Lake County Contractor's Licensing Board Meeting – July 17, 2026

The Lake County Contractor's Licensing Board met on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 2:45 PM CT. The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call (members present: Jesse Rippy, Scott Cooper, Commissioner Jerry Tippy, Sal Espino, Steve Nikon), and approval of minutes as recorded. A communication item was deferred to the end of the agenda. The board considered multiple contractor license applications, including a contested application involving a test‑taking incident, and addressed a communication from an out‑of‑state company regarding endorsement requirements.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved as recorded.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Window Nation representative: Spoke during the communications item about the requirement for two endorsements from Lake County residents. The representative stated that as the qualifying individual living in Maryland, he is not personally acquainted with customers and asked whether endorsements could be changed to refer to the company rather than the individual. He noted that the company has completed 794 projects in Lake County since 2021 but could not truthfully obtain the required local endorsements.

Discussion Items

• Triton Solutions LLC (electrical contractor – James N. Cushafis, petitioner): Approved unanimously. The petitioner has 40 years of electronic experience; bond, insurance, and workers' comp were in order. The board reminded him the license does not allow subcontracting.
• Solutions and Improvements LLC (general contractor – Gabriel Lopez Manchaca, petitioner): Approved unanimously. The company has been in business six years, uses subcontractors; all documentation was correct.
• Garcia Builders LLC (general contractor – Erica L. Garcia, petitioner): Approved unanimously. The petitioner has held a hammer license since 2016, does residential work; the board noted that if she eventually hires employees, workers' comp would be required. Insurance scope limited to residential.
• Adams Woodwork LLC (carpentry contractor – Adam Coleburn, petitioner): Approved unanimously. Six years in business, one employee, framing work; all documents in order.
• Creative Masonry of Indiana Incorporated (masonry contractor – Javier Fuentes, petitioner): Deferred to the next meeting because the petitioner was not present.
• Lankford Construction Company (painting contractor – Mark Zayer, petitioner): This application generated extensive debate. The petitioner (Vice President of the company, with 150 employees and $100M revenue) passed a 10‑question test but was observed writing down seven questions on a separate sheet during the exam. He explained he was worried about two questions he felt were biased toward residential painting (his firm does commercial), and he intended to study the questions if he failed. The board discussed whether this raised a fitness question. A motion to approve the license failed (one nay vote, with only four members present). After further discussion, a second motion to grant the license passed; the board also voted to update written test‑taking rules to explicitly prohibit recording test content. The license was granted reluctantly.
• Exceptional Exteriors LLC (roofing contractor – Steve Hendrickson, petitioner): Approved unanimously. The company is based in Chicago, has six employees, and works in residential and commercial roofing. The board reminded him that he cannot subcontract work (e.g., replace bad plywood) without direct employees.
• ClayCo Incorporated (general contractor – Joseph Grayheck, petitioner): Approved conditionally. The company (2,700 employees, out of Chicago) is a construction manager. The license was granted contingent upon receipt of an updated insurance certificate (expired June 2026) and proof of foreign corporation registration with the Indiana Secretary of State.
• Communication – Window Nation (endorsement requirement): The board discussed a letter from Window Nation, an out‑of‑state company, expressing difficulty obtaining two endorsements from Lake County residents as required by ordinance. Members noted that the ordinance allows any two unrelated residents to vouch for the applicant's character and honesty, and that the company's many past projects in the county should make such endorsements obtainable. The board made no formal motion; the matter remains a point of inquiry, but members indicated the ordinance will be followed as written.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All licenses except Lankford Construction were approved unanimously. Lankford Construction's first motion failed (1 nay vote; 4 members present), but a second motion to approve passed. Creative Masonry was deferred.
• Policy Motion: The board voted to review and update written rules for all contractor licensing exams to explicitly prohibit recording or copying test questions. The revised rules will be drafted by the attorney and presented at the next meeting.
• Conditional Approvals: ClayCo's license is contingent on delivering an updated insurance certificate and proof of foreign corporation registration.
• Next Steps: The board will consider the deferred Creative Masonry application and finalize the exam‑rule changes at the next scheduled meeting.