President's Message

January 20^th the ECA had its annual strategic planning session, and the first item on the agenda was how to put our association on a path to fiscal sustainability.  This has to have been one of the most productive meetings we have had. 

Within an hour and a half of our starting this meeting and addressing the challenges, solutions were provided, time frames were put into place and the Board was able to move on to how we can improve our service to membership.

Without a doubt, ECA staff (John and Mary), have proven their worth and it was unanimous that our association carry on in the same capacity as the past year.  However, there are changes being made to how committees are organized as well as a much needed update to our website that will make membership benefits better than ever and password protect our information so membership has the only access to sensitive publications.

The ECA Board of Directors is made up of twenty very talented and devoted business professionals.  The Executive Committee consists of four contractors and one affiliate.  When asked the main reason for being an ECA member, the Board responded with either political representation or networking.  Being successful at both, the leadership within this association directed staff  to continue to stress that members support other members, continue its political advocacy, offer compliance resource education, and   host fun events that often combine fundraising while interacting with members associated or working in the general engineering construction industry.

While the Board and ECA staff continue to bring quality representation along with productive networking events, we understand we exist because of, and for, you members..  This is your association, and we are here to serve your needs.  Membership feedback allows us to give you more of what you need - this is what you pay for.  Please don't hesitate to contact the ECA office and make your request or present your idea.  Help this association work for you; however it works best for you.  Getting involved or continuing financial support, this association does a great job, and we look forward to doing everything we can to lead our membership into a successful future.

Greetings!

John's Soapbox 1-23-12 listener

Politically Incorrect Opinion Piece #1: I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore! Recently, we have seen and read more about "job creation" and how to 'git her done' than ever before. The biggest job creator in the private sector since 2003 has been oil and gas production. How do you think that would play in Sonoma, Petaluma, and Sebastopol?

I think it is high time to give the "JOB KILLERS" their just recognition.

Here are three examples of local "Job Killers" acting to take away good jobs from the construction industry:

1-The City of Petaluma just voted 6-1 to spend taxpayer money to fund an appeal against the Dutra Haystack Landing Project's recent court ruling. Yep, this is the same group that has jacked around two major developments in Petaluma for years-the Deer Creek Village Project and the East Washington Regency Project. They continue to cater to David Keller and his army of "engineering experts" who have gotten their urban planning education by talking to each other while walking around Shollenberger Park twice a week.

2. Recently the City of Sonoma has been in the news debating whether to outlaw chain stores and what they call "formula restaurants". I don't know about you, but trying to restrict businesses from coming to a community seems to be a really bad idea in this economic climate.

3. In the City of Sebastopol, Armstrong Development Properties of Sacramento is proposing to build a CVS Pharmacy and a Chase Bank branch at the site of the vacant Pellini Chevrolet dealership. Opposition leader Helen Shane of Sebastopol has said that instead of CVS and Chase, they want to see a pedestrian-oriented development of shops facing the streets with apartments on the second floor (because that worked so well in Windsor as Orrin Thiessen filed for bankruptcy last year!). I say "Helen Shane, go get your investors together and buy the property and propose what you want".

Here is the bottom line as to why we are in last place for business attractiveness in California-because we let our local politicians empower these "no-growth socialist designer hippies" that continue to say they know more about what should be built on private land then the poor slobs that actually put up their own money and own the property. These self made "urban planners" take our jobs away from us because we elect politicians that kiss their butts and allow it.

Job Killing should be outlawed by we voters. We can do it. Vote them out! We need more businesses here!
 

Deadlines and New Laws:

CARB: ONROAD- January 2012 was the deadline for owners of heavy trucks (GVW>26,000 lbs) to either retrofit their 1996-1999 model year engines with a diesel particulate matter (PM) filter, or use a flexible phase-in option requiring any 30% of vehicles in the fleet to have a PM filter. In either case, reporting information/registering/compliance was due on January 1, 2012 and CARB just last week postponed that deadline until March 30, 2012 because of online registration problems with their website. Reminder-owners of smaller fleets (defined as one to three trucks with a GVWR > 14,000 lbs) can postpone the January (now March 12, 2012) compliance requirement until 2014 BUT MUST REPORT THEIR FLEET INFORMATION TO ARB BY MARCH 31, 2012 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE EXTENSION!!! Don't forget to get your low usage trucks registered as such to get the low mileage/usage exemption as that will help your fleet makeup! It is (almost) all about registering-at least for this month!

2. 8 New Traffic Laws in Effect January 1, 2012: click to get the rest

Upcoming Events:

World of Concrete in Las Vegas--- click 

Legislative News:

Obama appoints 3 to NLRB-  click

 City of Petaluma decides to fund appeal for Dutra Plant Ruling-vote was 6-1 on 1-23-12- click
 

 New Project Killing Regulation That We Can Affect Before It Is Law: Even if An endangered "critter" is flourishing in our area, if it is found to be at risk in another area, our area will be subject to protection regulations as if it is endangered here. This is a very troubling proposed interpretation that could affect your property, your job, and your community. For more information and how you can write in to protest this by February 7, click here----

Sincerely,

John Bly
Northern California Engineering Contractors Association