Help Wanted: Electricians
By Laura McCallum
May 14, 1997

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As residents of Grand Forks clean up their flooded homes, many are having trouble finding electricians to repair damaged wiring. City officials are encouraging out-of-town contractors to come help meet the demand, but up to 5000 homes remain without power. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.

The level of frustration over Grand Forks' electrician shortage spilled over at this week's city council meeting. As city officials debated whether to waive a $105 licensing fee for contractors from out of town, residents still without power got testy. Todd Nedberg, who owns property in downtown Grand Forks, urged council members to make it easy for electricians to do business in flooded neighborhoods.

WHY ARE WE TALKING FOR AN HOUR ABOUT THIS WHEN EVERYONE'S GONNA LOSE THEIR HOUSE, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIVING? (APPLAUSE IN BACKGROUND.) WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TO THE DIKE IF WE CAN'T GET OVER THIS SMALL HURDLE. JUST MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE.

The city council did waive the city licensing fee for sixty days, so out-of-town electricians licensed in North Dakota will pay nothing to work in Grand Forks. Still, some city officials worry about unscrupulous contractors preying on people in need. Council member Cindy Beyer argued for keeping the licensing fee, to try to protect residents from unsafe or shoddy workmanship.

I KNOW OUT AT JOB SERVICE, CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN COMING TO TOWN THAT HAVE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AGAINST THEM AND THEY'RE LED OUT OF THERE IN HANDCUFFS! AND I WANT TO HAVE THE CHECK ON THE ELECTRICAL FOR JUST THAT. BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING. WE ARE NATIONAL NEWS AND IT'S HAPPENING.

City electrical inspector Robert Kvitne says he has gotten calls from contractors as far away as California asking about work available in Grand Forks, and more electricians arrive in the city each day. But Kvitne says he hasn't heard complaints of gouging or shoddy work. He says it's a difficult situation - contractors won't come to Grand Forks if they don't think they'll make any money, yet most flood victims have no idea how they'll afford to rebuild their homes.

IT'S A CATCH 22. AND I TELL THE CONTRACTORS, IF YOU GIVE A FAIR PRICE AND GIVE THE HOMEOWNER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE THEIR WORK AND FUTURE WORK FOR THEM FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

Kvitne became electrical inspector in the middle of the flood, when the city's longtime inspector retired. He says he's taken his share of calls from frustrated residents, who he says can expect to wait anywhere from one to five days to get their power restored.

WHEN I TALK TO 'EM ON THE PHONE, I THINK I CAN USUALLY GET THEM CALMED DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY REALIZE THAT IT IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T WANT ELECTRICITY AND WATER TOGETHER. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE SAFELY SHOULD BE DONE BY A QUALIFIED PERSON.

Kvitne notes: as yet, no electrical accidents have occurred as residents have returned to their homes, and he echoes what has been heard repeatedly throughout this flood - Grand Forks is fortunate that no lives have been lost.

Go to Flood of 1997.