8 a.m., Thursday, March 13, 2008, Mark One Electric, 909 Troost
Attending: Rosana Biondo, Troy Carlson, Gerald Eagan, Rick Greeno, Scott Hoisington, Dave Kendrick, Garry Kemp, Dave Lovetere, Payne Mendenhall, Herb Millard, Lonnie Scott, Kevin Sexton, Ron Shaffer, Jon Thompson, Dan West, Colleen White, Craig Wright, Bob Jacobi, Jack Bitzenberg, Steven Green, Vicki Murillo, Linda Segebrecht.
•Introductions and thanks to Rosie Biondo and Mark One for hosting.
•The Kansas City School Board approved $10.2 million towards the Engineering and Construction Academy being planned with the National Institute for Construction Excellence. A recent front-page Kansas City Star article featuring the project was distributed. PREP-KC is also putting funds towards planning the project, which will require about $40 million eventually.
NICE has also met with the Independence School District about a similar project for Van Horn High School. The iBuild career day May 6 will draw 2,000 kids and requires 400 volunteers, plus 20 judges for the Crayons to CAD contest. Booth space remains available. The NICE golf tournament June 2 is also taking reservations.
•The Building Trades is working with its Louisville counterpart for transitioning the SkillsUSA conference to there in 2014; there is hope it can return in 2021. For this year the Building Trades has an aggressive marketing plan for its site on Broadway June 24-27.
•Colleen White identified several common problems with prevailing wage reports on the Truman Sports Complex project and asked that contractor associations and contractors alert and educate subcontractors on the project. Oversight is tight on the reports and similar oversight is expected on future Jackson County projects and perhaps projects at other area counties. She will send a letter to the associations and contractors on the matter.
•Immigration legislation is being proposed in Missouri and Kansas. There is danger that difficult verification requirements and stronger penalties could be added, which may affect honest contractors as well as exploitive ones. Bills now moving through both states need to be watched closely. Resources do exist for training on I-9 compliance.
•Petitioners for the Missouri potential ballot issue to ban affirmative action are working in Kansas City. The LMC opposes the initiative. If petitioners are seen, call 1-877-644-0466 so efforts can be made to educate people at that location to “think before you ink.” A rally is planned at the State Capitol on April 4 with Steve Dunn among the speakers scheduled.
•Gov. Sebelius is expected to veto the bill to allow the Holcomb power plants project to proceed. The House is just short of enough votes to override; Wyandotte County legislators are key and at this point oppose the override. The KCK BPU must expand its capacity for economic growth to continue in Wyandotte County, but rejection of the Holcomb plant will prevent it from proceeding with necessary plans. The Building Trades urges contact with Wyandotte County legislators to generate support for the override.
•Boeing has decided to protest the award of the air tanker bid to Airbus. The LMC will be contacting area federal legislators in support of Boeing.
•The Kansas City Construction Partners are meeting with contractors and developers while developing contract language. More meetings are scheduled, and a second round will be held when language is finalized. The J.E. Dunn Construction Co. headquarters project is beginning and so far the partnership standards are being met; within a month or so any problems will be identified but to date it has gone smoothly.
•The LMC Awards Dinner is April 17 at Argosy Casino. Printed invitations go out next week but reservation forms are available at http://labormanagementkc.typepad.com.
•The next Missouri statewide construction labor/management meeting convened by Sen. Tim Green will be held in conjunction with the Mid-America Labor/Management Conference at 7:30 a.m., Thursday, July 3 at the Lodge of The Four Seasons, Valencia Room, immediately before the conference session “The Future of Organized Construction.”
•The latest Missouri prevailing wage order is out; there are 28 days available to file any objections.
•The next meeting will be 8 a.m. Thursday, April 10, at Mark One.
•The NICE Board meeting immediately follows this meeting. Guests here for that meeting include Vicki Murillo and Jack Bitzenberg, Kansas City School District; Linda Segebrecht, curriculum consultant working with NICE, and Steven Green, Kauffman Scholars.
•M/S/C to adjourn at 9:30 a.m.