March 2009 Header
FICAP eNews 
May 2009 - Vol 1, Issue 4
In This Issue
Spotlight of the Month
FICAP PAC
Around the Industry
Director's Corner
Our Sponsors
      
Quick Links
 
 
Officers / Directors
President
    Mark Smith
    Bell Concrete Products
    352-463-6103
    email
 
Vice President

    Brad Coolidge
    Inland Materials, Inc.
    407-339-5311
    email 
 
Secretary
    Gary Clements
    Cement Products & 
    Supply Company
    863-686-5141
    email
 
Treasurer
    Preston Sparkman
    Quality Precast Co. Inc.
    813-685-5615 ext 2228
    email
 
Board of Directors
  Jeff Bishop
  Maschmeyer Concrete
  561-848-9112
  email 
 
  Steven Bishop
  Maschmeyer Concrete 
  561-848-9112
 
  Fred Jahna, Jr.
  Jahna Concrete Products
  863-453-5155
  email
 
  Sherry Griswold
  Griswold Ready Mix  
  904-751-3796
  email 
 
  Tony Segree
  Hicks Concrete Services
  863-425-4155
 
  Executive Director
  Michele Stropoli
  407-333-4694
  email
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TopGreetings!                                  
Marks Picture
Convention time is upon us again.  As I know many of you do, I look forward to this event every year.  If you have not completed your convention registration or hotel reservation, please take care of this as soon as possible.  As a reminder, to guarantee your room at the resort you need to make your reservations by June 11th? All registration information is available on the FICAP website.  The hotel is allowing us to book rooms for extra nights before or after the convention at FICAP's reduced rate.  I know things are extremely difficult right now, but early indications are good.  Our members will turn out in force and a great time will be had by all in Longboat Key.

We do have one more meeting before the convention. This will be a roving meeting at the Maschmeyer Lake Park plant on June 23rd.  We expect to bring several potential Producer Members to this meeting.  Thanks to everyone at Maschmeyer Concrete for making this possible.  Let's have a great turnout and show these potential members the FICAP way.
 
I hope you were at our May meeting to hear all about the great things being done for our industry by the RMC Research & Education Foundation. Julie Garbini, the Executive Director, shared with us all the many studies the foundation has completed or currently has underway.  The Foundation is doing a fantastic job of looking out for us by working endless hours to expand our markets and save overhead costs.  I certainly am proud that FICAP is a supporter of this great organization.  Thank you Julie and the Foundation for all your hard work on behalf of our industry.  
 
See you at the Roving Meeting,
 
Mark Smith Signature
Mark Smith
President, FICAP
Spotlight of the Month
 
Congratulations to Titan America and Bob Rutland for winning the spotlight of the month. For additional information, please visit the FICAP website...Spotlight of the Month.
Annual Convention

15th Annual FICAP Convention 

July 17 - 19, 2009

The annual convention is less than 2 months away and the excitement is building. Our favorite resort, the Longboat Key Club, is ready for your reservations and have extended our special rate 3 days before and after our meeting dates.  Bring the family and plan to stay the week.
 
New this year is online registration for all FICAP events. (Hotel reservations still need to be made directly with the resort.) 

Longboat Key Club Resort - (800) 237-8821

Hotel Reservation Deadline: June 11, 2009 
 
FICAP PAC - The Legislative Corner                                    Wade Mullins, Chairman
Revised 2009 Header    If you want to keep up with the political landscape in Florida, you'll need to keep a scorecard nearby.
    
     First let's look at the race for state governor. Governor Crist has decided that a seat in Washington, D.C., as one of Florida's two U.S. Senators would be more comfortable than the Governor's mansion in Tallahassee. That move allows Alex Sink, Florida's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Bill McCollum, Florida's Attorney General (AG) to make a run at being Florida's next Governor. It is also possible that current Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp and current Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson may jump in that race, as well.
     Next, there's the race for Attorney General. Senator Dave Aronberg (D-Greenacres) has his eyes on that office. Both Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp and freshman legislator Tom Grady (R-Naples) do, as well.
     Did you forget the state's CFO position will be up for grabs? Don't worry. Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-Palm Beach) wasted no time in filing papers this week to qualify for the job. Former CFO Tom Gallagher was also considering a run, but after Atwater's entry, announced Tuesday that he would not run.
     Then there is the legislature. Senator Ken Pruitt (R-Port St. Lucie) has announced he is retiring, effective August 4, 2009. That means a special election for Senate District 28. Former state representatives Joe Negron and Art Argenio will battle each other in the Republican Primary set for June 30. Democrat Bill Ramos is also vying for the seat in the General Election set for August 4. That brings us back to Atwater's senate seat where state representatives Carl Domino (R-Juno Beach) and Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Fort Lauderdale) will square off to be the next senator for Senate District 25.
     That brings us back to "Who's on first" with the Governor joining a crowded list in the race for retiring U.S. Senator Mel Martinez's seat. Crist will need to slide past Congressman Meek, state senator Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach) and former House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-Miami) for that glamorous spot in Washington, D.C.
     Now I know how a baseball manager feels, after he makes so many changes in one of those long extra inning games.
 


                                                             
Department of Environmental Protection                                     by Frank Bronstein 
FL DEP
 
     Florida has adopted by reference federal regulations (RCRA) governing waste management, hazardous waste and other federal programs. DEP has finalized its in-house department re-alignments, personnel changes and sections changes to implement RCRA and related EPA Rules/federal laws. Below is the likely scenario of the actions environmental regulators might take and possible changes to the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act -- and transportation rules will follow.                                             
                                                                                                   Read More
 

envrironment

EFCA - Employee Free Choice Act
 
As you may know, because of the incredible grassroots advocacy of so many Floridians for a Democratic Workplace Coalition members and partners, there is a growing sense that the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as Card Check, doesn't have the 60 votes needed to get it through the U.S. Senate.  Even Senator Specter of Pennsylvania, having recently switched to being a Democrat, maintains that he will not vote for cloture on Card Check in its current form. That is the good news.               Read More

 
Around The Industry
 
Crist signs economic-development bills into law
                                                              By Jim Ash � Florida Capital Bureau Chief
 
Beginning a whirlwind tour of the state a week after he announced his U.S. Senate campaign, Gov. Charlie Crist signed three economic development bills at the Capitol on Thursday, saying he was striking a blow for recession-weary Floridians.  Read More

 
 
 
Gale vs. Trytek  
                                                                             by Wade Mullins 

Here is a link to a very good article recently, which was published in a Florida Bar RPPTL publication this month, which explains the pitfalls of the Florida Supreme Court decision in the Gale vs.Trytek case.
 
This decision is going to have a considerable affect on sub contractors and suppliers that sue to foreclose on a construction lien. One could win their case and not be awarded attorney's fees, as has always been the norm for Florida. It will now depend on the local judge.
 
A bill was filed during the 2009 Legislative Session to fix this, but was never heard in the House. It will be filed again for 2010. Hopefully, the differences between various interested parties in the construction industry can be addressed in advance.
 
http://www.constructionlawyers.pro/Articles_7.shtml.htm

 


 ~~~~~~~~~~
"Failure seldom stops you.
What stops you is the fear of failure."
                                              Jack Lemmon
 
~~~~~~~~~~
  

 
 
The Economic Free Fall Is Losing Momentum
by NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe

The contraction in real gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2008 now stands at an annualized rate of 6.3%, according to the "final" estimate released by the Commerce Department on March 26. This represents a major downshift from the third quarter of 0.5% and was the sharpest decline since the depths of the 1982 recession. 

 
 ~~~~~~~~~ 
 
"Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance you must keep moving."
                                                                      Albert Einstein
~~~~~~~~~

 
 
Florida Builder Encouraged by Recent Uptick in Sales

Among home builders around the country who are beginning to see tentative signs that the housing market is turning the corner of its worst downturn in generations, Mori Hosseini, chairman and CEO of ICI Homes in Daytona Beach, Fla., said that his sales in April were the best in three years and the upward momentum appears to have carried over into May.
 
 
 
What does the phrase...That will cost you an arm and a leg...mean?
 Read More
 
 
Housekeeping                                                   Michele Stropoli, Executive Director 
                          
Michele
 Definitely not my favorite pasttime, but necessary to keep things 
 functioning smoothly. 
 
 Please Note:
 
 June Roving Meeting - Maschmeyer Concrete offered their West Palm
 Plant to FICAP for the monthly meeting and also for Goal Group 3 to
 meet.  Please join the group on June 23rd and bring a guest.  Many
 potential producer members are located in Southeast Florida and it's our
 goal to invite them and have them join us for this meeting.  We need your help in order to be successful!
 
The convention is just around the corner and we have a quota to meet for room reservations.  It is imperative that you do not wait to make your reservations.  The deadline to reserve a room under our group rate is June 11th. After June 11th, the resort releases the rooms to the general public and our group rate disappears.
 
You're an awesome group of people and I look forward to relaxing and learning with you at the annual convention...but you have to make your reservations now!  For those of you who listened at the last meeting and made your reservations...thank you!  This stars for you!
 Gold Star
                            
Sincerely, 
Micheles Signature