The Daily Reporter articles from February 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from February 2003

Gov. Doyle's State of the State address short on specifics.
February 3, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday described state government as "profoundly troubled," and construction industry representatives are anxious to see how that will play out in his budget proposal. "He has not really been...

Commentary: Construction Onsite Insite February 3, 2003.
February 3, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow The proposed newest parking structure for St. Luke's Medical Center near 27th and Oklahoma streets, Milwaukee, is hardly a Band-Aid. It's 12 stories with 1,300 parking spaces and will contain loading docks for the...

Payne & Dolan Inc. wins gravel pit case.
February 4, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Road-building contractor Payne & Dolan Inc. can build a new gravel pit in Dane County following a judge's ruling Friday that dismissed neighbor complaints. "The bottom line is the judge denied the plaintiff's...

State construction activity slows.
February 4, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle The Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee released its Construction Market Data Report for 2002 that shows construction activity in the state has begun to slow, declining by 3.85 percent from the year...

Opposition to WI Dept. of Transportation Secretary-designee mounts.
February 5, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Several members of the local Teamsters union that Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary-designee Frank Busalacchi used to help run are opposing his appointment to head the prominent state agency. ...

President's proposed OSHA budget up $13M.
February 5, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan President Bush's 2004 budget proposal for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would increase training and outreach funding while holding the number of workplace inspections at 37,700 nationwide. "We...

Milwaukee County Exec. predicts tight 2003.
February 5, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's State of the County speech predicted a tightfisted budget in 2003 but promised to brace local business by freezing property taxes and encouraging certain developments. "I...

Wisconsin OSHA Citations February 5, 2003.
February 5, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff JANUARY Getter Masonry Inc., La Crosse, reached an informal settlement with OSHA on Jan. 6 to reduce a $300 scaffolding citation to zero. The company was issued the citation on Dec. 10 during a masonry job...

Developers eager for opportunities in 1,200-acre Menomonee Valley tract.
February 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass When Brian Reilly became the point person for the redevelopment efforts for the Menomonee Valley in 1999, he knew he was taking on a difficult job. The 1,200-acre valley, located just west of downtown Milwaukee, had...

Legislature approves audit of WI Dept of Transportation projects program.
February 6, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Transportation is nearing a building boom in southeast Wisconsin, but it won't get there before state auditors examine the agency's budget for overruns and spending patterns. The...

Supreme Court upholds victory for open competition on federally-funded projects.
February 6, 2003... Byline: Maurice Baskin On Jan. 24, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for writ of certiorari filed by the Building & Construction Trades Council and AFL-CIO challenging President Bush's Executive Order 13202. Bush's order...

Commentary: Constructive Comments, February 7, 2003.
February 7, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Marco Island, FL -- When you say it's green-side up in Florida, you're likely referencing the $4.4 billion pumped into this state annually by the game of golf.Picture a rectangle 40 miles long and 20 miles wide, from the...

Democrat Reps. call for Southeastern WI Regional Planning Commission audit.
February 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Another battle on the proposed expansion of Milwaukee-area freeways has broken out as two Milwaukee state legislators have requested an audit of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Democrat Reps....

Wisconsin Construction Briefs February 7, 2003.
February 7, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Manitowoc developer faces violations Madison - Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager announced that the Department of Justice has, at the request of the Department of Natural Resources, filed an environmental...

Wisconsin Business People February 7, 2003.
February 7, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff AGC of Wisconsin The Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin awarded the late Scott Hansen of The Boldt Company the 2002 Community Service Award for his strong dedication to community service and...

Report: Project labor agreements increase construction costs.
February 10, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle A report stating that project-labor agreements increase the cost of construction was applauded by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin but refuted by the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades...

Milwaukee County delays decision on freeway plan.
February 10, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Milwaukee County supervisors on Thursday night failed to make a recommendation on the proposed $6.2 billion freeway-expansion plan. Instead, the supervisors, meeting as the Committee of the Whole at Washington Park...

Milwaukee contractor's entrepreneurial venture is dream come true.
February 10, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle The year was 1976, and the company Terry Giles worked for was in the process of moving from Rochester, N.Y., to Milwaukee. "My family was in transit," he said. So far, so good. But during Giles first month...

Report links construction contracts to campaign contributions.
February 11, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A report linking construction company campaign contributions to signed contracts has drawn criticism from former officials in the Tommy Thompson administration and industry representatives. The report, which...

Wisc. OSHA Citations Feb. 11, 2003.
February 11, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Pipeline fined $150,000 Despite years of experience in excavating for pipelines near overhead power lines, Dallas-based H.C. Price Co. failed to follow federal safety guidelines for protecting workers,...

OSHA settles five cases in Wisconsin.
February 11, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff January Premier Roofing, Columbus, must pay two abatement-verification citations, totaling $600, because the period to contest the violations has ended. The company was issued the citations on Jan. 9 during...

Opposition to Wisconsin's largest projects formidable.
February 12, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Two broad-based coalitions of community and advocacy groups have become key players in debates that will chart the course for the largest projects Wisconsin has ever seen. The proposed projects are the Southeastern...

Milwaukee Alderman wants SE Wisc. Regional Planning Commission reorganized.
February 12, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy is requesting that Gov. Jim Doyle consider changing the governance of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to give Milwaukee County greater representation because it is...

WisDOT conducts monthly bid opening.
February 12, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell It was a day of close and not-so-close calls Tuesday when the state Department of Transportation conducted its monthly bid opening. Lunda Construction Co., Black River Falls, for instance, submitted the only bid...

Spanish language construction course offered.
February 12, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee and Berlitz Language Systems is conducting its first-ever nine-day Spanish language construction course beginning March 3 at the association's offices,...

Wisc. Dept. of Transportation administrators chosen.
February 12, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi reappointed Lynne Judd as administrator of the Division of Transportation Districts and named Kevin Chesnik administrator of the Division of Transportation...

Wisconsin Division of Facilities Development to decide fate of 31 projects.
February 13, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Division of Facilities Development has decided the fate of 31 projects it placed on hold last month, but there are nearly 3,000 left to go. When the DFD, acting on an order from Gov. Jim Doyle's...

Construction on Northridge Mall redevelopment to begin in March.
February 13, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Construction is expected to begin in March on the first phase of the redevelopment of Northridge Mall, with the overall renovation expected to include a combination of retail, office and possibly a satellite educational...

Wisc. Construction Briefs Feb. 13, 2003.
February 13, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Kahler Slater Architects Kahler Slater Architects announced that nationally known author and designer Joan M. Whaley has joined the firm as principal in charge of wellness-facility planning, development,...

Mold education at March conference.
February 13, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney With the level of concern over mold, there has been much discussion about how to construct an energy efficient building without the increased potential for indoor air quality problems. The Metropolitan Builders...

Commentary: Constructive Comments, February 14, 2003.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Marco Island, FL -- Sounds like barbershop directions, doesn't it?We have an interesting, but scary, story to tell you about. Certainly, a barber's scissors is not involved.There's a 96-foot-high luxury condo tower on...

Commentary: Luxury condo construction sparks controversy.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Marco Island, FL -- Sounds like barbershop directions, doesn't it? We have an interesting, but scary, story to tell you about. Certainly, a barber's scissors is not involved. There's a 96-foot-high luxury condo...

Commentary: Milwaukee County delays action on SE Wisconsin freeway plan.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The Milwaukee County Board's Committee of the Whole last week determined that the best course of action on southeast Wisconsin freeway reconstruction was no action at all. At least not yet. There are...

City of West Allis seeks private funds for project.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of West Allis is now seeking private funds for its plans to convert a former city landfill into a recreational complex as hopes for state funding from a new brownfield redevelopment grant appear headed for the...

WisDOT officials warn of financial strain.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell An industry group released a report Thursday tying transportation spending to economic growth even as the state's transportation secretary warned lawmakers of increasingly strained finances. Frank Busalacchi,...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs Feb. 14, 2003.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Bids due for Chippewa Falls WWTF project Bids are due March 6 for wastewater treatment facility modifications in Chippewa Falls, including construction of a lab addition, modifications to raw wastewater...

Wisconsin Construction Bids Feb. 14, 2003.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Darlington / Hospital Addition-Remodeling Project: Addition and Remodeling at Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County, Darlington, Lafayette County Bids due: March 5 at 10 a.m. Owner: Memorial Hospital...

Nat'l Labor Relations Board reports complaints filed from Feb.5- Feb. 12.
February 14, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1935 to administer the National Labor Relations Act, the primary law governing relations between unions and employers in...

Citizens group challenges transportation secretary's statement.
February 17, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson A citizens group on Friday challenged Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi to prove his statement that 40 percent of state commerce passes through the Marquette Interchange. The group, Citizens Allied for...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs Feb. 17, 2003.
February 17, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Seneca / Highway Department Facilities Project: New Maintenance Building, Storage Building and Office Building for the Crawford County Highway Department, Seneca, Crawford County Bids due: March 3 at 2...

Wisconsin Construction Bids Feb. 17, 2003.
February 17, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Phase 1 bids due for new MSOE building Bids are due Feb. 28 on Phase 1, excavation, site clearing, earth retention systems and caissons, for the Kern Center at Milwaukee School of Engineering, a new $20...

Hospital construction tied to health costs.
February 17, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A state legislator has once again suggested limiting building projects at hospitals to deal with rising health-care costs, but construction and medical industry groups said the idea is misplaced. Reprising an...

Commentary: Building economy will help fiscal woes.
February 18, 2003... Byline: Sen. Mary Panzer Tonight, Gov. Jim Doyle will present his budget for 2003-2005. As you know, the task we face is daunting. The state is facing a deficit of $3.2 billion for the next biennial budget. Many of you have heard me say or...

Wisconsin OSHA citations February 18, 2003.
February 18, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff JANUARY * American Stud & Drywall, Menasha, reached an informal settlement with OSHA on Jan. 21 to reduce two scaffolding citations, totaling $7,200, to $4,300. The company was issued the citations on Jan....

Growth, development in St. Croix County putting strain on infrastructure.
February 18, 2003... Byline: Seth Ansorge Conversations about St. Croix County eventually circle back to one topic: growth. During the 1990s, the once-agrarian region grew at such alarming rates that media from both Minnesota and Wisconsin grew downright...

OSHA enters partnership with Kraemer Brothers Construction.
February 18, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration through its Madison Area Office has entered into a partnership with Kraemer Brothers Construction and RED Development to ensure the...

Budget for Milwaukee Auditorium increased to $41.9M.
February 19, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Wisconsin Center District Board on Tuesday agreed to increase its construction budget for renovation of the Milwaukee Auditorium to $41.9 million, a 30 percent increase from the closely watched project's original $32...

Committee split on key portion of freeway plan.
February 19, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle A Milwaukee County panel Tuesday morning failed to make a recommendation on a key portion of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's freeway-expansion plan. The Transportation, Public Works and...

Commentary: Special interest groups must cooperate for budget's sake.
February 19, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Chances are Gov. Jim Doyle's budget message did not draw the same audience as Fox's "Joe Millionaire" did Monday evening. In fact, to watch the governor's message, you needed to go to public television or to...

Media campaign launched by both sides of coal-fired power plant debate.
February 19, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The debate over building a $3 billion coal-fired power plant project in Oak Creek has shifted to the airwaves this month, with opponents and proponents mustering their public-relations forces. On Tuesday,...

State budget cutbacks responsible for defeat of referendums.
February 20, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan School district officials pointed toward certain state budget cutbacks and growing unemployment as fear factors that inclined voters to continue a trend of rejecting building referendums. "Those are all factors that...

General contractors assn. members rewarded for safety records.
February 20, 2003... Byline: Bob Barker Today's contractors cannot afford to ignore safety. Project owners cannot afford to hire a company without a proven safety record. Failure to properly address safety can lead to crippling expenses and employee injuries...

Budget balanced 'on the back of transportation'.
February 20, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell As promised, Gov. Jim Doyle on Tuesday spread the effects of the $3.2 billion budget deficit across all government operations, but he saved the biggest cutting and splicing for transportation. Doyle's proposal,...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs Feb. 20, 2003.
February 20, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff J.F. Ahern Co. Luis Barbosa, Milwaukee sales representative for Ahern Fire Protection, Fond du Lac, has accepted the position of chairman for the Associated General Contractors Young Constructors Forum of...

Camp Randall Stadium renovation ready to roll.
February 21, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The University of Wisconsin Badgers are readying themselves for the upcoming football season, and so is the project team leading the $88.3 million renovation of the Badgers' home, Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. ...

Commentary: Delays, budget overrun in Milwaukee Auditorium project in question.
February 21, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Time and budget are the wheels that keep the industry rolling. It's so common to hear happy contractors relate that a project was "on time and within budget" that the phrase has become a mantra for success...

Roach Concrete strives to keep up with change.
February 21, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Michael Roach, president of Roach Concrete Inc. in Sullivan, is proud of his company's 17-year history that humbly began with him replacing sidewalks. "I was 24 years old when I started," he said. Roach...

SE Wisc. Regional Planning Com'n construction ban narrowly defeated.
February 21, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Milwaukee County supervisors Thursday denied by one vote a proposal to oppose the construction of any additional lanes on the freeway system within the county. The board, in a 12-13 vote, rejected the proposal...

Commentary: Construction Onsite Insite February 21, 2003.
February 21, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Is there a paradox present? Marco Island, FL -- If you take the guy out of construction, can you take construction out of the guy? Paradoxical? We happen to think that you can't take construction out of the guy,...

Group opposed to expansion applauds supervisors' vote on freeway reconstruction.
February 24, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee County Board's recommended changes to the freeway-reconstruction proposal drew applause from local expansion critics and concerns from the Advisory Committee that will consider them. The Milwaukee...

Wisconsin legislature debates tribal compacts.
February 24, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Legislature's move on Friday to claim some jurisdiction over tribal gaming compacts could jeopardize an estimated $1 billion in construction projects, a state American Indian official said. "There's...

Commentary: Employers should protect themselves against liability risk of cell phone use.
February 24, 2003... Byline: Paul Prentiss An increasingly common tool of the trade in construction-project coordination and management is the mobile telephone. As noted in our Nov. 22 column, construction managers and crews need to be aware of a growing...

Wisconsin OSHA Citations Feb. 25, 2003.
February 25, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff January Lorenz Masonry Inc., Wauzeka, paid a $1,000 respiratory-protection citation on Jan. 7. The company was issued the citation on Dec. 12 during a masonry job in Madison. Pro-Type Builders Inc.,...

Interview with Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist.
February 25, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist has spent 15 years in charge of Wisconsin's biggest city. Before that, he was the Democratic leader of both houses of Wisconsin's Legislature, a board member of the American Institute of...

Wisc. engineering firms compete for top award.
February 25, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell From flood control and odor control to traffic control and structural control, Wisconsin engineers vying for a top annual award displayed techniques that met challenges and satisfied the public. On March 21, one...

Catholic churches in Waukesha County expanding.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff More than a dozen churches in Waukesha County are expanding their facilities to cope with increasing numbers of parishioners. Since 1997, 17 Waukesha County churches have undergone construction or plan to...

Green Bay courthouse receives $480,000.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Despite efforts by federal legislators, a recently approved omnibus appropriations package did not include $1.9 million for a new federal courthouse in Green Bay. However, the package, approved Feb. 13, did...

Wisc. Dept. of Commerce rules on snow loads.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The state Department of Commerce has cleared the way for an alternate standard for calculating unbalanced snow loads, satisfying builders' and designers' concerns. On Feb. 3, Commerce's Safety and Buildings...

Environmental Decade says PSC, utility met illegally.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Representatives from the state Public Service Commission and a utility company flatly denied allegations of tampering with the pending approval of a $396 million power line across northern Wisconsin. Wisconsin's...

Commentary: The aftermath of Gov. Doyle's budget proposal.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale It may be chilly outside, but in Madison it's warming up quickly. Barely minutes after Gov. Jim Doyle delivered his budget message, observers wondered how he could possibly count on garnering $238 million over two...

We Energies launches media campaign.
February 26, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan We Energies rolled out two new Power the Future commercials Tuesday in the face of a growing coalition opposing the plan and an unofficial, competing proposal from the Calpine Corporation. "Although we have to deal...

Potawatomi: Casino expansion won't hurt valley.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Potawatomi officials said the tribe would continue its efforts to clean up the Menomonee Valley and wouldn't interrupt long-standing plans to build light industrial and office developments there. "Every time the...

$300M mixed-use project eyed in downtown Milwaukee.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A partnership led by Wispark LLC and a Cleveland development firm announced plans Wednesday for a $300 million mixed-use project for the former Pabst Brewing Co. site in downtown Milwaukee, which will include...

Commentary: Wisc.'s proposed budget not bad for builders.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney Gov. Jim Doyle has stayed true to his promise and produced a budget that does not raise income or sales taxes. Moreover, he should be commended for staying true to the spirit of his "I won't raise taxes" promise by not...

Storm-water rule goes to public hearing.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff State environmental regulators will field comments later this year on an expanded storm-water rule, following a unanimous vote of the Natural Resources Board Wednesday. The rule governs storm-water...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs Feb. 11, 2003.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff ABC of Wisconsin Bob Riberich, Riberich Inc., Reedsburg, has been awarded with the 2002 Wes Meilahn Award at this year's Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin annual winter convention. The...

Association health plan legislation needed for small business employers.
February 27, 2003... Byline: Edward Rispone The lack of access to affordable health-care benefits for employees of small businesses is reaching epidemic proportions. More than 60 percent of all uninsured Americans are employed in small businesses or are...

State Building Commission OKs all projects on its agenda.
February 28, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Gov. Jim Doyle's first meeting as chairman of the State Building Commission on Thursday came during tight fiscal times, as committee members were quick to remind him. "This committee needs to go out of business...

Commentary: Florida's luxury condos touting unbelievable amenities.
February 28, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Marco Island, FL -- Just when you thought you heard it all, up jumps the devil. Consider this: Two weeks ago, WCI Communities placed 123 high-rise condo units up for sale in its new 24-story Veracruz Tower at the...

Terms of Potawatomi gaming compact defended.
February 28, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State lawmakers on Thursday began preparing to override what they're seeing as an inevitable gubernatorial veto of a law giving the Legislature final authority over gaming compacts. "We want to decide whether to...

Wisc. Construction Briefs Feb. 28, 2003.
February 28, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Burlington receives brownfields help Madison - Gov. Jim Doyle announced that the city of Burlington will receive a blight elimination and brownfield redevelopment grant totaling $42,000 toward environmental...

Scherrer Construction optimistic about future.
February 28, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Scherrer Construction Co., founded by Elmer Scherrer and his brother Vincent Scherrer in 1928, began as a residential builder. Now, 75 years later, the firm has gradually diversified, said Peter Scherrer, president...