Next Meeting

Windows at April Meeting
By Jim Fitz-Patrick

This month's meeting should be very educational, according to Board member Brian Tomeny, who arranged the meeting. The presenter will be Chris Nowinski from Kolbe & Kolbe Windows. This month's dinner will be a full course prime rib dinner and will cost $20 inclusive. Reservations as usual continue to be most important to assure proper food preparation and seating arrangements. Please be sure to make your reservations by Friday, April 9th by calling Jim or Jenny at the Builders Office (283-0557) or by faxing it to them at 283-0733.

Membership

National Membership day this year is April 26th 2004. Now is the time to sign up new members so we can register them on that date and be eligible for prizes.

Special Donations

Over the past couple of months, all members have received requests to donate to two special campaigns to aid the building business. The first request was included with last month's bulletin and asked for funds for a special advertising program put together by your association entitled, "Did You Know." This is a program showing the benefits to others when a new house is built or a major renovation is made to existing homes. Our program was presented earlier this month to Officials of the Town of Wheatfield, who were very impressed by it. Presentations to officials of other towns will be made in the upcoming months.

Information on the other campaign put together by the New York State Builders Association (NYASBA) Build Pac Committee was either faxed or mailed to you last week. This contained very important information on the workers compensation insurance costs crisis. This will be an aggressive Public Relations campaign to reform Labor Law 240 and its strict liability standard. NYSBA lobbyists are working hard and long with the Senate, Assembly and Governor to oppose this Comp Bill and make it clear that the State cannot move on this bill without acting on Labor Law 240. To do this would be a "double whammy" on the entire building industry, causing significant harm to all construction jobs. Please be as generous as possible with your donations for both of these special projects.

Picnic

1st Vice President and Picnic Chairman Larry Quigliano has confirmed that our annual picnic will be Wednesday August 18th. He is presently looking for a few good helpers to assist him with the games and other tasks connected with the picnic. He is presently talking with J. T. Wheatfield for a menu similar to last year's (hot dogs, burgers, etc) early, and either steak or rib dinner about 6:00 PM. We hope to be able to keep the price the same as last year ($30 in advance / $40 at the door). More information as it becomes available, but mark your calendar now for a great and fun day on August 18th.

Member News

We extend our sincere sympathy to Katie Wolf and her family on the death of her mother Catherine C. Wolf on March 16th. The Association has made a donation to the Sisters of St. Francis at Stella Niagara in her memory.

Congratulations are in order to Murdock (and Ginger) Mitchell on the birth of their first grandchild Brendan Joshua. Mother and baby are doing great according to Grandpa.

Group Work Camps

In talking with the Erie Canal Work Group leader Jim Haid, he advised that specifications for the 60 to 70 homes they expect to repair this year will be completed in a couple of weeks. He will then have a complete list of materials they will need to complete their projects. If you or your company can assist them with material or monetary assistance please call Jim at 433-5252.

Golf Tournament

This is to advise that we may have another change in the date and location on our annual tournament. I am waiting for a call from Chairman Jim Kuryak regarding the possible changes. The reason for this is that the Willowbrook Golf Course will not agree to a true Shotgun start, and we could end up with the confusion we had last year. Stay tuned for further information.

The International Builders' Show

The 2005 International Builders' show will be held from Thursday, January 13th to Sunday, January 16th, 2005. It will be held in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Florida. Registration and housing opens Tuesday, May 25th 2004. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend this super show.