2011 Legislative Summary
The 2011 legislative session proved to be as interesting as predicted and, more importantly, helpful to Northeast Florida’s manufacturing interests. While budgetary concerns captured the most media attention, the Legislature enacted significant and positive legislation targeting administrative rulemaking, environmental permitting, economic development, growth management, and corporate income tax reform. Furthermore, the Legislature made a concerted effort to level the playing field for Florida’s seaports, enacting two bills targeting seaport growth. The following provides brief discussions of the legislative highlights with manufacturing implications. However, please note that Governor Scott has not yet signed several of these bills.
- Administrative Rulemaking: Each agency must conduct an economic impact analysis of all existing rules focusing on the burden to the regulated entity. Moreover, each agency must identify those rules it seeks to adopt within the next 12-month period.
- Environmental Permitting: The Legislature dramatically altered the landscape in regard to third-party challenges to permits issued pursuant to Chapters 373, 378, and 403, Florida Statutes. The third-party challenger now bears the burden of proof, rather than the permit applicant.
- Economic Development: The Legislature essentially stripped the economic development duties from several agencies and consolidated those duties within a newly created agency, Jobs Florida.
- Growth Management: The state continued to implement extensive changes to the comprehensive planning process, including significant alterations to concurrency mandates and developments of regional impact. This legislation included various extensions for development permits expiring prior to January 1, 2014.
- Corporate Income Tax Reform: The enacted legislation conforms the Florida Income Tax Code to the Federal Internal Revenue Code, with the exception of several onerous provisions. It is anticipated that income taxes for 50% of Florida businesses will be eliminated.
- Seaport Growth: Two pieces of legislation targeted seaport growth. The first streamlined seaport permitting, eliminated permitting for maintenance dredging, and granted the use of sovereign lands for maintenance dredging. The second eliminated burdensome security measures, largely duplicative of Federal security measures.
Welcome to…
Cascade Water Services
Contact: Scott Arant, District Manager
Phone: (904) 448-5343
5121 Bowden Road, Suite 202, Jacksonville, FL 32216
…the premier quality provider of full service water treatment and environmental services dedicated to the commercial and institutional market.
Sponsor: Swisher International, Clifton Butler
CLVL Solutions
Contact: Art Mendenhall, Florida Manager
Phone: (770) 365-1198
1200 Abernathy Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30328
…a company that markets cost saving measures for industry, hospitals, and government entities.
Sponsor: The Ronco Group, Ron Avery
Health Designs
Contact: Ann Sabbag, CEO/Founder
Phone: (904) 285-2019
35 Executive Way, Suite 110, Ponte Vedra, FL 32082
…a health and wellness company that specializes in health screenings, health assessments, and face-to-face health coaching for companies wanting to bring wellness onsite for their employees.
Sponsor: Crestcom, Phil Aitken
Looking for Lad Contest
Have you checked out FCMA’s new website?
In celebration of the launch of FCMA’s new website, we are having a “Looking for Lad” contest. Somewhere on our new website is a small picture of Lad hidden (It is not the screen shot of FCMA Community on the Community page). If you find it, e-mail Amanda the page that it is on; you will be placed in a drawing to win a free Kindle! You have from now until Tuesday, June 14, to find it and respond. The winner will be announced and presented with their Kindle at the June 27th General Meeting.
Go to www.FCMAweb.com
We have sent out e-mails to the primary contacts with the usernames/passwords to get into the membership directory. If you are not the primary contact, you may get this information from your primary. If you are a primary and did not received the e-mail please contact Amanda.
EEOC Workshop
Save the date - The Workforce Development workshop will be on Wednesday, June 29, 7:30AM-9:30AM at Golder Associates (9428 Baymeadows Road). Stay tuned to the FCMA website for more information.
Attention High School Math and Science Teachers!
FCMA is partnering with Georgia-Pacific to bring you the Foundation for Teaching Economics Institute on the Environment and the Economy. This program, which will be held on June 20 - 23, 2011, will help teachers better understand environmental economics issues and to help them relate these issues to their students.
Click here for more information.
ATTENTION Manufacturers! You are not taking full advantage of your membership if you are not participating in our annual survey. All manufacturers completing the questionnaire receive a complimentary copy. The survey is for sale to members only for only $75. Deadline for completion is June 30 with results published August 1. Click here to download the questionnaire. Remember… as with any FCMA survey, your data will be treated with the utmost confidence. E-mail Sherri if you have any questions or if you participated last year and would like to use your 2010 data.
Announcing the Crane Awards
Outstanding Employee Award Banquet
UNF University Center, Jacksonville, Florida
September 16, 2011 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Click here for more information about the Crane Awards and how you can get involved.
Please contact Maria for more information.
Sponsorship Opportunities
FCMA is looking for sponsors for the 2011 Crane Awards. Click here to find out about sponsorships opportunities. If you are interested please contact Maria.
Our second Members Only Networking Event for You for 2011 will be held at Mudville Grille (3105 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207) on August 25 from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Cost is $5 and all money collected will be put into a special drawing. You could WIN BIG!
Sponsorship Opportunities
We are still looking for two more sponsors for this event. Click here for more information or e-mail Maria if you are interested.
MAF Events
The 8th Annual Manufacturers Summit & Global Marketplace for Florida manufacturers is scheduled for November 30-December 1, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL. Click here to register or for more information. If you are interested in being an exhibitor click here.
June 27 at JEA
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Join us from 4:00-6:00 PM at JEA’s new Greenland Energy Center, located at 12121 Phillips Highway in Jacksonville. This facility is JEA’s new natural gas generating plan and first power generation site south and east of the St. Johns River in half a century. Location is south of 9A just past the light at Philips Industrial Park (stop at the guard gate for parking instructions and follow the FCMA signs). Special thanks to our refreshment sponsor Waste Management. Special presentation will be a post-session briefing by The Honorable Lake Ray, Florida House of Representatives. |
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A special thanks to BAE Systems/Safariland for hosting our May 23 meeting. BAE is a manufacturer of safety and protection products for law enforcement and military worldwide.
A special thanks to Aerotek for being our refreshment sponsor!
Post Recession Business Strategy Workshop
Over 45 attended our workshop at UNF last month. Much thanks to our moderator, Matt Waesche (BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards and Workforce Development Committee Chair) and panelists Susan Hamilton (CSX), Lisa Harris (BAE Systems Safariland), Renee Vozel (Ameritape), Neil Ross (The Ronco Group), Carlos Zanoelo (Gerdau), and Jessica Beaman (BAE Systems Safariland). Members participated in an open forum, sharing issues faced during the down economy as well as lessons learned as they begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. Click here for summary notes from this event.
Click here to read an article from the Jacksonville Daily Record about the workshop.
Twelve members of the class completed their community project. Almost 1200 feet of split rail fencing was installed at Lot 8 at Hanna Park. Comment from organizer Mark Bunch of Milton J. Wood Co., “We accomplished more than the park personnel thought we would… We were able to do this because we were able to pull together and work as a team. That is the most Professional thing there is in my eyes.” Classmates unable to help Friday have planned an alternate project working at HabiJax’s ReStore facility.
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If you have not gotten involved in a committee yet, we encourage you to visit Government Relations! Our next meeting will be noon on Tuesday, June 14, hosted by Auld & White Constructors. Our special guest will be Council President-Elect Stephen Joost.
Alternate Energy Technologies… was featured in an article in Florida Trend magazine.
Fowler White Boggs… hired David Burns and Stu Williams as associates.
Gerdau… has dropped the “Ameristeel” part of its name through an international rebranding campaign coinciding with the Brazilian steel maker’s 110th anniversary.
Golder Associates… is pleased to announce that in the Jacksonville office Dr. Gregory Powell, PE has been appointed a Principal and Bob Wojcik, PG has been appointed Associate.
Kaman Aerospace Corporation… was featured in an article in the Florida Times-Union about the expansion of their plant. As well as an article about their growth in the Jacksonville Business Journal.
MACTEC Engineering… is in the process of completing a merger with AMEC PLC. AMEC is a focused supplier of high-value consulting, engineering, and project management services to the world’s oil and gas, minerals and metals, industrial/commercial, governmental, infrastructure, clean energy, water, and environmental sectors.
Moran Environmental Recovery… has announced the acquisition of Jacksonville Pollution Control, Inc, a long established Oil Spill Removal Organization in the Northeast Florida market.
Sauer Inc… was awarded a $24.5 million federal contract to build an addition to Mayport Naval Station’s fitness center and to renovate the facility. Also, Sauer is pleased to announce the recent addition of Ed Varnes as business development manager and Joe Ryan as superintendent.
Solantic… has named Michael Klein as its new president and CEO. Karen Bowling, Solantic co-founder and CEO, was named senior strategic advisor.
Stellar… has expanded its reach by opening offices in York, Penn. and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
SunTrust Bank of North Florida… hired Tom Jones as business development officer for the Jacksonville area of the North FLorida region of its SBA lending division.
U.S. Security Associates, Inc… has been chosen to provide the physical security for Saft America and their new state of the art facility in Jacksonville.
Wachovia/Wells Fargo… hired Mark T. Middlebrook as a senior regional fiduciary manager.
Jacksonville Business Journal lists… Congratulations to our members recognized in recent JBJ lists…
- Best Places to Work:
- Medium: (2) Aerotek; (8) Ennis, Pellum & Associates CPAs (8)
- Small Companies: (4) Aegis Fire Protection Systems
- Top General Contractors:
- (1) The Haskell Company; (2) Stellar; (3) Sauer, Inc.; [tie] (3) Elkins Constructors; (6) Auld & White Constructors
- Top Architectural Firms:
- (1) The Haskell Company; (2) Stellar
- Recession recovery: Manufacturers to talk shop - “Jacksonville manufacturers plan a workshop this week to review their “Post Recession Business Strategy” practices.”
- Higher transportation costs here to stay - “The next two years look bright for trucking companies because they have come out of the recession better-run, with far less competition and more pricing power.”
- A long-term plan for Jaxport is urgent - “The Port of Jacksonville is behind most of its Southeast competitors in preparing for the opening of the expanded Panama Canal.”
- Port gets good news on three big challenges: - “fixing Mile Point, building a port train-loading facility to handle shipping containers, and growing a grassroots lobbying force.”
- Shipping shakeout for Puerto Rico trade - “After years of too many ships hauling freight between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico while competing over tight shipping rates, the question of how long the situation can endure may soon be answered.”
Florida ranks 39th for manufacturing jobs
Florida has lost 154,900 manufacturing jobs over 10 years, ranking 39th in the nation, according to an On Numbers analysis of new federal data.
Only Alaska gained manufacturing jobs during that period — and that was just 100, the analysis by The Business Journals showed.
Click here to read the article.
