The Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman Steve Sodders (D-State Center) opted to not allow HF 194, a bill to reduce the statute of repose for real property improvements, to remain eligible for Iowa Senate floor debate.  This was one of MBI's top legislative priorities for the 2015 Session.

It is disappointing that the Senate Judiciary Committee would not allow a hearing on the merits of HF 194.  I have always said that we can win the policy debate, but the political one is tough to overcome.  In this instance, the politics of the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Association of Justice (Trial Lawyers) proved greater than the policy of what is fair and equitable.

All is not lost however.  Over 750 contacts were made into the House and Senate over these last few weeks. Kudos to all who responded to the Engage MBI Calls to Action.

The game plan from here is to continue to work with House Leadership in hopes of finding:

1. A potential legislative vehicle in which the language of HF 194 can be attached and force a vote in the Senate.
2. Continue to press House and Senate leaders on the need to consider the merits of HF 194.  Knowing that nothing is truly ever "dead" until the final gavel falls on the session, we will work to make the case as to why a reduction in the statute of repose is so important to Iowa's commercial construction industry.

Please stay tuned for the next move from MBI lobbying team.  We may need to initiate a fast-response campaign should an opportunity arise to incorporate our language.  You may want to consider following us on Twitter - @MBISince1912 - to stay on top of our Engage MBI grassroots efforts.

Master Builders of Iowa members are encouraged to attend an upcoming seminar titled Ethical Business is Good Business - An Exploration of Ethical Issues in Construction. This seminar, presented by Thomas Rosenberg from Roetzel & Andress, LPA of Columbus, Ohio, will explore and analyze many of the ethical issues that contractors, design professionals and others confront throughout a project from beginning to end. Issues such as bid shopping, proprietary and performance specifications, disclaimers, pay-if-paid and pay-when-paid clauses, lien waivers, onerous specifications and dispute resolution provisions will be reviewed from the different perspectives of the parties to a project to analyze the ethical issues associated with them.  In addition, this program will look at contract documents, such as pay applications and change orders, to determine when our use of them is ethical or unethical.

Offered in two locations:

IOWA CITY
May 14, 2015
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Register
Master Builder Designation Hours:  Ethics - 3 hours

WEST DES MOINES
May 15, 2015
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Register
Master Builder Designation Hours:  Ethics - 3 hours

To view the complete program brochure, click here.

For additional information, please contact Tom Fulcher at tfulcher@mbionline.com or 515.657.4395

In response to multiple requests for a blueprint reading class, Master Builders of Iowa is offering Blueprint Reading Essentials on Tuesday May 5th in West Des Moines.  This course, presented by Brad Perkins of Iowa State University, will provide attendees with the skills necessary to read and understand typical construction documents - blueprints and specifications.  Included in this course will be plan reading, code review plans, civil plans, architectural plans, details, reflected ceiling plans, terminology, elevations, sections, structural drawings, and more.

This course will earn those enrolled in the Master Builder Designation with 6 hours of project management credit.

To learn more and to register, CLICK HERE.

Contracts should memorialize business relationships. Handshake agreements are not worth the paper they are printed on when problems arise, and formalistic contracts create silos and other problems.  Fortunately, AGC of America is part of a coalition to provide off the shelf standard contracts that can you help your contracts practice called ConsensusDocs. This training will provide you a better understanding of how to structure and administer your contracts, as well as an overview of ConsensusDocs standard contract documents. Topics covered will include payment (pay-if-paid vs pay-when-paid), "hold harmless" provisions," dispute resolution and other important contract provisions you should look for before entering your next contract.

MBI members are encouraged to attend this one hour webinar titled Better Project Results with Better Contracts - How ConsensusDocs Can Help You on Tuesday, May 12th at 11:00 am, presented be Brian Perlberg of AGC of America / ConsensusDocs.

CLICK HERE to register.

WORKSAFE by the Numbers
94 - Current Projects 
173 - Total Projects
68 - Participating Companies         

The following projects have recently been registered as WORKSAFE:

American Piping Group - Morrison, IL
PROJECT:  Capacity Upgrades - Install Chillers

Ball Team, LLC - Urbandale, IA
PROJECT:  Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Des Moines
PROJECT:  Christ the King Senior Housing Phase 2

Brocon Services LLC - Johnston, IA
PROJECT:  Hach Hall Basement Research Laboratories

Cardinal Construction, Inc. - Waterloo, IA
PROJECT:  Tokyo Bay Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
PROJECT:  UNI East Bartlett HVAC - Room Heat Pumps & Piping Replacement

Carl A. Nelson & Company - Burlington, IA
PROJECT:  University of Northern Iowa Power Plant Air Regulation Compliance Project
PROJECT:  John & Mary Papajohn Biomedical Discovery Building Fit-Out Central Vivarium Space

City Construction - Iowa City, IA
PROJECT: Currier Residence Hall - Renovate 3rd & 4th Floors

Dean Snyder Construction - Clear Lake, IA
PROJECT:  Hampton Inn & Suites - Mason City

Don Gardner Construction Co., Inc. - Waterloo, IA
PROJECT:  VGM Campus Expansion Building D

Edge Commercial, LLC - Grimes, IA
PROJECT:  Metro Waste Authority Northwest Transfer Station

Graham Construction Co. - Des Moines, IA
PROJECT:  Graham Warehouse 1 Addition
PROJECT:  Graham Apollo Warehouse

The Hansen Company, Inc. - Johnston, IA
PROJECT: Kemin Spray Freeze ByTek

Henkel Construction Co. - Mason City, IA
PROJECT:  Palo Alto County Health System Expansion and Renovation

Hy-Vee Construction, LC - Des Moines, IA
PROJECT: Cedar Rapids #1 Hy-Vee
PROJECT:  Hy-Vee Des Moines #3

Knutson Construction Services, Inc. - Iowa City, IA
PROJECT:  UIHC Centralized Emergency Power Generation Facility - Part A & Part B

Larson Construction Co., Inc. - Independence, IA
PROJECT: U of I Library - Renovation of Room 1001
PROJECT:  Linn-Mar High School Addition & Renovation - Phase 2

McComas-Lacina Construction Co. LC - Iowa City, IA
PROJECT:  JPP Anesthesia

Miron Construction Co., Inc. - Cedar Rapids, IA
PROJECT:  U of I Madison Street Residence Hall

On-Site Solutions - Clive, IA
PROJECT:  Hawthorne Centre

Peters Construction Corporation - Waterloo, IA
PROJECT:  New Facility for Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa

Story Construction Co. - Ames, IA
PROJECT:  Larch Residence Hall - Perimeter Wall Modifications

Tricon Construction Group - Dubuque, IA
PROJECT:  University of Iowa - Steam Utility Riverside Dr.

Veit Co., Rogers, MN
PROJECT: Old Iowa City Water Plant

CLICK HERE to view all current projects.

For more information on the WORKSAFE program, please contact Tom Suckow at (515) 657-4384 or tsuckow@mbionline.com.

CLICK HERE for charts tables and commentary developed by Chief AGCA economist Ken Simonson for use in evaluating the current economic situation.