AGGREGATE QUARTERLY PRODUCERS NEWS of WISCONSIN June 2020 Producers of Crushed Stone, Sand and Gravel Message from the President Message from the President 1 From the Executive Director 2 Legislative & Regulatory Report The New Normal for the Old School November 2020 Elections Will Bring Many Faces to By the time you read this, it will be well over three months since the coronavirus Wisconsin Legislature 3 pandemic took over our country. Literally…it took over our country! Every facet of National Industry News our daily lives was suddenly turned upside down. House Introduces Text of I hope you and your families have persevered during the pandemic and the INVEST in America Act 5 endless onslaught of media coverage, CDC guideline changes, testing protocols, NSSGA Commends House and PPE shortages. While our industry was considered essential, we should really Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Introduction of “tip our hard hats” to the front line medical professionals, doctors, nurses, EMTs, Infrastructure Bill That Includes police, and firefighters who have taken on this nasty virus and served our local ROCKS Act 7 communities with the same care and compassion as they always have. Thank you Member News 19–23 to all of these professionals. APW Regulatory News 20 So, over these last few months, what have we learned about our families, WI DNR Issues Changes to businesses, employees, and ourselves as we face these uncertain times? NR 812 21 Regarding family, the first few weeks of Safer at Home might have felt like a 5th Annual APW Shooting vacation. Time for family dinners, board games, and reruns on the television that Event 24 kind of took us back to family days of the past. However, for some, by week five or PAC Drive six the daily conversations revolved around “What are you making for dinner?” and Contribution Form 25 “I can’t watch that dumb show again.” The honeymoon period seemed a distant memory as you stared into your freezer with an undecided glare at either the frozen chicken or the pizza, neither of which seemed to sound good…again. What did we learn about our businesses and what did we learn about some less fortunate businesses affected by the Safer at Home order? Most people do not understand the importance of aggregates to our society and largely consider our industry either to be mundane or a nuisance to be around. We were fortunate to be part of the essential workforce that builds our country’s infrastructure. While we were able to stay working in some form or fashion, we also have to appreciate the struggles of other small businesses, such as restaurants, hair salons, and small shops that were forced to close during the pandemic and are trying to make ends meet during the Safer at Home period. Please support your local small businesses as they try to reopen. We have also learned that our businesses must be able to adapt to change – work from home, work remotely, work from your truck. Social distancing has led to more Skype meetings and Zoom meetings in the last three months than most of us have done in our lifetime. Video chatting and texting, while the norm for most millennials, can be a challenge for those of us who are less tech savvy. “Change is good” they say. I’m not really sure who said that or who thought it was so great! How about “change is necessary if you want to survive in the business world today”? I think that we have all learned that communication with co-workers and employees is the key to a healthy workplace, wherever that may be. And finally, what did we learn about ourselves as we self-quarantined in the basement with a Diet Coke and a bag of Doritos watching every new series on Continued on page 2 1 President’s Message continued from page 1 Executive Director’s Message Netflix? We probably learned that we are all creatures The Definition of Essential of habit and that we all have little quirks that drive others crazy. We probably learned that we don’t like If April 18, 1775, was the “Shot Heard Round the World,” being “told” what to do, like wear a mask if you go to the equivalent in our lifetime would have to be March Costco, wash your hands, or stay six feet away from 25, 2020 when Governor Evers issued his “Safer at your neighbor when you see them walking down the Home” order. In that instant, all aspect of life changed. street. Schools were closed, office buildings shuttered, and restaurants and bars left without the ability to serve. For those of us in the highly regulated aggregate There wasn’t one conversation or news story that didn’t industry, following a few more rules should not be that have something to do with the pandemic sweeping our difficult, especially when we know it is the right thing to planet. Suddenly, everyone started talking about what do. Yet it is, and we struggle to comply with some basic should be considered essential. precautions to keep everyone safe. We all want to get back to work, we all want to get back to normal… Mirriam-Webster defines essential as: something whatever this new normal will look like. We all just have necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable. The governor to be patient and give each other some space (at least highlighted industries he termed essential. Front-line 6 feet) as we get our lives back on track. workers, hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies were all obviously included on that list. Construction industries, We are in this together. Stay safe and enjoy your family including aggregate production were also included, because the crazy part of the season is almost upon us. which makes sense when you consider we wouldn’t have the buildings to house and care for the sick, or the roads to transport them to those buildings without Renee Burcalow, our product. Other businesses were less fortunate. While APW President I personally believe that my favorite restaurants should have been allowed to stay open, I quickly realized that that was not to be. Many events this year have either been canceled or postponed. Our own annual shooting event has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 10, at Milford Hills. I, for one, am very much looking forward to that event, knowing that I’ll be spending my summer missing all of the many events I would normally attend. Registration is now open and a form is included in this newsletter for your review. I try to find a silver lining in all things, and this pandemic is no exception. Now more than ever, we understand what the word essential truly means. Our aggregate is a part of that necessity and our industry is truly indispensable. Regardless of circumstance, we need to continue to do what we do and provide what is essential in maintaining our civilization. We are by REPAIR, definition essential to what makes everything else REBUILD, possible. If there was such a term as “pre-front line REPLACE. worker,” we would be it. Stay well and I look forward to seeing you all in September! Choose from our expanded selection, or send your specs and we’ll fabricate Erin Longmire custom parts. APW Executive Director TRUSTED SINCE 1974. For parts, a custom design or an expert consultation, call 877.926.1511. eccofab.com 2 November 2020 Elections Will Bring Many New Faces to Wisconsin Legislature While we don’t know who will win the November 2020 Republican Party chairman Julian Bradley of Franklin, sales and elections, we do know that there will be a lot of new faces in leadership trainer Steve Bobowski of Franklin, and Marina Croft both the state Senate and Assembly. of Franklin. Democrat Adam Murphy of Franklin, the owner of a software development company, is also in the race. State Senate Senate District 30 Seven of the state’s 33 senators have either recently stepped Three candidates are trying to replace outgoing Democratic Sen. down or announced they will not seek reelection. And the Dave Hansen of Green Bay. Senate’s Republican majority leader, Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau, is making a bid for Congress that, if successful, will create yet In the Democratic primary are De Pere Ald. Jonathon Hansen, another opening in the Legislature’s upper chamber. the senator’s nephew, and accountant Sandra Ewald of Green Bay. The winner will face attorney Eric Wimberger, a Republican Republicans currently control the Senate 18-13, with two from Green Bay. vacancies, and are expected to keep their hold on the Senate this year. But while the partisan makeup may remain the same, Senate District 32 many of the personalities will be new. Democrat Jennifer Shilling stepped down as minority leader this Here’s a look at the Senate seats where incumbents have stepped spring and resigned from the Senate last month. down or plan to retire: Three Democrats are running in the primary for the seat – nurse Senate District 12 Jayne Swiggum of Gays Mills, Paul Michael Weber of La Crosse and former state Agriculture Secretary Brad Pfaff of Onalaska. Republican Rep. Mary Felzkowski of Irma and Democrat Ed Vocke of Minocqua, a hospitality worker, are running to replace The winner will face former Sen. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse. Tom Tiffany, a Republican who gave up the Senate seat last week after winning a special election for Congress. State Assembly Senate District 14 Republicans control the Assembly 63-36. Like the Senate, Rep. Joan Ballweg of Markesan and Ken Van Dyke Sr.