For the last few years we have held our Annual Business Meeting and our trade show jointly in November. The trade show has grown into such a successful event that it has reached a point where it needs to be a stand-alone event. This year we will hold the trade show in October while the Annual Meeting will continue to be in November.

In an effort to make the Annual Meeting more of a special meeting we will be holding it at a different venue and serving an upgrade from our normal dinner menu. The primary focus of the meeting will remain the election of next year’s Officers and Directors. We will also begin presenting the annual Governors’ Award at this meeting rather than at the Christmas Party as we have traditionally done.

We are considering establishing some new awards to recognize members for significant contributions to the Association and the industry. A committee is already hard at work on this. We are soliciting recommendations from you for a first annual “Owner Award” to be presented to an owner or construction user that, in view of our membership, best managed the construction process that resulted in completion of a project in Lake County in 2005. If you were involved in a project meeting this description we ask for your input. The nominees will be evaluated by a “blue ribbon” committee and one winner will be selected. This is a great opportunity to publicly recognize an owner for their participation in the construction process.

As always, we ask for your input and your suggestions. This is your Association and we rely on you to help us to constantly improve.

The LCCA Annual Conference will be heading to the Marriott Marco Island in Florida, according to Chair Mike Ryan, H.H. Holmes Testing. The theme for next year’s Conference is “A More Effective ME,” and what better location than the beaches of south Florida to provide the backdrop for a great program. The tentative itinerary includes:

• Friday, March 3 – Arrival with a Welcome Reception in the evening
• Saturday, March 4 – Morning Seminar on Controlling Stress presented by Wayne Pratt, Oasis Business Group. Afternoon seminar on an industry topic to be determined.
• Sunday, March 5 – Free day to enjoy the area. In the morning we will offer an optional airboat tour of the Everglades, or golf and shopping are also being arranged. In the afternoon, Mike Ryan will gather the faithful for a short trip to the Festival at Stan’s in Goodland. This promises to be the highlight of the social agenda. Call Mike for details.
• Monday, March 6 – Morning Seminar on Time Management by Wayne Pratt, Oasis Business Group. Afternoon seminar on an industry topic to be determined.
• Tuesday, March 7 – Morning and Afternoon free to enjoy the area. Evening will feature a dinner party at the hotel.
• Wednesday, March 8 - Departure

The cost is just $1,125 per person double occupancy, and includes 5 nights at the Marriott Marco Island Resort, a reception and dinner, seminar materials and more. This year we did not include airfare since many members have access to tickets through mileage clubs, the Internet, etc.

With a beautiful location, a personal development program, and a wonderful opportunity to network and just have a good time with soon to be friends, how can you think twice about going? Couples, singles, everybody is welcomed. But rooms are limited so get your deposit in ASAP. You will not regret it!

You can register online at www.lcca-il.org/events .

According to Micky Day, DK Contractors, “The Program committee is working hard to put together an interesting schedule for the 2005-2006 meeting season. The schedule for 2005-2006 Membership Meetings is:

• September 22 - Membership Meeting - Country Squire
• October 27 - Membership Meeting - Mini-Trade Show - Midlane Golf Resort
• November 17 - Annual Meeting - Crown Plaza Mundelein
• December 2 - Holiday Party - Lincolnshire
• January 26 - Membership Meeting - Country Squire
• February 23 - Membership Meeting - Safety Awards - Country Squire
• March 23 - Membership Meeting - Country Squire
• April 27 – Membership Meeting - Country Squire
• May 25 – Membership Meeting - Country Squire

All Membership Meetings will start at 6:00 p.m. The Mini-Trade Show in October will start at 5:30 p.m. and the Holiday Party in December starts at 7:00 p.m. Please add these dates to your planner so that you do not miss out on any of these events. Programs are still being finalized and will be announced soon.

A Directory was sent to all members in July. This is just an interim directory to cover the period until the next full directory is published in January. If you would like more copies, please do not hesitate to contact the LCCA Office.

The LCCA Winter Workshop Committee to Africa is SOLD OUT. Unfortunately, only 16 rooms were available and all were reserved in the first week after the notice went out. We do have a waiting list in case there is a cancellation.

We apologize to anybody who wanted to go but missed out.

The LCCA PAC Committee will be selling tickets at the LCCA Golf Outing for a chance to win a $1,000 grand prize and other prizes to be determined. The cost of tickets is just $5 each or 5 for $20. And you do not need to be present to win.

If you are not going to the outing and would still like to get in on the raffle – and maybe win, you can buy tickets by just calling Terry at the LCCA Office or stopping by the office anytime during regular office hours before the outing.

If you will be golfing with us, you will have an opportunity to improve your chances of winning on the PAC Par 3 Challenge hole. Here you will be able use your skill (or luck) to double or triple the number of chances you have to win a prize.

All proceeds will go to support candidates in the Lake County area who are working to improve the construction industry and keep members profitable. Win or lose it is a good investment.

The annual trade show is set for the October Membership meeting on October 27 at Midlane Golf Resort. This will be a change from past years when it was in held in November. In addition, the show will not “share” the stage with the annual meeting. The focus will be on the show and there will be some great prizes some lucky members.

According to Program Committee Chair, Micky Day, DK Contractors, “The committee felt October would be a better month for the show and the exhibitors deserved to be the center of attraction, rather than the warm-up for the annual meeting. It is really a great show and I encourage all contractors to attend. And did I mention that the exhibitors are buying?”

Exhibitor registration forms have been mailed. If you wish to have a booth, please return the form ASAP. Space is limited.

Once again, the LCCA membership has stepped up to sponsor the Annual Golf Outing. The direct impact on participants is a savings of over $50 per person. So be sure and thank the following members for their participation.

Hole In One Sponsor

Bank of Waukegan

Anthony Pontiac-GMC-Buick

Beer Cart Sponsors

Waukegan Roofing/North Coast Supply/Johns Manville Corp.

Blue Book Building & Construction

Hole Sponsors

Aldridge Electric, Inc.

Avalon Petroleum Company

Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc.

Bornquist Inc.

Burris Equipment Co.

Case Construction Equipment

Chicago Area Lecet

CISCO

D. L. Franzen Construction

Gatwood Crane Service, Inc.

Joseph J. Henderson

McClure Engineering Associates, Inc.

Multiple Concrete Accessories

NES Rentals

Patten Construction Products

T J Adams Group

Vulcan Construction Materials

Wm. Schwartz & Co.

Blue Boy Portable Toilets, Inc.

Boncosky Oil Company

Camosy, Inc.

Curran Contracting Company

Flow-Technics, Inc.

Goss Plumbing

H.H. Holmes Testing Laboratories

Lake County Building & Construction Trades Council

Lance Construction Supplies

McCann Industries, Inc.

McGraw Hill Construction

Mechanical, Inc.

Meyer Material Company

Northern Illinois Mack, Inc.

Prairie Materials Sales

Thelen Sand & Gravel, Inc.

Turner Construction Company

Palatine Oil Co, Inc.

MARBA Proposes Bylaw Amendment – As a result of recent negotiations and at the urging of LCCA, MARBA is proposing to amend their bylaws to provide: “No proposed agreement shall be approved or rejected by the Board of Directors unless the proposed agreement has been submitted to the Board of Directors by the craft committee, either with or without a recommendation by the craft committee.”

The bylaw change was recommended when the Carpenters Agreement, negotiated last year, was sent to the Board for approval and the Carpenters Craft Committee never had the opportunity to review or comment on the proposed settlement.

Sprinkler Fitters Settle – The Sprinkler Fitters Local 281 has agreed to a new three-year agreement. The agreement, retroactive to June 1, will provide a $1.60 increase the first year. Journeymen will now earn $36 per hour with $13.60 in fringes.

No Show Loses Grievance – and $227,000 – So you are too busy to show up at a grievance hearing to fight the allegations in a union grievance. One contractor who chose to pass on an Operators grievance hearing alleging pumping water on a site without an operator will end up with a bill in excess of $227,000! Unfortunately, the Joint Grievance Committee can only consider testimony they hear. If you do not show, they can only assume the union’s evidence is OK.

Labor Day Holiday - The Labor Day holiday will be celebrated on Monday, September 5.  If an employee works on the holiday, the double time rate must be paid.  The Automobile Mechanics, Local 701 and the Laborers’ contracts provide for 4-10s.  Qualified employees of Automobile Mechanics, Local 701and Teamsters Locals 731 and 786 shall receive eight (8) hours straight time as holiday pay without working.  Reference to the respective contracts should be made for specifics regarding 4-10s and holiday pay.

Cement Masons Local 502 Dues Checkoff – Cement Masons Local 502 has increased the Dues Checkoff from $1.00 per hour to 3% of the total economic package, which equals $1.44 per hour.  Remember that Dues Checkoff is a DEDUCTION from the net pay and this increase does not represent an increase in the total wage/benefit package.

Applications for the Construction Industry Service Corporation’s (CISCO) Annual 2005 Award Program are now available.  The Award Program is open to all types and sizes of projects completed during 2003 – 2004.  Enter your project and get recognition for the hard work and dedication of your staff and work force.

Each project will be judged on the following criteria:  quality of construction, design, impact on the community, and safety record.  The winner will receive an advertisement in Dodge’s Midwest Construction, an awards breakfast along with a commemorative plaque.  The entry fee is $50 for members and $100 for non-members.  Deadline for entry is Wednesday, August 31, 2005.  All materials should be in the hands of CISCO by this date.  All entries and materials should be mailed to the address at 616 Enterprise Drive, Suite 100, Oakbrook, IL  60523.  For more information go to www.cisco.org/awards, call (630) 472-9411, or email Kim at kim@cisco.org.

Applications are available from the LCCA Office.

For the sixth consecutive year, Chicago Area LECET is making preparations for its annual wall calendar that will be distributed to our participating Laborers’ locals, contractor associations, signatory contractors, government officials, and other business partners.

If you have seen the calendar in the past, you know that the cornerstone of the piece is the photographs that highlight each month of the year.  LECET is currently seeking construction sites to photograph for the 2006 calendar.

The sites that are chosen for next year’s calendar can be almost anything or anywhere within the nine-county area.  The only requirement would be that there are at least two Laborers on the site willing to be photographed doing their jobs.  They will highlight a variety of work on a variety of different types of projects.

If you know of a site that you think is in some way interesting or photogenic, or simply demonstrates what a union contractor can accomplish alongside skilled Laborers, please don’t hesitate to contact LECET with further information.  It’s an excellent way to gain exposure for your site and the hard work you do each day.  Also, LECET will provide you with the professional photographs taken at the photo shoot, which you will be free to use for your own purposes.

A photo shoot consists simply of a LECET representative and a professional photographer coming on site and taking pictures of the work being completed by the Laborers.  All safety regulations will be followed by the visitors to your site, and they will be as unobtrusive to the work being completed as possible.

Please note that they do not specifically identify the contractor or the people in the photographs, but they will identify the site and project, as well as any interesting details about the project.

Contact Paul Gehrmann or Patrick Hosty at (630) 655-8935 with your site suggestions, or any questions about the calendar photo shoot process.