A Happy New Year to you all. This coming year will bring many exciting things. We all have plenty of things to accomplish and I’m sure that the staff and committees will all rise to the occasion as they have in the past. Under Micky Day’s capable leadership the association is in great shape and is poised to make a significant impact in the future of Lake County and the construction community.

My goal will be to continue to follow the strategic plan established in 2006. I wish to emphasize however that the most effective way to accomplish this goal is to strengthen our coalitions with other like associations and form new alliances with related organizations. Working together with labor on economic development and legislative issues should also be a priority.

Our strategic plan has always placed labor relations at the top of the list. This year MARBA will be negotiating the next Carpenters agreement and our input, support and participation are vital to the success of this endeavor. MARBA has also recognized the value in coordinating their efforts with other bargaining groups to be effective.

CB Richard Ellis, Inc.
www.cbre.com
20 N. Martingale Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: (847) 585-0680
Fax: (847) 706-4959
ASSOCIATE
Kevin Segerson, Associate Brokerage Services Industrial Properties
Real estate service provider to retail, industrial, office and multi-family sectors
Sponsor: Marc Gilman, J.J. Henderson & Son

Team Mechanical & Team Fire
www.tmi.com
431 Lexington Drive
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Phone: (847) 537-1616
Fax: (847) 537-1730
CONTRACTOR
Tom Lutz, Senior Project Manager
Mechanical, HVAC, Fire Protection
Sponsor: Marc Gilman, J.J. Henderson & Son

Lyle Ehlers, Boller Construction, Inc. has appointed the following members to serve on the Board of Governors. In addition to the Board of Directors, the members include:

Jim Becker, Jr., Becker Electrical Group
Bob Boller, Boller Construction Co.
Barry Heinrichs, Burris Equipment Company
Dave Henderson, Jos. J. Henderson & Son
Craig Jones, Blue Boy Portable Toilets
Paul Nick, Lincoln Financial Advisors
Scott Nelson, H.H. Holmes Testing Laboratories
Ed Stuckey, Stuckey Construction
Mike Wolff, Lake County Grading

Retiring from the Board of Governors this year were Mike Temple, Mechanical Inc. and Ron Peterson, Ernie Peterson Plumbing. Both have served LCCA on the Board for many years and their contributions to the success of the association are many. We wish them the very best and thank them for their service.

Applications for LCCA’s 2006 Safety Awards have been mailed to Contractor Members. If you do not receive yours, just call the LCCA Office and we will get you a copy. Remember, you do not need to be “perfect” to apply. Although we do expect no fatalities during the year. Since your results are compared with national averages, you are not competing against other members, but rather your results are judged against all contractors across the country, doing the same type of work.

Completed applications are due into the LCCA Office no later than January 31, 2008. Awards will be presented at the February Membership Meeting on February 28 at the Country Squire Banquets in Grayslake.

LCCA will once again have a booth at the 17^th Annual Construction Safety Conference & Expo. The conference will be held February 13-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Manning the booth will be LCCA Safety Committee Members so if you are going to the conference, be sure to stop by our booth to find out how LCCA can help your safety program.

Complete conference information can be found on the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council’s website – www.buildsafe.org. And some exhibit space is still available. If you are interested, call Beverlee Carrick at (708) 544-2082 x202.

In 1947 meteorologists propose weather forecasts for motorists to help cut down on the number of highway accidents caused by bad weather conditions.

Carpenters Bond List - Ever wonder if the company with which you are about to sign a subcontract has a valid wage and benefit bond posted with the Carpenters? We can help by sending you updates so you will know when bonds are cancelled and reinstated.

But why do you need to know this information? According to the Carpenters Agreement, you are responsible for the payment of all wages and fringe benefits for any subcontractor who does not have a valid bond posted. Every month, the Carpenters send an updated list to MARBA, who then sends it to us, of contractors who have bonds cancelled or reinstated. Knowing if you have subcontractors working for you who have a bond cancelled will put you on notice that you might be liable if a problem arises. Certainly justification for a call to the sub to see what is happening.

Currently, about 20 members receive the updates. If you are not getting the list, just call Lisa at the LCCA Office.

Eight Lake County Referendums Seek Construction $ 
Eight referendums around Lake County were filed seeking money for public construction projects. While many of them will be voted down, a few get approved every year. Here are the ones we are watching:

Grant seeks $38M high school expansion – Nearing capacity and forecasting a 32% increase in students, the Grant Community High School District 124 would like to expand its existing high school by adding 21 classrooms and a field house. If the referendum is approved, the expansion would be completed by 2009.

Mundelein safety repairs – Mundelein Elementary School District 75 will present two bond propositions to voters on Feb. 5. One proposal calls for $6.6M in bonds to make health and safety improvements to school buildings, including maintenance on the roof, plumbing and electrical work. A separate proposal asks for $3.3M in bonds to add air conditioning to the school buildings.

Wauconda outdoor water park – The Wauconda Park District will present a bond proposition of $12M to voters to build an outdoor water park at Cook Park and expand the park district’s Community Center. If approved the water park would include a zero-depth entry pool, lap lanes, diving well, three types of water slides and a lazy river. Expansion of the Community Center would include an additional multipurpose rooms and expansion of the fitness center.

Newport Township town hall – Newport Township will present a proposition to voters to transfer surplus funds to Township Capital Projects Fund to build a town hall.

Fox River Grove advisory question – The Village of Fox River Grove will hold a public vote on how funding will be appropriated for the purpose of planning and building the proposed Streets and Park Maintenance Facility.

Barrington recreational facility – The Barrington Park District will present a bond proposition of $12M to voters to build a new recreational facility and renovate the existing facility at Landendorf Park.

Fox Lake Library – The Fox Lake Library District will present a bond proposition of $14,975,000 to voters to build a new library and furnish it with materials and computers.

Deer Park sales tax increase – Voters will decide whether the village of Deer Park should raise the sales tax by .5% to be used on public infrastructure such as street and drainage improvements.

Primary Candidates Set
Candidates for the February 5th Primary Election are set and several contested races are on the ballot. Here are some races to watch:

State Senate District 26 – Bill Gentes, the Mayor of Round Lake and leader of the Rt. 120 Corridor Council, is opposed in the Democratic Primary by Richard Hammes. The winner will face Republic challenger Dan Duffy in the General Elections for the open seat created with the retirement of Bill Peterson. LCCA’s PAC is supporting Bill Gentes.

State Senate District 30 – Terry Link is opposed this year by Jerry Johnson in the Democratic Primary. Both candidates have filed challenges to the others petitions and we still do not know who will actually be on the ballot in February. Terry, a former LCCA Member, has always been helpful to LCCA and the union construction industry.

State Representative District 60 – It is a three way race in the Democratic Primary but most attention is focused on incumbent Eddie Washington pitted against long time County Board Member Angelo Kyle. Angelo has been a workhorse on the County Board to make sure Economic Development is a reality – not just talk. LCCA’s PAC is supporting Angelo to take his development message to Springfield.

County Board – There are only seven contested Primaries and the only contest that we are stepping up in is District 16 where Jeanne Goshgarian is taking on incumbent Bob Powers in the Republican Primary. To get things done on the County Board, we need members willing to fight to get Rt. 53 back on the table and Rt. 120 finally built. We feel that Jeanne will jump in with the same dedication she showed on the Round Lake Park Board. LCCA’s PAC is supporting Jeanne.

In the fall, there will be many more contests that we will be looking at. But of the 28 Federal, State and County Board races being contested, over half (15) will have no General Election opponent and, absent a late filing, have won the seat.

CISCO Develops Legislative Agenda
Wes Jost, Continental Electric and co-chair of CISCO’s Legislative Committee, worked through several issues at a recent meeting seeking those issues that both labor and management could agree too in preparation for the 2008 legislative session in Springfield. Issues that appear to be agreeable to both sides include:

1.    Some sort of Collectively Bargained Workers Compensation Bill. Management generally favors the ability to negotiate some Workers Comp issues. Final approval will be contingent on the actual language.

2.    HB 773 that would apply Prevailing Wage Rates to projects in TIF districts. The theory is that if the taxpayer is subsidizing the work, the project should be covered just like other public projects. Originally, HB 773 contained many other provisions that management objected to and the bill is now down to just a couple issues.

3.    Incorporating Responsible Bidder language in County and Municipal purchasing codes.

Other issues that are on the table to one degree or another are Construction Worker Identification/Registration, Craft Licensing, Utility Damage Liability and putting the Hours vs. Dollars Workers Comp issues back on the table, which was recommended by LCCA.

One issue that continually appears on the list is HB 1105 that would extend Prevailing Wages to off site aggregate material hauling. LCCA continues to be opposed to this bill and will make sure it does not get on CISCO’s “agreed bill list.”

In the November 12, 2007, Engineering News Record, there is a story on what Gilbane Building Co. does to get 70% repeat business and 30% new business every year. One of the keys to their success is teaching employees to avoid the “Seven Deadly Project Sins.” It is interesting that these same issues are at the top of the list of concerns when we survey our Supervisor Training Program graduates. Maybe they will be of value to you.

“Seven Deadly Project Sins”

1. Inadequate project staffing caused by turnover, assigning unqualified or inexperienced personnel, understaffing and removing key people too soon.

2. Authorizing out-of-scope work to proceed without written owner approval.

3. Inaccurate cost reports that result in poor future cost projections.

4. Inadequate subcontractor management caused by incomplete scope of work, poor understanding of local practices and extended contract closeout.

5. Accepting poor contract documents without objection or written documentation of deficiencies before starting construction.

6. Noncompliance with the contract compounded by inadequate management oversight and unwillingness to ask for help outside the region.

7. Inconsistent development of initial project schedules and preparation of monthly schedule updates.

Applications are now available for the Construction Industry Service Corporation’s (CISCO) 2008 Scholarship Program. Applications for both the two-year Continuing Education and the four-year scholarships are available now at www.cisco.org/schol.htm or by calling CISCO at 630-472-9411. The candidate must be a child of a member of a building trades union or a non-bargaining union employee of a union contractor that is affiliated with CISCO. This would include all LCCA Contractor members. All children of CISCO members are encouraged to apply.

Each year, four 4-year scholarships valued at $2,000 per year, and two 2-year Continuing Education scholarships valued at $1,000 per year are awarded. This is a great opportunity to get help with your education expense.

Completed applications, along with all required materials, must be returned to CISCO by February 15, 2008. Winners will be notified March 31 and awards will be presented at CISCO’s Annual Luncheon on April 25^th.

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2008 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning January 1, 2008, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

--  50.5 cents per mile for business miles driven;
--  19 cents per mile for medical purposes; and
--  14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

The new rates for business miles compares to a rate of 48.5 cents per mile for 2007.