ASA Trains Lobbyists/ABC Approves New Leadership/CCA Leads Group Effort on Fuel Costs

To help boost its grassroots efforts to put subcontractors' concerns before the legislature, the American Subcontractors Association of Colorado has begun teaching its members about the ins and outs of how the state Capitol works.

ASA Colorado Trains Volunteer Lobbyists

The American Subcontractors Association of Colorado held a training program this fall designed to help grow its grassroots efforts to put the concerns of subcontractors on the legislative agenda. As a result, the association has increased its lobbying force by 11 volunteer lobbyists.

The association's legislative speakers bureau launched the program to familiarize individuals with the legislative process, lobbying opportunities and the Capitol itself. Training included an "in-the-trenches" tour of the Capitol, a mock committee hearing, a presentation on identifying and obtaining legislative resources, an overview of guidelines for lobbyists and how to build grassroots efforts in associations and businesses.

The training session was organized by Theresa Wernimont, ASAC government relations co-chair and the chair of the Colorado Construction Reform Coalition.

For more information or to schedule legislative training for a group or a business, call Miller at 303-759-8260.

ABC Rocky Mountain Announces 2006 Officers

The nominating committee for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors presented its slate of officers for the 2006 board of directors to members during the association's holiday social last month.

The new officers and board of directors are as follows:

o Executive Committee - chairman, Dennis Walker, United Rentals; chairman-elect, Dave Sandlin, M.A. Mortenson Co.; treasurer, Fred Artes, KeyBank; secretary, Suzy Fischer, Waterfield Insurance Agency; past chairman, Monte Robinett, CFC Construction.
o Board of Directors - John Banks, Sprehe Construction (term ends 2006); Rick Stocking, 1st Electric Contractors (term ends 2006); Tim Van Stelle, Duro Electric (term ends 2006); Steve Kugler, MTech Mechanical Technologies Group (term ends 2007); Kate Raabe, Stetner, Miller & Cohn PC (term ends 2007); Jeff Shigeno, Greiner Electric (term ends 2007); Keith Couch, Weld County Garage (term ends 2008); Diane Miller, Shaw Construction (term ends 2008); and Ken Pfannenstiel, PR Construction (term ends 2008).

CCA-Led Effort Results in Fuel Cost Adjustment

The Colorado Contractors Association led a coalition of highway groups asking the Colorado Department of Transportation to help contractors deal with volatile fuel prices.

Although CDOT denied the industry's request to grant a retroactive price adjustment, the agency agreed to quickly amend the current CDOT specification for projects of any duration and add a contractor's opt-out clause. Under the clause, contractors must indicate in the bid package whether they wants to participate in the fuel adjustment provision or not. Industry leaders asked for this additional clause because, under the current specification, if prices go down, the contractor may be required to reimburse CDOT.

CCA worked closely on the issue with the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association, Colorado Concrete Paving Association, Colorado Rock Products Association and the Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

The new specification and related materials are available at www.coloradocontractors.org/htdocs/Friday Facts Attachments/Fuel Cost Adj Bulletin.pdf.

RMC Foundation Releases Industry LEED Reference

The RMC Research Foundation has released the Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry LEED Reference Guide, designed to educate ready-mixed concrete producers, contractors, architects and others in the construction industry about the environmental benefits of concrete and how it may fit with projects seeking LEED certification.

The guide is available for download from the RMC Research Foundation at www.rmc-foundation.org. Professionally printed hard copies are also available for purchase from the National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association. For more information, go to www.nrmca.org.

ULI Releases Book on Real Estate Lessons

Trammell Crow - the real estate professional behind such landmarks as the Dallas Market Center, Atlanta's Peachtree Center, San Francisco's Embarcadero Center and numerous monuments throughout the world, - is the subject of a new biography from the Urban Land Institute.

Trammell Crow: A Legacy of Real Estate Innovation, by William Bragg Ewald, follows Crow from his birth in Dallas to his rise to wealth and power in the real estate world and his later years of financial problems and reorganization.

The book, which retails for $34.95, was released this fall. It is available at bookstores nationwide and major online booksellers or direct from the publisher at uli.org.

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