Construction Wages and Working Conditions Task Force Meeting December 15, 2014 Highland Business Center, Room 201 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
VOTING MEMBERS
NON-VOTING MEMBERS
RESOURCE AND SUPPORT STAFF
Present
Absent
Present
Absent
Present
Absent
Dr. Sean Banks Bob Batlan Scott Beardslee TJ Dodd Ben Ferrell Stephanie Gharakhanian Robert Lee Bill Mullane Gabe Ornelas Scott Stites Phil Thoden Gerry Tucker
None
None
Elaine Hart Jeffrey Travillion
Denise Cheney Laurie Clark Vicki Franklin Anthony Owens
Dr. Mary Hensley
MINUTES Agenda item: Call to Order
Presenter: Ben Ferrell
Discussion: Mr. Ferrell welcomed the committee and asked the members to introduce themselves. Mr. Ferrell also recognized Mr. Anthony Owens and Ms. Denise Cheney as resource members for the task force.
Agenda item: Review of Task Force Charge and Welcome from the ACC District Board of Trustees
Presenter: Trustee Chair Jeffrey Richard
Discussion: Trustee Chair Jeffrey Richard thanked Mr. Ferrell for organizing the meeting and welcomed the task force members on behalf of the ACC Board of Trustees. Trustee Chair Jeffrey Richard stated that the Board of Trustees passed a resolution at the October 6, 2014 meeting to create a Construction Wages and Working Conditions Task Force, which would include industry and construction representatives. The purpose is to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board. The Board of Trustees’ expectation is that the task force will be able to provide the feasibility of the following: o Hiring local workers from local training schools, using both English and Spanish. 1
o ACC provide the training and certification. o Have the Workers Defense Project monitor ACC bond program construction. o Adopt a minimum starting wage of $15 per hour. o Tying of wage floor – set of solutions for 5-7 years. o Seek Better Builder certification through Workers Defense Project. Co-chairs will be selected by the task force – rather than by ACC or its Board of Trustees. The task force is expected to work together. Chair Richard introduced the trustees present and asked them to say a few words. o Trustee Secretary Guadalupe Sosa: Expressed her gratitude to the task force committee and noted that their work was very important. o Trustee Allen Kaplan: Thanked the task force for its service, and acknowledged that ACC is progressive that it “thinks outside of the box.” ACC is the first institution in the area to adopt a living wage. Trustee Kaplan emphasized that students, staff, and community are important. o Trustee Barbara Mink: Asked the committee to review the last page of the PowerPoint that reflects the proposed bond projects in the ACC taxing district, and noted that it is a result of the Bond Program Advisory and Campus Advisory Committee’s recommendations. The Board wants the task force to do the exact same thing. o Trustee Betty Hwang: Welcomed the task force and thanked them for their willingness to support ACC. Trustee Chair Jeffrey Richard thanked the trustees for their comments and emphasized to the task force, “We want to do the most for the most.”
Agenda item: Review of 2014 Bond Program
Presenter: Mr. Bill Mullane
Discussion: Mr. Mullane reviewed the various aspects of the ACC Bond Election and its impact on the community. o Proposition 1 Highland Campus, Phase 2 – Project Budget: $152.8M Leander Campus – Project Budget: $60M Purchase of land in SE Austin – will be used for workforce programs - $12M o Proposition 2 Renovate 100 year-old Rio Grande Campus – Project Budget: $49M Expansion of Hays Campus – Project Budget: $22.4M Renovations of RRC existing classrooms – Project Budget: $33.4M Elgin Veterinarian Technician Program – Project Budget: $13.2M Renovation of space at Northridge, Cypress Creek, Pinnacle, South Austin, Highland Business Center – Project Budget: $11.2M Various renovations for health, sustainability, safety, and technology – Project Budget: $31.9M Mr. Mullane noted that every ACC campus is affected by the 2014 bond election passing.
Agenda item: Election of Co-Chairs
Presenter: Mr. Ben Ferrell
Discussion: Mr. Ferrell opened the floor for nominations. o Ms. Stephanie Gharakhanian nominated Mr. T.J. Dodd for co-chair, Gerry Tucker seconded the motion. The vote for Mr. Dodd to serve as co-chair of the task force passed unanimously. 2
o
Mr. Phil Thoden nominated Mr. Scott Stites for co-chair, Sean Banks seconded the motion. The vote for Mr. Stites to serve as co-chair of the task force passed unanimously.
Agenda item: General Discussion
Presenter: All
Discussion: The task force discussed the following topics at length: o Concern from the construction industry of hiring local workers from certified training schools. o Concern that construction crews are required to have OSHA 10 training, the length of time to complete the training, and the cost involved.
Agenda item: Organization of Task Force Work and Next Steps
Presenter: Mr. Ben Ferrell
Discussion: The task force determined that there was not enough time allotted to discuss the items listed on the agenda, and that additional meetings would be required to come to a resolution before presenting their results to the ACC Board of Trustees at their February 16, 2015 meeting. o The task force will begin meeting Thursday January 8, 2015 from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. and will continue to meet weekly in order to prepare a possible recommendation. Action Items: o ACC will be responsible for sending out an evite to the task force. o Industry and construction task force members will prepare a ½ hour presentation for the next meeting. o Task force members will send Dr. Banks links for data-set so he can provide an analysis. o Co-Chairs T.J. Dodd and Scott Stites will set the agenda for the next meeting and submit to Mr. Ferrell.
Meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.
3