The Daily Reporter articles from April 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from April 2003

WisDOT targets minority firms for Marquette Interchange.
April 1, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will hire a firm to prepare Milwaukee's minority- and women-owned businesses for bidding on the Marquette Interchange reconstruction. "Minority and women businesses aren't at...

Wisconsin lawmakers order asbestos rule rewrite.
April 1, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A state Senate committee on Thursday asked the state Department of Natural Resources to rewrite its proposal seeking authority to issue citations for improper asbestos abatement. At a public hearing last week,...

Wisconsin OSHA Citations April 1, 2003.
April 1, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff March Gonzalez Roofing, Madison, must pay a $450 fall-protection citation because the period to contest the violation has ended. The company was issued the citation on Jan. 17 during a roofing, siding and...

Milwaukee builders at odds with Dept. of Natural Resources over snake preservation.
April 1, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Milwaukee area home builders and developers are mulling their options, including possible legal action, to contend with an amphibian that has caused problems for construction projects. "Unfortunately, within the...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs April 2, 2003.
April 2, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff WCA supports transportation fund shift The Wisconsin Counties Association board of directors took action in support of Gov. Jim Doyle's budget proposal that would fund shared revenue for local governments...

Commentary: Liaisons with peer groups gain momentum in construction industry.
April 2, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Last week, we noted that the essence of associations is "family, community and relationships." Sharing information and ideas has long been a focused benefit of the American Subcontractors Association, as well as...

Legislature sues Gov. Doyle over gaming compact.
April 2, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Republican legislative leaders will sue Gov. Jim Doyle over a gaming compact he struck in February with the Forest County Potawatomi Community. State Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, said Tuesday that the...

Oak Creek OKs three coal-fired power plants.
April 2, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Oak Creek Common Council approved an agreement with We Energies Corp. Monday night to drop its opposition to three coal-fired power plants in the city in exchange for $2.5 million in payments, a vow of guaranteed...

Fair trade talks could hurt Wisconsin's construction industry.
April 3, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell It might be hard to believe that trade negotiations in Switzerland could affect Wisconsin's construction industry, but labor leaders and a state legislator have targeted the talks as harmful to state workers. ...

Federal transportation funds could shrink.
April 3, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The federal transportation bill up soon for negotiation in Washington, D.C., could send a dwindling amount of money back to Wisconsin, according to a top industry representative. "I'm not optimistic about what...

Gov. Doyle blasts gaming compact lawsuit.
April 3, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Gov. Jim Doyle accused Republican legislative leaders Tuesday of playing political games with their lawsuit seeking to nullify a completed gaming compact. The governor said the suit would start a "protracted...

Conflict of interest alleged in battle to expand Milwaukee freeway system.
April 3, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The battle over plans to expand Milwaukee area's freeway system escalated Tuesday when a key opposition group alleged that Milwaukee County Supervisor James White had a conflict of interest and should not vote in a major...

Milwaukee freeway reconstruction plan OK'd.
April 4, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The attempt to reach a consensus on southeastern Wisconsin's highway reconstruction plan created agreement on everything but expansion of highways in Milwaukee, which divided local leaders but gained approval. "We...

Commentary: Constructive Comments April 4, 2003.
April 4, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow It was dr[umlaut]jra vu all over again last week when we read that Guenther-Wagner-Johnson would be closing its doors voluntarily after more than 50 years of operations. We vividly remember the early days of A....

Commentary: Republicans' suit against Gov. Doyle based on politics, not principal.
April 4, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Republican legislators are suing Gov. Jim Doyle over a gaming compact he negotiated with the Forest County Potawatomi Community. Their reasons? They say the agreement the Democratic governor reached...

Southeast projects will suffer for Marquette Interchange.
April 7, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Critics of the $910 million Marquette Interchange reconstruction in Milwaukee have complained that the project threatens to take money away from projects in other parts of the state. Now, proponents of the plan...

Commentary: Contractors obligations to an owner's lender.
April 7, 2003... Byline: Peter Herzog Contractors are often asked to sign a contractor's consent to collateral assignment of the construction agreement at the same time or shortly after signing their construction agreement. If everything goes well on the...

Milwaukee County considers repairing Lake Michigan breakwater.
April 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Milwaukee County is considering a $5.8 million plan to repair the Lake Michigan breakwater near South Shore Park in Bay View, along with implementing a shore-protection plan and repairing a bike path that runs near the...

Federal approval kick-starts casino plans.
April 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Forest County Potawatomi Community plans to break ground in six months on a $120 million expansion of its Milwaukee casino after federal authorities approved a new gaming compact. "We have our federal...

Environmentally-friendly construction gaining acceptance.
April 8, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The melancholy economy hasn't hindered green building's steady climb toward acceptance as more construction companies use it in their offices. "I think some of it is a desire by a lot of people to do something...

13th annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards presented.
April 8, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Downtown revitalization techniques were honored at the 13th annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards reception held in Chippewa Falls April 4. "The annual Wisconsin Main Street Program recognizes the efforts put...

Hearing on blood-alcohol limits set.
April 8, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff State Rep. John Ainsworth, R-Shawano, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, announced that a bill to lower the prohibited alcohol concentration to 0.08 will receive a public hearing at the State...

Wisc. Builders Assn. program to help soldiers' families pay bills.
April 9, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Wisconsin Builders Association started a program this week to help families of American soldiers pay the rent and maintain their houses until the veterans come home. "There has to be some families that are...

Commentary: 2003 surety market: Have we hit bottom yet?
April 9, 2003... Byline: David Moylan The 2002 surety market was one of the most challenging ever. Loss activity, the impact of Sept. 11, 2001, corporate governance issues and an uncertain economy all have played a part in bringing about this environment....

Legislators say audit of SE Wisc. Regional Planning Commission likely.
April 9, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The state Legislature's Joint Audit Committee is likely to consider in May two Milwaukee-area legislators' request for an audit of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. SEWRPC has been under fire in...

WisDOT lays Marquette Interchange groundwork.
April 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Transportation inched closer to the starting line Tuesday for the $910 million Marquette Interchange reconstruction. At its monthly bid opening, the agency received proposals for an...

Menomonee Valley redevelopment continues.
April 10, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Redevelopment in the Menomonee Valley is heating up as workers start building the area's first new office, the Potawatomi plans its casino expansion and 2003 funding is secured for brownfields cleanup. "All the sites...

Wisconsin committee wraps up budget hearings.
April 10, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state budget debate pitting transportation spending against funding for local services heated up Wednesday as lawmakers prepared themselves for the hard fiscal work ahead. The Legislature's Joint Finance...

Menomonee Valley Partners exec. director sends April Fool's newsletter.
April 10, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass They've been saying for months that good things are coming to the Menomonee Valley. They just didn't say how quickly. A Mars Cheese Castle, located a Barry Bonds' homerun from Miller Park on the infamous CMC Heartland...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs April 10, 2003.
April 10, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney In a March 26 interview, Gov. Jim Doyle stated that he wants to make sure the state Department of Natural Resources permits get issued in a timely manner. The governor was responding to a question about Sen. Neal...

Lower blood-alcohol level debated in Wisconsin.
April 11, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Tavern owners and beer distributors mounted their opposition Thursday to a legislative proposal that would keep Wisconsin from losing more than $125 million in federal highway construction funds. The U.S....

Commentary: City of Franklin should extend sewer services for planned development.
April 11, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The shared-revenue dominos continue to fall. Last month, the city of Milwaukee placed a moratorium on $8.5 million worth of paving work scheduled for 2003. Milwaukee planners argued that with shared-revenue...

Marcus Theatres proposes 16-screen complex.
April 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The building of a 16-screen movie theater by Marcus Theatres Corp. at the intersection of South 76th Street and West Ryan Road is contingent upon an April 15 vote by the Franklin Common Council on whether to extend sewer...

Commentary: Constructive Comments April 11, 2003.
April 11, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Burt Babcock, Babcock Mechanical, is a believer. Alderman Burt Babcock, Port Washington, ran for mayor of that city. He tallied 995 votes to opponent Scott Huebner's 999 votes on Election Day. Naturally, the...

Milwaukee County considers relocating South Shore Beach.
April 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass In an effort to increase the number of days that South Shore Beach is open during the swimming season, Milwaukee County is exploring the possibility of moving the beach to the south to line it up with an opening in the...

Madison research complex still planned despite funding withdrawal.
April 14, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The University of Wisconsin Medical School last week withdrew a funding proposal for a $265 million research facility in Madison, but a school official said that won't derail the project. "The message here is...

Commentary: Lien waivers: Be careful before you sign.
April 14, 2003... Byline: David Krutz On most construction projects, a prime contractor and subcontractors must provide lien waivers in exchange for payment. Just as the lien is a powerful tool, so is a lien waiver. After receiving a valid lien waiver, the...

New mayors setting tone for construction.
April 14, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The April 1 elections swept in a statewide tide of new mayors, with some of Wisconsin's biggest cities getting changes in leadership. The dust hasn't completely settled on the new political landscape, but in the...

Dolan Media names new president of Greene & Associates teleservices unit.
April 14, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Dolan Media Company announced today the promotion of Randy M. Greenberg to president of its Greene & Associates teleservices unit. Greenberg, 42, is a 21-year industry veteran. He replaces company founder...

Roundy's Inc. relocating to downtown Milwaukee.
April 15, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee officials say Roundy's Inc.'s decision to relocate its home office downtown is both proof of the city's economic growth and a precursor of future office developments. "This is a very, very rich city, and we...

Voters reject $210 million worth of projects.
April 15, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass April Fool's Day was not a very good day for school board referendums around Wisconsin. More than $210 million in proposed school improvements were rejected by voters in communities throughout Wisconsin, while only...

Commentary: The subcontractors legal defense fund: ASA's voice in the courts.
April 16, 2003... Byline: Luke McFadden In courthouses throughout the country, the American Subcontractors Association is fighting to improve the legal rights of specialty trade contractors. ASA's subcontractors legal defense fund continues to fund...

Construction projects face uncertain future here.
April 16, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass With the resounding defeat of many school building referendums in the April 1 spring election, it is likely that many school districts will hold off on pushing new referendums until the state's economy gets better or the...

Bill proposed to streamline state agency operations.
April 16, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Two lawmakers are looking to make life easier for small businesses. They see government regulations crippling small companies, so they've proposed a bill to streamline state agency operations and make laws easier...

Aldrich Chemical's expansion plans advance.
April 16, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Common Council approved planning for a tax incremental finance district so Aldrich Chemical Co. can expand its north side plant and move workers there from its building underneath the Marquette Interchange....

Construction industry adjusting training model to accommodate diverse workforce.
April 17, 2003... Byline: Pam Hunter Nontraditional construction workers can be hard to attract and retain, and doing so has proven to be a quandary for those providing apprenticeship and craft training. While many students feel comfortable attending...

Wisconsin lawmakers want Marquette Interchange reconstruction done in steel.
April 17, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell In the latest twist for the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange, state lawmakers from northern Wisconsin asked that new bridges be built of steel and not concrete. Nine legislators from the Eau Claire and...

Franklin Common Council delays sewer decision.
April 17, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Three Milwaukee-area developers won a victory Tuesday night when the Franklin Common Council put off a decision on whether to extend sewer to a subdivision near South 76th Street and West Ryan Road. The council...

Request to change SE Wisc. Regional Planning Commission makeup ignored.
April 17, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy criticized Gov. Jim Doyle for failing to respond to Murphy's February request to consider changing the governance of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. The...

Citizen's group demands halt to We Energies expansion plans.
April 18, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A citizen's group opposed to the expansion of We Energies Corp.'s plans to build three new coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek demanded Thursday that the company stop the expansion plans until a federal investigation of...

Disadvantaged biz participation in Wisconsin construction projects increases.
April 18, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Although disadvantaged business participation in Wisconsin's 2002 transportation and building construction projects exceeded 2001's numbers, both state officials and contractors say much more could be achieved. ...

Commentary: Republican Party of Wisc. under fire for offensive Web site.
April 18, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The Republican Party of Wisconsin came under fire in recent days for a video clip it placed on a Web site. The firestorm was justified. The image on www.bobbleheadjim.com -- a site created to attack...

Commentary: Constructive Comments April 18, 2003.
April 18, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow There is evidence out there that the Wisconsin construction family is holding reasonably level in 2003. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics for construction employment during February for the state indicate a work...

Wisconsin's Building Commission continues thrifty ways.
April 18, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Sen. Robert Cowles on Wednesday picked up where he left off at the last State Building Commission meeting, voting down projects that rely on general tax revenue. The Green Bay Republican staked out a similar...

Milwaukee County helps save Franklin's roadwork budget.
April 21, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is recommending a waiver in the county's road construction funding formula for Franklin that will save the city's road reconstruction budget. City officials had been nervous...

Commentary: Understanding lien law.
April 21, 2003... Byline: Paul Dombrowski Mechanics' liens are a powerful tool enabling contractors to place liens on property to secure payment for improvements made to the real estate. If a contractor is not paid, a lien may be filed and ultimately...

Wisconsin lawmakers propose waterfront program.
April 21, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state's Main Street program has proven its worth to downtowns around Wisconsin, and now lawmakers are looking to ignite the same development possibilities for shorelines. "Economic development, everyone...

We Energies complying with EPA investigation.
April 22, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The federal Environmental Protection Agency's nationwide crackdown on power companies has resulted in huge fines and major improvement and upgrade orders to coal-fired power plants throughout the country. The...

Two Wisconsin lawmakers say WisDOT not providing list of projects.
April 22, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Two state lawmakers preparing to work on the state budget bill said transportation officials haven't provided the Legislature with a complete picture of Gov. Jim Doyle's road-building proposal. Sen. Robert Welch,...

Commentary: Challenges should be considered opportunities.
April 22, 2003... Byline: Mike Fabishak As we enter the peak building season, we in the construction industry in Wisconsin have much to celebrate. By and large, we have been spared some of the economic downturn that has hit other sectors so hard. ...

Wisconsin's proposed property-tax freeze may hinder development projects.
April 23, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A proposed statewide property-tax freeze could cripple development projects, according to at least one mayor. "There's no way we can allow any new growth without an ability to get taxes from that growth," said...

Village of Shorewood considers building $1.8M parking lot.
April 23, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The village of Shorewood is considering building a $1.8 million parking structure on North Oakland Avenue to help move forward a $6.5 million condominium and commercial development that has been proposed by a Wauwatosa...

Commentary: Prompt payment in the construction industry.
April 23, 2003... Byline: Luke McFadden In courthouses throughout the country, the American Subcontractors Association is fighting to improve the legal rights of specialty trade contractors. ASA's subcontractors legal defense fund continues to fund ASA's...

Madison building owner fighting to keep skywalk.
April 24, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A Madison building owner has promised to fight the city and Overture Center to keep his skywalk. Harold Langhammer is the majority owner of a downtown building that connects to a parking ramp across Dayton Street...

Plans for Milwaukee shopping center scaled back.
April 24, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The developer of a proposed $25 million, 380,000-square-foot shopping center called the Boardwalk on Milwaukee's northwest side is planning to submit plans for a smaller retail center in early May in hopes of finally...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs April 24, 2003.
April 24, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Bartelt Filo Bartelt Filo Design Build, Menomonee Falls, was named a regional winner in the 2003 Contractor of the Year competition in the residential interior category. The awards are part of an...

Commentary: Timely WisDOT review process supported.
April 24, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi, Deputy Secretary Ruben Anthony and District 2 Director Les Fafard recently met with members of the Metropolitan Builders Association to discuss various...

Commentary: Wisc. Senator pushes for municipal tax freeze.
April 25, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff That crash you just heard was from hundreds of developers across the state fainting over a proposed freeze in municipal taxes for the next two years. If state Sen. Robert Welch, R-Redgranite, gets his way...

67-year-old C.D. Smith Construction has never missed completion date.
April 25, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan C.D. Smith Construction must be Wisconsin's fastest 67-year-old. Smith has never missed a completion date since President Gary Smith's grandfather, Charles, founded the Fond du Lac company in 1936. This month, the...

Ace Precision plans expansion in Oconomowoc.
April 25, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The owner of the first business to build in Oconomowoc's Pabst Farms development wants the project to establish the tone for the rest of the commercial properties in the 1,500-acre tract. "We see a combined fit...

Impact statement coal-fired power plants to be released soon.
April 25, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The environmental impact statement for We Energies' plan to build three new coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek is to be released April 28, state regulators said this week. The report is part of the Public Service...

Commentary: Constructive Comments April 25, 2003.
April 25, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Currently, it's semi-vogue in construction to find a good lot, raze the building on it, cart the rubble away and erect a newer, better one. In all honesty, that concept should be applied to the development of an...

Commentary: Recent court cases deal with union organizing in trades industry.
April 28, 2003... Byline: John Finerty Union organizing in the building and construction industry seems to be running at a fever pitch. A few new cases, one released by the National Labor Relations Board and two from a federal court of appeals, illustrate...

Jensen Equipment Co. founder dies.
April 28, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Alvin Jensen, former principal of a construction supply company, standout athlete at the University of Wisconsin and World War II veteran, died on April 19 in Dunedin, Fla. He was 75. In 1964, Jensen, known as...

Citizens' group demands hearing on power plant investigation.
April 28, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Oak Creek citizens' group fighting a We Energies plan to build three new coal-fired power plants has demanded a public meeting to find out what city officials knew about a federal investigation of the company before...

Wisconsin legislator warns against delaying road projects.
April 29, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A top state legislator warned that the state Department of Transportation's plan to delay 99 road projects could be the first in a string of certain cutbacks. Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, sent a letter...

Disadvantaged businesses to benefit from Marquette Interchange reconstruction project.
April 29, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The firm awarded the bid to develop disadvantaged business firms to reconstruct the Marquette Interchange could have lasting and far-reaching impacts on minority contractors interested in public transportation jobs. ...

Road project is key to Door County's economic success or failure.
April 29, 2003... Byline: Seth Ansorge No one would argue that Door County - with its picturesque cherry orchards, towering bluffs and wide vistas of Lake Michigan - is one of Wisconsin's natural gems. But for decades now, debate has ebbed and flowed...

Four construction projects earn honorable mention.
April 30, 2003... Byline: Seth Ansorge The phrase "no two jobs are alike" is a common one in the industry. And if further evidence were needed that the day-to-day work of Wisconsin builders is as varied as the state itself, consider the following four...

Projects from long-term gaming compacts not finalized.
April 30, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The promise of $1 billion in projects flowing from long-term gaming compacts appeared to come closer to fruition Friday as Gov. Jim Doyle announced deals with seven more tribes. But the ink has barely dried, and...

Commentary: Governments return to tax issue.
April 30, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Years ago, I remember playing a game of wooden blocks. The idea of the game was to place one block on the next until your opponent's placing of a block would cause the tower of blocks to crash. Taxes are much like...