The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

The LMC wishes Happy Thanksgiving to all of our members and friends. We wish you a safe, restful (or profitable if you must work) holiday.

Congrats to Cathy Davis for being one of just 50 Ford employees recognized at the company headquarters this weekend. Cathy is director of the UAW-Ford Community Healthcare Initiative and instrumental in the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium that has made great strides in enhancing the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care in our region.

LMC members have enjoyed a newsworthy Friday.

•LMC Co-founder Bill Dunn, Sr., was featured in the Kansas City Business Journal. His leadership in the industry and community is outlined in several articles. In one of them, he describes the founding and benefits of the LMC.

•The Kansas City Area Development Council revealed it's had its best year ever for job attraction. KCADC has for years done a great job of marshaling and marketing the region's strengths and now those efforts are seeing record results.

Congratulations to Bill and JE Dunn Construction Co. and to Bob Marcusse and the KCADC staff for the much-deserved recognition.

Construction Committee Explores Current, Upcoming Key Projects

Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

Attending:  Sam Alpert, Greg Chastain, Brian Dietz, Matt Harris, Jerry Helmick, Ron Johnson, Greg Lever, Bill Livingston, Alise Martiny, Kevin Sexton, Colleen White, Bob Jacobi.

•Thanks to Rosana Privitera Biondo and Mark One Electric Co., Inc. for hosting.

•Cerner broke ground on its south KC project yesterday. Three buildings plus site work is included in the first phase.  It is expected workforce and MBE/WBE goals will be similar to other projects with subsidies.  Some projects, such as the KCMO Streetcar, are meeting workforce and MBE/WBE goals but others are not.  Discussion is now moving towards proportion of KCMO residents on such projects.  Among new projects is Newborn apartments on Armor Road.

•Results of the Nov. 4 election were discussed (handout available).  The results are expected to have minimal impact on the status of key LMC issues.  The most likely impact is on economic development, the priority of the new Missouri speaker, with better prospects for some needed incentives but likely at a cost of changes to tax credit programs.  The Commerce Tower project is the largest tax credit project in Missouri history; the Cerner project is the largest overall.  Post-election announcement of the Kansas budget situation means cuts are likely in transportation projects.  The impact on federal issues improves the likelihood of the Keystone pipeline’s approval.  Other federal issues bear close watch as well.

•NICE has video of the 2014 iBuild available on its web site.  Inroads are being made with Missouri school counselors.  iBuild 2015 is set and planning underway.

•Prevailing wage reports for Missouri are due soon.  The results are particularly important with changes from the 2013 legislation in effect.

•Reservation forms are available for the 2015 LMC Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner April 16.

Upcoming events:

 *What Can Six Sigma Do for Me?, MCA-KC, Nov. 14, 11:30 a.m., KU Edwards Campus

  *KC CREW luncheon, Impact of Automotive on KC Real Estate, Nov. 18, 11:30 a.m.,

    Mission Hills Country Club

  *MCA Project Tour, Bolling Building, Nov. 20, 3-5 p.m.

  *MCA Holiday Toy Drive & Volunteer Event for Operation Breakthrough, week of Dec. 15

  *KC CREW Holiday Party, Dec. 18, 5-9 p.m., Boulevard Brewery

  *Health care value-based purchasing conference, Jan. 26-27, Kauffman Foundation

  *iBuild Showcase, April 14, 2015, Bartle Hall

  *LMC Anniversary & Awards Dinner, April 16, Argosy Casino

  *Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 5-8, 2015, Camden on the Lake

  For details on the above events, please contact the sponsoring group or the LMC

•New Business

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

•Note: anyone needing handouts from the September Investment Summit contact the LMC; additional handouts are available.

•Adjourn

Congratulations to all of the candidates on the ballot in Tuesday's election. To the victors, we look forward to your new or continued leadership. To those who weren't elected, thanks for your efforts in making our democracy work. We will look for your further contributions in the future as well.

A disappointment is the low level of voter turnout--a record low in Missouri, just one-third of voters. Greater participation means more and better ideas.

A reminder to vote tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 4. With a lower turnout expected for an off-year election, each vote is magnified.

Congrats to Jason Wright and Pattie Whitmer for recently announced promotions at JE Dunn Construction Co. Jason, a current Mid-Level Leadership participant, is now vice president, and Pattie, who helps recruit JE Dunn staff for the Mid-Level program, is now vice president of employee engagement.