would be good for business and good for Channahon. Village Administrator Thomas Durkin presented a first draft of the new Business Improvement Program to trustees Monday at the village board meeting.

Maximum loan amounts, interest and other parameters were not spelled out in the draft, but Durkin said one possibility is for the loans to provide up to 50 percent of the costs of qualifying projects. The dollars available could be set in each years budget when funds are available and would be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applicants would have to demonstrate a need for participation in the program and provide at least two detailed quotes from bonded contractors licensed in Channahon.

The funds may not be available every year, or they may be reduced on occasion, Durkin said.

Durkin added that, besides Lone Star, no businesses have approached him yet requesting low-interest loans for improvements.

It also was announced Monday the Channahon Tree Lighting Event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday in conjunction with Three Rivers Public Library. This free event will be held at the Channahon Village Hall, 24555 S. Navajo Dr., and will include a visit and pictures with Santa Claus, horse-drawn wagon rides, music from the Channahon Junior High School band and cookies and hot chocolate.

A portion of Navajo Drive will be closed for the event. Those attending may park at the village hall parking lot or at Saint Ann Catholic Church.

Follow this link:
Channahon considering loan program for local businesses

Journeyman Pipefitter

Summary:

Lays out, assembles, installs, and maintains pipe systems, pipe supports, and related hydraulic and pneumatic equipment for steam, hot water, heating, cooling, lubricating, sprinkling, and industrial production and processing systems by performing the following duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following, other duties may be assigned.

Competency: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below ware representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises one to two employees as Helpers. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organizations policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing work.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those what must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must frequently lift and/or up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Distance vision, Peripheral vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger,handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit; talk or hear and taste or smell.

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Journeyman Pipefitter

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Mesa, Arizona (PRWEB) November 25, 2014

Mason Mechanical, one of Mesas leading heating and cooling service companies, is working to grow their commercial division. Mason Mechanical is striving to be the only choice for commercial services that Arizona businesses will rely on for assistance in determining the right HVAC system for their business, warehouse, or commercial spaces. Mason Mechanicals team of HVAC experts is well versed in the different aspects of residential service versus commercial service in the industry, and what each field of service entails.

Winter weather and cold temperatures are rapidly approaching. In Arizona, November offers fairly mild temperatures and that is why November is the best time for businesses to call for heater service. If businesses wait and experience a problem requiring emergency repair in the middle of winter, the availability of HVAC repair and service companies is much more limited. Mason Mechanical urges businesses and commercial clients to consider scheduling an inspection and maintenance visit now to avoid any emergencies over the next few winter months.

Mason Mechanical feels there is no job too big for them to handle, and can service equipment ranging from light commercial to large applications. Repairing, maintaining, and installation commercial air conditioning and HVAC systems is Mason Mechanicals specialty. They offer the following commercial products:

Mason Mechanical focuses on customer satisfaction and employs only the most highly trained staff. Mason Mechanical continually trains their staff, including technicians, field supervisors, and office staff, to ensure that their team is at the forefront of the industry. Another part of Mason Mechanicals dedication to customer satisfaction is the quality products and heating and cooling systems they offer. To learn more about Mason Mechanicals commercial services, visit http://masonmechanical.com/commercial-air-conditioning-repair-mesa/. To contact Mason Mechanical, visit http://masonmechanical.com/contact-us/.

About Mason Mechanical Started in 1993, Mason Mechanical provides reliable heating and cooling services to commercial and residential customers in Mesa and the surrounding areas. As a Trane Comfort Specialist with NATE and Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified service technicians, Mason Mechanical offers a range of services including maintenance, repair, indoor air quality, and duct sealing. Mason Mechanical Heating and Cooling also proudly installs high quality Trane systems with financing and rebates available to those who qualify.

The rest is here:
Mesa HVAC Service Company Now Specializes in Commercial Services and Encourages Businesses Across Arizona to Schedule ...

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) November 26, 2014

Cold Craft, Inc. is thrilled to announce its latest achievement the installation of a cutting-edge geothermal heating and cooling system for a net zero house built in Campbell, CA. The go-to company for geothermal installation in the San Francisco Bay area, Cold Craft offers customers the knowledge and expertise in non-carbon, low-noise and low-energy heating and cooling solutions.

Geothermal technology is one of the latest advancements used to promote energy efficiency in residential housing and commercial buildings. The geothermal system harnesses the earths steady temperatures by using a water sourced heat pump attached to underground ground geothermal loops. When in heating mode the system moves heat from the ground and the heat is transferred through a ground sourced heat pump and used to warm the home. When in cooling mode it does the reverse and takes the heat from the home and moves it deep into the ground.

The drilling is what I find to be the most remarkable aspect of geothermal, commented Cold Crafts CEO, Susan Nichol. The soil serves as an excellent conductor of temperatureboth for heating and cooling homes. Its really an impressive process.

Most any structureno matter the locationis a good candidate for geothermal heating and cooling. An environment-savvy consumer with a mission to go green, the owner of the net zero house located just outside of San Jose, CA in Silicon Valley had the geothermal unit installed to reduce the amount of energy wasted on heating and cooling the space.

Cold Crafts President and Founder, Kent Penning, described the project, The homeowner is going all out; hes focused on making his home to be as green as possible. Its not only an honorable and forward-thinking initiative; its really incredible what hes been able to accomplish with the help of new technologies like geothermal heating and air conditioning.

In addition to installing a geothermal system, the owner is working towards the net zero infrastructure by implementing solar electric power and laying down reclaimed lumber flooring to improve insulation.

Cold Craft is renowned for taking on challenging projects that focus on reducing customers energy costs, as well as providing property owners and managers of multiple unit dwellings (e.g. apartment complexes) with the tools and resources to properly maintain the heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and replacement aspects of their system.

Now with its geothermal heating and air conditioning systems, Cold Craft is doing its part to reduce the carbon footprint and homeowners utility bills at the same time. The ground-based heating system uses a free, renewable energy source that saves owners up to 70% on their heating, cooling, and hot water bills. Furthermore, users can receive a 30% Federal tax credit on geothermal installations.

For more information about Cold Crafts geothermal installation systems, or any of its other heating and cooling solutions, please visit ColdCraft.com, or contact Susan Nichol to address any additional inquiries.

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Cold Crafts Geothermal Heating and AC System Helps CA Homeowner Construct a Net Zero Energy Building