TOMORROW….AGC’s
Annual Installation Dinner, Tuesday January 29th,
Hyatt – Aventine
(over 530 will
attend)
Time:
5:30 p.m. – reception
7:00 p.m. – dinner
Location:
Hyatt at the Aventine - 3777 La Jolla Village Drive
THANK YOU TO OUR
SPONSOR:
Lockton Insurance Brokers
CLICK HERE for registration form. There is still time to
register!
For more information, contact Rae Krushensky at (858) 731-8157
The City of San
Diego Renews Equal Opportunity Efforts
By Jim Ryan, AGCSD Executive Vice President
Every few years, the City of San Diego’s politicians
decide it is time to make a major effort to correct a portion of
society’s problems through manipulation of the City’s construction
projects. The activity has been intense:
-
There
have been two “equal opportunity summits” called by the Mayor
-
A
City Council Member has alleged discrimination in the industry
because the City’s minority participation is low.
-
Debra Fischle-Faulk has been reappointed from the Mayor’s staff
to become the new City Equal Opportunity
Program Director (a position she held in the 1990’s) and
the City, has been appearing
on a regular basis at City Council and Council Committee meetings.
Naturally, the villain in all of this is the AGC.
Somehow we are supposed to solve the City’s participation
problems. AGC, however, has had a policy that Equal Opportunity
Contracting (EOC) efforts by the City of San Diego should be legal.
The State of California, the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals, and the US Supreme Court have issued rulings during the
past several years that make it very difficult to solve society’s
problems through the manipulation of construction contracts.
This simply does not set well with a very large group
of individuals at the City.
So….as we move forward with the latest efforts by the
zealots at the City of San Diego, perhaps some ideas from AGC will
help…..
Idea #1
Normally, when we all go through these efforts, the
City decides that a certain percentage of all City construction
projects should be subcontracted to minority/female owned firms.
The percentage is usually arrived at when a City official or a paid
consultant sticks their finger in the air and somehow, magically
comes up with a percentage of all contracts that should be
subcontracted to minority/female firms.
Now here is our idea…..this time why not hire a firm
that has credentials that we all agree on, and have them do an
“availability study”. This type of study objectively defines the
number of minority/female firms that are in the San Diego market and
do the type of work that the City has available. Then, when a
percentage is set, it will actually
have some basis of fact. Now, we understand that this is not as
easy as the finger in the air method, but perhaps this will
withstand a legal challenge. The 9th Circuit was very
specific in a recent ruling….public entities should know how many
targeted subcontractors are available in the market and set goals
accordingly. The availability study should also be completed for
each targeted race/gender/ethnicity. The court is not going to
approve a general study that can be manipulated….i.e., if there are
no African-American subcontracting firms in the market in a
particular type of work, then the goals must be set accordingly.
Idea #2
Pay attention to the type of projects the City has
available. At the present time, the City really has few projects
available that involve significant subcontracting. Sewer and water
repair projects simply do not involve many subcontractors.
Really…there is no drywall or roofing in sewer /water projects.
So…when you stick your finger in the air, or even when you do the
availability study to determine the minority/female percentage,
please consider the type of projects that will be bid. The City has
no bonding capacity to do a wide range of construction projects.
Right now, you are simply trying to stop the flooding in areas in
which a water main has blown out or some other crisis has happened.
It is nearly impossible to subcontract a significant portion of this
type of work.
Idea #3
How about looking at EOC in a completely different
way. I have never been able to understand your fascination with the
percentage of minority/female subcontractors that complete City
work. It seems to me that the number minority/females that are
craft or management employees on City construction projects would be
far more important to your constituents. Construction provides
really good paying jobs that include benefits. Working with the
industry to encourage a diverse workforce seems like it would be
more important than how many minority firms are on the projects. I
want to share a secret with you….minority /female firms may or may
not employ a diverse work force.
So…maybe redirecting your efforts to the workforce
would be much more productive.
Idea #4
There seems to be a temptation by our political
leaders to use this issue as one of those issues that there is no
solution. It is no secret that if this “problem” were ever solved,
a number of politicians would need to find other issues,
and a number of consultants would need to find other lines of work.
The percentage that is ultimately acceptable is never defined and
thus never reached. Our advice….set a percentage goal that is based
on the availability of minority /female firms in the market,
and try to work with industry to reach it. At the same time, work
with the industry to encourage more
minority/ female participation within the workforce.
If you take this advice you may actually accomplish
something!!!
$203,450 Raised for
AGC’s Political Action Committee in 2007
-
Fundraising
Efforts to Continue in 2008, with $115,500 Already Committed
For the second year in a
row, AGC members, as well as a few non-AGC members stepped up to the
plate to raise significant funds for AGC’s Political Action
Committee…this time over $200,000! During the 2006 election cycle,
$350,000 was raised to help pass state infrastructure bond measures
($37 billion for construction statewide, $3 billion for the San
Diego region) and local school and hospital infrastructure bond
measures (nearly $3 billion for construction).
AGC’s 2007 PAC Chairman,
John H. Daley, Jr., Daley Corporation, led the
fundraising efforts, and the 87 firms listed below “walked
the talk” and raised $203,450 for the PAC in 2007. The
contributions ranged from $100 to $5,000. It should be noted that
47 of these firms “committed” a total of $115,500 for 2008.
That is a great start…one that 2008 PAC Chairman Kevin Elliott,
Roel Construction, will build upon this year. Stay tuned…
“Thank You” 2007 PAC
Contributors, and a “Double Thank You” to the 2007 and 2008 PAC
contributors (indicated by an asterisk):
|
* |
Acme Safety
& Supply Co. |
* |
Cox
Construction Co. |
* |
Pacific Rim
Mechanical |
|
|
Alliant
Insurance Services, Inc. |
* |
Crescent
Electric Supply |
* |
PCL
Construction Services Inc. |
|
* |
Anderson
Drilling |
* |
D.A.
Whitacre Construction, Inc. |
* |
Pecoraro,
Inc. |
|
* |
Angus
Asphalt, Inc. |
* |
Daley
Corporation |
|
Penhall
Company |
|
* |
Airgas -
West Inc |
* |
Dez
Construction |
|
Polycomp
Administrative Services, Inc. |
|
* |
Area-West
Fence Co. |
|
EC
Constructors, Inc. |
|
Prestige
Concrete |
|
|
Baker
Electric Inc |
|
Erickson-Hall Construction Co. |
|
R.A. Burch
Construction Co., Inc. |
|
* |
Barney &
Barney, LLC |
* |
Erreca's,
Inc. |
* |
Reno
Contracting, Inc. |
|
* |
Barnhart,
Inc. |
|
Echo
Pacific |
* |
Riha
Construction Company |
|
|
Bay City
Electric Works |
* |
FCI
Constructors, Inc. |
* |
Roel
Construction Co., Inc. |
|
|
Beacon
Electric Supply |
* |
Good &
Roberts, Inc. |
|
Rossin
Steel Co., Inc. |
|
* |
Bergelectric Corporation |
|
Hawthorne
Machinery Company |
* |
Rowan
Electric |
|
* |
Bilbro
Construction Company, Inc. |
* |
Helix
Electric, Inc. |
|
Scheidel
Contracting & Engineering, Inc. |
|
* |
Bolts 4 U |
|
Hensel
Phelps Construction Co. |
|
Select
Electric, Inc. |
|
|
Brady
Company San Diego, Inc. |
* |
Herzog
Contracting Corp. |
|
Soltek
Pacific |
|
* |
Burch
Construction Co., Inc. |
* |
Hidden
Valley Steel & Scrap, Inc. |
* |
Southland
Electric, Inc. |
|
|
Burger
Construction |
* |
J.R. Filanc
Construction Comp., Inc. |
* |
Standard
Drywall, Inc. |
|
|
California
Sheet Metal Works Inc. |
* |
Jaynes
Corporation |
* |
Straub
Construction, Inc. |
|
* |
Cameron
Brothers Const Co Inc. |
|
Johnson,
Barnes & Finch, Inc. |
|
Sundt
Construction, Inc. |
|
|
Casper
Company |
* |
Marathon
Construction Corporation |
* |
Synergy
Electric Company, Inc. |
|
|
Cavignac &
Associates |
* |
Marks,
Golia & Finch, LLP |
* |
T.B. Penick
& Sons, Inc. |
|
* |
CED - San
Diego |
|
Michael
Wall Engineering, Inc. |
* |
TC
Construction Company, Inc. |
|
|
Cement
Cutting, Inc. |
|
Modern
Masonry |
|
The
Augustine Company |
|
* |
Certified
Air Conditioning, Inc. |
|
Montbleau &
Associates |
* |
Tower
Glass, Inc. |
|
* |
Coffman
Specialties, Inc. |
* |
MPE
Consulting |
|
TSA
Contracting Inc. |
|
|
Collins
Plumbing Inc |
|
Neal
Electric |
|
Turner
Construction Company |
|
* |
Concrete
Contractors Interstate |
|
North County Concrete & Coring , Inc. |
|
West Coast
Air Conditioning Comp., Inc. |
|
|
Condon-Johnson & Associates, Inc. |
|
Oliva,
Sahmel & Goddard |
* |
Western Rim
Constructors, Inc. |
|
|
Covell &
Hogan, LLP |
|
Ortiz
Corporation |
|
West Coast
General Corporation |
Some of the PAC funds
raised have already been put to good use for the February 5
election…AGC has contributed to two local school measures: Prop. C,
$179 million in bond funds for
Poway Unified School District; and Prop.
D, $156.5 million in bond funds for Cajon Valley Union School
District.
Prop. C will upgrade Poway’s aging classrooms,
libraries, and science/computer labs; replace roofs, plumbing,
heating, ventilation and electrical systems; improve fire alarms
and school security; remove hazardous materials; and fund needed
facilities; and Prop. D will upgrade and construct Cajon Valley’s
classrooms and joint-use gymnasiums; increase access to computers
and technology; make safety and security improvements; and improve
energy efficiency.
With two more statewide
elections in June and November, we can expect to see additional
infrastructure measures on the ballot, and we can expect to see
financial support from AGC for some of these measures.
In order to be prepared to support these
measures and support pro-infrastructure investment candidates, we
must continue to raise funds.
Our 2008 PAC fundraising efforts will begin in
earnest in the coming months...Keep your check books open!
Scholarships
Awarded to SDSU Students Pursuing Construction Engineering
Management
For the second time in four months, AGC’s
Foundation for Success Committee approved the award of
scholarships for seven San Diego State University (SDSU) students
pursuing degrees in SDSU’s J.R. Filanc Construction Engineering
Management (CEM) Program. All of the students are graduates of
Construction Tech Academy, and four of them
participated in AGC’s Summer Job Program.
SDSU’s CEM Program provides an effective workforce
development in the San Diego region, and these $1,700 scholarships
for the Spring 2008 semester are intended to help these young
engineers become the future “voice” of the construction industry.
The first scholarships were awarded for the Fall 2007 Semester.
“Thank you” to Foundation for Success Chair
Carlos Gonzalez, Clark Construction, and the
committee’ members for the commitment to promote the industry as a
career choice for those entering the workforce. Congratulations to
SDSU students Vermina Chao, Michael Flynn, Juan Loredo, Abraham
Ramirez, Taylor Rash, Rosaline Vergara, and Jessica Williams for
“staying the course” towards a career in construction.
Donations Coming in
for the Rescue Task Force…Please Donate to Support a Wounded
Soldier… Deadline Feb. 4th
By Jim Ryan, AGCSD Executive Vice President
Note: During the past
week, we have received donations for 27 backpacks!
This article is a solicitation for AGC San Diego
members to help our troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please
take a few minutes to read this article. It is important!!!!
Imagine….you are
a 20 year old serving your country in Iraq or Afghanistan and you
are severely injured. You are initially treated in Iraq or
Afghanistan, and within three days you are med-evaced out and
eventually end up at Balboa Hospital in San Diego, Walter Reed in
Washington, or one of several other hospitals around the United
States. Each hospital specializes in certain injuries….Balboa’s
specialty is amputee patients….Walter Reed’s is brain and spinal
cord trauma.
In the process
of arriving stateside, the soldiers are separated from their
personal belongings. They arrive with a hospital gown and sometimes
in the field uniform they were wearing when they were injured.
These troops are alone, scared, and without any of their personal
belongings. They are often in a great deal of pain. It often takes
weeks for their personal belongings to catch up with them…even
something as simple as phoning home is a task in these large
military hospitals.
THE RESCUE TASK FORCE
provides these wounded troops with a backpack as soon as they arrive
stateside. It contains all of the essentials to make their first
few weeks of treatment more comfortable. It contains about 45 items
that are so important to getting things “back to normal.” The
contents of this backpack includes things like:
·
·
? a cell phone
·
? phone card
·
? shaving equipment and
tooth brush and tooth paste
·
? t-shirts and
basketball shorts
·
? a sweat suit
·
? soap
·
? socks
·
? a wrist watch
·
? a gameboy
·
? cd player and cd music
·
? Batteries
·
? stationary, stamps,
pens, and pencils
·
? Magazines
·
? playing cards
·
? a calendar
You get the idea…the basic necessities to make
someone more comfortable in the hospital.
Click here for a complete listing of the items. Each
backpack is personalized to the wounded soldier depending on their
wounds etc. THE RESCUE TASK FORCE calls this backpack “Heart
Medicine,” and we agree.
Now the “ask”! The AGC
San Diego Board approved allowing us to solicit the membership to
donate backpacks through the RESCUE TASK FORCE. Each backpack
requires a $600 donation. 95% of the donation goes directly
to purchasing the items in the backpack and distributing it…..only
5% is for administration, etc.
If our membership responds, it is the Board’s intent
to have AGC President John H. Daley, Jr. Daley Corporation,
AGC Senior Vice President Kevin Elliott, Roel Construction,
and me take this concept to the 13 AGC Western Chapters’
meeting on February 5-7th in Scottsdale, Arizona, and
challenge each Chapter to match our member’s generosity. And if
the Western Chapters respond, it is the Board’s intent to take this
to all AGC Chapters during the National Convention in Las
Vegas in March, and challenge the rest of the country
to match the generosity of each Western Chapter.
At the present time, THE RESCUE TASK FORCE
needs about 65
backpacks per month to meet the
need at Balboa and Walter Reed. 65 x 12 = 780 backpacks…if
all 100 AGC Chapters respond……maybe…just maybe, the AGC Chapters
across America can meet this need for one year!
Click here for a donation form
to the MMQB. Please note that THE RESCUE TASK FORCE is a
501 (c ) (3) non-profit
organization which makes your donation tax deductible. Your
checks must be made out to the THE RESCUE TASK FORCE, but we ask
that you send them to the AGC per the
donation form to allow us to group our donations in
order to challenge the other AGC Chapters. Each backpack donated
through this challenge will have an AGC Logo on it.
We have researched THE RESCUE TASK FORCE. We are
confident this is an excellent charity that deserves the support of
the construction industry. Please check out their web site at
www.rescuetaskforce.org
Finally……remember over 25,000 US troops have been
wounded in this war. Some wounded troops are probably arriving at
Balboa today. Pass the hat in your office and in the field. Let’s
show them that the construction industry supports them and
appreciates their sacrifice!!!!
http://rescuetaskforce.org/pages/military%20support.html
The San Diego
Construction Network Continues to Grow!
Over the past nine months, general
contractor participation in the San Diego Construction Network has
doubled and the base of subcontractor members has increased by
nearly 50%.
General contractors throughout the
San Diego area are encouraged to join us for lunch and find out what
the buzz is all about and how you can significantly reduce the time
and costs associated with document distribution and
dramatically improve your bidding efforts.
The luncheon, sponsored by the AGC –
San Diego Chapter and iSqFt, is scheduled for
Wednesday, February 20th
from 11:30 am until 1:00 pm at the AGC office, located at 6212
Ferris Square.
To RSVP, contact the
Jessica Kovack, Director of Communications &
Information Services, at
858-874-8560 ext. 11,
jessica@agcsd.org, or
iSqFt at 800-813-3831.
Join us…..AGC’s
Spring Conference 2008….Riu Palace Resort….Cabo San Lucas,
Mexico…April 17-20, 2008
Over 100 AGC members have registered for the April
17-20, 2008 AGC Spring Conference in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico at the
Riu Palace Resort. The Spring Conference is an AGC San Diego
tradition that gives members the opportunity to spend a few days
meeting with the industry without day-to-day distractions.
AGC’s room block is almost reserved…..register now….click
here for brochure.
Questions? Contact Rae Krushensky at 858.731-8157 or
raek@agcsd.org.
Calendar of Upcoming AGC Safety and Education Classes
Please note:
***** Please register on-line for classes ******
Go to our website at
www.agcsd.org and click onto Calendar for either
Construction Education Classes or
Safety Training.
January
Jan 30- CPR/First Aid
February
Feb. 5 - The
Effective Project Engineer
Feb. 7- Reviewing
Contract Documents
Feb. 8 - Spanish OSHA
Feb. 13 -SWPPP
Feb. 13 - OSHA Record
Keeping
Feb. 15 -Scaffolding
& Hazard CPT
Feb. 20 -Trenching &
Excavating
Feb. 21- Power
Meetings
Feb. 21- Eliminating
Design and Claims
Feb. 21-
Construction Financial Management Workshop "Construction
Financial Statements"
Feb. 22 -
Introduction to Prolog - Document Control & Field Administration
Feb. 28, 29 -Construction
Projects with Microsoft Project
Feb. 25, 26, 27-
AutoDesk RIVIT - Architecture Fundamentals
Feb. 26 - Microsoft
Excel Level II - Managing Workbooks
Feb. 27 – CPR/First Aid
Upcoming AGC Committee/Council rMeetings
All
meetings at AGC unless indicated otherwise
February
Feb. 4 – Port District Committee
Meeting at Port – 11:30 a.m.
Feb. 5 – Water Authority Committee
Meeting – 1:00 p.m.
Feb. 6 – Safety Committee Meeting
– 7:00 a.m.
Feb 6 – City of San Diego Committee
Meeting – 1:00 p.m.
Feb. 13 – Government Relations
Committee Meeting – 10:00 a.m.
Feb 13 – PAC Committee Meeting
– 11:30 a.m.
Feb 19- Foundation for Success
Committee Meeting – 12 p.m.
Feb 20 – County of SD Committee
Meeting – 1:00 p.m.
Feb. 21 – Meetings & Events
Committee Meeting – 12:00 p.m.
Feb. 25
– Airport Authority Committee Meeting
@ Airport – 11:00 a.m.
(Please note: date to be changed)
Feb. 26 – HR Practices Committee
Meeting – 11:30 a.m.
Feb. 27 – Public Building Committee
Meeting – 7:00 a.m.
Feb. 28 – Builders’ Exchange Committee Meeting – 12:00 p.m.
Feb. 29 – Tech Trends Committee
Meeting – 7:00 a.m.
If you are interested in signing up for a committee,
CLICK HERE
Looking Ahead…Upcoming AGC Events
UPCOMING AGC EVENTS
2008 AGC Events
January 29- Installation Dinner- La Jolla Hyatt
February 7-10- Winter Conference- The Canyons Resort- Utah -
click here for registration flyer
Spring Conference in Cabo San
Lucas, Mexico – April 17-20, 2008 –click
here for brochure
