In last month’s column I reported that LCCA would be taking a lead role in urging public support for passage of an April 7^th non-binding advisory Lake County referendum on extending Route 53 to Highway 120. I just never dreamed that LCCA would be taking THE lead role.

Following a report from the Government Affairs Committee, the Board of Directors authorized $5,000 in start-up funding for a web-based/email/viral public advocacy campaign. The Board has also approved up to $7,500 to match contributions from individual LCCA members (please see Build 53 Contribution Form in the Newsletter Attachments email). LCCA has reached out to the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders (IRTBA) and other associations, community groups and organized labor for additional support. IRTBA will match LCCA’s combined contribution up to $20,000 and other groups are gathering their support.

The new website – Build53Yes.org – is just days away from going live. LCCA is working closely with PR consultants Kathy Schaefer & Associates and web developer Catalyst Consulting Group. We are working feverishly to collect quotes, news stories and photos for the site. The website will feature news and information, lists of supporters, and a public comment/quote generator. An email fundraising effort ala Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is also planned.

The concept is to take the materials developed for the website and send several blast email during the next few weeks to a series of email databases provided by LCCA, Lake County Partners and other groups. Understandably, some participating groups – including organized labor – are not willing to share their email databases. Instead, these groups have agreed to be “Captains” in the campaign to funnel our email and info to their members.

Multiple press conferences with different supporting organizations are being planned. I am also scheduling public appearances with rotary clubs and other community groups to help spread the message, “Vote YES on April 7^th!”

New bumper stickers, yard signs, electronic road signs and local newspaper advertisements are also under consideration – if the funding for these supplemental items becomes available.

Build53Yes.org is more than a 6-week sprint to pass a referendum. This will be a multi-year campaign to bring the project to fruition and we will need a separate entity to carry this work forward. As such, I am working with LCCA’s attorneys to incorporate Build53Yes.org as a 501(c)6 not-for-profit corporation. For now, checks should be sent to LCCA. Eventually, checks will be sent to Build53Yes.org. Credit card payments will also be accepted through the website.

Watch your email box for the announcement of the Build53Yes.org campaign kickoff!

What does LCCA’s Political Action Committee do for you? The LCCPAC works to raise money and generate financial and political support for local and state candidates that will support construction and growth in Lake County and Illinois.

With the traditional LCCPAC Auction cancelled for 2009 due to the current economy, how does LCCPAC plan to raise funds in 2009? Several smaller fundraising efforts are planned – including raffles. The LCCPAC just held its first raffle of 2009. 61 tickets were sold at $100 each. After expenses, nearly $4,000 was raised to support LCCPAC. Mike Henderson, Concord Construction Services, was the lucky raffle grand prize winner of a trip for two to Phoenix to see the Cubs play the White Sox at Camelback Ranch Ballpark on March 19-22.

The money the PAC made will help support local candidates, including LCCA member Jim Dietz, Dietz Surveying, Inc., in his run for mayor of Round Lake. Those of you in Round Lake, please get out and support Jim in his mayoral run. Good luck, Jim!!

LCCA’s Annual Expo and first Annual Car/Truck/Equipment Show will be held Thursday, April 2, 2009, at the new Lake County Fairgrounds. Exhibit information is enclosed, so sign-up today.

Exhibit space is starting to sell fast! Thanks to the following member companies who have signed up to exhibit:

Assurance Safety Consulting
BHFX LLC
Bornquist, Inc.
Burris Equipment Co.
Erosion Control Consulting
Hard Rock Concrete Cutters
Lee Jensen Sales Co., Inc.
Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group
Northern Illinois Mack
Osco Oil
Positioning Solutions Co.
Rockenbach Chevrolet
Rock Solid Stabilization & Reclamation
John Sakash Co., Inc.
U.S. Cellular
Waukegan Roofing Co., Inc.
Zeigler Associates

New this year is a Car/Truck/Equipment Show for exhibitors and other LCCA members (based on space availability) to show off their “Toys”. “The Car/Truck/ Equipment Show combined with the new Lake County Fairgrounds location will add interest and should bring more members to the Expo,” explains Program Chairman Mike Ryan.

Space is limited and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in exhibiting, give Heidi a call TODAY!! Be sure to mark April 2^nd on your calendar and plan on attending and bringing your employees who will benefit from the networking!

LCCA’s Program Committee is pleased to announce a special Membership Meeting on May 21, 2009. “In an effort to offer some new and exciting events and venues, we will be holding our May 21, 2009 Membership Meeting at Kemper Lakes Golf Club in Kildeer, IL” explains Committee Chair Mike Ryan, H.H. Holmes Testing Laboratories.

The event will start with a mid-afternoon golf tune-up for up to 80 members with a unique opportunity to work with Kemper golf pros on putting, short game and long drives. Other LCCA members will join in with the regular Membership Meeting schedule: cocktails at 5:00 pm, dinner at 6:00 pm, and the evening program following dinner. The program will feature a special speaker, Steve Kashul. Steve Kashul is the pre-, post- and halftime show host for Bulls Basketball on ESPN Radio. Mark May 21^st on your calendar and be sure to join the fun for this exciting evening.

The date for LCCA’s Annual Awards Extravaganza has been set. The Extravaganza will be held on Friday, November 13, 2009 at the Ivanhoe Club. By popular demand, Vito Zatto, the entertainer at our 2007 Extravaganza, will be back for a return LCCA engagement. Mark the date on your calendar and we’ll see you there.

Negotiations Begin – Unions and associations are gearing up for 2009 negotiations. According to our records, the following contracts will expire on May 31 and be negotiated in 2009:

Automobile Mechanics, Local 701 – LCCA & MARBA
Teamsters Joint Council 25 (including Local 301) – LCCA & MARBA
Electricians, Local 117, 150, 461, 701 - NECA
Electricians, Local 134 (Chicago) - NECA
Glaziers Local 27
Heat & Frost Insulators, Local 17
Ironworkers, Local 1 - Assoc. Steel Erectors of Chicago
Ironworkers, Local 63 - Iron League of Chicago
Plumbers/Pipefitters Local 501 (DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and DeKalb counties) - PAMCANI

President Barack Obama signed the $789 billion “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (ARRA) into law on February 17, 2009. The federal stimulus includes $48 billion for transportation infrastructure consisting of highways and bridges, mass transit, rail and aviation. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has identified $693 million in projects that can be awarded quickly to put people to work in the construction industry and to utilize the upcoming construction season. Approximately $44 million of projects are initially slated for Lake County. These projects include:

$22.6 million for construction engineering, widening and resurfacing 4.62 miles of Illinois 83 from the Wisconsin state line to Petite Lake Road in Antioch & Lake Villa

$5.4 million for intersection reconstruction of Illinois 22 at Milwaukee Avenue in Lincolnshire

$4.4 million for resurfacing 2.51 miles of Buckley Road from M L King Drive/22^nd Street to US 41 in North Chicago

$3.24 million for resurfacing 3.09 miles of Illinois 131 from Illinois 120 to Illinois 137 in North Chicago

$2.96 million for resurfacing 6.88 miles of Illinois 120 from Belvidere Road to Illinois 176 in Round Lake Park

$1.85 million for resurfacing 1.96 miles of Illinois 60 from Milwaukee Avenue to I-94 in Mettawa

$575,000 for a bridge deck overlay of Buckley Road over the Des Plaines River

$3 million for road patching in various parts of Lake County

Both the House and Senate are expected to be extremely busy with deadlines approaching to pass bills out of committee this week. According to the current schedule, House bills are supposed to be out of committee by March 12 with the Senate deadline the following day. However, given past practice, it is possible for bill sponsors to get deadlines extended in certain cases.

Also, this is the final week of legislative action before Governor Quinn’s inaugural State of the State/Budget Address on Wednesday, March 18. The speech will kick off frenzied legislative activity as lawmakers try to deal with a $9 billion budget hole before the scheduled May 31 adjournment date. Among other issues LCCA is closely monitoring:

Capital Bill – Action on the capital infrastructure improvement and transportation funding bill was postponed on Friday and a new hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11. Haggling continues on the funding vehicles for the legislation. While some will be funded via a motor fuel tax (see below), a sizable shortfall still exists.

Motor Fuel Tax-Surcharge Bill – Beginning July 1, 2009, this legislation would increase the Motor Fuel Tax by at least 8 cents per gallon (some have suggested a surcharge as much as 23 cents per gallon) and must be used only for debt service and capital improvements.

Road Fund Lockbox Bill – mandates that no appropriations from the Road Fund may be made to any state agency (other than the Department of State Police, the Department of Transportation, and the Secretary of State) in FY09 or thereafter and provides that no further transfers may be made from the Road Fund or the State Construction Account Fund to the General Revenue Fund.

Prompt Pay/Retainage Bill – Would limit withholding to not more than 5% retainage on payments earned by contractors and subcontractors, and that upon completion of 50% of the work under the contract, retainage must be reduced to an amount not to exceed 2.5%.

Collectively Bargained Workers Comp (SB 1891) – While it is doubtful that the issue will be addressed by the Legislature in 2009, LCCA and other construction groups will again seek introduction of a bill this session. The legislation would simply amend the Illinois Workers Compensation Act by adding, “Any employer or group of employers, and the recognized or certified exclusive representative of its employees, may agree to establish certain binding obligations and procedures related to workers’ compensation.”

If enacted, this law would permit labor and management to negotiate items such as:

· An alternative dispute resolution system
· Mutually agreeable panels of medical treatment and vocational rehab providers
· Light Duty Return to Work Programs
· Establishment of Safety Committees and procedures
· Adoption of 24 hour health care coverage plan

Labor is not yet unanimous in their support, but CISCO has been extremely active in promoting labor cooperation in this legislative effort. CISCO is producing an informative video on the issue to educate individual labor unions and - eventually - legislators. LCCA is participating in the funding of the video project and will share a copy of the video with LCCA members after the final edits are completed.

Other Issues – Notices on prevailing wage projects, pre-notification of mechanics liens on owner-occupied residences, residential general contractor licensing, electrician licensing, requiring apprenticeship and training programs for bidders on state building contracts, reverse auction bidding on public contracts, and requiring all local governments to adopt building codes.

LCCA’s Annual Safety Awards were presented at the February Membership Meeting. The “Winners” in each division had zero Lost Workday Accidents or were the best in the division. Honorable Mention winners had Lost Workday Ratios better that the national averages for their type of work. Congratulations to all winners! (The Safety Director is listed after the company name).

Division I Winner - Less than 20,000 Hours

Concord Construction Services, Inc. – Michael Henderson
Illinois Architectural Glass & Aluminum, LLC – David Swarthout
Keno & Sons Construction Co. – Kevin Vignocchi

Division II Winners - 20,001 - 100,000 Hours

Alliance Contractors, Inc. – Michael Paulson
Bake’s Steel Erectors Inc. – Lou Belletini
Car-Min Construction Co., Inc. – Vincent Carravetta
Century Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc. – Dena Wykowski
DK Contractors, Inc. – Micky Day
Ernie Peterson Plumbing, Inc. – Ron Peterson
Greg Greenhill Construction Co., Inc. – Rusty Welch
Happ Builders, Inc. – Rod Fox
John Keno & Co., Inc. – William Vignocchi
Kirschhoffer Truck Service, Inc. – Pat Kirschhoffer
Manusos General Contracting, Inc. – Jamie McKeown
Plaza Excavating Contractors – Rich Soda
R J Underground, Inc. – Mike McCormick
Rasch Construction & Engineering, Inc. – Kenneth Clifton
Repair service Corp. – Pat Smith
Roughneck Concrete Drilling & Sawing Co., Inc. – Joe Mocka
Stuckey Construction Co., Inc. – Scott Freund
W.B. Olson, Inc. – Luke Lukowicz

Division III Winners - 100,001 - 500,000 Hours

Air Con Refrigeration & Heating, Inc. – Patrick Abdula
Boller Construction Co., Inc. – Joyce Grana
Ragnar Benson Construction, LLC – Loren Whitney

Division IV Winner - Over 500,000 Hours

Pieper Electric Inc. – Todd Cook
Ryan Incorporated Central – Jeff Schultz
Turner Construction Co. – Michael Blackburn

Division II Honorable Mention

Payne & Dolan, Inc. – Carl Thiesen

Division III Honorable Mention

Bane-Nelson, Inc. – Scott Nelson
Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc. – Kyle Berger
Camosy, Inc. – Michael Hirvela
Carey Electric Contracting, Inc. – Craig Raemont
Cecchin Plumbing & Heating, Inc. – Greg Marquez
International Decorators, Inc. – Peter Graham
Joseph J. Henderson & Son, Inc. – David Henderson
Lankford Construction Co. – Kevin Lefko
Midwest Masonry, Inc. – Frank Dziadus
Riley Construction Co., Inc. – Mark Toepfer
Thatcher Foundations Inc. – Dave Cooper

Division IV Honorable Mention

Aldridge Electric, Inc. – O’Brien Mills
Continental Electrical Construction Co. – Tom King
Kelso-Burnett Co. – Cathy Kay
Mechanical, Inc. – Chris Loring

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