Hello Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association members! It’s time once again for the highly anticipated Executive Director Blog!!!! I know 1,000’s await monthly by their computers and phones to find out what’s new with CRMCA. OK, maybe not 1,000’s…………………….. but for sure 100’s……………………… Wait, Annelise just checked the reader reports………………………………….. really……………….so 10’s of readers? …………………… OK, I’ll take it.
Now for some big news! The CRMCA update will soon include the option of the Blog for those that like to read, but will also have a Video version. A VLOG instead of a BLOG, and I am not making that up. So you can soon get the CRMCA update in a new format. I know, very exciting, so look for that in the coming months!!!
I don’t have to tell you the virus continues on. I hope everyone remains safe and sane. As I have stated many times, it continues to impress me how companies have made the operational changes on the fly and are operating at a high capacity while keeping your employees safe. This is something everyone in the concrete and construction industry should be proud of. With the vaccination roll out progressing, we all hope there is a clear end in sight. With this in mind, we are planning on an in-person summer conference in Vail, August 12-13th. So, block the dates and look for registration information to follow. I personally look forward to our face-to-face interaction again, and this should be a great way to get back to it.
Regarding our committees:
- Governmental Affairs Committee
- The Colorado General Assembly session started again last week on Feb 16, after a scheduled delay allowing for vaccinations. There are already many bills working their way thru the process. As usual, we (Legislative Sub-Committee) meet Monday mornings to discuss bills applicable to our industry. While these meetings cannot yet be held in person, conference calls Monday mornings at 8 am are allowing the process to continue. Contact either Annelise or myself if you would like to participate in the process. Our lobbying firm, Rees Consulting, continues to do a great job fighting for our positions and making our voices heard.
- The legislators have outlined 4 primary priorities for the 2021 Session:
- Transportation Funding: A bill to raise fees on deliveries, TNCs and electric vehicles. Change the gas tax to a fee. Reconfigure the HUTF.
- Health Care: Establish a Public Option — there is no consensus among the legislators, and this may come from D.C.
- Police Reform: Define previously undefined terms and an attempt to establish due process for officers facing Police Officer Standard Training (POST) revocation.
- Greenhouse Gas Roadmap: Eliminate greenhouse gases by 2050. Governor’s initiative. Currently, this initiative is not expected to have a major impact on sand/gravel, ready mixed, or asphalt operations. However, cement manufacturers in the state were named directly in the plan. Here’s a link to the plan.
- Safety Committee
- Team Safety Awards: The 2020 Annual Team Safety Awards will be presented via a webinar at 9 am on March 3. This virtual format allows for additional participation and we hope many more are able to attend as we recognize safety leadership within the industry!
- Technical Committee
- The expansion of the CTAC program continues moving forward with details being worked out for a partnership with NRMCA. I anticipate details will be finalized soon and plan to discuss more later.
- Marketing efforts:
- Make sure you read about the progress being made regarding the Build with Strength (BWS) campaign in Emma Dolan’s latest blog. Emma is our program leader for BWS and successfully leading the process. The messaging we have been working on is showing results, and converting buildings to concrete construction. Thanks to all those working everyday regarding these efforts. I hope you enjoy Emma’s article.
Lastly, you can see several of the items I mentioned involve interaction with NRMCA (CTAC & BWS). We are fortunate to have a strong working relationship with this National association. Part of this includes being named the recipient of the NRMCA State Association of the Year for 2020. This marks the 3rd time in 5 years that CRMCA has received this recognition, and something we are extremely proud of. We work to make CRMCA the best we can be, for the industry and our members. While we strive for continuous improvement, this national recognition is a strong indicator that we continue in the right direction. Thanks to our dedicated staff of Annelise, JT and Emma, as well as the board of directors and committee leaders that drive us forward. This recognition is for the entire state association, and we should all be proud.
Thank you, and again, look for the VLOG option coming soon. Reach out with any questions and be safe.
Todd R. Ohlheiser, CAE
Executive Director
