Masonry Magazine October 2007 Page. 62
News
presentation of more awards, including Life Time Achievement, which went to Daniel Lageman.
In 2008, the Northeast Chapter will host the 2008 convention for the Masonry Association of Florida.
Michigan
The Michigan Mason Contractors' Association held its annual fall meeting at Boyne Mountain Aug. 24 through 26. The general membership meeting and board of director election took place on Aug. 25 with Ed Davenport, Jim DiGiovanni and Jim "Rock" Weinrauch elected to the board of directors. Members were updated on the recent changes to the Michigan lien laws and various contract issues and on MIM, MCAA, MVTech and the MAD Program. Members were encouraged to refer non-masonry projects to the MIM for help in converting the project, and encouraged to get involved with local building departments and school boards to introduce the benefits of masonry.
The newly elected board of directors held a short meeting and elected Brad Leidal as president; Rick Cianek as VP; and Jim DiGiovanni as secretary-treasurer.
Saturday evening, a farewell dinner was held. Ray Bostwick was thanked for his service as secretary-treasurer of the board of directors, and Kevin Ryan was thanked for his contribution to the board as its president. Planning will begin for MMCA participation in the Masonry Showcase in January 2008. For more information about future activities, visit www.mmca-mi.com.
Valspar Donates Flooring for Outreach Center
Located in a poverty-stricken, inner-city neighborhood in Indianapolis, Cityview Christian Center daily confronts the havoc caused by substance abuse. The center's latest outreach program was the conversion of a space once used as the church garage into a coffee house/social center, which is open on Saturday nights through midnight to serve as an alternative to neighborhood bars. Coffee and snacks are free to the homeless in a safe, non-threatening environment.
Cityview's pastor contacted Greg McGuirk and Erik Van Anglen with Valspar Flooring.
McGuirk and Van Anglen arranged for a Valspar Valflake flooring system to be donated to the center. RV Ministries, a national group of retired building contractors, volunteered to install the floor with specialized assistance from Van Anglen.
To install the Valflake system, Valspar PR-7 Flex Prime epoxy primer was applied to the damaged floor with a trowel to form a tough, flexible film. Next, one coat of a pigmented Valspar EC-3 medium build epoxy resurfacer was applied, filling gaps and leveling the overall surface. Finally, a topcoat of EC-15 UVR epoxy coating/binder was applied.
For more information on Valspar, visit www.valsparflooring.com, or call 800-637-7793, ext. 5050.
Industry News
AGC Supports Fee Increase to Address Infrastructure Crisis
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has submitted a statement of support for the National Highway System Bridge Reconstruction Initiative that includes a potential increase to the federal excise on gasoline, which continues to be the fairest and most reliable and easily administered user fee.
"This targeted, nationwide bridge reconstruction program is an appropriate response to the tragic collapse of a span of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis and to our country's pressing needs," says AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr.
Twelve percent, or about 72,000, of the nation's bridges are classified as "structurally deficient." Bridges are one component of the nation's transportation network that supports our $14 trillion economy; other system needs exist and require solutions to address a variety of mobility challenges.
"We face a looming infrastructure crisis in this country, which involves all modes of infrastructure from surface transportation to aviation, from water infrastructure and flood control to navigation," says Sandherr. "The National Highway System Bridge Reconstruction Initiative is an important first step toward fixing the long-term neglect of our nation's aging and deteriorating infrastructure."
In its support for increasing investment in transportation infrastructure and a potential increase in the federal excise on gasoline, AGC recommends that it be indexed to account for the expected inflation in construction costs that will diminish the purchasing power of this funding increase in the future.
"Indexing this user fee to account for inflation will help our country avoid future catastrophes," Sandherr says.