The SMRCA Golf Outing is right around the corner! The date is set for Tuesday, May 16, 2000. We will be following the same format as last year, utilizing BayPointe and Links at Pinewood, for a shot-gun start to begin at 11:00am. Cocktails and dinner will be served at BayPointe beginning at 5:00pm. If you have not sent in your registration form, please do so ASAP. The courses are filling up quite quickly!

If you would like to donate a gift for the SMRCA Golf Outing, please contact Heather or Tania at the SMRCA office at (810) 759-2140. Thank you for your continued support of this event. We could not do it without you!

I would like to introduce you to our newest staff member, Tania Materazzi. Tania’s first day was on Monday, February 28, 2000. Tania is a great asset to our office. She is outgoing, energetic, dedicated and a hard worker. In the short time she has been here, she has made herself indispensable. You will be meeting her at the up-coming outings.

The Southeastern Michigan Roofing Contractors Association (SMRCA) in conjunction with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) have become involved with a Worker Recruitment / Industry Image Campaign.

The formation of this Worker Recruitment / Industry Image Campaign was originally formulated by the Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, the group formed as part of the National Roofing Foundation’s endowment campaign, has stepped forward to do something. The Alliance has committed significant funding to develop an industry-wide program designed to attract more workers into our industry, through a public relations and awareness program intended to tell the very positive story that ours is an industry with good, honorable jobs available for people willing to work hard and make a career for themselves. 

The SMRCA feels this is a very worthy cause.

The Worker Recruitment / Industry Image Campaign is a public information campaign to spotlight attractive job/career opportunities in the Southeastern Michigan Roofing Industry. The Campaign is designed to heighten awareness of the financial and other rewards of a roofing career and the strong area demand, current and projected, for new industry recruits, especially young men and women just entering the job market and people experienced in other fields who are seeking new challenges.

1. An informative brochure, available in English and Spanish, detailing the advantages of roofing as a skilled craft and what it takes to get started and succeed as a roofer;

2. A listing of Association member contractors with immediate job openings, including telephone and other contact information;

3. A special 24-hour, toll free hotline number people can call, staffed by English and Spanish-speaking operators, for free copies of the English or Spanish version of the brochure, plus the listing of contractors seeking workers. The toll-free number is

1-888-ROOF-321.

Carlisle, Pennsylvania – Carlisle SynTec Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of single-ply roofing systems and products, recently announced the availability of Sure-Tough, a uniquely reinforced 75-mil-thick EPDM membrane.

Carlisle’s Sure-Tough is manufactured with an enhanced polyester reinforcement sandwiched between two plies of EPDM. Sure-Tough’s dual-ply construction makes the product more resistant to the cuts, tears and scuffs that can occur in a dynamic roofing environment. Even if the top ply is damaged, the membrane will remain watertight due to a bottom layer that is approximately 30 mils thick. Such security has made the product the choice of facility managers at manufacturing facilities, schools and hospitals.

The Sure-Tough System’s ability to withstand maintenance traffic is backed by a unique warranty. The Sure-Tough warranty provides owners with additional security by covering repairs for accidental damage, typically excluded from most roofing warranties.

Sure-Tough reinforced membrane may be utilized on Carlisle Fully-Adhered, Mechanically-Fastened and Metal Retrofit Roofing Systems, systems that attain Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Factory Mutual (FM) approvals. The membrane’s enhanced reinforcement provides improved wind uplift performance for both the Mechanically-Fastened and Metal Retrofit Systems.

ASPHALT PRICES ARE INCREASING

Because of recent increases in crude oil prices, roofing asphalt and asphalt containing roofing material prices are anticipated to continue increasing significantly. Industry sources report that crude oil prices are expected to increase $30 to $50 per ton – roughly 15 percent to 20 percent higher than their current levels and continue to do so through summer.

Factors influencing the price increases include a greater demand for paving asphalts, which has left roofing asphalts in short supply. In addition, there currently is less refining capacity than in recent years, and refineries are choosing to produce other products that are more profitable than asphalt.

As a result of the price increases, asphalt suppliers may experience shortages caused by disruptions in supply channels. And there is concern that suppliers may be tempted to use lower-quality crude oil for asphalt production.

Tuesday, May 16, 2000

SMRCA Golf Outing at BayPointe Golf Club and Links at Pinewood – Shot-gun start at 11:00 am.

Platinum
Benson’s Oakland Wholesale, Inc.
Cant Products, Inc.*
David Chwalibog*
GAF Materials Corporation*
Johns Manville*
Lumbermen’s Inc.*
L.T. Ollesheimer & Son, Inc.*
North Coast Commercial Roofing
Systems, Inc.*
Siplast Roof Systems*
Tamko Roofing Products*
Triangle Design, Inc.*
Wimsatt Building Materials, Inc.*

Gold
M.W. Morss Roofing , Inc.*

Silver
JR Enterprises*
Newton & Crane, Inc.*
Roofing Consultants of Michigan*

Our deepest sympathies are extended to the families of: Jim Poe of T.F. Beck Co., whose father passed away; to August “Gus” Bankstall of Milbrand Roofing Co., whose father passed away; and to the family of George & Marie Schena of Schena Roofing & S/M. who each lost a parent recently. Mr. Bruce Morse, a highly respected Firestone Building Products Field Technical Representative, passed away Saturday, April 8th. It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of our own.

Thank you for helping with the SMRCA booth at the CAM Expo this year. Your help was greatly appreciated. Without you, the show would not have been a success! Thanks to:

Mr. Bob Wynn, a well respected employee of Dewitt Products, is retiring after 42 years of service. Mr. Wynn served admirably as a driver, a plant manager and spent the last 12 years as a sales representative. Mr. Wynn’s decision to retire was celebrated on February 25, 2000.

Unfortunately, it was recently discovered that Mr. Wynn is in need of a liver transplant. He and his family wait somewhat impatiently for a liver doner. Mr. Wynn, we would like to congratulate you on your retirement, and also to let you know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

2,970 sf - Snap-on Standing Seam Panel by Petersen Aluminum – 24 Stone White Panel quantities and lengths as follows:

52 panels 12” o.c. x 16”0”
126 panels 12” o.c. x 17’0”
Clips and battens included
Contact: Nancy Marshall-Kozdron
Aluminum Supply Co., Inc.
(313) 491-5040 x 146

MICHIGAN

The State Construction Code Act, Act No. 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, as amended, has been again amended by Enrolled Senate Bill 0463. The bill, introduced by Senators Stille, McCotter, Shugars, North, McManus, Byrum, Rogers, Schuette, Gougeon, Bennett, Steil, Dunaskiss and Sikkema, now known as Act No. 245, Public Acts of 1999, was approved by Michigan Governor Engler and filed with the Michigan Secretary of State on December 28, 1999. Prior to the enactment of this legislation, many local communities elected not to administer and enforce the Michigan State Construction Code Act. These communities elected to otherwise adopt, by reference, other nationally recognized model codes. The provisions of Act No. 245, Public Acts of 1999, make it mandatory for all jurisdictions to enforce the state codes. If they elect not to enforce the state codes as they are updated, code enforcement in these jurisdictions will become the responsibility of the State of Michigan.

Changes to the State Construction Code Act make certain provisions of the state codes effective immediately and, upon the updating of the state codes, the provisions of the various codes will become effective statewide. The Michigan Electrical Code, updated on December 6, 1999, became effective immediately throughout the state in as much as it was adopted after October 15, 1999. Each community administering and enforcing another electrical code, may now elect to administer and enforce the Michigan Code provisions or discontinue administration and enforcement of any electrical code.

Other provisions of the Act will become effective as the plumbing, mechanical, one and two family dwelling and building codes are updated. According to BOCA Board Member Wayne R. Jewell, C.B.O., Southfield, Michigan, “The updated codes shall incorporate the provisions of the International Codes, standards, or other material by reference. The codes shall be updated, not less than once every three years to coincide with the national code change cycle, by an established process involving the submission of proposed changes to committees, followed by the development of a draft code, a public forum and a public hearing on the proposed rules.” As the codes are adopted, notice of the adoption will be provided to each community including the ability to elect, to administer and enforce the state code or discontinue the administration and enforcement of a code. Once the entire series of codes are adopted, the State of Michigan will be operating under one set of mandatory statewide construction codes.

On February 9, John Gooding, chairman and chief executive officer of Gooding, Simpson and Mackes Inc., Ephrata, Pa., testified at a hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Small Business Committee. In his testimony, Gooding discussed legislation introduced to help remedy the work-force shortage, the Skilled Workforce Enhancement Act (SWEA) (HR 1824).

If passed, SWEA would amend the tax code to provide small businesses (i.e., businesses employing fewer than 250 people) with tax credits that would offset job training costs in highly skilled business trades, such as roofing. To ensure training is effective, eligible employers would have to provide employees with 2,000 hours of on-the-job and classroom training each year for two to four years. In exchange, employers would be allowed to claim a $15,000 tax credit per trainee each year for up to four years.

Gooding, an NRCA director and chairman of the National Roofing Foundation’s Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, testified on behalf of NRCA. He stated NRCA supports the bill but would like to see a small adjustment made. Gooding explained that requiring 2,000 hours of training each year fails to account for individual industry characteristics. For example, in the roofing industry, full-time employees typically would not reach the 2,000 hour mark because weather conditions often do not allow workers to work year-round.

Gooding asked for a more flexible requirement, and Rep. Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) agreed that changing the 2,000 hour requirement makes sense. Gooding concluded his testimony by urging committee members to co-sponsor the legislation.

After the hearing ended, Rep William Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) signed SWEA as its 50th co-sponsor.

1.  In my Will or Trust, I leave all of my assets ($90,000 for example) to my three children, Ann, Jack and Lauren. Ann has one child but Ann dies before me. Jack has five children but Jack also dies before me. Under current law, Ann’s child takes her share of $30,000, Jack’s five children split his share of $30,000 ($6,000 each) and Lauren receives her share of $30,000. Under EPIC, Ann’s child and Jack’s children are lumped together so that the six of them each receive $10,000. If I want Ann’s child to receive the full $30,000, I have to make sure my Will or Trust is written to override EPIC.

2.  In my Will or Trust, I leave my household furnishings to “my children who survive me”. Again, assume that Ann has one child but Ann dies before me. Even though I specified that my household furnishings should go to my surviving children, EPIC will distribute a portion to Ann’s child. If I want only Jack and Lauren to receive my household furnishings, I have to make sure my Will or Trust are written to override EPIC.

3.  In my life insurance policy, I name “my surviving children” as my beneficiaries. EPIC applies to the life insurance proceeds in the same way as in the prior example. EPIC applies to beneficiary designations under life insurance policies, annuities, IRA and 401(k) accounts, credit union accounts, savings bonds payable on death (POD) and even deeds. If I do not want EPIC to apply, I have to change my beneficiary designation to override EPIC.

4.  In my Will or Trust, I have a standard provision which states that if my children and grandchildren die before me, I leave my assets to my heirs. Under EPIC, the State of Michigan is now defined as one of my heirs. If I do not want the State of Michigan to be considered my heir, I must change my Will or Trust to override EPIC.

5.  In my Will or Trust, I leave $100,000 in trust for my brother’s children and I leave the rest to my children. Assume that upon my death my children will receive $900,000, but that estate taxes of $200,000 are due. Under current law, the trust for my brother’s children pays its portion of the estate taxes (10%) and my children pay (90%). Under EPIC, the trust pays 0% and my children pay 100%. If I want to have the tax burden shared, I must change my Will or Trust to override EPIC.