ACEC of Delaware EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

White Clay Creek Country Club – Newark, DE

Meeting called to order: 4:06 pm

 

Attendees:

 

Mike Karia                   Executive Director                               MK Consulting

Tim Anderson              President                                              Karins and Associates

Mario Gangemi            Secretary/Programs                              Duffield Associates

Steve Johns                  Past-President/New Castle County        VanDemark & Lynch

Ted Januszka               Vice-President  /Membership                Pennoni Associates

Ted Williams                National Director                                 Landmark Engineering

Shane Minner              Education/Public Relations                   Landmark Engineering

Jessica Nichols             Sussex County                                     Karins and Associates

Mike Riemann             Kent County                                        Becker Morgan

Brian Carbaugh            Affiliate Members                                Artesian Water Co

Mike Angelo                Transportation                                     McCormick Taylor

 

Not Present:

Tom DeLorimier          Environmental                                     URS

Bruce Jones                  Environmental                                     Greenstone Engineering

Scott Rathfon               Treasurer                                             Century Engineering

 

Minutes

The meeting minutes and associated attachments and reports from the April 22, 2008 meeting were distributed at the meeting and were approved.

The meeting minutes and committee reports are posted on the members only page of the ACEC-DE web site, which can be accessed through the members only page with the password: *Engineers1956 (case sensitive).

TreasurerÕs Report – Mike Karia / Scott Rathfon

A treasurerÕs report consisting of an account balances report, budget report and accounts receivable (A/R) report (through 4/30/08) was provided by Mike Karia and approved.

Endecon has commenced with payments.  They are down to approximately $1200.  River Basin continues to indicate that they intend to make payment.  Stantec has indicated they will not make payment. 

Action Item –Mike Karia to continue to pursue A/Rs including that of Stantec.

Legislative Committee – Ted Williams

Report provided.  Amicus Brief has been filed with the Delaware Supreme Court on the Ashburn case.  We have been asked to fund $2000.  During conference call of 2.22.08 we had agreed to $1000.  It was approved to increase the funding to $2000. 

Lobby Day on April 23, 2008 was attended by Rhett Ruggerio, Mike Karia, Tim Anderson, Ted Williams, Ted Januszka, Steve Johns and Scott Rathon.  We may do this on a few occasions next year.  Group indicated satisfaction with the assistance provided by Rhett Ruggerio.

Action:  Ted W. to discuss further government relations tactics (visit with legislators) with Rhett Ruggerio for next year and report back to group at next meeting.

Membership - Ted Januszka

No report provided.  Prospective members were offered the opportunity to attend the Annual Meeting, but declined.

As previously discussed national firm representatives, who are active in ACEC National, should be contacted to try to encourage better participation of their Delaware office branches in ACEC-DE.   A number of these firms include KCI and JMT.

Program Committee – Mario Gangemi

Report provided.  Additional categories to be added to Engineering Excellence Awards.  QBS award to be re-started in the Fall.

Group advised considering having a late September/early October gubernatorial forum with all candidates (It is expected that only the primary winners would attend).  It may be best to hold this in the evening or breakfast (ÒBreakfast with the candidates).  Alternatively, we could consider hosting a lt. gov. forum.

Action:  Discuss list of potential topics at next meeting.  (A possible future topic could be an introduction to the new NCC planner or Land Use GM).  Revise the EEA to work with the National timeline.

Transportation Committee – Mike Angelo

Reports provided for the Contract Issues subcommittee meeting of April 19th and the Partnering meeting of April 29th.

DelDOT is concerned about a bill requiring a crosswalk every ½ mile.  They would like our support in opposing this bill.  Mike Angelo was approved to develop a letter opposing the referenced ordinance without a special engineering study.

Ted W. has followed-up with Ted Bishop on the subcommittee.  DelDOT has no input at this time.

Environmental Committee –Bruce Jones/Tom DeLorimier

No report provided.  Bruce continuing to discuss with client draft proposal for preparation of a mock Pre-Application Plan submittal and performing multiple mock downstream analyses.  Client continues to request service be provided T&M.  Bruce Jones to provide further detail to the client.  Group may need to discuss together with client.

 

New Castle County Committee – Steve Johns

Committee report summarizing May 5, 2008 meeting with the New Castle County Department of Land Use (NCCDLU) was provided.

ACEC-DE has been approached to nominate an ÒActingÓ General Manager for Land Use.

Kent County Committee – Mike Riemann

No report provided. 

 

Sussex County Committee – Jessica Nichols

Committee report summarizing Sussex County Partnering Committee Meeting of April 24th with the Sussex County Engineering Department (Mike Izzo, P.E.) was provided.

 

Meeting also held with City of Rehoboth Beach, but no real items of substance were obtained.

 

Action:  Mike K. to gather up QBS material for a presentation to the City of Lewes.  They are considering advertising for a town engineer.

 

Education/Public Relations Committee

Draft scholarship application provided.  Award dollars to be determined on an annual basis by the Executive Committee.  Group agreed to add annual request to member bills for funding to add to the scholarship endowment.

Action:  Group to review the draft and provide comments to Shane prior to next meeting.  Shane Minner to prepare write-up to describe the goals of ACEC-DE in developing an endowment for the ACEC-DE scholarship.

 

Affiliate Membership – Brian Carbaugh

No report provided.  ADS has requested information to become affiliate member.  ACF Environmental should be considered.  Brian requested that members of this group email him with other ideas of firms that may be interested in an affiliate membership.

Executive DirectorÕs Report – Mike Karia

Report provided.  Mike will be inaccessible from June 12 to June 30th.

National Directors Report – Steve Johns

No written report.  Steve is continuing to discuss potential opportunity to work with DAPE on ÒDelaware Center for Engineering.Ó  Steve will get back to group with more information as it becomes available.  .

The next Executive Committee meeting will be held June 25th at 11:30 am at La Piazza in Middletown, DE.

It was requested that all reports be provided to the group in electronic format on the Friday prior to the ExCom meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 5:20 pm.