How to Lapse-Proof Your Irrigator's License

We are working on a plan that will virtually ensure that you never do what I did and let your license lapse. It's a simple plan and it involves a benefit to both of us.

If you will tell us your name, license number and its expiration date, we will notify you of that date on a progressive schedule. Here's the way it will work:

We will send you an email message 90 days before your license expires–just like the State does with your physical, in-the-mail renewal form. But that is all you get from the State.

So we will send you progressive emails at 60 days, 30 days, 14 days, 7 days and 1 day before your license expires.

If you don't know your expiration, we'll look it up for you. You are also giving us permission to keep you updated on our CEU and non-CEU classes for Texas irrigators.

A Phone Call You Never Want to Get (continued)

There it was in the mail. The State is so reliable in sending out these license renewal notices three months early. “Time flies,” I think to myself.

I don’t think of myself as being particularly stupid and I don’t think my bookkeeper is either. But we both did something that, looking back on it, was just dumb.

I had heard someone say that “they” (whoever “they” are) expected more license lapses due to only one notice being sent and that notice so far ahead of the due date. I’m the poster child for that theory.

When my wife called me back, she had bad (really bad) news. (If this isn't making sense, read the post below this one.) As it turned out, I gave my license renewal to our bookkeeper and told her that this was really (really, really) important. She took what I said to heart and instead of placing the bill in the normal pattern for bills, she put it someplace special–giving it the priority treatment I wanted.

Bad move.

I, having confidence in my bookkeeper, did not check on that bill’s progress–so the fault is ultimately mine. When my wife went to our bookkeeper’s office she found the bill, still in the “special” place (so she wouldn’t forget).

Let’s look at the sunny side first.

•The State said that “if I passed” they would re-issue my old license number, 4767, instead of the current 17,000+. That was important to me because I teach CEU classes and didn’t want people thinking I am a newbie.
•I DID learn some things in this beginner class and the review was good.
•I could say something about “getting away from the office,” but that was not a positive to me.
•And, I passed.

And on the not-so-sunny side . . .

•The course costs $500.
•The state’s fees were another $211.
•The course was for four days out of town so there was travel and lodging for four days.
•The test was also out of town requiring me to get there the previous day–more meals and lodging.
•I ate out three times a day for four days for the class and one-plus days for the test.
•I missed five days work taking the class and two days taking he test.

I figure the bottom line for this little mishap–figuring time at our regular rate at just eight hours a day–was $8,261.00! You may charge more or less, but it costs a lot!

And I think I have a solution to the problem.

More tomorrow.

A Phone Call You Never Want to Get

When I answered the phone, I heard the familiar voice of Michelle. She’s with the city and handles our permits. “Mr. Saylor, we did a routine check and you are no longer licensed.”

I don’t know what goes through your head when something like this happens, but my mind shared room for a certain perturbness and stark fear. “There’s got to be some mistake. I’ll check into it.” I happened to be mobile at the time so my checking ability was stunted. I called our bookkeeper first but couldn’t get her. I called my wife to go to her office and see if she could find where we paid for my renewal. That was about all I could do.

When I returned to the office, I got on the Internet and confirmed that, yes, the State shows that I am not licensed. It also ruled out another possible fly in the ointment, my CEUs. There they were; all sixteen hours. So it had to be that they didn’t get my check–or, perish the thought, we didn’t send it. Just then, my wife called. “Here’s the story and it’s not good.” My heart, which was already on the floor, descended to an abyss that I cannot easily described. My mind did a quick inventory of what this meant if I had to do what you have to do to get your license back.

First, I have to take that 32 hour Basic Irrigation Class–and spend 5 days out of town because no one does this class in Waco. I have to take this class because I’ve done irrigation (and made it my living in this trade) since before the State mandated this basic (see also preparatory, elementary, rudimentary) course.

My heart changed from despair to pain.

Second, I had to sit for the exam and pass Design, Installation, Backflow, and Hydraulics. Was I right in remembering that there is only a 13% pass ratio?

Okay, my heart changed back to stark fear.

More tomorrow.
DJS