It’s November already and while it’s a little premature to look back at ’04, it’s certainly not too soon to start thinking about ’05. The pre-winter push is in high gear on most jobsites and many us find ourselves wondering what happened to all that backlog we had.

Things have a tendency to go in cycles and our business is no exception. I find that you can tell what time of year it is by listening to conversations at the monthly business meetings. Early in the year you’ll hear a lot of "How was your year?" and "What’s the new year look like for you?".

As it gets closer to the start of the new construction season, you’ll hear more of "We really need the weather to break so we can get going" and "Once they get some concrete poured and some steel up we’re really gonna be busy".

Once things get into full swing conversations lean toward "We’re having a hard time getting enough good people" and "If I see that business agent on my job again I’ll………"

About this time of year it’s "It wasn’t a bad job but we’re having a tough time getting our retainage paid" and "I don’t know what we were thinking when we bid that one".

The best part of Association membership is the opportunity to get together with our peers and to have these conversations. People outside of our industry can listen to us but don’t really understand what we’re saying.

This Association offers plenty of opportunities for you and others in your company to come out and have these conversations. Come on out and get involved. The sharing of experiences and knowledge is a valuable resource for all of us.

Summit Fire Protection
28915 Herky Drive 101-B
Lake Bluff, IL 60044
Phone: (847) 680-1969
Fax: (847) 680-1976
CONTRACTOR
Curt Decker, Branch Manager
Fire Sprinklers
SPONSOR: Ernie Van Es, NES Rentals

TFW Surveying & Mapping
888 E. Belvidere Rd. Unit 413
Grayslake, IL 60030
Phone: (847) 548-6600
Fax: (847) 548-6699
ASSOCIATE
Tom Wasilewski, President
Tim O'Brien
Tom Molloy
Kelly Rossmann
Christopher Dietz
Land surveying, civil engineering, topographic mapping, construction layout, land planning, GPS/aerial control
SPONSOR: Craig Jones, Blue Boy

API
675 Suite J Tollgate Road
Elgin, IL 60123
Phone: (847) 931-0095
Fax: (847) 931-0132
SUPPLIER
Henry Beguelin President
Davis Van Winkle CFO
GPS, Machine control, robotic total stations, lasers, estimating software, CAD software
SPONSOR: Craig Jones, Blue Boy and Chris Dietz

Pat Kirschhoffer, Kirschhoffer Trucking Service and Chair of the LCCA Nominating Committee, presented the following slate of Officers and Directors for 2005 to the Board of Directors at their last meeting.

Mike Temple, Mechanical, Inc. - President
Mike Henderson, Jos. J. Henderson & Son - 1st Vice President
Micky Day, DK Contractors - 2nd Vice President
Lyle Ehlers, Boller Construction Company - Treasurer
Gary L. Dowty, LCCA - Secretary (Non-voting)
Pat Kirschhoffer, Kirschhoffer Trucking - Immediate Past Pres.
Jim Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equip. - MARBA Director
Tom Hegel, Kelso Burnett - Director
Karen Johnson, Roughneck Concrete Cutters - Director
Paul Nick, Lincoln Financial Advisors - Director
Mike Ryan, Meyer Material Company - Director
Steve Thelen, Thelen Sand & Gravel - Director

Elections will be held at the November Annual Meeting.

Last month LCCA hosted a reception for those interested in attending the Winter Workshop to Vietnam. The turnout was great and the enthusiasm for the trip is contagious. Early registrations for the trip to Vietnam are encouraging. Already on the list are:

Dale & Maureen Berger, Berger Excavating
Bob & Sue Boller, Boller Construction Co.
Gary Dowty, LCCA
John & Gay Fosberg
Larry & Eileen Frederick
Claudia Hoogasian
Dana & Debbie Hudson
Roy Holmgren & Nancy Tippet
Marshall & Diane Lowe
Don & Charlene Manusos, Manusos General Contractors
Gregg & Penny Marsh, Acme Brick & Supply
Allan & Meline Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment
Nathan & Jane Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment
Helen & John Varri, Lake Forest Travel

Since the reception, we have dramatically improved the itinerary by changing airlines to secure a one-stop flight aboard American Airlines rather than stopping at LA and Hong Kong. This will cut down the airtime and get us into Hanoi the night before. This will give everybody a full night's rest to reset the body clock.

If you think this might be a bit on the expensive side, just check out the Art Institute of Chicago’s Cambodia/Vietnam trip they are offering. Their trip is two extra days and they will be in Vietnam just before us starting in Cambodia and ending in Hanoi. We will both be in the Sofitel Hotel January 28-31. But even using mostly the same hotels and having the exact same route, their patrons will pay $6,195 for the trip we are charging $3,500 - and you would probably know no one!

Airline seats are limited, however. If you are interested in joining us, just call the LCCA Office.

If you have not made your reservations yet, mail that check today or register on-line at www.lcca-il.org/events. The deadline for reservations for the Mini Workshop is November 5, 2004.

Don't miss this opportunity to network and relax in the sun at the Royal Hideaway Playacar Resort in Mexico during the beginning of the January! For only $1,625 per person double occupancy ($1,825 single occupancy), you get an all-inclusive five-day, four-night stay at this "Preferred Hotel" rated the #1 All-inclusive Hotel in Mexico.

Known for their outstanding service, this adults-only property is sure to meet all your relaxation needs. The resort is close to shopping, with a world-class spa and five distinctive restaurants.

Already on the list are:
Jonathan Pease & Amy Cox, J. Pease, Inc.
Jim & Robin Drost, T.J. Adams Group, LLC.
Scott & Debbie Nelson, H.H. Holmes Testing
Todd & Penny Nelson, H.H. Holmes Testing
Karen Johnson & Peter Tobin, Roughneck Concrete
Mike & Liz Ryan, Meyer Material Co.
Julie Berger & Mark Chamberlin, Berger Excavating
Jason Rasch & April Hedstrom, Rasch Construction
Don & Sheila Mors, Pipe Freezing
Tim & Mikey Staples, Camosy, Inc.
Margery Newman & Bob Buege, Ogletree Deakins
Glenn & Sheila Peterson, Ernie Peterson Plumbing

LCCA’s annual trade show will be on November 18 at Midlane Golf Resort. The show will be from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. in the Chandler Room.

This year we expect another full house. Here are some reasons to attend:

• Meet many of LCCA’s great Associate & Supplier members.
• Great door prizes will be offered by many exhibitors
• A chance to win a gift certificate for $500, $300 or $200
• And FREE drinks during the show!

Exhibitors who have already signed up include:
Northern IL Mack, Inc.
Corporate Imaging Concepts, Inc.
Lee Jensen Sales, Co., Inc.
NES Rentals
CISCO
Boncosky Oil Company
Gatwood Contractors, Inc.
The Blue Book Bldg, & Construction
API
Ziegler Associates, Ltd
Lance Construction Supplies
McDonald Modular Solutions
Burris Equipment
Lite Technology
McCann Industries

This is the last chance to sign up for the joint reception with the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association. The reception is Thursday, November 11, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Country Squire to showcase the 2005 highway construction program in Lake County and provide an opportunity for you to hear from the transportation leaders in Lake County. Expected to attend are representatives from:

• IDOT
• Illinois Toll Highway
• Lake County DOT
• Metra

In addition, all Lake County municipalities have been solicited for their project lists which will be compiled and available for attendees. This is a great opportunity to see what your market is going to look like in the future. Don’t pass it up! To register go to www.lcca-il.org/events.

The 2004 edition of LCCA’s Holiday Party at the Lincolnshire Marriott is scheduled for Friday, December 3, 2004. If you want to attend one of Lake County’s best parties, put your group together and block out the date. Reservation forms will be in the mail soon. For those who have never attended, this is the best entertainment value in Lake County. Great food, drink, conversation and a show that will knock your socks off!!

This is the perfect opportunity to entertain employees, clients or other special people while leaving the arrangements (and the headaches) to us! Get your tables together or just come and we will put you with others. Register online at www.lcca-il.org/events.

Applications are now available for the Construction Industry Service Corporation’s (CISCO) 2005 Joseph Sullivan Memorial Scholarship competition. The $2,000 grant---which can be renewed three times for a grand total of $8,000---will be awarded in February of 2005. All children of CISCO members are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must be high school seniors, provisionally accepted into an undergraduate degree program at a four-year accredited college, and citizens of the United States. Additionally, the candidate must be a child of a member of a building trades union or a non-bargaining unit employee of a union contractor that is affiliated with CISCO.

Applications can be obtained by: calling (630-472-9411); faxing (630-472-9413); writing (616 Enterprise Dr., Suite 100, Oak Brook, IL 60523); or e-mailing sam@cisco.org  your request. Completed applications, along with all required materials, must be returned to CISCO by February 11, 2005.

The rules defining employees that may be exempt from overtime pay in Illinois changed on April 2, 2004, when the Governor signed Senate Bill 1645 into law. Now every exempt position employed in an executive, administrative or professional capacity must meet two standards. First, they must continue to qualify under the "duties" categories set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the rules adopted under that Act. Additionally, for employees in Illinois, the minimum pay for exempt positions was raised from $155.00 per week to $425.00 per week. Any employee in these categories making less than this new threshold amount is automatically entitled to overtime pay in Illinois.

Now the DOL plans to implement a new set of definitions for executive, administrative and professional positions that qualify for exempt classification. They are also setting the new minimum pay level for exempt positions at $455.00 per week ($23,660 annually). The changes will impact Illinois employers in two (2) ways. The salary test in Illinois will increase from the current $425.00 per week to the new federal level of $455.00 per week. But equally or even more problematic will be the fact that Illinois employers will now have to deal with both federal and state definition of duty tests for exempt positions. Since Illinois froze tests to those that existed on March 30, 2003, employers must continue to meet the current definitions and also the new federal standards.

Effective August 25, 2004, employers who employ volunteer fireman working for municipalities of 3,500 or less in population must recognize new employment rights of volunteer fireman. HB 4851, sponsored by Rep. Mike Boland (D-E. Moline) and Sen. Gary Forby (D-Benton), creates the Volunteer Firefighter Job Protection Act. The new law provides that no public or private employer may terminate an employee who is a volunteer firefighter because the employee, when acting as a volunteer firefighter, is absent from or late to his or her place of employment. An employee who is terminated in violation of the Act may bring civil action against his or her employer for reinstatement to the employee's former position, payment of back wages, reinstatement of fringe benefits, and reinstatement of seniority rights. To see the new law CLICK HERE.

In the most recent negotiations, a new article was added to the MARBA Teamsters contract that requires employers to utilize their own trucks before using other broker's or owner/operator's. As with many new contract provisions, there is some misunderstanding regarding the rule and grievances have been filed against some contractors. Here is the language that you must abide by if you are signatory to the contract:

The Employer shall utilize their own trucking equipment to perform work that has historically been performed by the Employers' own equipment prior to utilizing other trucking services, subject to following services:

1. During the term of Agreement, there must be a sufficient number of employees to perform the work and employees must comply with the provisions of Article 13.1 (e).
2. The Employer owned equipment must be properly registered, licensed, insured, possess a current safety inspection sticker, be properly equipped for the work which will be performed (e.g. tarp and pans for asphalt, steel bodies for excavation, etc) and not be temporarily out of service for mechanical maintenance reasons whether due to breakdown or scheduled maintenance. The condition of the truck shall be documented by a Federal Vehicle Inspection Report. The Employer shall not discontinue the insurance coverage to erode the operation of the Article.
3. This Article shall not prohibit the Employer from utilizing other trucking services to comply with minority contractual requirements (MBE, WBE, DBE) Employers shall utilize their own trucking equipment prior to utilizing other trucking services when compliance with minority contractual requirements has been obtained.
4. This Article shall apply only to Employer's equipment, which is present and available as defined in Paragraph 3 at each of its locations, yards, temporary yards, barns or plants. Article 13.1 (h) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement shall control the scheduling of employees except for jobs that are loading out of the same asphalt plant; employees shall be assigned to work according to their seniority. Article 13.1 (i) shall control the assignment of work.
5. Employer's trucking equipment shall be defined as those vehicles whose titles are registered in the name of the signatory Employer or leased to same. The Employer shall not create a leasing mechanism to erode the operation of this provision.

Cement Masons 803 Dues Increasing - Cement Masons Local 803 in DuPage County have notified MARBA that the dues check-off will increase from the current $.90 to 2% of gross wages. The change is expected to take effect January 1, 2005.

Teamsters, Local 179 Distribution - The Teamsters Local 179 in the Joliet area has still not provided MARBA with a distribution of the $1.55 wage increase effective June 1, 2004. The Local is appealing their inclusion in the agreement negotiated by Teamsters Joint Council 25 since they also negotiated another agreement with a local contractors association for more money.