Have a project that's hung up because of permitting delays or regulatory hitches with a state or local agency? You now have three chances to do something about it.
July 18: Staff from the R.I. Economic Development Corp. (RIEDC) will be at Arnold Lumber Co., 251 Fairgrounds Rd., West Kingston, R.I. from 4 to 6 p.m., (401) 783-2266. Refreshments will be served, courtesy of Arnold Lumber Co.
July 25: RIEDC staff will be at Douglas Lumber, Kitchens & Home Center, 125 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, R.I. from 4 to 6 p.m., (401) 231-6800. Refreshments will be served, courtesy of Douglas Lumber, Kitchens & Home Center.
August 8: RIEDC staff will be at Riverhead Building Supply, 1400 West Main Rd., Middletown, R.I. from 4 to 6 p.m., (800) 874-9500. Refreshments will be served, courtesy of Riverhead Building Supply.
These three opportunities are the result of a special arrangement between the Rhode Island Builders Association and RIEDC.
Leslie Taito and other staffers from the RIEDC's Office of Regulatory Reform and Quality Management (ORR) will be at these lumber yards to meet with contractors (both members and non-members of RIBA) who are having problems with state or municipal agencies, councils or boards, and the regulatory process.
A specific purpose of the ORR is to clear up those permitting and regulatory logjams for contractors and other small businesses.
It is important, however, that contractors bring complete and very specific information about their issues, such as project timelines, how much the delay or other problems are costing them and their clients, what agencies are involved, etc.
For further details on these events, please call the respective suppliers or the RIBA office at (401) 438-7400.

Paul Eno is the owner and editor-in-chief of New River Press, Woonsocket and is the editor of the monthly RIBA newsletter, The Rhode Island Builder Report.