Overview

Carolinas AGC's Building Division is the leading building industry trade group in the Carolinas. Members of this division are involved with about 80% of the work performed in the Carolinas. The Building Division chairman is Doug Allen with J. H. Allen, Inc. The vice chairman is Tim Kennedy with Trident Construction Co., Inc. Our top goals for 2008 are:

• Continue highlighting the infrastructure crisis in both states to help provide additional legislative funding for building, transportation, and water and sewer needs.

• Promote training awareness/opportunities among the membership on such topics as getting the full benefit of CAGC's online services, possibly offering seminars across both states, as well as information/seminars on such topics as "green" construction, BIM, how to make successful presentations, what not to do concerning union organizations efforts and how to improve minority participation.

• Retain existing members and recruit new members in an effort to grow the membership with more offensive and less defensive strategies. For minority members, consider assigning CAGC members to them to help them better utilize our services.
  
• Educate the membership about immigration issues facing the industry.
   
• Publicize opposition to reverse auction bidding.

• Publicize CAGC's position on alternative bidding, stressing competitive bidding but also recommending what should be done concerning alternative bidding.

• Ratchet up ways to increase minority participation through the HUB Academy and expanding CAGC's database. In North Carolina, continue developing a relationship with the United Minority Contractors of NC and explore UMCNC.

This year's Building Division meeting will be held July 17 - 20, 2008, at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. Issues that will be discussed will include CAGC's online services, "green" building, how to make successful presentations, how to improve safety on job sites, bidding/contractual issues. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Staying Alive" in the ever-changing construction industry.

Legislatively, one of CAGC's biggest services is to make sure you are protected in the state legislatures in both Carolinas, as well as in Congress. On the state level for North Carolina, the short session begins May 13, 2008. The long session, which ended August 2, 2007, had great news for building contractors, with lawmakers approving more than $1.1 billion for state construction projects, giving all counties ability to get more funding for construction projects, capping retainage and defeating bad bills sought by unions and trial lawyers.

A Carolinas AGC analysis shows that lawmakers approved $1,120,973,000 for state construction projects -- $599,292,072 for capital projects, $100 million for water and sewer, $145 million for UNC and state repairs and renovations, and $276,681,000 for UNC system self-liquidating projects (paid with dormitory and other fees). For a breakdown with project details, CAGC members may go to: http://www.cagc.org/advocacy/files/nc_general_assembly_approves.cfm.

For South Carolina, the legislative session begins January 8, 2008 and should adjourn in early June. Top issues CAGC will be involved in will be immigration reform, infrastructure funding, particularly for highways, and additional reform for workers' comp to continue our efforts from last year.