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Reflections of Manatt’s and our Family of Business
P.O. Box 535
Brooklyn, Iowa 52211
Phone: 641.522.9206
Fax: 641.522.5594
www.manatts.com
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Routine Wellness Exam Saves Gold Medalist’s Life
Shannon Miller, seven-time Olympic medalist, cancer survivor, business owner, and working mom, kept
up a solid routine of good health. During a routine wellness exam, an appointment she nearly cancelled,
her doctor discovered aggressive ovarian cancer. Now cancer-free, she promotes that everyone make
health a priority and plan for the unexpected. Download a PDF of Shannon’s story at www.WashingtonNational.com/HR.
REMINDERS:
Make sure you get your wellness points before November 30, 2015. There were a few
changes to the program this year. If you have any questions, please contact your
Human Resources representative at your company.
Adventureland outing will be July 19th - Please save the date! Information
to follow in the future.
Volume 27 Issue 1• Winter 2015
South Ready Mix projects: TransAmerica Truck Stop
south of Brooklyn & Power Plant east of Marshalltown
Reflections of Manatt’s and our Family of Business
2
WINTER 2015
General Update
by: Adam Manatt
Looking into my crystal ball for the 2015 construction season, things overall look positive. The commercial/
portable asphalt crew out of Newton has a full schedule on the books. They were able to get a lot of work
close to home this summer, which is always nice. The PCC Projects Division’s schedule is about half full at
this point with a couple promising jobs that will let in the few weeks. The Ames Asphalt Division looks to be
extremely busy this season. Dave Schinckel’s crews have also got a lot of work on the schedule but continue
to look for more. The Ready Mix guys have some ongoing work, and have seen an uptick in commercial work
that is expected to continue through the year.
We are a very diversified company. Along with having the best people, this is one of our great advantages.
We have a balance that enables us to work on diverse types of projects as well as self perform many tasks on
any given project. We are able to teach each other, learn from each other, and challenge ourselves to improve.
In January, several leaders from Manatt’s, Inc. and other members of the Manatt’s Family of Businesses got
together for our annual corporate retreat to communicate,
share, and best practice. This year the meetings were
held in Cedar Rapids.
We had an excellent presentation on the first day. It was
titled, “Blue Angels Mindset” or BAM. This was a motivational presentation based on the Navy’s Blue Angels flight
squad that really got everyone talking. We spent time
focusing on finding our “centerpoint” that sets us apart and
makes us great. We learned the value of debriefing. That
evening we had dinner as a group and played a team
trivia game, which was a lot of fun.
The second day our time was dedicated to our best practice groups. We started with a general session focusing
Mark “Utah” Provo (former Blue Angels Pilot), Brian
on environmental regulations, something that continues
Manatt, Steve Edwards (presenter for BAM)
to have a larger and larger impact on our business. We
then broke out into groups based on our business lines and really got a lot accomplished talking about our
individual fields.
The time we spent together was essential to working on the business. We often get so caught up working in
the business that we let opportunities go by to focus on making the company as a whole a better place. It was
great to spend time focusing on our culture and values: those things that truly set us apart.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not comment on the passage of the gas tax increase in Iowa. Thank you to
everyone who played a part in helping pass this legislation. Funding our Road Use Tax Fund is absolutely
vital to our business. Every job in this company is in some part dependent on the projects funded by this long
overdue increase. We have the best people, and great equipment, but without projects to build, none of that
matters.
As Spring settles across Iowa, there is reason for optimism. We have a great company, and a newly rejuvenated road fund. Our culture and our values are strong. Let’s have a great season: let’s watch out for each
other, keep each other safe, and have some fun doing it. M
WINTER 2015
3
Investment Committee & 401k News
by: Nate Hopwood
There is a small leadership group comprised of a cross-section of representatives from
the Manatt companies that oversees our 401(k) program. It is the responsibility of this
group to watch out for our employee’s best interests when it comes to which investments are offered within the plan, maintaining compliance with state and federal guidelines, and overseeing the overall administration of the plan.
This past fall I talked to some members of the investment committee and asked to be
added to the group. Markets and hobby investing have been an interest of mine since
I graduated from college. Over the years I’ve kept close tabs on the company 401(k)
program and was very excited when I was granted “a seat at the table” to help provide
guidance for the future of this important employee benefit.
The committee has been very busy the past calendar year on several fronts and we
thought it best to provide an update so that all employees were made aware of the
changes. In plain terms we had identified two issues we wanted to attack:
Table of Contents
Equipment 101 ................................5
South Ready Mix Update ...............6
Safety Update ..................................7
PCC Project Division Update .......8
1) Some underperforming investment options within our scope of funds
2) The opportunity to lower expense ratio’s on fund options within our scope of funds.
These are the costs you pay to the investment manager each year for their fund management, admin costs, distribution fees, and operating expenses. These expenses are
deducted from the total holdings of your investment in each fund every year.
In October, we retained the services of Gallagher Benefit Services to work on our behalf with Fidelity to identify any underperforming funds and potential alternatives to
them. The end results of the project were:
1) We removed the Fidelity Freedom funds from our scope of funds and added the Vanguard Target Date family of funds. This resulted in expense ratio reductions in excess
of 400% per fund and, for the most part, better performance over 3, 5, and 10 year averages. Because the default investment choice for an auto-enrolled employee will be the
Target Date funds we feel this is a very, very positive development!
2) We have made more fund options available to fill out the investment matrix. Until
now it has not been possible to fully diversify your investments between Value, Growth
and Blended funds in every segment of the matrix (large, mid-cap, small-cap). We have
added several index funds in these slots to make it an option. A savvy employee can
now guide his portfolio with a greater degree of focus than in the past.
3) We swapped out many existing funds with “k share” options to lower expense ratios
on the funds we kept. Gallagher also worked with Fidelity to lower administrative costs
on all the options in our scope of funds so that the gains our employees make in the
markets aren’t eaten away by fees.
Frankly put, these are the most extensive changes our 401(k) program has seen in 15
years. We are all very excited to see such improvement in the program for you, the
employee. Moving forward we are going to continue searching for the best investment
options we can add to the plan at the lowest possible cost. We also want to explore new
education options for those of you that want to learn more about the 401(k) program.
In the meantime, if you have questions, comments, or input on our program please reach
out to a committee member and share your thoughts! M
MIS Happenings .............................9
Ames Asphalt Update ....................10
North Ready Mix Update ..............11
Subdrain-Sealcoat-Stabilization ...12
May We Introduce ..........................13
News from HR Corner ..................14
Gas Tax Information ......................15
2015 Longevity Awards ..................19
ILLOWA Update .............................20
Wendling Quarries News ...............21
4
WINTER 2015
Information on Affordable Care Act
by: Tim Douglas
We have all heard a lot about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), more widely referred to as Obamacare.
The reporting requirements under this act are very complex. These requirements are being phased in
over a number of years. One of the first requirements was that all employers report on their employees’
wage forms the amount of company provided insurance premiums. If you look at your W-2 Wage and
Tax Statement, this is reported in Box 12b with the code DD.
In 2015, there is a new requirement that Form 1095-A be issued if applicable. Our benefits and accounting personnel have received numerous calls from employees and their tax preparers inquiring as to why
they were not issued this form. If a Form 1095-A is required it is issued by the federal government and is
only applicable to an individual who purchased health insurance through a state exchange (the Marketplace). Form 1095-A also is furnished to individuals to allow them to claim the premium tax credit and to
file an accurate tax return.
Beginning in 2016, employers will be required to issue either 1095-B or 1095-C depending on whether
the company provided plan is self insured or not. Manatt’s will be utilizing Form 1095-C. The 1095-C is
your proof to the Internal Revenue Service that you were provided and accepted health care coverage
during 2015. I am sure that in 2016, your individual tax preparers will be requesting that you provide this
form.
So, what is this all about and why does the government need this information?
The ACA requires that every American, with very few exceptions, either be provided health care insurance by their employer or purchase individual coverage. Obviously, the government needs the information to make sure employers and individuals are complying with the law. The Internal Revenue Service
was chosen as the governmental agency responsible for the administration of the act.
What are the exceptions?
•Individuals who are not required to file federal tax returns
•Individuals with a legitimate religious reason for not believing in health insurance
•Members of Indian tribes
•Individuals who cannot find health care coverage that costs them less than 8% of their income
•Individuals experiencing a general hardship, for example a natural disaster.
•Individuals can be without health coverage less than 3 months in a calendar year
There has also been some confusion about what the individual penalties are for not meeting the
requirements of the ACA.
In 2015, the penalty is $325 per adult plus $162.50 per child up to a family maximum of $975 (OR 2% OF
YOUR INCOME, WHICHEVER IS GREATER). If you make $50,000 and don’t obtain insurance coverage, your
penalty maximum would be $1,000, not the family maximum of $975.
In 2016, the penalties increase to $695 per adult plus $347.50 per child up to a family maximum of
$2,085 (OR 2.5% OF YOUR INCOME, WHICHEVER IS GREATER). M
WINTER 2015
5
Equipment 101
by: Bryan Wacha
In December of 2014, Manatt’s purchased a new
Wirtgen W220 for the Milling Division. This was
added to our fleet of seven other milling machines
of various sizes and widths. The new W220 is
equipped with a half lane 8’ 2” head capable of
cutting 14” deep. This new mill has a 766 horse
power C-18 Caterpillar engine and tips the scales
at 99,100 pounds when ready for operation. Along
with an array of new features, this machine boasts
an operator intuitive diagnostic system which lets
the machine monitor itself continuously throughout
its work period and spots system troubles to help
prevent costly breakdowns. The operator interfaces
through the new and improved LevelPro grade systems allow greater flexibility when toggling between
stringless applications and the standard contact /
noncontact grading systems. The new wasp waist
design and dual camera system allows the operator
a much greater sense of situational awareness and
a better 360 degree field of vision. This new milling
machine is set to make its debut on I-80 in Jasper
and Polk counties milling 40,000 tons of paved
shoulder. M
Manatt’s Announcements
In Sympathy...
Darrin McCann - loss of grandmother
Joe Reese - loss of grandmother
Arturo Sanchez - loss of father
Randy Van Dee - loss of sister
Nolan Plum - loss of mother
Kenny Ospachek - loss of mother
Chris Sawin - loss of father-in-law
Pam Benishek - loss of brother
Mike Fraham - loss of father-in-law
Kenny Alexander Jr. - loss of father
Ken Cline - loss of step father
Bruce Hannah - loss of father
Dave Galbraith - loss of mother
Family & Friends of Stan Anderson
Family & Friends of Kenny Alexander Sr.
Family & Friends of Rick Kriegel
MiraclesNick & Tylar Gallagher
Daughter - Quinlee Kay - October 2
Denny Gallagher
Granddaughter- Quinlee Kay - October 2
Adam & Jamin Manatt
Daughter - Eleanor Ruth - November 20
JoAnn Manatt
Granddaughter - Eleanor Ruth November 20
Tyler Busch & Lacey Doolin
Daughter - Kipplee Ruth - March 3
Wirtgen W220 Milling Machince
6
WINTER 2015
South Ready Mix Update
by: Ken Cline
May We Introduce...
Hello, my name is Keith Ellis. I
was hired in February 2015 to be
the plant manager of the recently
acquired Manatts ready mix plant
in DeWitt. I have been around the
ready mix business for quite some
time. I was hired as a ready mix
driver at Scott County Ready Mix
in Eldridge in 1982, became the
dispatcher there in 1985 and then
was the plant manager in 2002. In
2006 WG Block assumed operations of Scott County Ready Mix and
became a dispatcher for them, operating several plants for WG Block
and Edwards Ready mix. I then went
on to DeWitt to drive for Mark and
Craig Witte at Witte Ready Mix in
2012.
I have been married to my wife,
Pam, for 38 years and have two
grown daughters, Liz and Amanda.
Liz has given us two grandsons,
Gavin 6 and Garrett 4. My grandsons and I are big outdoorsmen,
exploring the woods, love to frog
hunt and they are becoming quite
the fishermen!
The Ready Mix Concrete Division of Manatt’s Inc. has once
again added more locations to its portfolio. On February 1
2015 we assumed the operations of Witte Ready Mix, just off
Highway 30, in DeWitt. They also had a plant located in the
town of Calamus just down Highway 30 to the west. We hired
most of the current Witte employees and have named Keith
Ellis as our DeWitt Plant Manager. (See Bio)
This purchase of Witte Ready Mix helps us gain momentum
in serving the concrete needs of individuals and contractors in East Central Iowa, which now includes most of Cedar,
Jackson, Clinton, and some of Scott Counties. The DeWitt and
Calamus plants will fit great and will help us better utilize our
resources that we already have at our Tipton and Maquoketa
locations. Rory Petersen, Jim Sprague and crews will be great
assets to help the DeWitt group transfer into the Manatt
Family. This addition also allows us to keep some of our
material purchases in the family of businesses by purchasing
aggregates from Wendling Quarries.
If your travels happen to take you anywhere near DeWitt
anytime, please stop by and welcome Keith and all our new
employees there, to our Manatt Family.
I wish all divisions great success this construction season and
also remind everyone of our motto: To Safely Do Every Job
Better Than Anyone Else. M
Brooklyn Ready Mix plant pouring at the new TA
truck stop south of Brooklyn
The new power plant outside of Marshalltown.
WINTER 2015
7
SafetyUpdate
by:AdamGrier
We are proud to report and recognize several crews that worked all of 2014 without an OSHA recordable
injury:
•
MillingCrewsFOURyearsinarowwithoutaninjurythatrequiredmedicaltreatment!
•
SteveArmstrong’sPortableAsphaltPavingCrewtwoyearsinarow
•
AmesReadyMixCrewtwoyearsinarow
•
Grinding/Grooving,Crushing,DirtandUtilityCrewstwoyearsinarow
•
AmesAsphaltPlant/Shop/Trucking
OurPre-shiftstretchingprogramispayingoff!OurReadyMixDivisionshoweda50%reductioninthe
numberofOSHArecordableinjuriescomparedto2013.Keepupthegoodwork!OverallourAsphalt
Operations,BrooklynShops/Offices,andMetroReadyMixinparticularshowedthebestimprovementsin
injuryreductioncomparedtopreviousyears.Let’scontinuetheseimprovementsandstaysharpsoour
reductionininjuriescontinuestodecrease!
WehavemoregoodnewswithourCSATruckingSafety.Inour“UnsafeDrivingBasic”ourscorecontinuestoimprove.Remember,documentedwarningsincommercialmotorvehiclesstillcountagainstour
companyscorefortwoyearsandyourpersonalrecordforthreeyears.Documentedwarningsarealso
subjecttoourdisciplinepolicies.AperfectscoreinUnsafeDrivingispossibleforuswhenweeliminate
speeding,cellphoneuse,andbuckleourseatbeltsanytimewemoveavehicle.We,asprofessionaldrivers,areheldtoahigherstandardthantherestofthemotoringpublic.Wemustcontinuetodoeverything
withinourabilitiestoavoidcollisions.OurVehicleMaintenancescoreachievedarecordlow(whichis
good!),butthereisstillroomforimprovement.Wehaveinvestedinnewtrainingcomingthisyearto
helpusimproveandstandardizeourPre-TripTruckInspections.
Weareproudoftheimprovementswe’vemadeinsafety.WearenotwillingtoacceptANYONEgetting
hurt.Wearealwayslookingtoimproveallouraspectsofsafety.Helpaco-workerifthey’reliftingsomethingawkwardorheavy.Minimizeunsafeactslikejumpingoffequipment(insteadof3pointsofcontact
likeyouaretrainedtodo)ornotzippingupyourhighvisibilityvest(looseclothingcanbecaughtinmovingpartsorhinderclimbingequipment).Thereductionofunsafeactsandclosecallsleadstothereductionofinjuries.Weareafamilybusiness,andfamilytakescareofeachother.
Manyofyouhavealreadybeeninvolvedinourseminarsandtrainingthiswinterandspring.Thankyou
foryourparticipationandinput.Ifnot,welookforwardtoseeingyouthisspring!M
ATTSA Traffic Control Technician Training in Brooklyn
8
WINTER 2015
PCC Projects Division Update
by: Tim Tometich
Spring is finally here. Hopefully
everyone had a safe and relaxing winter. Spring brings the
excitement of a new construction season with new challenges
for everyone. One of the most
attractive things about working in
Iowa is, we get a little bit of a
break to recharge the batteries,
hopefully have a little fun and
get ready to go back to work for
a hard safe season.
The PCC Projects Division
has the foundation of a good
year shaping up. We have a
few carry-over projects to finish from our abrupt end to the
season last year (weather!).
Kenny Alexander’s paving crew
will start out the season finishing up the Alice’s Road project in Waukee from University
Ave to Ashworth Road. James
Bracy’s paving crew will most
likely start their season at another I-80 Interchange project
in Altoona. This project is the
last stage of re-constructing the
I-80 / Hubbell Avenue interchange. It includes eastbound
I-80 lanes, reconstructed I-80
EB on and off ramps as well as
some reconstruction of Hubbell
Avenue. This project has a very
tight schedule and definitely will
have its challenges.
In addition to the Alice’s Road
carryover work, we also have
some work at the Boone Airport
and some sidewalk work up in
Clarion for the Asphalt Division.
This work is most likely slated
for Shane Lint’s crew. Shane’s
crew was added last year to
help out with pouring handwork
and misc. tasks to keep our
mainline paving crews moving
down the road, literally.
Chris Sawin successfully landed an I-280 project in Scott
County for our crushing and
earthmoving crews this season.
The project is a reconstruction (crush, grade and pave)
of I-280 westbound. We will
be performing the excavation,
crushing of existing pavement,
and laying the base rock. Tom
Dvorak, Brett Strong and Jared
McGrew’s crews will be working
this project primarily. Jared will
be starting off the project as a
Dirt Foremen until our new hire
Brady Carter graduates from
Iowa State and can take over.
Jared will then transition to a
Project Manager and also help
with the Machine Control Technology. Speaking of machine
control, we will be trying out a
CAT D6T with a six way blade
equipped with a Leica ICON
Dual Grade GPS on this project.
We will actually be working for
Cedar Valley Corp on this project as they will be paving it.
In addition to the previously
mentioned projects, Jason
Spooner landed a 9.5 mile
overlay project in Mitchell County. There is also a very challenging I-80 Alice’s Road Interchange project. This is a one
of a kind interchange in Iowa
called a diverging diamond. We
also have a 2.6 mile overlay
project on 340th Street in Tama
right next to our Tama Sand
plant.
Roy Piper’s plant crew had a
new addition to their family.
They are getting a new CAT
972M Loader. The PCC Division
is also getting a new CAT 279
Track Skidsteer that will go to
one of our dirt crews. In addition to the new equipment, we
will be using some new software
on our stringless equipment.
We are officially switching over
to Leica’s Pavesmart on all of
our pavers and trimmers. The
software is very similar to the
LMGS we have been using, but
will be beneficial in calibrating
machines and exporting the 3D
models. A few key people have
been trained on the software up
at Gomaco over this last winter,
so hopefully the learning curve
is a small one.
Keep safety in mind while out
there doing the real work and
have a great season! M
WINTER 2015
9
MIS Happenings
by: Nate Hopwood
I hope everybody has had a restful, but productive, winter. It doesn’t seem possible that we’re halfway
through February and starting production meetings for the 2015 season already. John and I have been
working hard since everybody was laid off to get our projects finished and running before everybody gets
called back to work.
This year’s big projects have all focused on our network. We now have full 100 MB ethernet circuits serving our Ames, Newton, and Elk Run offices. These sites were all running on 1.5MB T1’s until a few weeks
ago so the upgrade in connectivity has been eye popping to the folks that work from these offices. We are
now able to run Viewpoint and B2W without Citrix, access server shares, move video, and operate fluidly
between these sites and Brooklyn. As we continue to add server based applications (like advanced document imaging, barcoding, etc.) our network will be ready to offer full functionality of these programs at
our remote offices.
Before we get fully moving again with the construction season we will be replacing the hardware that runs
our Viewpoint server. When I was in the field I always wanted to get on the “big iron” if I could find the
chance. Our Viewpoint server is big iron to those that are nerdy enough to appreciate it!
A quick note about cell phones. We have been operating on our new contract with U.S. Cellular for several
months now and are enjoying the added benefits of flexible pooled data. We still have a handful of users
that eat up more than their fair share of data each month. Please remember that our company phones and
hot spots are tied to a pooled data plan and we still incur overages when that pool is exceeded. Streaming
music and video, personal Facebook usage, and game apps can all cause huge amounts of data usage and
need to be avoided. U.S. Cellular is now providing us with a great reporting tool that breaks down usage
each month and will allow us to identify “abuse” very specifically and assess charges where necessary.
I’m looking forward to everybody getting back this spring and seeing the trucks and equipment get rolling.
Please stop in and see us if you need help or have questions about any of your technology assets. M
Newton Commercial Asphalt Crew
by: Steve Illingworth
The workload is looking very good for this time of year. We have been graced with quite a bit of
work in the last three years being let in Jasper-Poweshiek Counties. I dread the day that it dries
up.
The crew and plant have approximately 100,000 ton of mill and replace paved shoulders on Interstate 80 in Jasper-Poweshiek Counties, with the majority of this work to be done at night between
Sunday and Thursday.
Other work we have on the books is 3,500 ton in Iowa County (left from last year), 13,500 tons in
Poweshiek County through Malcom, and work at the rest area westbound just west of Grinnell.
I don’t think that Jasper County will do much this year, but you never know. Hopefully with some
commercial work we can fill out the days for the season.
As always, let’s all have a safe construction season. M
10
WINTER 2015
Ames Asphalt Update
by: Steve Rooney
As we prepare for the 2015 construction season I can happily report the Ames Asphalt Division has more
tons on the books than we completed all of last year. We should be busy starting the first of May which has
not been the case the last couple of years.
Two state projects make up most of the tonnage. One of the projects we will start the season off with
involves night work. It is a mill/fill project on I-35 involving ramps and rest areas north of Ames. This project
is only around 14,000 tons, but the majority of the work will take place at night so it will take a few weeks to
complete. It’s been a couple of years since we have had this much night work, but I’m confident our crews
can adjust and make this a safe and successful project.
The second state project is the reconstruction of HWY 69 starting just south of Ames and ending just south
of Huxley near HWY 210. It will involve milling 33,000 tons of the old asphalt down to the existing PCC,
which we will then rubblize, then place 3” of choke stone which we will cover with over 59,000 tons of new
HMA. We will need to be as efficient as possible due to some expensive liquated damages as a part of this
contract.
The commercial market is starting to pick back up here in Ames with more subdivisions getting built than in
recent years, which helps keep our Dirt and PCC crews busy. We are also seeing more new retail properties
being built which is always good.
The City of Ames will have a strong construction program for the 2015 year, and we are fortunate to have
several projects under contract. These projects are nice since they will involve all the different Ames crews
and help keep everybody busy.
Here’s hoping for a mild and dry spring so everybody can get off to a great start, but most importantly we
want it to be a safe 2015 construction season. M
Social Security Accounts Online
The U.S. Social Security Administration has now made it possible for you to create and manage your own
“Social Security” account online, at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. You can access your annual
Social Security statement, check your earnings record, and see estimates of your future retirement, disability and survivor benefits you or your family may receive. For those of you who are already receiving
benefits, you can get a benefit verification letter, change your address and phone number, and manage
your direct deposit information.
WINTER 2015
11
North Ready Mix Update
by: Chris Manatt
Here in the first week of March, it is still quite cold, but there is
warmer temperatures in the forecast. We look forward to a very
busy year here in North ready mix. We have had yet another very
cold winter, but we have had some good winter work to keep our
plants busy.
During the winter months, the only plants that remain open
here are Elk Run Heights and Independence. Both plants have
been fortunate to have shared in supplying a transmission line
that started in January. This project started near Dunkerton and
extends east to the Hazelton area. Elk Run supplied the Western
half and Independence is currently supplying the Eastern portion.
This project totals over 8,000 cubic yards, 2,000 cubic yards was
supplied by Elk Run and Independence is currently working on
the remainder. In addition to this project, Elk Run has also been
supplying a large lift station project, as well as a project at Tyson
in Waterloo. We only have three drivers working in Elk Run this
winter and two in Independence, so all of our laid off employees
have been called back several times this year to help cover these
large projects. It is great to have this work to start the year off
well ahead of last season.
It is a bit early to predict how busy we will be this season across
the North plants. There are several upcoming projects that are
being let this month. So far, we have lined up several jobs, and
we are optimistic that we will have another great construction
season. The Waterloo area plants have several paving jobs lined
up either ongoing or yet to begin. Some of the Waterloo paving
projects include a new interchange at US 218 & C57, Kimball
Avenue and five subdivision projects. The Elk Run plant will
continue to be busy this Spring with a wastewater treatment
plant project in Gilbertville and a new Kwik Star in Evansdale.
The Independence plant should finish their portion of the
transmission line by early May. This will take trucks from all of
our surrounding plants to help complete. We have several jobs
ongoing when we reopen our rural plants. Also for the rural
plants, we are quoting several agricultural projects each week.
There are several IDOT projects in future lettings that are in our
area. We look forward to the warmer weather and starting off
the construction season. M
Metro Update
by: Greg Manatt
T
he Des Moines Metro
Division is looking forward to a
great season in 2015. We have
some carryover from last year
that will get us started this
spring once we finally start to
thaw out. The paving backlog
is ahead of last year with a lot
of big public jobs still to bid
this year. We are hopeful we
can pick some of that work up
in addition to our private work
to round out the season. The
PCC paving division will be
ready to go when the weather
cooperates.
The shops have been busy all
winter long getting the trucks,
pavers, loaders, equipment,
etc. ready for the 2015
season. Jeff Hanke and his
crew are doing a great job to
make sure we are ready to go
for another season. They keep
the fleet running and looking
great! Thanks for all you guys
do.
The Ready Mix Division is
looking forward to another
good year. We just completed
our preseason ready mix
driver training meeting and
had a great turnout. The main
focus was dealing with emotionally charged situations in
the workplace and safety. We
saw an improvement on safety
in 2014 in the Metro area,
and I appreciate everyone’s
hard work to make that happen. Let’s keep that going into
2015 and have another safe
year doing a better job than
anyone else! M
12
WINTER 2015
Subdrain-Sealcoat- Stabilization
by: David Schinckel
Another winter is starting to wind down! It doesn’t really sound that way for the forecast this first
week of March though! At least this time of year the snow shouldn’t last as long as going in to January. The winter months are the time we try to fill our books for the upcoming construction season. As
usual there has not been an over abundance of work to bid in our division once again. We have been
able to grab some projects here and there but have a long way to go yet. The subdrain crew has a little
over two months on the books scattered out over the summer, as projects become available. The gas
tax has now been passed and hopefully will open a few more projects available to bid in the coming
months to help fill this crew up. I am always nervous at this time of year when I see where our finish
line is and how much ground we need to cover. It seems we can always make a season out of it, but
what little hair I have seems to be getting grayer each year!
The Sealcoat and Stabilization crew has some carry over work from last year that we will cover first
thing out of the chute. Hopefully Mother Nature will bless us with an early warm up and we can
kickoff early to get these projects taken care of. Jeremy has been out most of the winter making sales
calls and we are seeing more interest in the towns and cities to fix their streets this year. I am pretty
optimistic this crew will not have any problem making a full season once again. There have been
several stabilization projects we have quoted and seem to be filling that area up also. It might be that
the subdrain crew will be called in to help as they did last year, if they have some open holes in their
schedule, and the sealcoat crew starts to get bogged down with weather.
The safety meetings will be coming soon, and I look forward to seeing you all back again for another
safe and productive season. Get all of your CDL requirements updated if needed, as we will be going
again before you know it. If you have time now also, get your Wellness program requirements done
before we start so it isn’t a last minute issue this fall. See ya soon! M
Newton Portable Asphalt
by: Jeff Steinkamp
First, I’d like to welcome everyone back. It’s nice to see a little more activity around the shop, plants and office.
As we get back into our daily routines let’s all try to stay conscientious with our environment. Let’s stay safe and
have another productive and profitable year. With that being said, it is nice to know we will have a busy year
ahead of us. Writing this in February, we already have a season that is 90% full.
We will be starting the year in Jasper County on Highway 14, North of Newton. We will be doing approximately
13000 tons of paved shoulders. After that, we will be heading back to HWY 3 in Wright County to finish that
job, approximately 40,000 tons of surface mix. When that is completed we will be coming back to Jasper County
to finish HWY 14, approximately 60,000 tons. This job needs to be cold-in-placed, widened, and then overlaid.
There will be other various small projects that we will also be doing as Chico’s guys will be busy completing the
paved shoulders on I-80.
Again, welcome back and stay safe. M
WINTER 2015
13
May We Introduce ...
Corrine Kimm
Hello to everyone, and thank you for making me feel so welcomed.
My name is Corrine Kimm. I will be taking over for Dwight in the
Dump Truck Dispatch department in Brooklyn. I have been in the
construction industry since 1986, and am part owner of Kimm’s
Truck (formerly Kimm’s Ready Mix, a third generation family owned
business) in Blairstown.
I grew up the oldest of 5 children, on a farm outside of Watkins, IA. I
graduated from Norway High School in 1982. I married my husband
Dale “Joe” in 1988. We have three grown children, Danielle, Maggie,
and Dale, Jr. and 2 energetic grandsons, Charlie, 2 and Jackson, 4.
Joe and I enjoy the outdoors, camping, fishing, our collector cars,
and old Harleys. We love attending as many car shows as we can
each summer. In my spare time, I am also chairman of the
Blairstown Sauerkraut Days celebration; love my vegetable garden and canning. Thank you to ALL
of the “Manatt family” for this opportunity and challenge that is ahead of me. Family is very important,
and I am happy that I have found another one to be a part of.
Andy Day
Hi, my name is Addison Day and I’m the upside down one in the
picture. I’d like to introduce you to my mom and dad. My mom is
Brenda and my dad is Andy. My mom is a school teacher and my
dad is your new Director of Human Resources at Manatts. He’s
very excited to be working with all of you and me and my mom
are excited to move to Brooklyn. I’ve already met some very nice
people and even made some new friends. I can’t wait to spend
more time with Amiah, Clair, Payton, and Lucy. My dad used to
work for Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids and was there for 14
years. We moved to California when I was 1 to live in San Jose.
We had a great time living there and seeing all the neat sites.
Our family likes to do a lot of fun things and build forts in the
living room. Movie night is my favorite and we’ve watched some
really neat movies. Please say hi when you see us in Brooklyn or
anywhere else in Iowa and don’t forget to be nice to cats. I love
cats and hope to see a lot of them in Brooklyn. Oh, I almost forgot…we also have two new puppies. Kona and Kobi are 1 year
old German Shepherds who love to bark and lick.
14
WINTER 2015
NewsfromHRCorner
by:AndyDay
I
n preparation for the upcoming season, the Human Resources team is excited to introduce a
number of new position changes in Brooklyn. Please join me in congratulating the following individuals as they begin transitioning into their new assignments.
•BeckyEdelenwilltakeoverthefuel/truckhoursresponsibilitiesaswellasbackingupthe
front desk during the season.
•AdelaFragosohasmovedtothelobbywhereshe’lltakeoverthedaytoday
responsibilities of the front desk in addition to continuing her support with language
translation and employee communication.
•RandiConawayhasmovedupstairsintotheHRareawhereshewillmaintain
responsibility over the Wellness program in addition to supporting Payroll and other HR
data administration needs.
•JamieEdelenhasmovedupstairsintheHRareawhereshewilltakeonnew
responsibilities in HR like recruiting, communications and employee relations.
•NikkiButlerwillserveasyourfocalpointforallcontractingneedsinPCC&MetroPaving,
Subdrain, Sealcoat and Grinding.
•AshleyLintwillserveasyourfocalpointforallcontractingneedsinNewton&Ames
Asphalt&Milling.
•LaceyDoolinwillbetransitioningintothepartsdepartment.
In addition to these role changes, the team has been busy this winter implementing a new set of
pre-employmentphysicalscreeningstotestallincomingemployee’sabilitytoperformtheessentialfunctionsoftheirjob.We’repartneringwithAtlasInjuryPreventionSolutionsandGrinnell Hospital to incorporate a 30 minute “physical” for each participant into new hire orientation.
ThetestisdesignedtoensurethesafetyofManatt’sInc.employeesbyrequiringallapplicants
to take a standardized pre-work screen that validates that they are able to perform the essential
functionsofthejobforwhichtheywereofferedemployment.Existingandreturningemployees
willnotberequiredtoperformthesescreenings.
Alsothiswinter,theteampartneredwithAllenInteractivetodesign,createanddeployacomputer-based training on pre-trip inspections. This interactive training module demonstrates the
proper way to conduct a pre-trip inspection and then tests the driver on their ability to successfully complete the process. The purpose of this training is intended to improve our company
performanceontheFederalMotorCarrierSafetyAdministration’sCSA(Compliance*Safety*Acco
untability)scorecard.AllCDLholdersatManatt’sInc.shouldplantocompletethistrainingprior
to the season kicking off. M
WINTER 2015
15
1989 – 2015 - 16 Years and Much Has Changed
And Yes – This Money Stays in the Road Fund!
by: Mona Bond
The Iowa Legislature, in a rare move, passed the motor fuel tax rate effective March 1, 2015. The 10 cent
increase is the first significant increase since 1989. As a comparison, let’s look at how the country has
changed since 1989. If you were born in 1989, you are now 25 or 26 years old. The following chart shows
how the country has changed. This makes you stop and wonder how much will the nation change in the
next 25 years.
1989 –
World Population: 5.190 billion
President: George Bush (R)
Vice President: J. Danforth Quayle (R)
U.S. Population: 246,819,230
Life expectancy: 75.1 years
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 57.4
Federal spending: $1143.17 billion
Federal debt: $2868.0 billion
Median Household Income
(current dollars): $28,906
Consumer Price Index: 124
Unemployment: 5.3%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.25
Record of the Year: “Don’t Worry Be Happy”, Bobby
McFerrin
Academy Award, Best Picture: Rain Man
•Tens of thousands of Chinese students take over
Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in rally for democracy.
•After 28 years, Berlin Wall is open to West.
•US jury convicts Oliver North in Iran-Contra affair.
•Army Gen. Colin R. Powell is first black Chairman
of Joint Chiefs of Staff (Aug. 9).
2015 –
World Population: 7.2 billion
President: Barak Obama (D)
Vice President: Joe Biden (D)
U.S. Population: 320,090,857
Life expectancy: 79 years
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 50.1
Federal spending: $ $3.9 trillion
Federal debt: $21,694 Trillion (expected)
Median Household Income
(current dollars): $53, 891
Consumer Price Index: 236.1
Unemployment: 5.7%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.49
Record of the Year: “Stay With Me”, Sam Smith
Academy Award, Best Picture: Birdman & American Sniper
•Iowa Legislature passes 10 cent gas tax increase!
•For example, Iowa’s 2-cent gas tax in 1923 would have
the equivalence of 27 cents per gallon today. Iowa’s gas
tax value peaked in 1957 when the gas tax was 7 cents,
which in today’s dollars would be 59.1 cents per gallon,
according to the report.
Background
State, county, and municipal governments currently maintain over 114,000 miles of roadway and nearly 25,000 bridges in the state. The major state funding source for the construction, maintenance, and supervision of Iowa’s highways
is the Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF).
The Iowa Constitution requires that the Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) be “used exclusively for the construction, maintenance,
and supervision of the public highways exclusively within the State or for the payment of bonds…” (source: https://
www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/fn/643778.pdf )
Current law allocates 47.5% to Iowa DOT, 32.5% to counties, and 20.0% to cities. Following the passage of TIME 21 the
new allocation formula for those new resources are distributed PRF receives 47.5%, the Secondary Road Fund receives
20.0%, the Farm-to-Market Fund receives 8.0%, and the City Street Construction Fund receives 20.0%.
continued on next page...
16
WINTER 2015
Trends in Gas Tax in Midwestern States
State
2014 Cents/Gallon
Federal
US National
Average
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Nebraska
18.44
29.89
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin
20.1
18
22 2015 rate-32
25.03
19
28.6
27.3 2015 rate26.5
23
28
24
32.9
Increase since
1993
0
1.1
3
2
7.03
4
8.6
2.7
6
7
6
10.2
Rates include the excise tax and other additional fees/taxes.
Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan also impose a sales or use tax.
In Nebraska, the gas tax is based in part on the whole sale
price of gasoline as well as a variable rate set by the Dept. of
Roads to ensure adequate highway funding.
Iowa’s step forward makes it the ninth state
to either raise or reform its gas tax in just over
two years. Starting with Wyoming’s approval
of a 10-cent gas hike in February 2013, we’ve
seen gas tax increases or reforms enacted
in jurisdictionas as varied as Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, the District
of Columbia, and now Iowa. It is expected
that this list will grow by the time states’ 2015
legislative sessions come to a close.
Missouri legislators are considering raising the
state’s 18 year old gas tax rate, at least two bill
have been filled.
Nebraska’s unicameral legislature is giving
serious thought to a 6-cent gas tax increase.
Source: http://www.taxjusticeblog.org/archive/2015/03/nine_states_and_counting_have.
php
Iowa legislators were faced with facts and the growing need to keep Iowa’s infrastructure strong and
viable. It was not an easy decision for many of them, and while not all legislators supported the bill,
many supported the need but had other ideas of how to fix the issue. This is not the last of this issue.
The diminishing return on using the gas tax as the means of supporting Iowa’s roads and bridges continues. Leaders must start today and continue to work and research this issue for a fair and equitable
system for all Iowans.
The next challenge before America is the federal highway system. Passage of the fuel tax in Iowa is one step
in helping our state, county and city highways but the federal government is facing the same situation.
Passage of the Iowa tax has been one step in keeping America strong; one step toward continued economic
growth. With the unemployment rate at 5.7% nationwide we need leaders with vision that will take bold
steps in the future – regardless of their political party or desire to remain in office.
continued on next page...
WINTER 2015
17
Representative Dawn Pettengill shared the following thoughtful process she went through in making her
decision in a recent newsletter. This process is something many legislators went through and it is not an
easy decision to raise taxes.
“And then there was the fuel tax vote. I voted for it, and here are some of the facts that firmed up my decision:” stated Pettengill.
1. The fuel tax can only be spent on roads and bridges, nothing else.
2. The increase will be 10 cents a gallon for regular gas, 8 cents for ethanol blends and 7 cents for biodiesel.
The increase will raise $215 million.
3. It has been 26 years since the last increase and we are $220 million a year short for maintenance.
4. Local Governments have started borrowing money to fix their roads because we haven’t raised the money
coming to them to fix roads. Over $1.1 billion dollars has been borrowed so far. 39% of cities and 29% of
counties now have debt for road projects that the property tax payer is on the hook for.
5. Unlike other options, out of state drivers will contribute about $45 million dollars or 20% of the increase.
6. Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) is made up of fuel taxes, new vehicle registration fees, annual vehicle registration
fees and is Constitutionally protected.
7. The distribution of the RUTF is 47.5% to state highways, 24.5% to county roads, 20% to city streets and 8%
for farm-to-market county roads.
8. Iowa’s road system has over 114,000 miles of highways, roads and streets and 25,000 bridges.
9. Iowa is ranked 48th in deficient bridge condition.
10. Iowa is ranked 38th in rural interstate condition and 46th in rural arterial condition.
11. Iowa is ranked 37th in urban interstate condition.
12. At an average of 20,000 miles/year, 25 mpg, a 10 cent increase will cost the Iowa driver $7 each month.
13. Benton Co has 57 structurally deficient bridges. 25 are open, 31 are posted and 1 is closed. Iowa Co has
52 structurally deficient bridges with 8 open, 39 posted and 5 closed. The state has 4,728 bridges that are
structurally deficient. 1651 are open, 2819 are posted and 258 are closed.
14. Benton Co is estimated to receive about $975,000 more a year and our cities $310,678 more. Our current
RUTF is $3,700,000.
15. Iowa Co is estimated to receive almost $740,000 more a year and our cities $175,000 more. Our current
RUTF is $2,740,375.
16. The legislation requires the DOT to find $20 million in efficiencies to transfer to RUTF. They have already
reduced by $50 million.
17. The legislation requires the DOT to report to the Legislature every 5 years on the status of projects vs.
funding. I heard concerns about electric cars not paying their fair share. Currently we have less than 400
electric cars registered in Iowa. After 5 years, if that number is significantly higher, something may need to
be done.
18. The legislation also raises fees for excessive size and weight permits.
continued on next page...
18
WINTER 2015
...continued from previous page
Senate File 257: passed the legislature on February 24, 2015. The bipartisan bill passed the Iowa Senate
28-21 and Iowa House 53-46. It is interesting to look at the history of Iowa’s fuel tax. According to the Iowa
Department of Revenue the tax rate on fuel is something that was addressed fairly regularly for years and
then…..there was no change. (see chart)
History of Iowa Fuel Tax Rates
Effective Date of Change
Gasoline Tax Rate
Ethanol Tax Rate
Diesel Tax Rate
1925
2 cents per gallon
NA
2 cents per gallon
1943
3 cents per gallon
NA
3 cents per gallon
1945
4 cents per gallon
NA
4 cents per gallon
1953
5 cents per gallon
NA
5 cents per gallon
1955
6 cents per gallon
NA
6 cents per gallon
1957
7 cents per gallon
NA
7 cents per gallon
1965
7 cents per gallon
NA
8 cents per gallon
1978
8.5 cents per gallon
NA
10 cents per gallon
1981
13 cents per gallon
NA
13.5 cents per gallon
1982
13 cents per gallon
NA
15.5 cents per gallon
July 1, 1985
15 cents per gallon
NA
16.5 cents per gallon
January 1, 1986
16 cents per gallon
NA
17 cents per gallon
1987
16 cents per gallon
NA
18.5 cents per gallon
1988
18 cents per gallon
NA
20.5 cents per gallon
1989
20 cents per gallon
19 cents per gallon
22.5 cents per gallon
July 1, 2008
21 cents per gallon
19 cents per gallon
22.5 cents per gallon
January 1, 2006 through July 1, 2007, the Fuel Tax Rate for E85 was 17 cents per gallon. M
WINTER 2015
19
2014 Longevity Awards
Manatt’s, Inc., realizes that a main reason for our success is due to the dedication and contributions of our most important asset, our employees. This is especially valuable since national current statistics show the average employee changes jobs every 3 years. We appreciate everyone’s
commitment to our common goal “to safely doing everything we do better than everyone else.” A
special thank you to those listed below who reached a milestone year as of the end of 2014:
40 Years
Duane McDonald
Ronald Price
Harold Kavalier
Denny Gallagher
35 Years
Jeff Pfantz
30 Years
Wally Kalinay
Steve McCurry
Bob Morton
Melvin Walker
Cindy Dela Rosa
Bruce Loving
25 Years
Roger Gerard
Duane Hassebrock
Dave Hochstetler
Darrell Brunko
Michael Maxwell
Bill Hanken
Dave Amo
Joe Crouse
Paul Grove
Armando Garcia
Alan Manatt
Dannie Clark
Kerry Traver
20 Years
Dale McCammant
Laurie Hall
Ricardo Ordaz
Dave Sokol
Mona Bond
Charlie Meyer
Jaime Ordaz
Felipe Fonseca
Harvey Weiss
15 Years
Shellie Johnson
Kevin Sorenson
Rory Harlan
Dewayne Veverka
Mark Fettkether
Kelly Sisson
Reed Ballard
John Perry
Carey Courtney
Ron Hayes
Jeff Jenkins
Brett Strong
Scott Sibert
Jon Puls
Alan Young
David McNeal
Lowell Hunter
Steve Beck
Charles Kochuyt
Pat Jackson
Fernando Galvez
James Packer
10 Years
Jerry Carlson
Bryan Charter
Trace Roberts
David Bales
Marvin Tschumper
Keith Larson
Joe Balvin
Frank Dedrick
Felipe Gutierrez
Jose Cervantes Fonseca
Jorge Reinosa Angel
Andy Broadston
Dale Pint
Andy Argotsinger
Brad Karsten
Shelly Robertson
Jackie Thompson
Michael Fouts
Corey Patton
Joaquin Ortega
5 Years
Steve Anderson
Roy Piper
Joe Gorecki
Fortunato Pena
Travis Garber
Norm Taylor
Evaristo Perez
Scott Johnson
David Galbraith
Randy Cooper
Todd Nuckulls
Steve Peterson
Dale Rozendaal
Tim Mangold
Vicente Ochoa Rangel
Kevin Kramer
Daniel Maddox
Alejandro Sanchez
Jeff Steinkamp
Terry See
Todd Pickles
Teresa Dvorsky
Justin Hewitt
20
WINTER 2015
ILLOWA News
by: Brian Armstrong
Wow, March already? Between all the holidays, training, meetings, lettings, a bit of vacationing, and
moving snow every other day, it seems like the off season can be as busy as the summer months!
As usual, Brad, Jeff, and Opie are getting equipment ran through the shop getting things ready for
the 2015 season. This takes a lot of time and concentration to find all the parts that need replaced
and adjustments that need made. Good inspection and maintenance is key in our performance year
in and out.
Our safety meeting with Determann Asphalt will be held a little early this year, on March 12. We’ve
got a great line-up of folks from the DOT to refresh our drivers, as well as Mona, Frank, Adam, Clay
and some Reps from our insurance company.
As far as the asphalt season, starting out we have a nice trail job that’s carry over from last year.
Muscatine County has a shoulder repair job that will tie in with some patching for Louisa County. We
also have a small paving job on I-80 associated with some patching for Hawkeye.
On the commercial side we’ve got some parking lots for The Hon Company as well as some smaller
paving for Cargill in Muscatine. I’m hoping that Cargill will turn into larger jobs down the road. As it
always seems, not nearly enough to make a season, but the forecast looks good for more work to be
on the horizon. M
From the Desk of Larry Senger
We are hoping the cold, snowy weather brakes early this Spring. We have some carry-over CRS – 2P
crack filling to finish in Linn County on Highway 30. We were low on 3 nice jobs from the November
letting in Guthrie, Page, & Union Counties for work this spring.
We also picked up 2 roads in Jackson County with Fort Dodge Asphalt for this spring. So, needless
to say we are going to be very busy getting out of the gate, hopefully the last week in March.
We will have 2 crews starting early, using the help of the asphalt crew until their work starts. Hopefully their work doesn’t start until the middle of May.
We also have some PCC joint sawing and sealing projects in the city of LeClaire, in Webster County,
and at the Waterloo National Guard Facility.
We hope everybody has a safe and productive start to the beginning of another season. M
Brad Schutte working on a skid
loader in the shop
Jeff Herrinton working on a paver
WINTER 2015
21
Wendling Quarries Update
by: Tony Manatt
Wow, winter was a brutal one
this year. As I write this, it is -6
degrees outside.... Again..! I
saw an article that said we have
had 15 out of the last 30 days
in some sort of below 0 degree
situation. And the wind chill... I
like the cold, but even this past
winter was a little long for me.
Talk about an action packed
winter schedule. It all starts
with scheduling winter repairs.
What a process that is and it all
starts months before the snow
flies. The Salespersons forecasts
for next season have to come in
before repairs get started. This
will let us know how many hours
we need our shops and repair
crews to work during the winter
months. It’s a, “when do we have
to get started next year”, sort of
question. We have to work backwards from there. It really does
take the whole team to make it
all come together. I am blessed
to have Steve Yerington on our
team. He started the winter repairs process and loves stuff like
this. It has made our lives much
easier and helps the company
function to its fullest potential.
He and his team have been passing this system down the line as
much as possible each year. We
now have years of track record,
and it is obvious to all of us, this
is the way to go. Stir in vacations,
training and re certifications,
safety training for all of us miners
(MSHA), continuing education,
conventions of our associations,
seminars of our trades, refresher
training for all the managers,
computer training, corporate
retreats, and time spent on customer relations, lettings (where
we are bidding things all winter
long),... The list just goes on and
on...!! Lots of opportunities to
improve our position and situations here at WQI. Isn’t that one
of our goals? It should be, otherwise, what is the point of not
using the whole team or family?
Anyway, my point is that we are
ready for the coming season in
a big, confident way.
Another conversation I would
like to talk about is the funding of our job securities. That’s
right.... our job security or at
least where the money comes
from. The user fee or gas tax has
moved up 10 cents. I couldn’t
think of a fairer way to pass
along a tax. Those who use the
roads have to pay for the maintenance of them. Without funding,
we don’t really have a need for
asphalt, concrete, or even rock.
This 10 cents might not sound
like much, but this 10 cents
will increase the governmental
funding budget by 25%. That
is huge and very much needed.
Not only for our jobs, but it will
help the state of Iowa get back
on the track of economic greatness. Remember when Iowa was
known for its great roads...? We
are now rated 35th in our nation
in regards to our infrastructure.
That doesn’t do much good
when trying to lure businesses to
move in or start something new
in the great state of Iowa. It also
doesn’t help farmers get their
product to market efficiently
and safely. Bridges to be fixed
before falling in, highways being
maintained and upgrades to our
system are long overdue. I, like
many of us, have been working
on this project for 15 plus years.
I want to thank all those who
wrote letters, made phone calls,
sent emails or just helped out
in general. We send these folks
to represent us.... it’s time they
acted on behalf of their contingents’. That’s you and me helping this state and our communities’ futures. Thank you again
to those who helped. It made a
difference. For those who didn’t,
please get comfortable with contacting your representatives on
the many issues we all face. Ask
us for any help you may need
when contacting your politicians.
We would love to help.
Lastly, I want to express my
gratefulness to you all for continued support to our companies. We all depend on each
other, pulling together for the
good of the group. We all need
to pull together to make this
machine work. It takes all of us.
We will continue to provide a
good, safe place to work if you
are interested in the same effort.
Merlin, Junie, and Clair had no
idea this would become such an
awesome company with such
a wide spread area. I feel truly
blessed with a sense of obligation and responsibility to work
hard for all of you. “Welcome
back” if laid off and “here we go”
for those who were not. Let’s
have the safest year ever. M
22
WINTER 2015
Wendling Quarries: Winter Training and
Winter Repairs: There isn’t a “Slow Season”.
by: Steve Yerington
2 Day Supervisory Training at Lisbon.
Debra Salz from Cedar Rapids delivered a
very energetic training session.
DeWitt Shop is full of Equipment that is
scheduled to go out in the Quarries beginning March 9th. Other shops Robins, Moscow, Blairsferry, Preston, and not to forget
the 2 Stationary plants Moscow and C.R.
South that work on their equipment in the
outside fresh air shop.
Another picture of the DeWitt shop. Unbelievable the amount of work that gets done
on all the equipment in all of the shops
throughout the days allocated for repairs.
We have allocated 16,156 man hours over a
60 day window. 45 days of Crushing equipment repairs and 15 days washing equipment days.
Then, when the equipment is repaired it is placed in staging areas amongst the shop yards and awaits the
location of the crew starting and time frame so the equipment haulers can get the equipment distributed
before start up. At our shop/parts meeting we will compile the percentage of completion to gauge if we
are on track or if we need to increase our efforts. As we all know, when we open up a crusher, a truck, a
loader, or anything it usually turns into more than anticipated. So sometimes we have to reprioritize the
repairs to where we may have to hire some things done. Some of the things that also affect the hours is
the training, DOT recertification’s, MSHA, computer classes, and the weather. Thanks to all who play a big
part in the winter repairs and what gets done safely, and to all of those that take great care of their equipment all year long to help control our hours and our costs, THANKS!!! M
WINTER 2015
23
“I Make A Difference” Award
by: John Tuthill
The ILPA 70th Annual convention was held February 25 & 26
this year. The ILPA has an award which is designed to recognize
people in our industry that make a positive difference in their
community and exemplify what it means to be a leader. This year
the “I Make a Difference” award was presented to Marc Whitman, Quarry Development Manager for Wendling Quarries. Marc
was nominated by John Tuthill, Property Manager for Wendling
Quarries. John and Marc work closely together, and it was an
honor for John to nominate his friend, co-worker and mentor for
the award.
Shortly after Manatt’s purchased WQI from B.W. Carpenter in
1987, Merlin and Brad hired Marc. He had many hats in the early
days and currently manages the Quarry Development Department, which oversees stripping, ledge control, reclamation, GIS/
GPS, AutoCAD design and exploration drilling. Marc’s career goal
at WQI has been to put together a team of individuals that can
exceed his own talents. His “team” consists of Doug Mohr, Dave
Chester, Mitchel Godes and Trent Sieverding.
As an educational outreach, Marc, along with John Tuthill, lead
school tours through our quarries. The focus is to teach kids
about the geology, our processed products, and the culture of
our industry. The two also spend many spring evenings
participating in career fairs to help promote and teach kids what
it takes to be a part of our industry.
The following are from the words of John Tuthill, used in his
nomination for Marc:
Marc has lived his entire life in the Lisbon area. He married his
high school sweetheart, Cathy, and together they have two sons
and 6 grandchildren. Marc and Cathy have had the privilege of
hosting three different foreign exchange students over the years.
The Whitman’s have been able to maintain lasting relationships
with all three kids.
Another huge impact Marc has had on others is his love of
sports. Marc led many sports while in high school. He was inducted into the Lisbon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 for his
contributions as an athlete, coach and mentor. Even today about
any time of the year Marc can be found at the school working
with kids on their fundamentals or just being there when a kid
needs a friend or guiding hand. When asked, Marc is quick to
tell you that he wouldn’t be where he is today or be the person
continued on page 24...
MSHA and the “NEW Generation”
by: Steve Yerington
This is a future Wendling Quarries Inc. 6th generation Miner.
He is obviously fixing the toilet paper roller that wasn’t
“LOCKED OUT”. So to avoid
that Msha citation he is working very hard to get it working
properly again. Apparently
he discovered it in his “PRESHIFT” inspection. According
to his mother she explained to
him the, “RULES TO LIVE BY”
and this is not one. His dad
apparently will need to build a
guard so this malfunction won’t
happen again and endanger
Drew’s wellbeing. This so happens to be my Grandson. Hang
on Tony I have 4 or 5 of these
Y-6’s just headed our way. M
24
WINTER 2015
...continued from page 23
Wendling Quarry Announcements
Congrats
Cody and Shelby Dusenberry –
married October 13, 2014
Devin and Lindsay French –
married October 17, 2014
Miracles
Jackson Baker son of Jeff Baker born November 29, 2014
Avery Jo Strube granddaughter of Dave
and Lori McMahon born Feb. 18, 2015.
Sympathy
Sam Huitt on the loss of father
Ron Said on the loss of father in-law
Bert Willis on the loss of father
Jackie Behounek on the loss of mother
Kenny Loughren on the loss of mother
Robin Jones on the loss of mother in-law
Justin Taylor on the loss of grandfather
Dave Chester on the loss of mother in-law
Randy Rowan loss of father
Kevin Rowan loss of father
Pete Caspers loss of grandmother
Pete Caspers loss of grandfather
Kirk Sissel on the loss of mother
Sandy Perkins loss of brother
Shawn Pierce loss of mother
Jamie Rundle loss of father in-law
Sam King loss of mother
he is without the influence of some really outstanding
people.
One of the achievements that Marc is most proud
of is his efforts, along with J.C. Miller, to establish a
Chapter unit of Dollar for Scholars at Lisbon. In 2014,
the Lisbon chapter awarded 22 scholarships totaling
$10,000. As a reminder of life’s blessings, Marc and
Cathy also founded the Cathy Whitman Family Scholarship program. Each year Marc and Cathy award two
$500 scholarships to two graduating seniors.
Simply put, Marc likes to make a difference, and the
example he sets for others to see by putting long
hours in, working smart and looking at things in more
than just the same old way has truly helped lead
Wendling to where it is today. He gives without any
expectation of anything being returned and he truly
loves seeing others succeed. Marc is one of those
people that makes the extra effort to develop quality individuals into great employees, It’s not only his
effort, but the fact that Marc truly believes he has
succeeded when the people around him are successful. When Marc was inducted into the Lisbon High
School Hall of Fame, he said it best; “Any award ever
received with my name on it has been possible only
because others have cared.” Albert Einstein once said;
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not
everything that counts can be counted.” M
Marc Whitman accepting his award at the
ILPA Convention
WINTER 2015
25
WQI Sales Update
by: Todd Miller
Another season is behind us, and ready or not, we are about to begin another one. We had quite a busy
2014 including some major projects.
In the Cedar Rapids/Tama area we have completed the following projects: I-380 HMA Resurfacing with LL
Pelling Co., Highway 1 HMA Resurfacing with Manatts, Linn Co. PCC Overlays with Horsfield Construction,
Eastern Iowa Airport Taxiway with LL Pelling Co, Streb Construction, and DeLong Construction, Highway
100 Grading and Bridges in Cedar Rapids with Peterson Contractors, Pirc-Tobin Construction, Dave Schmitt
Construction, Cramer and Associates, and United Contractors, Highway 30 Reconstruction in Cedar Rapids
with Peterson Contractors and Cedar Valley Corp, Iowa Premium Beef with Prairie Construction and Gridor
Construction, and the Meskwaki Travel Plaza with Con-Struct and Kotzer Excavating.
In the Cedar/Muscatine/Clinton County Area we had several larger projects including: I-80 Rest Stop with
Peterson Contractors, Cedar River Rip Rap with Taylor Construction and PCI, and PCC Paving in DeWitt with
K & E Contractors.
Along with these larger projects, there are numerous smaller projects, both public and private, that certainly add up the tons. We pride ourselves on customer service and being able to safely supply our customers with high quality aggregates in a timely fashion. A big “THANK YOU” goes out to everyone at WQI that
makes this happen! M
MSE Wall on Highway 100 in
Cedar Rapids
Rigid Inclusions and Cedar
River Bridge Construction on
Highway 100 in Cedar Rapids
26
WINTER 2015
Manatt Christmas Party & Brad’s Retirement Party
In December, we celebrated the
holidays, as well as Brad Manatt’s
retirement. The event was held at
the Prairie Meadows Conference
Center in Altoona. There were
approximately 400 people in attendance. It was a fun time and
a great way to give Brad a final
farewell. Thank you to everyone
who joined in the celebration.
Here are a few photos from the
photo booth that was present
that night.
WINTER 2015
27
Noticias de la Esquina de RR.HH.
by: Andy Day
En preparación para la temporada próxima, el quipo de Recursos Humanos le quiere informar con mucho
gusto, de los cambios en algunos de los puestos en Brooklyn. Por favor ayúdeme a felicitar a las siguientes
personas que ya están haciendo tu transición a sus nuevos puestos.
. Becky Edelen estará encargada de lo que está relacionado con el combustible/horas de los camiones
como también ayudar en el lobby durante la temporada de trabajo.
. Adela Fragoso se a movido al lobby donde tomara las riendas de las responsabilidades diarias de cada día
junto con seguir brindando su apoyo en interpretación de lenguaje y seguirá ayudando en la
comunicación de los empleados.
. Randi Conoway se a movido para la área de arriba y ayudara en Recursos Humanos en donde tendrá las
responsabilidades en el Programa de Bienestar junto con ayudar en el Departamento de Nomina de
Sueldos y en lo que se necesite en la administración de Recursos Humanos.
. Jamie Edelen se ha movido el Departamento de Recursos Humanos en donde estará a cargo del
reclutamiento, comunicación y relación de los empleados.
. Nikki Butler ahora servirá como la persona principal en todo lo relacionado con contracciones en PCC &
Pavimentación en la área Metro, Subdrenaje, Sellamiento y Moliendo.
. Ashley Lint servirá como la persona principal con en las contrataciones en Asfalto y Moliendo de Newton y
Ames.
. Lacey Doolin se moverá al departamento de partes.
Junto con todos estos cambios de puestos el equipo a estado muy ocupado este invierno implementando
un programa nuevo que incluye un físico de pre empleó y de habilidad de hacer todas las funciones de sus
trabajos, será un examen para todos los nuevos empleados. Nos juntamos con Atlas Injury Prevention Solutions (programa para prevenir lesiones) Y con el Hospital de Grinnell para incorporar un físico de 30 minutos
para cada participante nuevo que entrara a orientación. El examen está diseñado para asegurar el bienestar
de los empleados de Manatt’s Inc. al requerir que todos los solicitantes tomen un examen de pre empleó
que detecta que los solicitantes pueden hacer los deberes esenciales del trabajo que se les está ofreciendo.
Los empleados actuales y los que van a regresar no se les requiere que hagan estos exámenes.
También este invierno, el equipo se junto con Allen Interactiva(interactivo) para diseñar y lanzar un programa de computación basado en inspecciones antes del viaje(pre-trip) Este entrenamiento interactivo
demuestra la forma correcta de hacer la inspección antes del viaje y también pone a prueba al chofer y demuestra su habilidad al completar el proceso. El propósito de este entrenamiento es para mejorar el puntaje
de la Administración Federal de Autotransporte (responsabilidad y conformidad en la seguridad) Todos los
que tengan un licencia para troquero en Manatt’s Inc. debe de completar este entrenamiento antes de que
empiece la temporada. M