News
Private Funding of Wastewater Infrastructure Would Spur Development
In order to spur private development within urban growth areas set by the state’s Growth Management Act AGC is supporting legislation that allows private entities to fund wastewater infrastructure.
Craig Goodwin General Manager for Northwest Cascade Inc. joined AGC’s Director of Government Affai...
Posted on 02/15/2011
Governor Signs UI Tax Deferral Bill in a Victory for Business
On February 11 the Governor signed bills SB 5135 and ESHB 1091 lowering unemployment insurance tax rates for 80 percent of all small businesses.
AGC supported the measures which were touted as part of the Governor’s jobs package. The legislation represents a significant positive step forward for...
Posted on 02/15/2011
False Claims Bill Would Compound Mike M. Johnson Problems
By Douglas Roach Ahlers & Cressman PLLC
(Editor’s Note: Roach and fellow AGC Legal Affairs Committee member John Ahlers have been active in proposing language to address the problems with Senate Bill 5310. Roach and AGC’s Legislative Counsel Van Collins testified during a Feb. 4 Senate Judi...
Posted on 02/15/2011
AGC Seeks to Preserve Contractors' Lien Rights Endangered by Williams Case
By John Riper Ashbaugh Beal LLP
(Editor’s Note: John Riper and AGC’s Government Affairs Director Rick Slunaker testified during a Feb. 2 House Labor and Workforce Development Committee hearing in strong support of House Bill 1708. Watch their testimony via embedded link at end of this article.)...
Posted on 02/15/2011
AGC Fights to Restore Public Works Trust Fund
“As the construction industry goes so goes our state budget.”
That sentence was delivered by Gov. Gregoire during the State of the State address. She added: “Jobs are the way out of the recession especially in one of the hardest hit areas — the construction sector. Through the capital and trans...
Posted on 02/15/2011
AGC Legislative Snapshot for Feb. 14
Help Us Help You: Be Involved
Call: Mondays at 7:15 a.m. call into the weekly “Legislative Huddle.” This call is used to gather member feedback on legislative proposals that impact construction and to give us direction on positions AGC should take on specific legislation coming at us. To sign-...
Posted on 02/14/2011
PCL's Hunter Collins among Excellence in Contract Administration Winners
AGC Future Leadership Forum Steering Committee member Hunter Collins was Project Manager for the I-5 to 12th Ave. S. Seismic Retrofit project which recently received an Excellence in Contract Administration Award from WSDOT and AGC.
In total nine transportation construction projects were honored...
Posted on 02/11/2011
AGC Elects New Officers and Board Members
At its Jan. 28 annual meeting AGC of Washington elected its 2011 slate of officers and board members. The officers are:
Pat McGarry President
Pat McGarry is Vice President for Manson Construction Co. He started at Manson in 1968 working aboard the company’s tugs and crane barg...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Pete Paup, Manson Construction, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
AGC of Washington presented Pete Paup Chairman and former President of Manson Construction Co. with its Lifetime Achievement Award during the association’s Annual Convention on January 28.
The award was presented by Pat McGarry 2011 AGC of Washington President and Manson Construction Vice Pres...
Posted on 02/01/2011
AGC Honors Frank Imhof and Mike Ferring
Frank Imhof President of IMCO General Construction Inc.
Mike Ferring Partner Ferring & DeLue LLP
AGC of Washington honored Frank Imhof President of IMCO General Construction Inc. of Ferndale as Contractor of the Year and Mike Ferring P...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Industry Mourns the Loss of Bill Scott
Bill Scott former Chairman of Sellen Construction passed away Jan 20. Bill was 1967 AGC Seattle Northwest President a life director of AGC of America and a UW Construction Hall of Fame inductee. Click Bill Scott for the Seattle Times obituary including information about the memorial service to ...
Posted on 02/01/2011
House Committee Increases Benefit Expansion in UI Tax Reduction Bill
Legislation to reduce businesses’ unemployment insurance taxes took a turn for the worse when the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee inserted a provision that adds a new dependent care benefit and strikes the training benefit requested by the Governor.
AGC supports the tax deferral ...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Last Call for Lobby Day, Feb. 9
One of the construction industry’s most important annual advocacy efforts takes place Feb. 9 in Olympia. Join fellow AGC members at AGC Lobby Day and meet with legislators about bills important to your business including workers’ comp transportation infrastructure financing requirements for mech...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Legislation Would Alter Design-Build Threshold for WSDOT Projects
AGC secured changes to legislation that modifies provisions relating to design-build procedures for WSDOT projects. The legislation (Senate Bill 5250) establishes a $1 million project cost threshold over which WSDOT may consider using DB (the original bill had no minimum threshold). The legisla...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Poll: WA State Contractors say 2013 is the Year
The rebound for the construction industry is still a couple years away according to a poll of Washington State contractors by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America. Plus the poll revealed that Washington contractors are more likely to work on BIM and LEED projects and less likely to...
Posted on 02/01/2011
PCL, Northwest Construction, Mowat, Kiewit among WSDOT/AGC Winners
Nine transportation construction projects were honored for administrative or environmental excellence by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Washington. Awards were presented by WSDOT Secretary Paula Hammond at the WSDOT/AGC a...
Posted on 02/01/2011
Dawson Construction Named Safety Award Finalist
During AGC of America’s March 2011 Convention in Las Vegas Dawson Construction will compete for an AGC/WILLIS Construction Safety Excellence Award. Congratulations to Dawson which was recently notified that it is a finalist for the prestigious safety award!
Posted on 02/01/2011
Walsh Construction Earns Environmental Award
Congratulations to Walsh Construction for receiving the Tahoma Business Environmental Award from the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce for its constructing of the Tacoma Housing Authority’s Salishan redevelopment the first federal Hope IV project to achieve a LEED Platinum rating in the co...
Posted on 02/01/2011
AGC Hosts New Legislators for Coffee and Issues
AGC’s Legislative Office hosted eight new legislators at the 2011 AGC Freshman Legislators Breakfast on Jan. 18. All of the policymakers that attended were recently elected to their first term in the State Legislature. They were: Reps. Katarina Asay Vincent Buys Cathy Dahlquist Paul Harris Ann...
Posted on 02/01/2011
*** AGC Annual Convention January 28 - Register Now! ***
Time’s running out…Register now for the AGC Annual Convention. Great food engaging speakers beautiful venue and educational topics like Profitability and Project Success: The Financially Intelligent Approach to Project-Based Business; Extraordinary Leadership: Moving Managers from Good to Great; ...
Posted on 01/19/2011
Unemployment Insurance Tax Break Takes First Legislative Step
Governor Gregoire’s proposed $300 million reduction in unemployment insurance tax increases took its first legislative step when the House Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a public hearing last week. Time is of the essence as legislation needs to be enacted by Feb. 8 in order to...
Posted on 01/19/2011
Materials Prices Jump in December; Economist Warns \Worse to Come\
Construction firms are facing increasing pressure as nearly every material used by contractors rose in price in December while bid prices for new buildings remained flat according to an analysis of December producer price index figures released by AGC of America. Association officials warned tha...
Posted on 01/19/2011
This is Not a Drill: Be on Alert for Misleading Fax
Previously we reported that companies around the country were receiving a fax from “American” General Contractors looking deceptively like a real AGC (Associated General Contractors) application. Now several AGC of Washington members have reported receiving it. Take note! Click fake fax to see...
Posted on 01/19/2011
Coast Crane Co. Helps Train Rescue Workers
Recently the Snohomish County Technical Rescue Team performed a Rope Rescue Training drill on Coast Crane Company’s Seattle Tower crane yard. Approximately 20 rescue workers from both Fire District 1 of Snohomish County and the Lynnwood Fire Department participated in the training...
Posted on 01/19/2011
DOSH Policy Change Could Limit Some Consultation Services
A policy change that limits the number of certain consultative visits by L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) could affect contractors with multiple jobsites.
There are four types of onsite visits by safety consultants from DOSH - initial training and assistance follow-ups...