Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.
Attending: KC Borden, Troy Carlson, Greg Chastain, Scott Hoisington, Joe Hudson, Steve Janasz, Dennis Joyce, Garry Kemp, Kevin King, Mike Kotubey, Dave Kendrick, Herb Millard, Dan Osman, Lonnie Scott, John Tompson, Colleen White, Keith Winn, Jeff Page, Bob Jacobi.
•Introductions and thanks to Rosie Biondo and Mark One for hosting.•Presentation from Jeff Page, Catholic Charities Turnaround Program. The program helps transition released prisoners into the workplace and community. Recidivism for program participants is about one-fourth that of nonparticipants. The program seeks training and job opportunities for the carefully screened participants as well as other help such as clothes, food, etc. for them. Contact to help is Jeff Page, (816) 561-1835, jpage@ccharities.com•
The Missouri Housing Development Commission votes Dec. 16 on a proposal to exempt Joplin-area projects from prevailing wage. No commissioner is expected to support the proposal except its sponsor, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. Commission members include Gov. Nixon, Lt. Gov. Kinder, State Treasurer Zweifel, Attorney General Koster, Jeffery Bay (Van Osdal Magruder law firm, Kansas City), Troy Nash (Zimmer Real Estate, Kansas City), John Stanfield St. Charles), Stephen Sauter (Residential Appraisal Services, Wildwood) and David Cosgrove (Attorney, Webster Groves). A link to provide comments to elected officials on prevailing wage, particularly proposals to exempt Joplin-area projects, is https://secure3.convio.net/pn/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1658.
Legislation to exempt Joplin projects and bills similar to past ones aiming to gut prevailing wage and institute right-to-work have already been prefiled in Missouri.
•The prevailing wage study is nearing publication and should be available in early 2012. The study also looks at right-to-work’s impact. Missouri universities prevailing wage enforcement office Jan Amos has retired, replaced by Butch Garrett. Jim Boechner has also retired. The Attorney General’s willingness to take cases if local prosecutors don’t has been very helpful. The state has recovered $1 million in unpaid wages the first six months this year, compared to $1.2 million last year and $19 million in the past 20 years. One issue is that general contractors can be made to pay for the sins of subcontractors who provided them with fraudulent documents. Prequalification procedures can help with that.
•The Kansas City, Mo. Prevailing Wage Committee plans to continue meeting and seeks management input. The committee, with management input, has draft language now under legal review for eventual consideration by the City Council. A plan similar to one in Los Angeles, where union representatives are empowered to help with enforcement, is being investigated for possible application here.
•The Planned Industrial Expansion Authority has hired Strategic Workplace Solutions to help enforce prevailing wage on the Commonwealth project as a pilot effort. A similar approach is being considered by the Port Authority as well.
•NICE held a training session for Crayons-to-CAD teachers at the Builders’. The program is well organized and the NICE website has been upgraded with leadership from Sang Duong, SMACNA. Location and date for the 2012 iBuild will be announced shortly.
•The LMC Anniversary and Awards Celebration dinner will likely be April 12 at Argosy Casino. Confirmation is expected soon.•M/S/C to adjourn at 9 a.m.
Upcoming Events:
*Building Trades Christmas Party, Dec. 9
*Builders’ Association Christmas Party, Dec. 9
*United Way/MASW Missouri Legislative Forum, 2 p.m., Dec. 13, Southeast Community Center, 4201 E 63rd Street, KCMO
*Missouri General Assembly begins, Jan. 4
*Kansas Legislature begins, Jan. 9
*Integra Real Estate Conference, Jan. 10, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Bartle Hall
*U.S. House convenes, Jan. 17
*KC CREW Luncheon discussing the Parkville Commons, 11:30 a.m., Jan. 17, at Mission Hills Country Club
*LMC Board Meeting, Jan. 19
*U.S. Senate convenes, Jan. 23
*KC CREW Impact Awards, Feb. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m., location TBA
*Building Trades Golf Tournament Aug. 16, 2012 at Eagles Landing Golf Club.
For more information about the above events, contact the event sponsors or the LMC