President's Message

Happy Labor Day!

Summer is winding down. The kids are going back to school. Our two summer social activities – golf and the picnic – are over, and both were
huge successes. A big THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, chairmen, volunteers and all who helped make these two annual events happen.

The picnic at Gratwick-Riverside Park was another great one. Beautiful blue skies and a “breeze” off the river provided about 180 picnickers with a perfect setting. The food was good, the fellowship was even better, and the feedback from attendees has been very positive. Congratulations to Jim and John Mordeno and Bob Franjione -- the Mordeno Construction team won our annual naildriving contest. They unseated Tuscarora Roofing, who has had a lock on the title for a few years. A few hardy souls tried their luck at Kan-Jam, but the wind was the only winner in that game. Congrats also to our 50/50 winner, Ron Kinn from Heinz F. Maier, Inc, one of our new members. Our caterer Mr. B’s did a fine job of providing lunch & dinner, and the clams were a huge hit. Look for more pictures in this newsletter.

Our September meeting will be at the Niagara Club Banquet Facility, 24 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls on Wednesday, September 12. The former Niagara Club is a great place for a meeting and dinner, so I hope everybody will come out. REMEMBER– RSVPs are important. We need to know
how many people are coming, so call in your reservation TODAY!

2006 and ‘07 have been tough years for the homebuilding industry in Niagara County. A struggling economy, local governments that are slowing development, inconsistent weather and a lack of buyers have all served to slow our business to a crawl. We are looking for some good news that will give us some hope for 2008 and beyond, and we think it is out there. Recent news has two large banks planning to build computer centers in Niagara County. HSBC has received IDA approval for a new $100 million data center on Lockport Road in Cambria. The project will bring 350 construction jobs.
When completed, it is expected to add at least 56 permanent jobs to the county, and about 125 new indirect jobs. The project could mean a lot of work for some of our members. Of course we are also hopeful that bringing permanent jobs into Niagara County will mean that some will want to build new homes. In addition, First Niagara Bank is in the planning stages for a new computer center expansion at their Transit Road headquarters. Let’s hope these are just the beginning of a new building boom in
Niagara County.

Watch for those school buses on the road! We’ll see you at the September meeting.

Nominating Committee Looking for Candidates

The Nominating Committee will be seeking candidates to run for NCBA offi cer positions. Th is association has a great history of involvement from both our builder members and associate members. You can help keep this going by being an active supporter of the NCBA, by attending meetings and social functions, serving on a committee, working as an offi cer, sponsoring an association event, etc. Th is year we need to fi ll four board member positions, and our Executive Board positions will all need to be fi lled. Please let us know if you are able to help out in one of these areas. Th e elections will be held at our November meeting, and the offi cers will be installed at our December Annual Meeting and Holiday Dinner.

Training Offerings

NYSBA is off ering three Code Primer for Builders training sessions across the state in September. The western New York workshop is planned for Tuesday, September 11 at the Holiday Inn in Batavia. The cost for the four-hour training is only $185 for NCBA and NYSBA members, and includes breakfast and two new offi cial ICC books (a $113 value). The Residential Code of New York State and Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State have both been updated, and it can be well worth your time to attend this training and get these publications. If the Tuesday session in Batavia isn’t convenient for you, they will be repeating it on Wednesday, September 12 in Cortland, and Thursday, the 13th in Albany.

The state association is also running training sessions across New York for the Builder Assessment Review (BAR) and Professional Remodeler Experience Profi le (PREP). The BAR assessment is for homebuilders. It will measure your expertise in the four key areas of the homebuilding industry: Building Technology, Business & Finance, Project Management and Sales & Marketing. If you are interested in pursuing the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) designation, this assessment is a necessary first step, as it will provide the basis for your training. The PREP is the required first step in the process of becoming a Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), as it measures your knowledge and identifies areas where training is needed. See the NYSBA website for training dates and locations.

Member Advantage Special

An insert with this newsletter highlights a special offer from Office Depot for our members. If you register with them in September for Member Advantage benefi ts you will receive a $25 discount off a $100 or more order, in addition to the everyday 10% discount you receive as a NAHB/NCBA member. This is only one of many special offers you receive with your membership in the NCBA. Check the Member Advantage brochure for the entire list of savings and services available.

Going Green

Everything we see from the NAHB and NYSBA these days is talking about green building. Th e national thrust for energy conscious building products and methods has escalated to the point where consumers are fi nally being educated, and are more receptive to spending the extra dollars that going green costs, in return for the savings and other advantages that it off ers.

Some of the most common methods of green building include:

• Energy Efficiency – windows/doors, seams/joints, energy efficient appliances and fans
• Building Materials - OSB & engineered woods
• Preservation of Open Space – minimizing the disruption of existing vegetation, and preserving natural water drainage
• Air Filtration – high-effi ciency HVAC equipment and overhangs

NYSBA has played a major role in promoting green building, as a partner with NYSERDA on the Energy Star program. Th e NCBA is proud to say that we were the fi rst New York State HBA to require that all homes in our Parade of Homes must be Energy Star certified.

By offering your customers an energy effi cient building, you are providing them with the utmost in comfort, convenience and efficiency. They will always be grateful for the energy savings provided by their green home.

New York State Builders Show

It’s not too late to be a part of the New York State Builders Show on October 18 & 19 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. NYSBA is planning a great two-day event, including golf, educational seminars, product displays, awards dinner and more. Th is is a great opportunity to exchange ideas with HBA members from across the state, and potentially identify ways to improve your business and our association. You can participate – with a booth display or as an attendee – by going to the NYSBA website and clicking on the “Trade Show” link from the dropdown menu. Our association gets credit for every member who comes to the show. See you there!

$25 Member Full Registration Rate Extended For NYSBA Show

NYSBA members can still register at a discounted rate for the New York State Builders Show. Register before September 14, 2007 and receive $25 off the regular full registration rate of $50! Call Mike Cocoa at NYSBA for more information at 518-465-2492 ext. 26. Or fax your registration form back to: 518-465-0635. Registration forms are available online at www.nysba.com by clicking on the show logo and clicking on the registration button.

Here's Looking At You, NCBA! Picnic 2007

Niagara County Prepares To Turn 200!

By Skip Mazenauer

On March 11, 2008, Niagara County officially will turn 200 years old! Planning a countywide party that will last a year is no small feat. As a member of both the Executive Board of the Niagara County Bicentennial and Board of Directors for the NCBA, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to become involved in this once in a lifetime event. Check out the website at www.niagara2008.com. There is sure to be something to interest you.

As part of the publicity campaign and in celebration of our agricultural heritage, the Bicentennial logo is being painted on 12 barns throughout Niagara County. Street banners have also been designed with the logo and are available for sponsorship and purchase by individuals, families or business. If you are interested, contact me at 773-7676.

Have we piqued your interest? We hope so. This is your celebration too!! Get involved and make it bigger and better!!