NEXT WEEK: Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention in Construction
AGC is one of several organizations in the Minnesota construction community teaming with CSDZ on this very important topic of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Construction. Join us next Friday, May 21!
Mental health is an invisible crisis in construction. Nationally in construction, more workers die annually by suicide than by all occupational injuries combined. Learn how a culture of caring and wellbeing can reduce the underlying conditions and risks associated with mental health. This webinar will focuses on WHY these topics are imperative for construction leaders at all levels. Learn what you and your organization can do to help promote mental wellbeing and reduce the risk of suicide among your workforce and the construction industry.
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Presenters will:
- Demonstrate how to break the stigma of mental health and suicide.
- Illustrate why mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention are workplace issues.
- Identify the industry and demographic risk factors that lead to suicide.
- Highlight action steps to address these issues in your organization.
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LAST CHANCE to Submit a Proposal for the 2022 Minnesota Construction Summit Educational Presentations
AGC of Minnesota is requesting proposals for the 2022 Construction Summit to be held at the St. Paul RiverCentre. The Summit will be held January 11-12, 2022. We are looking for presentation submissions in a number of different tracks, including:
- Technology / Innovation
- COVID – Past, Present, Future
- Business Development / Operations
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Development
- Public Owners / Regulatory Compliance
- Safety
- Mental Health
- Leadership & Personal Development
- Environmental Issues / Climate Change / Sustainability
AGC members and partners should submit their proposal by May 20 to assist the planning committee in developing their agenda. If you have any questions regarding the Summit, please contact Lisa Larson.
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Register your Foursome for the 2021 Golf Tournament Soon!
Join us on August 6 at Keller Golf Course in Maplewood!
Get all the details and register here. |
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Thank you to our Title Sponsor,
Larkin Hoffman!
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The Latest CDC Guidance, Executive Orders Regarding Masks
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised their guidance for vaccinated Americans on May 13. Masks and social distancing are no longer needed if a person is fully vaccinated. A person is considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks after they have received the second dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson). As a response to this change, Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order rescinding the statewide mask mandate on May 14. Businesses and local governments can impose their own limitations or restrictions on face coverings - CDC guidance does not supersede state or local law, including workplace guidance. The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have indicated they will continue their mask ordinances, regardless of vaccination status. Therefore, businesses within those jurisdictions must continue to follow local mandates.
The latest CDC guidance undercut the governor’s order last week for an off-ramp to remove the statewide mask mandate once 70% of MN adults were vaccinated, or by July 1, whichever came first.
Outstanding questions remain for employers, particularly in construction. MN Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) or federal OSHA have not incorporated the new guidance at the time of this publication. Therefore, employers may consider waiting for potential revised OSHA guidance before making changes to their safety and social distancing protocols.
AGC will continue to monitor COVID-19 related directives and keep members apprised of developments via email and dedicated webpage.
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Legislature to Come Back in June, U.S. Treasury Issues Interim Rule on Federal COVID Funds
This past week, some legislators negotiated differences between policy provisions that do not have a fiscal impact, but broader agreements on the budget targets between House and Senate leadership have not been agreed upon. Targets for each of the budget areas ensure that spending in each bill does not total more than the revenue available at the State. With the deadline for session adjournment constitutionally set for next Monday at 11:59 p.m., it’s apparent the Legislature will not pass the state budget before then. The Legislature will convene for a special session to finish their work, likely on June 14.
The State is also sorting through recent federal guidance on permitted spending for the latest round of COVID relief funds via the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Minnesota will receive $2.8 billion, which is $200 million more than initially expected. Of the four eligibility buckets, two relate directly to AGC’s infrastructure priorities: investments in infrastructure and revenue loss. The ARP and U.S. Treasury guidance explicitly permits funding for water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Regarding the use of funds for revenue loss, funds can be used if there has been a reduction in net tax revenue, so long as it is not a result of a law change or spending cuts. The funds cannot be used as a federal match.
The Act provide recipients with broad latitude to use the Fiscal Recovery Funds for the provision of government services. Government services can include, but are not limited to, maintenance or pay-go funded building of infrastructure, including roads; modernization of cybersecurity, including hardware, software, and protection of critical infrastructure; health services; environmental remediation; school or educational services; and the provision of police, fire, and other public safety services. Paying interest or principal on government debt is not considered provision of a government service. AGC is making the case for those funds to fill in for the lost transportation revenues (mainly gas tax) due to the pandemic. This amounts to $250 million.
Contact Laura Ziegler, AGC’s Director of Government Affairs, with any questions on the current status of omnibus bill provisions or other legislative issues.
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Sign up for our new platform for legislative action alerts! We are going to need your engagement in the closing days of the state legislative session, and you are the construction industry’s best advocate. Thank you for your time and advocacy! |
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2021 Construction Contracts Released
AGC has released the full license short form construction contracts—they are available to download on our website.
- The Owner-Contractor agreement is new—it is the prime contract with the owner of a project
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Contractor-Subcontractor agreement is updated to mirror the OCA. So if your PM has a question, for instance, about change orders, change orders is covered in paragraph 8 in both agreements.
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Material Purchases agreement is to buy supplies, equipment, and prefabricated units. Again, it mirrors the order of the OCA and CSA.
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ITO is a specialty contract, very valuable if you use ITOs because of a MN DEEDs decision that created the need for this contract.
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Minneapolis Fed Surveys Construction Industry
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis continues to track the pandemic’s effect on the construction sector, a bellwether for the broader Ninth District economy, which includes Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana, western Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
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Utilizing Construction Technology to Increase Productivity and Safety
We live in a world where new technologies are outpacing adoption rates. Many times when you bring home a new piece of technology, whether it is a computer, television, or phone, it is already obsolete. The consumer’s desire for the newer and better means that companies need to focus on new products ahead of launching the latest model. The world is changing fast and, yet, as the common person drives past a construction site, they still see big yellow machines moving dirt – the same as it has always been. How could anyone change the way you move dirt? Learn more
By Ziegler CAT
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Summer Overweight Permits Start in North-Central, North Frost Zones
Full-summer overweight permits will start in the north-central and north frost zones at 12:01 a.m. Monday, May 17, 2021.
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Your Trusted Resource
Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
525 Park Street, Suite 110 | St. Paul, MN 55103
651-632-8929
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