ACEC/L Summer Newsletter 2016

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Summer 2016

ACEC Deep South Convention set for July 21-23

Join with owners and key principals from premiere consulting engineering companies from across the Deep Southern States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi for the ACEC Deep South annual convention and exhibitor's trade show to be held at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, located on the Emerald Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, in Destin, Florida.

Although economic conditions in the Deep South improve, most firms continue to struggle with improving profits, personnel and succession planning. This year's convention program is designed to provide topics, networking and more to improve business operations:

"9 Places Your Firm is Losing Profit and How to Find It" by June R. Jewell, CPA
"Creating a Financially Intelligent Culture through Open Book Management" by Ty Kicklighter
"Selling the Professional Services Firm" by Al Lautenslager and Patrick Neal
"Financial Management For The Engineering Firm Owner" by Mike Baker, CPA, CFP®
"Transcending Generation Gaps with Effective Communication" by Sarah Walpert
"ACEC National Update - On the Point for Member Firms" by Steve Hall

The Deep South Convention is being held once again at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Florida. The resort's collection of 1,250 vacation rentals includes studios to 4-bedroom units, condos, homes, villas and penthouses, giving you an enticing array of options.

Cut-off for room reservations is June 28. For more information and to register, click here.

Emerging Leaders 2016 complete first session

Members of the 2016 Emerging Leaders class have completed the first of their three sessions to enhance their professional development and build relationships with professional peers. One of the highlights of Session I was a lunch with state legislators and staff at the State Capitol, sponsored by Fonterra Pipe & Precast.

The 2016 class includes Jennifer Aguettant, P.E.; Lindsey D. Allen, AIA; Daniel F. Bobeck, P.E.; Travis S. Bodin, PLS; David L. Fulks, P.E.; Elizabeth Guiza, P.E.; Steven L. Gunter, P.E.; Michael Hawkins, P.E.; Stuart D. Helo, AIA; Ranjit S. Jadhav, P.E.; Kevan Keiser, P.E.; Vijay Kunada, P.E.; Frank Liang, P.E.; Kimberly D. McDaniel, P.E., PTOE; Dustin Mayard, E.I.; Matthew "Matt" Morales, P.E.; Jared M. Petitjean, AIA; Jamie Seal; Jonathan Taylor, AIA; William Thibaut, AIA; Michael J. Thomassie, P.E.; Iam C. Tucker; Clifton "Cliff" Vanicor, P.E.; Paul S. Vlosich, P.E.;

The Emerging Leaders Institute is presented by ACEC/L and AIA Louisiana. For more information, contact the ACEC/L office at 225-927-7704.

State Attorney General says "HireNOLA" law is illegal


by Stephen Loeb ACEC/L Counsel

On March 3, 2016, the Louisiana Attorney General issued Opinion No. 16-0020 which concludes that the local hiring ordinance recently implemented by the City of New Orleans violates state law.

The Attorney General Opinion reviewed Ordinance No, 26607 which established "HireNOLA" which requires all contractors and subcontractors on all City of New Orleans public works contracts over $150,000 to make "good faith efforts" to achieve a certain percentage of the work hours performed by "local workers" (persons domiciled in Orleans Parish). Additionally, the Ordinance requires contractors to use the City as its first source for recruitment, referral and placement of all new hires on such projects. Finally the Ordinance prohibits the City from signing a contract unless it is supported by documentation establishing that the prime contractor has met the local hiring requirement.

The Attorney General determined that, under the Louisiana Public Bid Laws, the Ordinance is unlawful. La. R.S. 38:2225 B states that "[a]ny local law, ... ordinance, or executive order ... granting any local contractor or subcontractor preference over other Louisiana resident contractors shall be contrary to the provision of this Section." The Attorney General concluded by stating: "Absent any legal authority to establish a local hiring preference or otherwise require contractors to hire local workers, it is the opinion of this office the inclusion of such a requirement would be impermissible and against Louisiana law.

"Similarly, it is also our opinion that including and evaluating a contractor's efforts to hire local workers as part of the public bid law bid solicitation process would be impermissible and against Louisiana law."

ACEC/L volunteers brave rain, gators at 2016 Zurich Classic


"Playing through!"Jimmy Ledet snapped a picture of this gator on the 9th green.

ACEC/L volunteers saw PGA pro Brian Stuard play a bogey-free tournament to capture the rain-plagued 2016 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

This was the fourth year ACEC/L volunteers have worked at the tournament to provide free ShotLink services to benefit the ForeKids Foundation, Zurich's charitable arm that provides millions of dollars to children's charities throughout Louisiana.

Despite numerous rain delays - and visits from curious alligators - those who volunteered enjoyed the tournament.

"Had a great day yesterday at the Zurich," said Chuck Duggar, P.E., vice president at Michael Baker International. "Cool experience!"

ACEC/L has been providing ShotLink volunteers to Zurich since 2013. In that time, ACEC/L volunteers have donated more than 680 hours to ForeKids. For a list of charities that ForeKids benefits, click here.

U.S. Rep. Garret Graves visited the ACEC/L Board of Governors in February

Welcome NEW ACEC/L MEMBERS!

Alliance Transportation Group

http://www.alliance-transportation.com

Coastal Engineering Solutions

http://www.coastalengsolutions.com

Southern Earth Sciences

http://www.soearth.com

Did you know...?

Your ACEC membership provides more than just professional development and networking opportunities. Here are just a few examples of how your firm benefits from membership:

Discounts on UPS shipping; Lenovo laptops, tablets, desktops, all-in-ones, workstations, servers and accessories; OfficeMax; Avis and Budget.

Nationally, ACEC's employee strength has grown to 575,000 - the highest level in the Council's 107-year history; ACEC member firms now also make up 82 percent of eligible firms on the ENR 500, including nine out of the top ten.

ACEC member firms have also grown faster than non-ACEC firms over the past four years, according to a recent analysis of the ENR 500 rankings.

If your firm is interested in joining ACEC, contact us at 225-927-7704.

Let's put the "budget crisis" in perspective


Dan Mobley Executive Director

A lot of people recently have been talking about the budget "crisis" in state government, but nothing puts a crisis into perspective more than a real crisis.

In March, a monster weather system moved into Louisiana, dumping four months' worth of rain in four days. North Louisiana was hit especially hard, as Monroe recorded 27 inches. The rains easily defeated a half-million sandbags, and the floods overwhelmed dozens of communities, especially those along the Interstate 20 corridor from Shreveport to Monroe. Small creeks became raging rivers, and roadways became navigable only by boat.

The Louisiana National Guard and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rescued more than 5,000 citizens in 25 parishes using high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters. The American Red Cross and parishes wound up sheltering an average of 191 people over a five-week period. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson reported 455 roads and bridges were closed, and the damage to our transportation infrastructure will wind up costing the state about $20 million.

Of course, that's just a fraction of the total cost.

As of mid-April, the National Flood Insurance Program had already paid more than $67 million on 1,581 claims. However, that only represented about a third of all claims, and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness estimates that more than 12,000 homes received some type of flood damage, some of which will not be covered by the NFIP. Damage estimates to businesses, public facilities and farms still are being compiled, but the price tag will be high. The spring floods could wind up costing more than $1 billion.

Infrastructure - roads, bridges, levees, drainage systems, power plants, drinking water facilities - represents the foundation of our society. Without it, there is no health care, no TOPS, no business recruitment, no tourism. Infrastructure gives us the ability to build communities.

So, why don't members of the public, in general, and our political leaders, specifically, pay more attention to our infrastructure? Why isn't it a higher priority? Engineers don't like to hear this, but the truth is that infrastructure isn't sexy. No one falls in love with a new house because of the solid slab foundation, but try selling one without it. If government were a football team, infrastructure would be the offensive line. No one buys tickets to see people block, but ask the high-priced quarterback how important the line is.

I'm not advocating that we politicize a natural tragedy, but the truth is we all must learn from the past in order to move forward. If not for Katrina, what are the chances that the massive levee improvements of the last 10 years would have occurred? South Louisiana is a safer place today because we, literally, built on the failures of the past.

This is why it is so important that all of us remind our local and state leaders about the importance of infrastructure, while the memories of flooded streets and helicopter rescues are fresh in everyone's mind. It's our obligation to protect the building blocks of our society.