It has been a privilege to serve as your 2022 AGC of Minnesota Board Chair. This past year has been both exciting and challenging.

Our industry continues to adapt and move forward through the uncertainties of an unsettled economy that remains fragile and influenced by large-scale supply chain disruption and world geopolitical events.

I am deeply proud of the work AGC has done to keep the workforce safe and deliver significant economic opportunity to the construction industry. In such challenging times, I hope each of you recognize the value of being an AGC member.

I would like to highlight a few things that have brought value to your AGC membership this past year:

• Strategic Plan: The Board and staff have delivered an exciting new plan that makes strategic investments in AGC’s future that will enhance membership value and bring exciting new opportunities.

• Federal Infrastructure Investment(s): Given the political challenges in Washington, let’s not overlook the significance of the long-term investments that have been enacted and will provide significant market opportunity for members in the future. Both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will open new pathways for infrastructure and related sustainable energy construction markets. Thank you to our AGC of America partners for their engagement and advocacy.

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: I am proud to say that DEI is being embedded into the culture of AGC. The Culture of Care initiative and the strong work of the DEI Leadership Council and DEI Committee have set us on a path toward an exciting new future.

• Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention: Suicide and mental health challenges are at epidemic levels in our industry. AGC has worked to educate members and provide tools that can be used to assist with intervention strategies and professional service resources. AGC is also serving as a primary partner and organizer to deliver an upcoming Industry Mental Health Summit.

• Safety Services and CHASE Program: The AGC Construction Health and Safety Excellence Partnership (CHASE) Partnership was again expanded to now include 50 AGC members. Once again, CHASE contractors significantly outperformed their industry peers in safety metrics.

To my fellow board members, thank you for your dedication and service. You have generously supported me in my role as Chair and my experience has been inspiring and humbling.

I wish to personally thank the AGC staff. You have dedicated your talent, time, and energy to serve the membership. We are fortune to have such a talented staff that reflects the values of Skill, Responsibility, and Integrity.

Finally, thank you members and friends for a successful and exciting year as your Board Chair. It is my distinct honor to have served.

Thanks to everyone who joined us last night at Machine Shop for our annual business meeting and holiday reception! It was a fantastic evening of enjoying one another's company and celebrating another year in the Minnesota construction industry together.

Special thanks to Bassford Remele, The Doran Group, Lockton Companies, and Rachel Contracting for sponsoring the event!

Click below to see a few photos from the evening - more photos will be forthcoming!

Minnesota’s budget surplus grew to $17.6 billion this week – yes, you read that correctly! Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter announced the record budget surplus on Tuesday and credited higher than expected revenue collections, together with lower-than-expected state spending, in creating the projected surplus. 

The Budget and Economic Forecast is available here.

The Minnesota construction industry will need to be a strong, united voice next legislative session. Legislators will set the state’s budget, consider regulations, and discuss unfinished business – such as federal infrastructure matching funds and a capital investment bill- from last session. Hear from key decision makers and get an update from AGC of MN’s Government Affairs staff at the beautiful State Capitol on Wednesday, April 12.

Union signatories to HH and BN contracts met this week to review economic and industry data. If you missed the invitation, please be sure that you complete your Bargaining Authority form and return to Ana. The form and instructions are on our website (email Renee if you need login credentials). These forms generate the lists that we use to communicate with and keep members informed of significant issues. If you have any questions or want to confirm that you are on the right list, feel free to email Mike.

Happy holidays to all. Both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Sunday and are recognized federal holidays on the following Monday (26th and 1st). Most union contracts follow this rule of thumb, crediting the Monday as the holiday. Feel free to email Mike if you have any questions about holiday hours or pay.

AGC’s Contracts Committee completed its annual review of the form construction contracts, and approved a new Addendum to the Owner-Contractor Agreement that enables early payment for WMBVE firms. We will be updating our website with the new contracts next week, and making available early licenses for nonmembers. Check out our website for more information and licenses. 

MnDOT will begin winter load increases on unrestricted highways in the north-central frost zone at 12:01 a.m. next Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.

Winter load increases are already in effect in the north zone. Frost zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDOT load limits map. Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown here.

For nearly three years, the U.S. construction industry has been buffeted by unprecedented increases in material costs, supply-chain bottlenecks, and a tight labor market. AGC’s Construction Inflation Alert is intended to help owners, public officials, and others understand what contractors are experiencing. The December 2022 edition—the 9th since early 2021, outlines steps owners and contractors can take to adjust to the fast-changing market conditions.

Construction companies make good targets for cybercriminals. They regularly make large and frequent transactions. The perimeter of their network is larger to accommodate employees working on different job sites, which expands the attack surface. And there isn’t a set of outside regulations guiding their cybersecurity practices, which means they are easier targets. Read more

Join Regional Outreach Director Ron Wirtz on Friday, December 16 for a live webinar discussing the latest results from a mid-November survey of activity levels, challenges, overall conditions, and outlook in the construction sector.

MnDOT and WisDOT are planning for the replacement of the Blatnik Bridge over the St. Louis River between Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. In addition to the bridge replacement, the Wisconsin interchange will be reconstructed. MnDOT is the lead agency in this partnership project.

The project is currently unfunded, but tentatively scheduled to be let in late 2026 or 2027. The project delivery method has not yet been selected. Design-Bid-Build (DBB), Design-Build (DB) and Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) are being considered.

MnDOT requests one-on-one meetings with potential prime construction contractors to receive input on the above topics. Learn more

Please join these important conversations between contractors and MnDOT. All meetings are hybrid with in-person at the AGC office and online via Zoom. Contact Ana Lowery to join any of the committees.

Next Monday, Dec. 12

10:00 am -12:00 pm

We're always on the lookout for great photos of our members' projects, both in process and completed! One photo will be chosen as the cover of the 2023 AGC Member Directory, and most photos will be included in an album that we feature on our website and social media!

Deadline: February 1, 2023

Register now to join us in person or online for STP classes beginning in January!

It's time to register to sponsor, exhibit, and/or attend the 2023 Minnesota Construction Summit!

We've worked hard for our members in 2022, and we're proud of the value that membership with AGC of Minnesota has provided in the areas of safety services, government affairs services, diversity, equity & inclusion, labor relations, legal services, education, leadership development, and networking opportunities!

We're so grateful for all of our members, whether long-standing or new.

Take a look through the 2022 Annual Report to see what AGC has been up to this year.

Take a look at AGC's Media Kit, and contact Katie to get started.