TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — West Hernando Pools and Spas has been cut off from opening new permits and ordered by county officials to work through a massive 123-permit backlog.
County records show the company has six “pending” permits; 46 “active,” meaning they should be under construction; and 71 “inactive,” some dating back to 2014.
Weeks ago, pool company owner Frank Bierwiler appeared before the Hernando County Special Masters hearing to answer for this.
During that hearing, a county investigator explained that the inactive permits ranged from “life safety” issues that had not passed inspection to half-finished pools.
“We have homeowners here, quite a few of them have holes dug in their backyard. In some cases it could be dangerous,” said Tom Peters, a building inspector. “The holes have not been filled in.”
An attorney for the pool company downplayed the numbers and said many of the inactive permits were for pools that customers are swimming in.
Customer Debra Ely is furious. She paid more than $47,000 toward her pool in October and has only a frame of it. Even that should not have been done because there is no active permit for her job, Ely learned.
She called Better Call Behnken, saying she gets excuse after excuse. After calls from Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken, Bierwiler vowed to give her money back this week.
County officials suspended the company’s permitting privileges until at least March 13, when Bierwiler is scheduled to provide an update on his progress in finishing pools.
