• I’ve worn wide ties, narrow ties, turtlenecks, and leisure suits.
• I’ve had long hair, short hair, and now graying hair.
• I’ve been clean shaven, had big sideburns, and a mustache.
• I’ve attended during times of high interest rates, low interest rates, boom economies, and times when it was so slow the Des Plaines River was only running three days a week.
• I’ve weighed as much as 210 pounds, as little as 190 pounds, and now somewhere in between.
• I’ve gone from beer to hard liquor and back to beer.
• I’ve driven to the event in SUV’s, conversion vans, Cadillacs, and bright red cars with white hoods, signs on the doors, and big whip antennas.
• I’ve listened to big-band style music, country music, rock, soul, disco, and the Macarena.
• I’ve seen sixteen different Presidents take the podium, thank their predecessor, and begin their terms. Now it’s my turn.

I believe I have adequate historical perspective to truly appreciate what an honor and privilege it is to serve as President of this Association. Those who have served before me represent a “Who’s Who” of our local construction industry. They have set high standards of dedication and commitment that I will endeavor to live up to.

Over these next two years I will be asking for your help in many different areas affecting the business of this Association. My first request is for the involvement of your employees in the life of the Association. We all have people working with us who would like to attend the monthly membership meetings - if their boss would make the offer. We all have people working with us who could serve effectively at the committee level - if someone would give them a little nudge to get them started. Many of you have feelings about things you would like to see the Association do better or at least differently. We welcome your input and offer a variety of forums for you to share it with us. The committees share their input with the Board of Governors every month.

The Committee Chairpersons will begin filling out their groups for the new-year soon. Please contact the Association staff or me and give us the name of one of your people who would like to get involved. The future leaders of the Association are people who are working with you today. Please help them to take advantage of the opportunity.
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Tim Perry, Vice President Commercial Banking SPONSOR: Pat Kirschhoffer, Kirschhoffer Construction
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The LCCA Board of Governors have looked at the issue and voted to support the passage of this referendum. A key question is whether the money will be dedicated to road improvements, or just replace other money in the budget already scheduled for roads. According to Marty Buehler, Lake County Department of Transportation, the new money will be used to “expand” the capability of the system and will not result in the diversion of any money already earmarked for transportation.

This is a referendum everybody needs to get behind. Economic Development depends on companies being able to get raw materials in, product out and employees to their jobs. An improved transportation system will go a long way toward meeting these needs.
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This committee is a joint effort of the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders, LCCA and other interested parties. Ken Aldridge, Aldridge Electric, has been the leader in forming the committee and now we need your help. The public relations campaign to get the referendum passed will require surveys, focus groups, advertising, yard signs and much more. To be successful, we need to raise $100,000 now. The effort will be over on March 16 when the voters decide the question.

LCCA, and many others, have pledged $5,000 each to get the campaign started, but more will be needed. If you would like to help, just send a check payable to “Lake County Residents for Traffic Relief” to the LCCA Office. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to help pass the ¼% Sales Tax Referendum.
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• All Directors are members, plus:
• Bob Boller, Boller Construction Co.
• Vince Carravetta, Car-Min Construction
• Ken Coslet, Terra Cotta Truck Service
• Steve Dalbec, Jos. J. Henderson & Son
• Rick Grabowski, Pickus Construction & Equipment
• Craig Jones, Blue Boy Portable Toilets
• Skip McCann, Dam, Snell & Taveirne
• Scott Nelson, H.H. Holmes Testing
• Ron Peterson, Ernie Peterson Plumbing
• Steve Thelen, Thelen Sand & Gravel
• Mike Wolff, Lake County Grading
• Suzanne Zupec, Campanella & Sons
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Mike Temple has been involved with Membership since finding his calling at LCCA. More than once he has been chairman and every year he brings enthusiasm and a desire to make the membership contest fun for all. Whether it involves doing a Don King imitation, or pitting competitors against one and then stirring the fire, Mike gets results.

Mike has been a fixture in the Lake County construction industry since he gave up his cab-driving career in Antioch. In 1973 he went to work for Wm. Zeigler & Son – in spite of his long hair - and has watched the industry grow with stops at Grove Mechanical Contractors, and today, Mechanical, Inc. While being famous for his NCAA and NFL pools, he has found time to keep many area restaurants (the good ones) in business and the business rolling in for his employers, too.

Mike joins an illustrious group of past Governors Award winners and he is truly deserving.
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• Education - Micky Day, DK Contractors – The Education Committee is active in member employee development, hosting seminars and training courses for supervisory personnel. They also work with Apprentice programs and schools to ensure a future supply of quality employees.
• Finance - Lyle Ehlers, Boller Construction – The Finance committee is responsible for keeping the association financially healthy. They oversee budgets and advise on investments.
• Government Relations - Steve Dalbec, Jos. J. Henderson & Son – Government Relations looks at all things political. From Structural Work Act in Springfield, to Storm Water Management locally, all politically controlled issues are their focus.
• Labor Policy - Lyle Ehlers, Boller Construction – Our Labor Policy Committee looks after all labor relations issues – negotiations, grievances, benefit funds and much more. They also meet with local union officials to improve communications and seek solutions to problems.
• Membership - Mike Henderson, Jos. J. Henderson & Son – The Membership Committee is charged with building the membership in the association.
• Professional Services - Lou Brydges, Jr., Law Office of Louis W. Brydges, Jr. & Bill Zeigler, Zeigler & Associates – Each month, LCCA publishes a Professional Practice Report on an issue of interest to the members. The Professional Service Committee is responsible for selecting topics and writing the articles.
• Program & Entertainment - Micky Day, DK Contractors – This committee is responsible for all LCCA meetings – Membership Meetings, Golf Outing, etc. They suggest speakers, locations and other arrangements.
• Safety - Fred Rodheim, Abbott Laboratories – The Safety Committee reviews current safety issues and arranges for safety training and other products to assist members meet safety goals.
• Winter Workshop - Allan Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equip. – LCCA offers both a 10-day Winter Workshop to a sight-seeing destination and a 4-day Mini-Workshop to a warm resort location. This committee handles all arrangements for both trips.
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• Karen Johnson & Pete Tobin, Roughneck
• Jonathan & Amy Pease, J. Pease, Inc.
• Ken & Leslie Coslet, Terra Cotta Truck Service
• Christopher Mors & Laura Wagner, Pipe Freezing Services
• Don & Sheila Mors, Pipe Freezing Services
• Scott & Debby Nelson, H. H. Holmes Testing
• Todd & Penny Nelson, H. H. Holmes Testing
• Louie & Sara Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment
• Mike & Liz Ryan, Meyer Material
• Tim & Mikey Staples, Camosy, Inc.
• Margery Newman & Robert Buege, Ogletree Deakins
• Ken Anderson, Viking Crane
• Glenn & Sheila Peterson, Ernie Peterson Plumbing

Winter Workshop – Spain is the destination for this year’s Winter Workshop. Departing on March 15, the group will visit Bilbao and Barcelona over the next 10 days. An extension to Venice is also planned with 14 heading to Italy after the Workshop. Limited space remains if you are interested in joining us. For more information, call Lisa at the LCCA Office. Attendees include:

• Allan & Meline Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment
• Dale & Maureen Berger, Berger Excavating
• Marshall & Diane Lowe
• Don & Charlene Manusos, Manusos General Contracting
• Paul & Ruth Falduto, Boller Construction
• Dana & Debby Hudson
• Gregg & Penny Marsh, Acme Brick
• Tony & Laura Kresic, Municipal Marking Distributors
• Jack & Dee Frost, Jack Frost Ironworks
• Ben & Sandy Madey
• Jeff & Chris Kacer, G. Rabine & Sons
• Jim Dietz & Kathy Billsten, James R. Dietz Professional Land Surveyor
• Rick & Nancy Grabowski, Pickus Construction & Equipment
• Bob & Susan Boller, Boller Construction
• George & Jessie Buys
• Claudia Hoogasian
• Craig Jones, Blue Boy Portable Toilets
• Werner & Deborah Duttge
• Mike & Bonnie Wolff, Lake County Grading
• Gary & Sandy Dowty, Lake County Contractors
• Helen & John Varri, Lake Forest Travel

The settlement report was based on 163 contracts covering 180,000 union construction workers. Most settlements were in the East North Central area, which includes Illinois.
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The workshop will be presented at 9 locations statewide. The closest locations to Lake County are: Rockford (February 19), Elgin (February 25) and Joliet (February 26). Reservation forms are available from the LCCA Office or you can call (800) 252-3998 for more information. Reservation forms and $25 per person must be received by January 23, 2004. Seating is limited at each site.
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Our lead instructor will be Wayne Pratt, Oasis Business Group. Assisting Wayne will be Gary Edwards, American Acoustics, who will provide the “real world” experience to make the course even more valuable for participants. Two experts for the price of one!

This year we have reduced the length of the course from three days to just two and will present the program in just one weekend. The course will be offered at the College of Lake County’s Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills on January 16 and 17, 2004. It will cover the following topics:

• Problem Prevention & Anticipation
• Identifying Problems
• The Decision Making Process
• Strategies for Solving Human Performance Problems
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Production Planning
• Project Wide Applications
• Handling Risk, Emergencies and Crisis

The cost of $295 per person if registered before 12/31/03 and $350 per person after 1/1/04 will include all materials, lunch and breaks. A registration form is enclosed for your use. This is NOT for “new” supervisors/foremen. It is designed to give experienced supervision the skills to be even more productive. And the course work will be designed to be applicable for both general contractors and subcontractors. Space will be limited. To make sure that your employees get first chance at the available spots, decide who you want to send and get your reservation form in soon.
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Zucker Systems collected information about the County’s process from all affected parties. Focus groups (including representatives from LCCA), customer surveys, interviews of customers and staff, observation of staff work and a review of various documents and paperwork were used to collect data.

The study involved all County Departments involved in the permitting and development review processes. The health Department’s Environmental Health Division, the Department of Planning, Building and Development, Public Works, Stormwater Management Commission and the Division of Transportation are the County agencies most directly affected.

“No one issue pervades Lake County’s permitting process more than the lack of a clear integrated approach to permitting,” County Administrator Barry Burton said. “Customers should not have to hit a moving target in order to receive a permit from the County.”

Overall, the report identified 197 recommendations and opportunities for improvement. The report designates 46 of the recommendations as top priorities and suggests that costs of implementation will be absorbed through greater efficiency.

Recommendations were further broken-down into categories of “quick fix,” “time saver” and “internal” to help county officials establish a viable implementation plan. Recommendations on issues impacting all areas of the permitting and development review processes focus primarily on technology improvements, streamlining forms and processes, creating checklists for customers, finding better ways of communicating with customers and improving coordination among County departments and staff.

The County is also reviewing and planning to implement numerous recommendations for individual departments involved in the permitting and development review processes. The next step for County officials is to create implementation plans for larger changes and to immediately implement “quick fix” items. LCCA has a copy of the study for review.
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