UMCA HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

The UMCA held its annual meeting on Monday September 28th at Hidden Valley Country Club. Members received a detailed President’s Report from Hal Hansen, Treasurer’s Report from Patrick Lynch, and the Executive Vice President’s Report from Robert Bergman. Members were updated on the solid financial condition of the organization, and its progress on association goals and objectives. The new officers and Board of Directors were elected as follows; President Patrick Lynch-CCI Mechanical, Inc., Vice President Richard Cowley-Mechanical Service & Systems, Inc., Immediate Past President Hal Hansen-Alternative Mechanical Contractors, Inc., along with four new board members; Jason Bleak-Industrial Piping & Welding, Inc., Brett Christiansen-Palmer-Christiansen Company, Inc., Joe Morin-Johnson Controls, and Derrick Sander-A&B Mechanical, Inc. At the conclusion of the business meeting Hal Hansen was recognized for his service as UMCA President, and Frank Moss was recognized for his years of service on the Board of Directors and as a Past President of the association. Attendees then enjoyed a great day of golf on the beautiful Hidden Valley Country Club Course with bragging rights going to; First Place Team-Larry Hansen, Kent Schaubach, Lance Slater, and Dustin Peck and second place team was Scott Winger, Fred Timmerman, and Martin VanBlankenstein, and Laury Carroll. The UMCA appreciates the great support of our hole sponsors; Anvil International, G&S Sales, Inc. for Bradford White, Viega, Hold-Rite, Studor, and Laars, Great Western Supply, Industrial Piping & Welding, Inc., Johnson Controls, Marshall-Rodeno Associates, and Mechanical Service and Systems, Inc.

TRAP SHOOT REGISTRATION OPEN

The UMCA Annual Trap Shoot will be held at the Great Salt Lake Gun Club from 4:00pm to 9:00pm on November 12th.  Please be sure to send in your teams by downloading the registration form here and submitting it to the UMCA Office by fax to 801-531-7725, by mail to 669 S. 200 E. SLC, UT 84111, or by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Dinner will be served in the clubhouse. Cost is $40.00 per person and includes the event T-shirt, registration, and BBQ Dinner. Registration deadline is Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

HOLIDAY PARTY TO BE HELD AT THE ORANGERIE AT RED BUTTE GARDENS

We are excited to hold our Annual Holiday Party on Monday, December 7th at the Orangerie at Red Butte Gardens. The spectacular venue along with catering by award-winning Culinary Crafts and music by the Joe Muscolino Band will be an event you will not want to miss! Please join us for a reception at 6:30pm and sit-down dinner at 7:30pm. Registration forms can be downloaded here. Please note that the first couple from each company is complimentary and all others after that are $50 per person or $100 per couple. We look forward to seeing you there!

E-VERIFY IN EFFECT

The federal E-Verify employment eligibility verification requirement took effect for direct federal contract solicitations or contracts of $100,000 or more issued or entered into on or after September 8, 2009.  Just recently, a federal trial court rejected a lawsuit by opponents of the rule contesting the president's authority under federal procurement laws to make proprietary judgments about what federal contractors and subcontractors must do (subcontracts of $3,000 or more under covered prime contracts) to perform work under federal contracts. Go to http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Office%20of%20Communications/Press%20Releases/FY%2009/September%202009/far-rule-1-sep-09.pdf  for complete details on the rule and how to register for the E-Verify program. And, for an explanation of the program authored by attorneys Tami Earhart and Jenifer Brown, partners of the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller, go to http://www.icemiller.com/enewsletter/InformedEmployerBriefing/E-Verify_Required_September_8.htm.

PENSION REFORM TAKES SHAPE

Multiemployer pension plan funding relief is beginning to take shape as the recurring unprecedented asset volatility in recent years continues to undermine the previous stability in the multiemployer system. The proposal asks for a 30-year amortization restart of funding balances, Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) insurance reform and government support, partition of some funding shortfalls in under-funded plans with Congressional support, some administrative changes allowing combinations of plans to permit cost savings. Meanwhile, press reports from last week's ERISA Advisory Committee meetings have some Building Trades officials calling for formation of a national commission on pension reform to recommend fundamental changes over the next two years. In a related item, earlier this month, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals allowed enforcement of an indemnity promise by a local union to a multiemployer pension plan contributing employer to indemnify that employer from any unfunded pension liability/assessment over and above that company's per hour contribution to the plan. The appeals court said that the indemnity promise by the local union to the employer was enforceable against the union when the pension plan asserted recovery of unfunded liability, because the employer's contractual indemnity promise was not seeking to avoid the liability assessment altogether, but merely adopted as an ancillary protection against liability for which the employer remained liable but reimbursed by the indemnity. (Pittsburgh Mack Sales & Service v. IUOE LU 66, 3rd Cir., 9/4/09).

UMCA-WSU Student Chapter Receives Grant:

The UMCA Student Chapter at Weber State University recently received a three thousand dollar “emerging chapter” grant from the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation. Although the student chapter is still in its infancy there are presently eight students in the WSU Construction Management Program who have joined the UMCA student chapter.

Just this week, four of the students participated in the UMCA Annual Golf Tournament to raise awareness of the program and raise funds to compete in student chapter competitions.  Raffle tickets were sold at the tournament for a chance to win a 32-inch flat screen TV which was generously donated by the Patrick Lynch Family in memory of Jack D. Lynch and his commitment to assisting our youth in pursuing their education.  At the awards ceremony following the tournament, the TV was given to raffle winner, Scott Winger.  The WSU Student Chapter raised a total of $620 from the sale of raffle tickets, and the UMCA has agreed to double what they collected.  Later this month, they will be given a grand total of $1,240 to assist in getting the student chapter started in collegiate competitions.