Some time ago I was asked to develop a list of suggested guidelines for general contractor project managers and superintendents. It was done from the perspective of a subcontractor and I thought it might be of interest since 68% of our contractor membership is classified as subcontractors. I present it here in the hope that it might be a starting point for ongoing discussion between GC and subcontractor members.

1. Process paperwork efficiently, i.e. contracts, change orders, billings.
2. Provide advance notice of upcoming needs.
3. Try to avoid adversarial, confrontational style of management. The job will go much better if everyone is on the same team.
4. Organize, schedule projects with an eye on the big picture. Project should be laid out to allow everyone ample time for their work. Seek input from subs when planning the job.
5. Remember that shopping a job may increase the bottom line on a short-term basis but will hurt your reputation in the long run. Also, subs and vendors will be less likely to go the “extra mile” for you when you really need it if they had to give up their margin to get the job.
6. Avoid the tendency to favor “your” subs (rebar installer, bricklayer, painter) over “prime” subs (electrician, HVAC, plumber, piping). Everyone needs the same level of support and cooperation to get the job done.
7. Don’t ask subs or vendors to do extra work unless you are confident that they can be paid for it. Support them in their efforts to collect.
8. Start meetings on time, keep them brief and to the point. As much as possible, keep meeting dates and times consistent throughout the job.
9. Remember that you are capable of making a mistake. Be big enough to admit it when you do. Don’t look for a way to place the blame on someone else.
10. Take ownership of the project and put in the necessary hours to do it right. Be accountable for the results.

I’m interested in your feedback. Please give me a call with any comments you may have.

Edwards Engineering, Inc.
1000 Touhy Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL  60007
Phone: (847) 364-8100
Fax: (847) 364-0188
CONTRACTOR
Michael B. Johnson, President
Scott Lieske, Executive V.P.
Jim Schulz, V.P.
Frank Morgan, Director of Operations
Brant Lieske, Safety Director
Todd Lieske, Project Engineer
HVAC & Mechanical Contractor
SPONSOR:  Dave Culligan, Althoff Industries

Industrial Technology Group
224 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1275
Chicago, IL  60604
Phone: (312) 379-5333
Fax: (312) 379-5334
ASSOCIATE
Joe Summers, President
John Talbot, Senior V.P.
Leandra Thompson, Design Build Manager
Architectural Engineering & Consulting Firm
SPONSOR:  Steve Dalbec, Joseph J. Henderson & Son

Education Committee Chair Micky Day, DK Contractors, is pleased to announce a special Legal Seminar in March before the March Membership Meeting. Featuring Margery Newman, Ogletree Deakins and Tom Morris, Hinshaw & Culbertson, the dynamic duo will attack the issues of Documenting Change Orders and Mechanics Liens. Both of these subjects are near and dear to contractors – especially in today’s economy.

The seminar will be on Thursday, March 24 at the Country Squire in Grayslake from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. To register go to www.lcca-il.org/events.

The LCCA PAC Auction Committee, Chaired by Steve Dalbec, Jos. J. Henderson & Son, is looking for auction items for the PAC Auction scheduled for the April Membership Meeting.

How can you help? Donate auction items and come and bid! If we are going to have an auction, we need auction items. Auction items donated to LCCPAC, like other political contributions, are not tax deductible. Please check with your tax consultant for your specific situation. Donated items must have a value in excess of $150. We would like to have donations by March 24. Cash contributions must be made to LCCPAC.

The Department of Labor has approved new rules that permit the Apprentice Fund to accept referrals of new employees into the Apprentice Program directly by employers. The Apprentice Program provides new laborers with both classroom and on-the-job training in safety procedures and a wide variety of important construction skills.

Every year hundreds of new laborers are hired and have to learn their jobs from their employers and fellow employees without organized classes or training. In contrast, new apprentice laborers entering the industry receive excellent instruction and training, but often have difficulty getting jobs since employers have already made their own hiring choices.

In order to allow employers to choose their employees and also to raise the levels of safety and training among more new laborers, contributing employers will now be permitted to select candidates for the Apprentice Program. Employers will then be allowed to keep such apprentices in their employment. To do so, an employer must submit an application covering a newly hired employee who must be accepted into the Apprentice Program.

The employee must meet the physical, legal and educational standards of the Apprentice Program, including passing a drug test. Such an apprentice applicant can be put to work at the 60% apprentice rate immediately after acceptance into the program. He or she must be released for a one-week classroom safety program as soon as one is available and for all future scheduled training classes. The employee eventually must meet all of the Apprentice Program’s requirements for classes and complete the 2 years/2400 hours of diversified on-the-job training in order to advance to full pay and journeyman status.  An employer can pay more than the apprentice rate, at its option.

The new approach, which has worked for other unions, will begin with a limited number of new employees who can be apprentices and a limit of one per employer per year at this time.

Admission to the Apprentice Program will be on a first come-first served basis for qualified new hires. Enrollment will be permitted throughout the year as long as there are enough hired applicants. An employer who lets an apprentice go without cause will not be able to obtain a replacement apprentice for the same year.

The Apprentice Program is committed to non-discrimination in the acceptance of new apprentices and may modify the first come-first served approach if the employer referral approach results in unfairness to the pool of employees based on race, gender or national origin.

Contact the Fund at 630-653-0006 for more specific requirements, to make a referral to the program, or to obtain information about the excellent instructional programs.

The Joint Apprenticeship Committee for the Electricians Local 150 in Lake County will accept applications for the 5-year electrical construction apprenticeship, the 3-year residential training program, and the 4-year apprenticeship, from May 4 through December 14, 2005. Applications will be available on Wednesday’s only from 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., except on the 2nd Wednesday of each month when they will be available from 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. These applications are for the programs beginning approximately June 1, 2006.

Applications will be available at the Training Center, 31290 N. U.S. Highway 45, Unit A, Libertyville, IL. They must be filled out in person.

The Apprenticeship Committee is asking your help in recruiting qualified female and minority applicants to better achieve their goals and timetables for female and minority access.

Interested parties can contact the Lake County Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee office for more information, 847-566-2200, or visit their website at www.lakecountyjatc.org.

The Lake County Road Improvement Plan Referendum will be on the April 5th primary election ballot. The referendum asks voters to approve a ½% increase in the sales tax to fund transportation improvements in Lake County. At stake is about $450 million in traffic congestion improvements over the next 10 years. The plan presented to the County Board includes 36 miles of road widening, 33 intersections and synchronizing more than 100 traffic signals on the east side of the county. This is in addition to other projects already planned by the state and county. Major projects will include Rt.60 from Vernon Hills to Rt. 120, Rt. 45 from Rt. 137 to Rt. 132 and many more.

The Lake County Residents for Traffic Relief (LCRTR) have already started the effort to get the referendum passed. We have hired Brad Goodman to manage the campaign and have retained The Public Response Group to develop the message and direct mail pieces.

Critics are already questioning why Lake County would want to expand roads in the State Highway system. The easy answer is that neither the state nor the Federal Government can afford to make the improvements right now – and no money will be available in the foreseeable future. So we can sit back and wait. Or find a way to fix our local problems. We will not “lose” any money because there are many more needs than can be fixed with this infusion of capital. If and when the state and feds find more money, we will have places to spend it. Until then, we have the opportunity to substantially reduce traffic congestion now!

What can you do to help? Start spreading the word. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors, employees and anybody else who can vote on April 5. They can make a difference. For more information, go to http://www.fixourroadsnow.com/

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) announced that the President’s budget includes $122 million in new military construction funding for Naval Station Great Lakes. The funding will be used to build two new recruit training command barracks, a new drill hall and other infrastructure improvements to modernize Great Lakes. The funds, part of a planned $700 million base renovation now underway, mean continued economic growth and new jobs in Lake County.

“While it is an austere budget, I am very pleased the Navy will invest heavily in Great Lakes, bringing hundreds of high-paying jobs to our communities,” said Congressman Kirk. “Building the world’s premiere naval facility benefitsour men and women in uniform and fosters economic growth and job creation in eastern Lake County.”

The President’s budget also includes full funding for Metra, including over$20 million to complete expansion of the North Central commuter rail line. As a member of the Transportation committee during his freshman term, Kirk was instrumental in securing funds to double-track the North Central line. Beginning in December, Metra will double the number of trains currently running on the North Central line giving Chicago commuters more flexibility. The additional trains will take thousands of cars off our congested highways and help us meet our environmental goals by reducing air pollution.
“Updating our transportation infrastructure is essential to reducing highway gridlock and improving our quality of life,” said Congressman Kirk, “Increased rail service will ease traffic congestion, and have a positive effect on our environment.”

Other increases in the Bush budget include:  doubled funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act to clean up polluted harbors (like Waukegan) and provisions accelerating the creation of a new Navy/VA hospital in North Chicago.

The Toll Highway Administration has announced $5.2 billion in reconstruction, resurfacing, add-lane and plaza projects in their Long-Range Plan. Included in the plan is money to widen I-294 from Half-Day Road to Russell Road in Lake County. This project will cost about $400 million and is scheduled for 2007-2008. We will also get a new Express Toll Plaza at the Waukegan Toll Plaza.

The plan includes the following:

• Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) 59.6 mi. $1.66 Bil - Reconstruction, Add Lanes & Resurfacing w/4 Toll Plaza’s
• Northwest Tollway (I-90) 76.1 mi. $1.78 Bil - Reconstruction, Add Lanes & Resurfacing w/4 Toll Plaza’s
• East-West Tollway (I-88) 101.5 mi. $753 Mil - Reconstruction, Add Lanes & Resurfacing w/2 Toll Plaza’s
• North-South Tollway (I-355) 17.5 mi. $32 Mil - Pavement Resurfacing
• South Extension (I-355) 12.5 mi. $729 Mil - New construction

A copy of the entire report that includes specific projects and expected construction dates is available from the LCCA Office.

Congratulations to all members who won a 2004 Safety Award. This year’s applicants were judged against the national averages for Lost Workday

Accidents both by size and by type of construction. This is a very good measure of just how well you are doing in safety.
Below are the winners. Those in Bold Italic either tied for the best record in the division with Zero Lost Workday Accidents, or were the best in the division. The remainder had Lost Workday Ratio’s better than the national average.

Special congratulations to the Safety Directors who are listed beside the company. Their hard work and dedication to a safe workplace is responsible for the excellent results.

Division I - Less than 20,000 Hours
B & G Services, Inc., Beth Greenhill
Green Mechanical, Inc., Todd Green
T & R Tree Clearing, Inc., Toni Edmonds

Division II - 20,001 - 100,000 Hours
Benson Electric, Inc., Howard Biederer
Car-Min Construction Co., Inc., Vincent Carravetta
DK Contractors, Inc., Micky Day
D. L. Franzen Construction, Deborah Freeman
Ernie Peterson Plumbing, Inc., Glenn Peterson
Lakeland/Larsen Elevator Corporation, John Frecking
Meade Electric Company, Inc., Timothy Swanson
MK Industries, Inc., Arthur Kopp
Electrical Contractors, Inc., Don Husko
John Keno & Company, Bill Vignocchi
Stuckey Construction Co., Inc., Chad Nate

Division III - 100,001 - 500,000 Hours
Alliance Contractors, Inc., Mike Paulson
Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc., Julie Berger
Boller Construction Company, Inc., Lynne Bach
Curran Contracting Company, Ed Muncie
Greg Greenhill Construction Co., Inc., Mark Warnecke Ragnar Benson, Inc., Loren Whitney
Tyler Lane Construction Inc., Henry DeVries
Becker Electrical Group, James Becker, Sr.
Joseph J. Henderson & Son, Inc., David Henderson
JAC Masonry, Inc., Chris Malec
Landscape Concepts Construction, Inc., Paul Bruggen
International Decorators, Inc., Peter Graham
International Piping Systems, Inc., Frederick Oyer
Mechanical, Inc., Joe O'Tool
Midwest Masonry, Inc., Frank Dziadus
Plaza Excavating Contractors, Richard Soda
Riley Construction Company, Inc., Mark Toepfer
Thacher Engineering Corporation, Keith Trexler
Thelen Sand & Gravel, Inc., Chad Broege

Division IV - Over 500,000 Hours
Graycor Industrial Constructors, Inc., Jeff Walden
Aldridge Electric, Inc., O'Brien Mills
Ahern Fire Protection, Bruce Goranson
Althoff Industries, Inc., Stacia Hahn
Continental Electrical Construction Company, Ron Webb
Kelso-Burnett Company, Cathy Kay
Turner Construction Company, Michael Blackburn