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Prepare for Federal Shutdown
With Congress unlikely to reach an agreement to fund the government in the new fiscal year starting October 1, AGC of America has a resource for direct federal, transportation, and utility contractors to consider detailing the potential impacts of such an event on their projects and how they may want to prepare.
Entitled “What to Know in the Event the Federal Government Shuts Down,” this AGC resource document also includes links to federal agency-specific contingency plans, in addition to a comprehensive list of all federal agency contingency plans in the event of a shutdown.
As it stands, Congress has not passed any of the 12 annual appropriations bills needed to fund federal government agencies in the new fiscal year 2024, which begins October 1. To avoid a shutdown, Congress traditionally passes a stop gap measure called a “continuing resolution” (CR) to fund the government at the same levels as the previous fiscal year.
Assuming no agreement to fund the government is reached and it the federal government shuts down; it is unclear how short or long such a shutdown will last. AGC will continue to provide updates on construction specific impacts or considerations concerning a shutdown.
AGC of MN has been in contact with state agencies. MNDOT, Met Council, and MAC projects are expected to continue in the short term without major disruption.
Please contact Laura Ziegler with any questions.
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Vermeer’s Precise Equipment Works for Infrastructure Energy Projects
Vermeer’s President of Industrial Solutions, Doug Hundt, highlights the booming renewable energy market and how contractors maximize their opportunity to build vital clean energy infrastructure with the right equipment and precise technology. Watch to learn what’s making the difference.
The Track series delivers the latest news about the equipment and construction market so contractors can access the information to make an impact on their business — no matter the challenge.
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MnDOT releases State Highway Investment Plan for public comment
Public hearings set for Oct. 5, 11, 13 and 18; Public comment period ends Nov. 8
The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the public and transportation stakeholders to review and comment on the 2023-2042 Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan.
Updated every five years, MnSHIP directs capital investment for Minnesota’s state highway system over the next 20 years. MnSHIP links policies and objectives in the Minnesota GO 50-Year Vision and the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan with capital investments on the state highway system. It is a fiscally constrained plan that identifies investment priorities given current and expected funding of $37 billion between 2023 and 2042.
The 2023-2042 updated MnSHIP is the result of collaboration during the last two and a half years between MnDOT and the public, stakeholders and partners. Minnesotans can review the draft plan and submit comments through November 8 online at MinnesotaGO.org, through the project email at stateplans.dot@state.mn.us, or by mail (Brad Utecht | MnDOT | 395 John Ireland Blvd, Mail Stop 440 | St. Paul, MN 55155)
The plan can also be reviewed in hard copy at the MnDOT Library (395 John Ireland Blvd.) or at any of the eight MnDOT district headquarters around the state.
Public Hearings
The public may participate by attending any of the following public hearings:
- Baxter – Thursday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. (7694 Industrial Park Road)
- Carlton – Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 11:30 a.m. (1630 County Road 61)
- Rochester – Friday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m. (2900 48th St. NW)
- Willmar – Friday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m. (2505 Transportation Road)
- Saint Paul – Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 2:30 p.m. (390 Robert St. N)
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ESST 301: Advanced Answers to ESST Law Questions
AGC-MN held two zoom meetings on Minnesota’s new earned safe and sick time, which generated further questions and concerns. This follow up, members-only webinar at 9 am on October 13 is a deeper dive into ESST, including:
- How to calculate ESST payments (net pay, taxable pay + health, full pay)
- Setting up a program that complies with ESST
- Strategic decisions in an alternative program
- Vesting versus non-vesting
- Impact on prevailing wage
- Impact on federal project PTO requirements
- Managing tracking, updating, printing notices
- Managing the money (accounts receivable, in trust, other)
- Status on ESST waivers with the building trades
- Overall recommendations and expected cost
Industry expert Martin Kappenman with member law firm PRKA will present.
This is a free, members-only webinar. Register here.
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Remembering Peter J. Johnson
We are saddened to let you know that Peter J. Johnson, principal founder of Hoover Construction Company in Virginia, passed away this week.
Over seventy years ago, Peter Johnson Sr. established Johnson & Moore Inc., a red ore scramming contractor working in the open pit natural iron ore mines of the Mesabi Iron Range. As the natural ore was depleted in the late 50’s, Johnson Moore began doing road work and site preparation. In 1956, Hoover Construction Co. was incorporated under the leadership of Peter J. Johnson, and over time he built Hoover into a strong and recognizable performer in the Northern Minnesota highway/heavy market.
Peter was very involved in the statewide construction industry, and served as AGC Board Chair in 1988. Pictured above is Peter's board chair photo. Peter's son, Peter G. "Chipper" Johnson, is the current President of Hoover Construction and also served as AGC board chair in 2017.
Services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, October 6, at St. Martins Catholic Church in Tower, MN, with a visitation prior. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Virginia Community Foundation (303 Chestnut St., Virginia, MN 55792) are appreciated.
AGC staff and members extend our deepest sympathies to the Johnson family and Hoover employees.
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AGC Members Celebrate Milestone Years of Membership
Tim Worke and Merry Beckmann spent time this week visiting members who are celebrating milestone years of continuous membership with the association.
Congratulations to Sowles Company on 60 years of continuous membership!
Pictured L-R: Erik Paulsen, Maddy Rodewald, Darrell Nelson, Tim Worke, Dan Sowles, John Dahl, Jolene Hjelmberg, and Sheila Stenseth.
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Congratulations to Heidelberg Materials, celebrating 50 years of continuous membership this year!
Area Sales Manager Chad Hanson (R) is pictured with AGC CEO Tim Worke (L)
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AGC welcomes the following new members: | |
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Fairchild Equipment
2000 West 94th Street
Bloomington, MN 55431
Sales, service, and rentals in the construction arena.
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Davis Mechanical Systems
21225 Hamburg Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044
HVAC, plumbing, refrigeration installation, services, and preventative maintenance.
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Ironmark Building Company
1710 West Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55408
General contracting focused on multifamily, hospitality, student housing, commercial office & light industrial.
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Klehr & Mulligan
5666 Lincoln Drive
Edina, MN 55436
We provide legal services for the commercial construction and real estate industries.
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AGC Honors
Each year, AGC of Minnesota solicits nominees to be recognized for career contributions and personal accomplishments that have elevated the industry beyond the boundaries of their respective firm or business. This year, honorees for the AGC Lifetime Achievement Award, Skill Responsibility, and Integrity (SRI) Award, the Jensen Safety Awards, the DEI Awards, and the joint MnDOT/AGC Bridge Awards will be celebrated during an exciting evening of recognition and live entertainment at the 2024 AGC Honors on January 16.
The event promises to be a memorable and fun evening that has been purposefully scheduled the night prior to opening the 2024 Minnesota Construction Summit.
We encourage all AGC members and industry friends to join us in celebrating these truly amazing individuals and firms while also enjoying some great music entertainment provided by renowned Twin Cities musical talent Mick Sterling and his band.
Click the images below to nominate an individual, firm, or project for one of the awards to be presented at the 2024 AGC Honors!
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Nominate an individual for the
Lifetime Achievement or SRI Award
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Nominate your firm for a DEI Award | |
Nominate your firm for a Jeff Jensen Memorial Construction Safety Excellence Award | |
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Nominate a bridge project for a joint MnDOT/AGC Bridge Award
(see below for details)
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2023 AGC Bridge Award Nominations are Open!
As the construction season winds down, or speeds into the finish line, it is time for the 22nd Annual Bridge Construction Awards nominations. MnDOT, MnDOT State Aid, and the AGC Bridge Committee want to recognize high quality bridge construction projects that have been opened to traffic in 2022 and 2023. AGC member Contractors, suppliers, and others are encouraged to discuss project merits with the owner to receive consideration. The MnDOT project engineer or local agency owner and the contractor must both endorse the submittal.
Contractors should contact the District and/or District State Aid Office to discuss submitting a nomination form for one or more bridge projects completed in 2022 or 2023. County or other publicly owned bridges also qualify. The nomination form, plus narratives and photos are due to the MnDOT Bridge Office by October 17th, 2023.
Award Categories:
MnDOT or local agency bridges constructed by an AGC Contractor
1. Bridges costing less than $1.5 million
2. Bridges costing between $1.5 and $5.0 million
3. Bridges costing over $5.0 million
Please note that award submittals will only be accepted for bridge projects completed by AGC member contractors
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20-Year CHASE Recognition Event
The Construction Health and Safety Excellence (CHASE) program is celebrating its 20th year with a special event to honor the participating contractors whose stellar safety records continue to lead the Minnesota construction industry!
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The CHASE program began in 2003 as a partnership between Minnesota OSHA and AGC of Minnesota. Twenty years later, it is still the longest-running partnership with MNOSHA.
Join us at Ames Center on November 8 to celebrate the achievements of these contractors in the past year, and hear an inspiring safety message from renowned speaker Garrison Wynn - "Influencing Safety: What the most successful leaders do differently."
Whether you are trying to reduce your number of recordables or prevent a good safety record from creating complacency, this entertaining, safety leadership session will get you laughing, learning and motivated to create a culture of safety while maintaining productivity.
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Thank You to our Sponsors! | |
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VitalCog Suicide Prevention in Construction Gatekeeper Training
AGC member Adolfson & Peterson took part in a second series of Gatekeeper Training sessions this week. AGC Director of Diversity, Equity and Training, Yolanda McIntosh, took the group of A&P employees through two days of material from VitalCog to help team members at all levels of leadership learn how to assess and prevent suicide risk in employees.
With these sessions, Adolfson & Peterson has trained 30 employees since July of this year, ranging from Safety Managers, Safety Coordinators/Laborers, Project Managers, Field Engineers, Asst. Supervisors, Sr. Superintendents, Marketing Manager, HR Coordinators, Sr. Precon Coordinators, General Foremen, Laborer Foremen, Regional Controllers, Insurance & Risk Analysts, Sr. Estimators, Schedulers, and Communications Staff.
Way to commit to the work, A&P! KT Bernhagen, Senior Support Coordinator at A&P, had this to say about the training: "Thank you so much Yolanda. Everyone is thrilled with the training that we have all received. Thank you for being an amazing person and rocking your job!"
For more information on how to access suicide prevention in construction training for your team, contact Yolanda.
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Save the Date:
2nd Annual Summit on Mental Health in Construction
The Minnesota Construction Coalition for Mental Health is proud to announce its 2nd Annual Summit on Tuesday, November 28. The agenda will feature subject matter experts and members of the Minnesota construction community discussing substance use and mental health in construction. More details here.
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Expand the Toolbox Presents:
Addressing the Construction Skilled Labor Shortage - International Professionals
Tuesday, October 24
International Institute of Minnesota
This event will provide insight and access to opportunities for contractors to learn about the variety of areas where they can legally employ international students & workers who are skilled and ready for the construction industry. By attending this event you will learn about the opportunities, process, timelines, and strategy when incorporating and accommodating international students and graduates within your organization.
This event is for construction contractors/employers, HR professionals and senior leadership who are currently embracing this opportunity or looking to be a champion of this work within their own company or the industry.
Learn more and Register
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AGC 2023 DEI Awards
Applications for the second annual AGC DEI Awards are now open! These awards recognize member businesses for their initiatives in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space, and are presented in four categories:
All applicants must be members in good standing with AGC of Minnesota for at least one year, and must sign the Culture of CARE Pledge. Submissions must relate to activities or initiatives conducted in the past 12 months.
Entries are judged by the AGC of Minnesota Diversity & Inclusion Judging Committee, based on the information provided in the application. Judges are non-members who are business owners, or work in educational institutions, government entities, and community-based organizations that work in tandem with the construction industry.
The 2023 Awards will be presented at the AGC Honors event on January 16, 2024 | St. Paul Event Center
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Rochester Area Member Networking + Expansion Plans Update
Networking opportunities are among the benefits AGC provides to members!
AGC members (and prospective members) are invited to join us for a networking event at Somerby Golf Club in Byron on October 12.
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Thanks to Mayo Clinic's $4 billion expansion announcement this year, Destination Medical Center will hit its goal to bring $5.6 billion in economic development to downtown Rochester by 2033.
Come mingle with your industry peers and hear about the latest expansion plans in Rochester from Patrick Seeb and Wafa Elkhalifa of Destination Medical Center (DMC) Economic Development Agency.
The DMC is the state’s largest public-private economic development initiative, which aims to transform Rochester into a global destination for health and wellness.
Register to join us!
| Thank You to our Sponsors: | |
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2024 Construction Summit:
ONE MORE DAY to save on registration!
Registration is open both to attendees and sponsors/exhibitors for the 2024 Minnesota Construction Summit (January 17-18)!
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ATTENDEES: Take advantage of the Extra Early Bird discount by registering before September 30!
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EXHIBITORS: Register early to get your preferred location!
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SPONSORS: The earlier you register, the more exposure you'll receive!
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Don't Miss These Events!
Register now for these upcoming AGC events:
.........Get the Extra Early Bird discount by registering to attend before September 30!
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Thank You to our 2023 Annual Partners! | |
Interested in how advertising through AGC could benefit your firm?
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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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