Over $1,500 was raised to benefit the American Cancer Society June 6th at the 11th Annual Concrete Open. Special thanks to Mary Hayes and Patty Christiansen, both of Aggregate Industries, for selling mulligans the day of the event. The top individual contributors were Dave Anderson (McNeilus) and Dave Broadhacker (Lehigh). Many thanks go out to member companies who donated prizes!

Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit (MBRT), a coalition of more than 700 organizations, launched its campaign on May 24 in support of the Transportation Constitutional Amendment that will be on the November 2006 ballot in Minnesota. The coalition will conduct a statewide grassroots and media campaign to encourage Minnesotans to VOTE YES on the amendment.

Jon Campbell, co-chair of MBRT and chief executive officer for Wells Fargo Minnesota joined his MBRT co-chair, Lenny Pippin, President of The Schwan Food Co. of Marshall, and others to kick off the campaign. If approved by the voters, the amendment will dedicate 100 percent of the revenue from the existing motor vehicle sales tax to transportation. Currently, only 54 percent of the existing motor vehicle sales tax funds transportation.  When the five-year phase–in of the remaining 46 percent is complete in 2011, it will add $300 million in new revenue for roads and transit every year.

For more information about Minnesota Transportation Amendment and how ARM members can get involved with Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit, visit www.VoteYesMN.org

The 11th Annual Concrete Open was held June 6, 2006 at The Legends Club in Prior Lake. The event, which is co-sponsored by ARM, CPAM and MCMA, was sold-out almost three weeks prior to the event. Golfers enjoyed near-perfect weather. The 1st place winners of the event, with a score of 58, were Jason Fritz (Cemstone), Pat Kinsel (Cemstone), Ed Storm (Reward Wall Systems) and John Moylan (Reward Wall Systems). The 2nd place winners, with a score of 59, were Travis Collins (GRT), Bill Carlson (GRT), Greg Pelkey (Shafer Contracting) and Don Nelson (Boyer Trucks). Closest to the pin winner was Bruce Baumann (Anchor Block) and the longest drive winner was Mark Joslyn (Anchor Block).

With no lucky (or talented) golfer able to claim the hole-in-one prize at the 11th Annual Concrete Open on June 6th, Hole-in-One Sponsors Enduracon/FORTA, Lafarge NA and Lehigh Cement Company raffled off the $1,000 prize. Jason Fritz (Cemstone) was this year’s lucky winner! (Fritz was also a member of the tournament’s winning foursome.) Congratulations, Jason! Thank you, sponsors!

Holy Angels Catholic Church in Moose Lake chose ICF for its new rectory and has said “goodbye” to high heating costs. The rectory, which was built with Amvic ICF’s had heating bills of $36 per month this past December through April. The home has proved to be both comfortable and quiet reports Bruce Smith of Smitty’s Ready Mix, who provided the ready mix for the project.

The Minnesota legislature ended its session on schedule on May 21 after passing bills on a number of issues of interest to ARM members while leaving others until next year. Those issues of interest include:
 
Bonding
The major task of the session was the biennial capital bonding bill for construction projects across the state. ARM members can review the almost $1 billion legislation by clicking here.

Eminent Domain
The following summary of the statutory changes to the eminent domain was provided by the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC). It provides detail to the recently signed eminent domain law, Chapter 214 Minnesota Session Laws 2006 (HF 2846/SF 2750*). The law became effective May 20, 2006. You may access the LMC’s PDF of the summary at www.lmnc.org.
Click here to view the law

Aggregate Reserves Property Tax Legislation
Once again, language that would have provided uniform treatment of registered properties containing aggregate reserves was stymied when the conference committee on Taxes did not act on the language. The ARM Aggregate Committee will review options for dealing with this language and other recommendations of the 2000 Legislative Task Force on Aggregates in future legislative sessions. The authors of the legislation, Representative Denny McNamara (R-Hastings) and Senator John Hottinger (DFL-St. Peter) were both very active in working on this bill right up to the last minutes of the conference committee.
 
7-Ton and 10-Ton Road Weight Legislation
Despite last minute efforts by Representative Tony Cornish (R-Good Thunder), legislation introduced by ARM that would raise the minimum weight limits on Minnesota’s roads from 5 & 7-tons to 7 & 10-tons failed in the last days of the legislative session.  Concerns about state-aid formula funding to counties were ultimately too difficult to overcome in the waning hours of the session. This effort has identified a large number of groups who need higher road weights who have volunteered to work with ARM to prepare legislation for 2007.
 
Scrap Dealers
ARM is working with legislative staff to draft legislation requiring scrap dealers to keep records similar to those required from pawn shops.  The legislative effort is in response to numerous thefts of copper and aluminum property from ARM members over the past year.  ARM is working with the scrap dealers association and other groups to put together a coalition in support of the legislation. The legislation would be introduced in the 2007 legislative session.

ARM has scheduled a Leadership Conference for Thursday, August 17, 2006 to be held at the Eagan Community Center in Eagan, MN. The conference will begin at 1:30 pm and is intended for executive management of the aggregate and ready mix concrete industries in Minnesota. This conference will members and their industry peers an opportunity to assess the industry in Minnesota and to consider actions that this group might take to support the future development of the industry. The conference will also provide an opportunity for attendees to review the outcomes of the 2004 Leadership Conference. For additional information, e-mail Margaret Mills at mmills@armofmn.com or Fred Corrigan at fcorrigan@armofmn.com

Julie Luther, Executive Director of the RMC Research Foundation, will visit Minnesota July 19-20, 2006. While in Minnesota, Luther will visit the MnROAD research facility to look at some pervious sections that were put down at the facility in 2005, and to look at opportunities for future research at MnROAD in 2007. She will also make a trip to the University of Minnesota to meet the leadership of the Transportation Engineering and Road Research Alliance (TERRA) to discuss the possible involvement of the RMC Foundation or NRMCA with TERRA.  Luther will also attend the ARM Board of Director’s meeting on July 20th at Degussa Admixtures in Eagan.

The Insulating Concrete Form Association is currently accepting awards for its 1st Annual ICFA Excellence Awards program. The purpose of the awards is to promote the outstanding features and benefits insulating concrete forms (ICFs) offer customers throughout North America.

To learn more about the award and program guidelines please click here. Participation is limited to ICFA members only. Project entries are due on or before Friday, August 18, 2006. Award winners will be recognized during the ICFA Excellence Award's luncheon at ICFA's Fall Meeting and Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 24, 2006.

Minnesota has been selected as the site of the 2007 NAHB Concrete Technologies Tour. This annual event, sponsored by NAHB’s Concrete Home Building Council, introduces attendees to the basics of residential and light commercial concrete. Watch for additional information.

Bill Brice, Director, Division of Lands & Minerals, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, has announced his retirement from the Department effective in early August.  Arm members have worked with bill on a number of issues over his years in this position and have always found those opportunities to be productive. There has been no announcement about who might replace Bill in this position.

PHMSA is closing this rulemaking proceeding, having considered and declined to adopt proposals for further regulating the transportation of flammable liquids in the product piping on cargo tank motor vehicles. On the basis of public comments and additional data and analysis, PHMSA has concluded that further regulation would not produce the level of benefits we originally expected and that the quantifiable benefits of proposed regulatory approaches would not justify the corresponding costs. Although PHMSA is withdrawing its rulemaking proposal, the agency will develop and implement an outreach program to educate the industry, first responder community, and the public about potential risks associated with unprotected product pipelines on these vehicles and will continue to collect data and other information in order to address the issue further if warranted.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Supko, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, telephone (202) 366-8553; or Michael Stevens, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, telephone (202) 366-8553