Politics

Tony Bennett

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Dr. Tony Bennett
State Superintendent

I had the opportunity to hear State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Tony Bennett, speak last week at the State Board meeting of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in Indianapolis.  It was interesting to hear the changes that he and Governor Daniels have made in the Indiana school systems over the past few years.  While it had a campaign speech theme, I was pleased and impressed with a lot of the questions and answers that followed.  Through my association with the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, MCEDC, I constantly hear that educating the workforce is the number one request from the business community.  Dr. Bennett said that graduation rates are up 4%, and 10% more students are participating in Advanced Placement in preparation for college from 2009 to 2011.

 

As it affects our industry, I was more interested in how schools can earn credit for vocational education.  This has long been a frustration of mine.  I’ve often felt that high schools have divided the students into two tracks, 1) College Prep and 2) High School Graduation.  Track 1 kids are prepared for higher learning and are made to understand that high school is just a step along the way.  Less than three months after high school graduation they will be back in school and expected to continue their career path education.  Track 2 kids are given the goal of getting their high school diploma.  I feel that it often hasn’t been explained to them that they will still be expected to “learn” in order to make whatever job they take into a career.  Kids that we hire are often shocked and almost offended that we would suggest that they need to participate in Apprenticeship programs and continue their education in order to advance with our company.

For years now, ABC has offered a program to our schools that allows high school students participating in the Building Trades programs to earn their first year of apprenticeship.  The program is Bureau of Apprenticeship Training (BAT) approved, meaning that they could continue their training through union or merit shop training after graduation.  I think this accomplishes a three things:  1)  It fosters the idea that construction workers need to be educated in order to make their job a career.  2)  It gives the students a leg-up on the competition when they enter the job market.  3)  It elevates a graduate’s pay potential.  (They would still need to complete On the Job Training (OJT’s) hours to complete their first year, but the programs are set up with graduated pay increases with each year of apprenticeship successfully completed.  At Easterday Construction, we generally require a year of service before we would consider sending someone to Apprenticeship Training, but if someone came out of a high school building trades program with a year of apprenticeship under their belt, I would seriously consider sending them for year two the following Fall.)  I have approached the Culver and Plymouth Schools regarding this opportunity in the past and I have been rebuffed.  Hopefully they will reconsider this in the future since it would now count favorably in the school’s overall assessment by the State.

All in all, I was impressed with Dr. Bennett and the programs he has put into place.  I think Indiana could do worse than giving Dr. Bennett another term to further his programs and give the ones currently implemented a chance to bear fruit.

Constitution Day 2012

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Today is Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day.  It was set for September 17th, the day the Constitutional Congress signed the Constitution in 1787.  It’s interesting to contemplate the Constitution in the year of a Presidential Election.  For such a simple document there seems to be a lot of “interpretation” going on.

Check out a previous post here from 2009 that includes links if you are interested in finding out more.

MCEDC Culver Update

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Jennifer Laurent, Executive Director of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), gave an update to the Culver Town Council last night.  Aside from giving a report on some of the activities MCEDC is involved in throughout the County, she discussed some of the specifics for Culver.  One these was her interactions with Elkay Wood Products, formerly Medallion Cabinetry.   Jennifer facilitated a radio interview June 15th on WTCA with Rick Coffman, Operations Manager, to discuss what they do and what their plans for the future are.  I think a key point here is that no one else in Culver is making these kind of contacts and making sure our largest industrial client is helped.

Jennifer also commended the Plan Commission and Redevelopment Commission for making the first steps towards a new Comprehensive Plan.  (20/20 Vision for Culver!)  She stressed some of the visioning needs that the plan should address along with the nuts & bolts infrastructure and land planning functions.

This is much like what I’ve been trying to promote with the various groups…  We need to use the development of the new Comprehensive Plan as the catalyst for new ideas about Culver’s future.  Communities are either growing or dying.  Maintaining the Status Quo is impossible.

Jennifer is also working with Culver’s new Town Manager, Jeff Schoeff, to coordinate some training sessions for the Redevelopment Commission, Plan Commission and Town Council.  One important topic will be TIF Districts.  Others topics relating to finances and the various powers of these boards will be considered as well.

I hope the council members and those in the audience recognize the value Culver gets from leveraging their funds in with Marshall County and the other Marshall County communities.  Budgets will no doubt be tight again this year, but without MCEDC, who would be doing these things for Culver?  We have so many individuals with good intentions, but they can’t make up for someone with dedicated time and tenure based on performance.

ABC Declares Major Victory as Federal Court Overturns NLRB “Ambush” Elections Rule

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Washington, D.C. – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today overturned a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) “ambush” elections rule because it was adopted without the statutorily required quorum of NLRB members. 

“This is a great victory for the merit shop construction industry, and employers and employees across the country,” said ABC Vice President of Federal Affairs Geoffrey Burr. “The new procedures, which went into effect April 30, made it more difficult for employees to make a fully informed decision concerning union representation. 

“We said all along that the “ambush” elections rule was made in haste without regard or consideration to the proper procedures, and that the rule would have a negative impact on the nation’s small businesses,” Burr said. 

The rule was challenged by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

To view this news release on ABC’s website, click here. 

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Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association with 74 chapters representing 22,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms. Visit us at www.abc.org.