by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
For the first time in their history, four major development-related organizations met with political candidates to voice concerns about problems facing the construction industry. The groups met Tuesday evening at the Haskell Building in Riverside.
The Utility Contractors Association of North Florida (UCANF), Associated Builders and Contractors First Coast Florida Chapter (ABC), Associated General Contractors of Greater Florida (AGC) and Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) usually interview candidates and announce endorsements on their own. While that has happened to some extent already, representatives and members of these organizations attended the event as a group to meet face-to-face with the candidates.
“This wasn’t about endorsements,” said Tony Zebouni, organizer of the event, board member of UCANF and partner in the law firm of Regan Zebouni & Walker. “It was about being able to efficiently meet as many candidates as possible and get a chance to know them on a personal level. A more town hall mentality.”
These groups haven’t combined their efforts in the past because some perceive each other as competition.
“Technically, we are competitors, but you have to ask yourself ‘what can I do to support the construction industry?’,” said Bill Spann, president of the AGC. “If it means supporting competitors, than I’m all for it. A rising tide floats all boats and that’s what it is all about.”
A member of the “competition” agreed that groups needed to work together to keep the industry successful.
“At the end of the day we all do construction,” said Kim Bryan, past president of UCANF. “The economy effects everybody from the Haskells to the little guy digging a ditch. This is a great opportunity to express our concerns as an industry.”
About 32 candidates for office attended the forum-turned-reception to hear those concerns. The event was originally scheduled to be a forum with about a dozen candidates presenting their opinions on the issues. When the candidate list swelled to over 30 the format changed to give candidates equal time. Each of the candidates was introduced and guests were given time to meet with them after the introductions.
Three issues concerning the groups were fuel prices, competitive bidding and a proposed Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment.
“Some municipalities’ competitive bid practices are crossing the line of what is legal,” said Tom Kelecius, current president of UCANF. “They are creating these monster entities to take care of projects that could be done by private industry, so we are competing against taxpayer dollars. We are held to schedules, standards and a low bid that city departments are not.”
Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment is meant to change the current process of amending a municipality’s comprehensive plan. The plan sets guidelines for where and what kind of development can take place within a municipality. These areas are referred to as zones and changes to zones are voted on by the municipality after a review and public input process. The amendment would put these changes on a ballot for the public to vote on.
“It’s bad for every phase of construction,” said Bryan. “Not to mention the cost to governments that would have to organize each ballot process.”
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