PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
June, 2019
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As the legislative session ends and the brutal dog days of summer start, ACECL staff shifts focus to our Deep South summer conference and planning for the second half of 2019. With guidance from the Board of Governors who spent part of the June board meeting reviewing the 5 year Strategic Plan, ACECL staff planning will focus on implementing strategies to meet the organization's five strategic goals: retain a strong, involved membership; be the recognized voice and advocate of the engineering business community; be the primary source of business practices for our members; maintain a highly effective board and enhance the organization's financial strength. Look for a membership survey later this summer! Your comments and suggestions will enable the board and the staff to better meet your needs and expectations. ACECL wishes you a safe and joyful summer!
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ACECL Board Meeting
The ACECL Board of Governors met on June 2019.
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2019 Regular Legislative Session
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The 2019 Legislative Session adjourned quietly on June 6. This was a shorter fiscal only session. It is also an election year so fewer 'controversial' bills were filed. There will be significant turnover in the both the House and the Senate. Sixteen of the thirty-nine senators are term limited and 31 of 104 House members are term limited although several house members are running for a senate seat and vice versa.
ACECL successfully defended the civil engineering exception to the architecture licensing and registration law and supported increased infrastructure funding. There is now $700 million new dollars for statewide projects and nearly $100 million ($200 million after bonding) for New Orleans horizontal infrastructure. ACECL will have a seat on the Public Works Contracts Task Force being convened to study the feasibility of increasing the contract limit applicable to public works contracts for public entities.
Unfortunately, the gas tax never got a fair hearing but the effort shifts to influencing gubernatorial and legislative candidates. Those of you supporting gubernatorial candidates and local legislative candidates should join the Louisiana Coalition to Fix Our Roads in demanding a 2020 special session on Roads and Bridge Funding. A position paper is forthcoming and will be shared with you as you meet with candidates.
An organizational session will convene January 13, 2020 and the 2020 Regular Legislative Session will convene Monday, March 9, 2020 and must adjourn by June 10, 2020.
Many thanks to the Legislative Committee for their time and assistance in reviewing legislation, providing strategy direction and supporting ACECL's advocacy efforts. Special thanks to ACECL members for their engagement on ACECL priority bills. Your advocacy made the difference!
See below for full report.
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ACECL welcomes new member
Matrix New World Engineering
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Keith LaGrange, P.E., Director of New Orleans Public Works
NOLA Chapter June Meeting Speaker
Substituting for Ramsey Green, Deputy CAO of Infrastructure, Keith LaGrange gave the NOLA Chapter a status of the Fair Share program ($200 million over next five years) and the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Request (JIRR) program. Responding to questions from members, Mr. LaGrange noted that FEMA has been approving projects quickly. 26 projects were submitted in Q1 with 24 more submitted for Q2. He also stated the City would be issuing an RFQ for a Program Manager to augment staff if needed. Relative to the engineering pool, Mr. LaGrange stated they had no time to procure a new pool but would consider a supplemental list of firms.
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ACECL AFFILIATES
Thank you to all of our 2018-2019 Affiliate Organizations
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ACEC Business Insurance Trust
ACEC Life/Health Insurance Trust
Alexander & Sanders
Benefits.One, LLC
Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson
Brown & Brown of Louisiana
BRAYN Consulting, LLC
CxA Services, Inc.
Eagan Insurance Agency, LLC
Entergy of Louisiana
Environmental Technical Sales, Inc. (Etech)
Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc.
Forterra Pipe & Precast
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith
Hannis T. Bourgeois
Industrial Fabrics
Lord & Winter
Louisiana Asphalt Pavement
O.R. Colan Associates, LLC
Penetron USA
Quality Sitework Materials, Inc.
Technical Coatings Services, Inc.
Wray & Associates, L.L.P
Foley & Judell, L.L.P.
Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn
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THE ACECL MONTHLY INTERVIEW
RAYMOND REAUX
Raymond Reaux, P.E. and Vice President of Engineering for C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates, LLC, has served as the 2018-2019 Chair for ACECL. A tireless leader of the organization, Raymond oversaw the smooth transition of a new President of ACECL, initiated the inaugural state Engineering Excellence Awards Program, created the Lake Charles and Monroe Committees to increase access to ACECL for firms throughout the state and will serve on the 2020-2021 ACEC national board nominating committee.
As he prepares to pass the gavel July 11, Raymond Reaux reflects on his tenure leading ACECL and the unpredictability of DNA...
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Come, Find Your Place in the Sun!
Join owners and principals from premiere consulting engineering and land surveying companies from across the Deep Southern States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi for the
ACEC Deep South Convention and Exhibitor's Trade Show.
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2020 DOTD Transportation Conference
March 1-4, 2020
Raising Cane's River Center
Registration will open August 5, 2019
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Registration Fees:
- LADOTD Employees: No Charge
- LADOTD Retirees: $350
- Government/University Employees: $200
- Private Industry: $425
- Speakers: No Charge
- Students: No Charge
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The La. Coalition has entered the “make this an election issue” phase of our campaign.
ACECL is developing a position paper/candidate questionnaire on the issue of infrastructure investment for our partnership organizations to include in their candidate surveys this fall.
To date, LCFOR has raised $233,500 with ACECL and its firms contributing $79,750. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED to this effort. We will charge ahead until we see results!
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East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council approves MoveBR Program Manager Contracts
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LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR FIRM
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If your firm or a member of your firm has recently been recognized for an achievement, let us know so we can promote on our social media page!
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As an ACECL member, you can access a library of contract documents that can protect your firm from problematic contract language. Visit the ACEC Business Resource Center today!
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AIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LYNN ROBERTSON RETIRES
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ACECL congratulates AIA Louisiana Executive Director Lynn Robertson on her retirement effective June 30, 2019. ACECL and AIA Louisiana have partnered on many issues important to the A/E/C community and Lynn's leadership has resulted in several accomplishments for our industry. ACECL offers Lynn and her family best wishes on her well-deserved retirement!
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As we enter the FY 2019-2020 fiscal year, we are going paperless! Your first quarter invoice (Q1) will be the last paper invoice mailed to your office. We will email all future invoices beginning with the FY 19-20 second quarter (Q2) invoice with the additional
option
to pay online. This change will reduce administrative time and costs associated with quarterly invoicing. On your dues statement, please also select your preferred annual, quarterly or monthly invoicing option.
Please contact Haleigh Gray at 225-927-7704 or
hgray@acecl.org
if you have any questions!
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Deep South Conference, San Destin
Board of Governors Meeting, San Destin
EEA CALL for ENTRIES
5th Annual Big Build Luncheon on "Sustainability & Resiliency in our Community"
- July 24, 2019, Audubon Tea Room, NOLA
Lake Charles Luncheon
BR Chapter Meeting
La Municipal Association Conference, Monroe
NOLA Chapter Meeting
Transportation Committee (Via Phone)
Emerging Leaders 2019 Session II, Baton Rouge
Parish Engineers and Surveyors Association Conference, Charenton, La
ACEC Fall Convention, Chicago, IL
Project Outlook - Renaissance Hotel, Baton Rouge
Inaugural Engineering Excellence Awards – Renaissance Hotel, BR
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Thank You to our Sponsors!
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Doreen Brasseaux
President & CEO
ACEC of Louisiana
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