Date:
June 26, 2006
Vacancy on County Water Authority Board / AGC Keeps
Watch on Appointment Process
The San Diego County Water Authority has a vacancy on its
Board of Directors, thanks to a surprise resignation from Ben Haddad
last Thursday. Now all eyes will be on Mayor Jerry Sanders as he
makes his selection for a replacement, which is considered one of
the “City 10” appointments. Since the City of San Diego has 10
seats on the 34-member Board, this appointment is crucial and will
likely become high profile.
You can expect AGC to keep a close watch on the selection
process, as the Water Authority has nearly $1 billion of
construction projects planned in the next several years. With the
PLA issue still in the forefront on many of the projects, and a
continuing concern by the Board members that there are not enough
contractors bidding Water Authority jobs, the selection of
appointees without any “conflicts of interest” becomes that much
more important.
Meeting
to Discuss State Infrastructure Bond Measures – Tuesday
With $37 billion of state infrastructure projects currently
on the November ballot, the time is now to begin learning about the
local impact of the measures, particularly the two transportation
measures (Prop 1A - Prop. 42 Protection, and Prop 1B - the $19.9
billion transportation bond). If the two measures pass, it is
expected San Diego will get $482 million next year in Prop. 42 funds
and approximately 13% of the bond funds. This would be good news
(and a lot of work) for the construction industry!
An initial "overview" meeting of the ballot measures will be
held on Tuesday, June 27 from 9:30 - 11:00 AM at the San Diego
Regional Chamber of Commerce. If you are interested in attending,
please RSVP to Brad Barnum at
bbarnum@agcsd.org (he will give you the address at that time).
Since the Chamber's Offices hold only about 50 guests we will have
to keep the attendance in check, as local business and labor leaders
also have been invited. So far, we have about 10 AGC members
attending…
Gary Gallegos of SANDAG will provide the overview, which will
include a discussion of specific transportation projects which will
be funded by the ballot measures. He will be joined Jim Earp of
California Alliance for Jobs, one of two statewide coalitions (the
other, Transportation California) that worked hard to get business,
transportation, and labor interests to the table to convince the
State Legislature to pass the bond legislation. The coalitions led
the charge to collect over 1 million signatures that would have put
a separate Prop. 42 "fix" on the ballot if the Legislature failed to
act.
House
Compromise Renders Small Construction Company Owners Victorious Over
Death Tax / AGC Calls on Senate to Vote Quickly to Make Tax Law
Permanent
Last week, small construction business owners gained victory
when the U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 269 to 156,
agreed to permanently reform the death tax. “This reasonable
compromise ensures that most small construction businesses can focus
on business operations rather than worry about the uncertainty of
the tax code,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, CEO of the AGC of America.
“The House has created an excellent opportunity for the Senate to
vote on this compromise legislation to end the harmful impact of the
death tax.”
The compromise will set the tax on estates after the first $5
million per person at the capital gains tax rate, currently 15%.
For estates larger than $25 million, the exemption stays the same,
but the tax is doubled, currently to 30%.
While permanent full repeal of this tax is the best option on
the table to ensure construction businesses are able to stay in
business after the death of an owner, reasonable, permanent reform
also provides the necessary continuity that AGC contractors are
demanding.
AGC believes construction companies and other family-owned
small businesses need permanence in the estate planning law in order
for vibrant companies to continue building and growing the nation’s
economy into the future generations.
Welcome
New Members
The AGC Board of Directors and the AGC Staff
would like to welcome the following new members to the Association.
Remember….” It is Good Business to do Business
with an AGC Member!”
AGC
Affiliate Day – August 7th
It’s time once again for the Annual Affiliate Day Golf
Tournament!! This is the 67th year for this very popular
and eagerly anticipated tournament, which has proven to be the
biggest and best in S.D. County. Both 18-hole courses @ Sycuan
Singing Hills Resort is jammed pack with golfers’ exhibitors, food &
drink. No one leaves hungry, thirsty, or empty-handed.
Golfers will have a shotgun start 12:00 noon. Exhibitors
displaying construction equipment and services will be on every
hole. Each Exhibitor has fun give-a-way items for every golfer. At
the end of the day, everyone leaves with a bag loaded with great
prizes. Affiliate Day is also known for its great tee prize which
is sponsored this year by the law offices of Procopio.
Contests will also be held on each course with cash prizes for the
winners and a raffle during the post-golf dinner. The raffle is
the largest raffle of the year, giving away $10,000 worth of prizes.
Affiliate Day is not just another golf tournament. It
is a great way to give your employees and clients a great day of
fun! Major sponsors are Driver-Alliant Insurance Services
and California Bank & Trust. Lunch is once again
sponsored by Marks, Golia, & Finch, LLC., and the cool
treats sponsor is Polycomp Administrative Services.
Affiliate Day Golf Sponsorships Available
If you would like to promote your company services to over
300 golfers, and enjoy the fun and camaraderie at the best and
largest construction-related golf tournament, look no further! We
are in search of 5 companies to join the other 13 who have committed
to the Course Exhibitors on each of the two courses on Singing
Hills. It is a wonderful way to display your equipment, company
trucks, or promotional products.
If you become a Course Exhibitor, you will join the likes of
Acme Safety & Supply, Active Graphix,
Advance Reprographics,
Anderson Drilling, Bob Stall Chevrolet,
Brewer Crane, Cement Cutting,
Enterprise Fleet Systems, National Construction Rentals,
NationsRent, Qualcomm Business Solutions, and Foundation
Software. Many of these companies have been course
exhibitors for many, many, years!!
We also have attached a sponsorship form that provides more
information about the Course Exhibitors. There are other
sponsorships available, including tee and beverages, longest and
straight drives, and hole-in-one sponsorships. Please contact Rae
Krushensky at 858-558-7444, ext 11 for questions.
AGC’s
Annual Day at the Races
The Del
Mar races will be here soon and AGC has once again secured a skybox
for our Annual AGC Day at the Races! Acme Safety & Supply Corp. and American
Technologies & Restoration
are also the Major Sponsors again this year.
The
date is July 21, the first Friday after Opening Day! This is a
“first come – first served” event as we are limited to space for 120
members. We are now 50% sold. Please contact Rae at (858)
558-7444, ext. 11 with any questions, or e-mail her at
raek@agcsd.org.
“iSqft
Randy’s” Tip of the Week and Obscure Factoid
iSqFt Tip of the Week:
For a limited time,
simply subscribe to the AGC/iSqFt Internet Plan Room for two years,
and receive your choice of a Free Laptop or Desktop Computer! For
details call "iSqFt Randy" at 858-558-7444, ext 42
Obscure Factoid:
Botanically
speaking, the banana is an herb, the jalapeno is a fruit, and apples
and peaches are members of the rose family.
Last
Chance to Sign up- for STP and Project Engineering Courses
Five Openings still available
·
“Supervisory Training Program” (STP)
Learning Today …. Leading Tomorrow
Supervisory skill--or the lack of it--directly
affects every company's bottom line. Each day, decisions made by
every foreman and superintendent are crucial to the success or
failure of every construction project. You make your money in the
field, and STP can help you improve your organization’s bottom line.
STP the “Supervisory
Training Program” developed by AGC
National, is a turnkey training curriculum that is easy to host and
designed specifically to meet the needs of the construction
industry. Developed, updated, and field-tested by and for
contractors, the Program is 10 comprehensive courses (plus two
overview units) that focus on the knowledge and skills that every
supervisor must have to be an effective manager of people, time,
equipment and materials.
Each of the 10 STP courses is 20 to 25 hours of
intensive training.
The
first session: Unit 8 –
Managing the Project; “The Supervisor’s Role”
and five – 4 to 5 hour classes starting
June 29th
to be completed by August 10th. Each session will run
from 7:30 AM –12:00PM.
Please register on the website.
·
“Construction
Project Engineering”
The
First PE Class was completed with positive evaluations, and 27 out
of the 29 who enrolled received a Certificate of Completion, (21
with perfect attendance.)
Congratulations to all those students who gave their valuable time
to continue their learning process, and to the companies that
provided this opportunity. This class is designed for New PE’s,
Clerical Staff, Students/Graduates, and individuals new to the
industry wanting to achieve the next level. This new class is
scheduled to start
June 27, 2006
– 7:00 AM TO 10:00 AM. There will be eight 3-hr sessions featuring
industry professionals. Please register on the website
Walk-ins
available at National University located at 9388 Lightwave Ave, San
Diego, CA 92123, Room 171
New
Labor Wage Rates for 2006
FYI:
The 2006 Labor Wage Rates have been posted on our website, with the
exception of Laborers Building and Carpenters Engineering,
which are still in negotiations. If you would like to be included
on the wage rates email list every year, please contact Marcy
Knopman at
mknopman@agcsd.org.
FYI:
Tuesday,
July 11, 2006 - San Diego Supplier Development Council present
Operation Opportunity 2006. Opportunity for small
businesses to network with large primes and government agencies.
Location: Handlery Hotel, 950 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, from
8:00 am to 2:00 pm. RSVP to Myrna Smith at Harper Construction
(619) 222-0533 or on website at
www.sdsdc.org. Cost $35
Upcoming AGC Safety and Education Classes
Please note:
All AGC classes will be held at
National University
located at 9388 Lightwave
Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123-1426
(North of Aero Drive and Ruffin Road) while the AGC building is
being renovated.
***** You
can now register on line for classes (this does not
include payment on line option).
Go to
Calendar for either
Construction Education Classes
or Safety Training.
JUNE CLASSES
June 28
– CPR/First Aid – 8AM
June 27
– Construction Project Engineering – 7:00 AM
June 29
– Supervisory Training Program Series begins
Upcoming AGC Committee Meetings
Please note: If you will be attending any of these committee meetings at
the AGC office, remember we are under construction, so please use
the entrance
at the back of the building.
JUNE MEETINGS
June 27
– Airport Authority Liaison @ Airport –
POSTPONED UNTIL JULY 17th 11:00
AM
June 28
– County of San Diego Liaison Committee – 1 PM
June 28
– AGC Toastmasters at Roel’s Training Center – 7:00 AM
Looking Ahead…Upcoming AGC Events
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTED EVENT:
June 27-
AGC Baseball Bash- Padres vs. Oakland A’s -
SOLD OUT!!
Save The Date:
July 13
- NEW Plan Room Open House Mixer
July 21
– Day at the Races
August 7
– Affiliate Day Golf Tournament –
Singing Hills Country Club – Packets mailed out to members
September 23–
Aztec Football Tailgate and SkyShow
October 11-14th – Joint Fall Conference with AGC of California in Palm Springs
