POLK COUNTY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION2232 Heritage DriveLakeland, FL 33801

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BluePrints

Fourth Quarter2012

T h e V o i c e o f

P o l k C o u n t y ’ s

C o n s t r u c t i o n

I n d u s t r y

This Issue

• Presidents Message

• First Friday

• Installation Banquet

• 2012 Fall Parade of

HomesTM

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2012 Economic Development UpdateNovember 13, 2012 • 5:30pm at Grasslands.

Speaker: Claudia Tritton of the Lakeland Economic Development Council.

She is the Business Development Director and is responsible for managing leads, businessrecruitment and promoting Lakeland. In addition, she works with local Real Estate professionalson marketing their products.

The Parade of Homes winnerswill receive their plaques at thisevent and we will also be voting

on a new slate of Officers.

Please RSVP to Pat byNovember 7th at 863-665-0844

or email pate@pcba.com

$40 per person

Plan to attend this greatnetworking event!

Carved Roast PorkChicken Marsala

Green Beans AlmondineHoney Glazed Carrots

Roast Red Bliss PotatoesRisotto

Salad BarCoffee and Tea

Dessert Table - 5 to choose fromCash Bar

Premier Sponsor:

P C B A . c o m 112 P C B A . c o m

OCTOBER 2012October 4 PWB Bingo Night 5:30 am/PCBA Office

October 4 Government Affairs Committee 12:00/PCBA Office

October 12 Parade VIP Party 5:30pm/Highlands in the Woods

October 13&14 Parade of Homes First Weekend

October 18 Board of Directors Meeting 4:00/PCBA Office

October 20&21 Parade of Homes Second Weekend

NOVEMBER 2012November 2 First Friday 5:00 pm/Downtown Lakeland

November 1-3 FHBA Fall Conference St. Petersburg

November 8 PWB Cocktails & Conversation 5:30 p.m./Cleveland Heights

November 13 Nov. GMM – Economic Development Presentation

Guest Speaker - Claudia Tritton 5:30 pm/Grasslands

November 15 Board of Directors Meeting 4:00/PCBA Office

DECEMBER 2012December 4 Dec. GMM - Installation Banquet 5:30 pm/Lakeland Yacht Club

December 6 Government Affairs Committee 12:00/PCBA Office

December 20 Board of Directors Meeting 4:00/PCBA Office

DID YOU KNOW?As a member of PCBA you can receive a copy of the county’s monthly building permit report by simply requesting it. Pleasecontact Pat at PCBA at 665-0844 or email pate@pcba.com. Give her the email address that you want the report to go to and she willforward a copy to you. You will receive the report each month via email.

The permit report is a list of all building permits issued for the county for the month. The permits are listed by subdivision name,address, builder, square footage, and declared value. The report includes residential and commercial permits.

Calendar of Events

P C B A . c o m 3

POLK COUNTYBUILDERS ASSOCIATIONEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NAHB DIRECTORS

FHBA DIRECTORS

FHBA LIFE DIRECTORS

PCBA STAFF

President

President Elect

1st Vice President

2nd Vice President

Secretary/Treasurer

Immediate Past President

Sean HarperHarper Homes

Brian WalshHighland Homes

Barbie Taylor

Keith Combee

William WebbWebb Home Builders

Roger AthertonCounter Effects by Roger

Duane McQuillenDuane McQuillen Construction

Lucas MartinFloraLawn

Mark HulbertHulbert Homes

Rob NunezFlorida Home Designs

Richie JohnsonSouthern Homes

Carlton HodgesLeMans Properties

Brian WallerWaller Construction

Greg SanobaThe Sanoba Law Firm

Nan WebsterIntegrity First Title

Todd ShuffCarpenter Contractors of America

Tim Davis

Mike Hickman

Donnie Tyler / Life Director

Carlton Hodges, Life Director

Dave Carter

Robert Harper

Tim Davis

Carlton Hodges, Life Director

Roger Atherton

A.J. Maqueira

Dave Carter

Bill Branham

Brian Bierwagen

Dave Carter

Robert Harper

Donnie Tyler

Mike Hickman

Gary Clements

Don Paris

Marc Boney

Stephanie Hutton

Pat Edleman

Executive Director

Membership & Special Events

I hope all is well withthe PCBA members. First of all I want tothank all of you for your support of the PCBA.Our members are the lifeblood of the associationand your participation helps our industry tremen-dously. The builder’s association local, state andnational are fighting for our industry daily as we

are constantly bombarded with proposals for new laws andregulations and I want to assure you that your membershipdues are helping to save our industry.

There are a couple of events coming over the next fewmonths that I would like you to participate in. First is our gen-eral membership meeting at Grasslands Country Club onNovember 13th. This will be an informative meeting on thelocal economy presented by the Lakeland EconomicDevelopment Council. Second is the Annual InstallationDinner on December 4th. This will be held at the LakelandYacht and County Club and is a great night get dressed upand spend an evening with that special person. All of ourgeneral membership meetings are great events that keepyou informed on what is going on with others in the industry.I am looking forward to seeing you there.

I have seen an upbeat in my business in over the last yearand have talked with others that have experienced the same.I believe we are on the upswing and it is a good feeling to seemy peers feeling positive about the economy lately. I wishyou all much success in the coming year and I appreciate youallowing me to lead this great organization over the last year.I encourage you to get involved in the PCBA by joining acommittee or joining the board of directors. This will give youa great insight on what the builder’s association does for you.

Have a great rest of the year.Sean Harper

Sean HarperHarper Homes

Phone: 863.665.0844 • Fax: 863.667.99562232 Heritage Drive

Lakeland, Florida 33801

Feel free to contact Sean at:President@PCBA.com

with any questions or concernsregarding the PCBA.

President's Message

1 0 P C B A . c o m

PCBA EventsRain, Rain GO AWAY!

Those magical words did not make the rain go away onFriday September 16th at Cypresswood Golf Course inWinter Haven.

The rain started to come down by the bucketfuls afteronly 5 holes of play! The manager of Cypresswood calledthe tournament off as rainwater collected on the greensand formed small ponds!! He said it was too wet to playand offered everyone a raincheck.

Wet players & volunteers made a run for the clubhousewhere an after golf reception was enjoyed by all! Raffleprized and cash were raffled off, food was eaten andeveryone had a great time despite the storms!

A special thanks to all of our players for their supportof this event.

Special thanks to the Golf Committee Lucas Martin ofFloraLawn, Dean Brown of Whirlpool & Todd Shuff ofCarpenter Contractors for the hours they put in on ourphone bank and getting raffle prizes.

Thanks to all of the wet but cheerful volunteers whohelped with he tournament. We could not do this with-out you!!! Our volunteers make the difference!!!

Christmas BanquetPCBA Installation Dinner $50This years Installation Dinner will be at the

Lakeland Yacht and Country Club on

Tuesday, December 4th at 5:30pm

In addition to a fantastic meal there will be a cash bar and valet parking.

PCBA will recognize 2012 Builders and Associate of the Year.

Please plan to attend this end of year gala event!

And the Winner

of the

Membership Drive is...

Ritchie Johnson

of

Southern Homes!

Congratulations!

P C B A . c o m 94 P C B A . c o m

ASSOCIATE SPOTLIGHT

An employee of Florida Public Utilities (FPU), Pat enjoyed a corporate transition as CentralFlorida Gas began operating under the Florida Public Utilities brand.

Florida Public Utilities has been providing energy to homes and businesses throughout Florida since itsincorporation in 1924. In 2009, Chesapeake Utilities, a diversified energy company providing quality serv-ice to its customers and communities for more than 100 years, acquired Florida Public Utilities, providingFPU with long-term growth opportunities and increased revenue stream. FPU has sponsored many eventsfor the Polk County Builders Association and takes pride in meeting the future needs of the community.

Pat Spalding, an FPU employee for 11 years, has been a member of PCBA since 1981, during which timeshe has acclimated to the building industry environment and is committed to introducing builders to thenatural advantages of constructing energy efficient homes. Having worked for a residential developer fortwenty years prior to her term with FPU, she is a seasoned professional. Named Associate of the Year in2004 and 2010, Pat values the relationships she has developed with the developers and builders in thearea and is grateful to the industry for the role it has allowed her to play in positively influencing buildingtrends with cleaner, greener lifestyle alternatives.

Hailing originally from Virginia, Pat enjoys dancing, walking, bike riding and Zumba. She loves a varietyof music genres and is devoted to her two dogs, Sheltie and Poodle, thirteen and nine-years old, respec-tively. “Spectator” is her sport of choice, viewing athletics with her canines!

ASSOCIATE SPOTLIGHTPAT SPALDING OF FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES

EndorsementsKelli Stargel, Florida Senate District 15

Denise Grimsley, Florida Senate District 21

Seth Mckeel, Florida House District 40

John Wood, Florida House District 41

Neil Combee, Florida House District 39

George Lindsey, Polk County Commission District 1

John Hall, Polk County Commission District 5

Please make sure to vote on November 6th because

many of these races will be determined at that time.

August 28thGift Basket Bonanza Was A Blast!!!

25 Baskets were raffled off,Robert Harper of HarperHomes sang and everyonein attendance enjoyedgreat BBQ! If you missedthis event, you missed afun time!

P C B A . c o m 58 P C B A . c o m

Government Affairs2012 FALL PARADE OF HOMESTM

OFFERED 13 NEW HOMES AND ONE REMODELERThe Fall Parade of Homes had 13 new home entries, one remodeler and one landscape entry.

This years parade featured an “Avenue of Dreams”. Three showcase homes were featured at Highlands in the Woods in South Lakeland. The“Avenue of Dreams” featured homes in the $279,000 to $345,000 price range. Three distinctively different homes, featuring the very latest innew home design, decorating, and energy efficiency.

Highlands in the Woods is a gated, wooded, development featuring a clubhouse, pool, and tennis courts. The subdivision is located in SouthLakeland off of Lakeland Highlands Road.

The following Builders had homes entered in the Fall parade of homes: Drummond Company - The Concord at Mission Lakes, Lakeland.Williams Construction - The 840 at 840 Parkdale, BartowDanny Sadler Inc - The Bentley A-1 at Bentley Oaks, Auburndale.R.Nunez Homes - The Diamond at Stoney Creek, Lakeland.Ernie White Construction - The Liberty at Sleepy Hill, Lakeland.Ernie White Construction - The Hancock II at Lake James, Lakeland.Hickman Homes - The Day Manor at Highlands in the Woods, Lakeland.Harper Homes - The Woodside Chateau at Highlands in the Woods, Lakeland.Duane McQuillen Construction - The Craftsman at Highlands in the Woods, Lakeland.R. Nunez Homes - The Seville at Christina Chase, Lakeland.Kensington Homes - The St. Augustine at Eaglebrooke, Lakeland.Tapia Construction - The Diana at Highlands in the Woods, Lakeland.Hulbert Homes - The Maximillion at Twelve Oaks Estates, Winter Haven.The Remodel entry was for Waller Construction and the entry was in South Lakeland at 6003 Sourwood Way.The Landscape Entry was for The Diamond at Stoney Creek.

The VIP Kick Off party for the Parade was at Highlands in the Woods on October 12th at 5:30 pm. The Party was Sponsored by MidFloridaCredit Union and Ferguson Enterprises. Thank you to all of our judges, drivers and the tally team for your help with this years parade.

Winners Plaques will be awarded at the November 13 dinner at Grasslands. See page 10 for more info about the dinner.

The PCBA Foundation has had a great year. We raised money and awareness with a number of events. 

Last Spring we had a Wine Tasting Dinner at Runway 9/27 Bistro at the Bartow Airport. Great crowd and adelicious five course / five wine tasting. We look forward to another event like this next Spring.

At both PCBA Golf Tournaments we had the Foundation tent with a Putt for Dough game. The first one wentwell; the second was a little damp and was called for rain.

Our Blueprint & Model Competition was held at Polk State College. Some amazing students and even moreamazing blueprints and models were on view to the public. Following one of the main tasks of the Foundation, we awardedthousands of dollars in scholarship prizes to the winners at the reception.

This year the Foundation teamed up with the Tri County Builders and Contractors Association to build a run in pasture shelterfor the TiAnViCa Riding Academy east of Bartow. They are a non-profit organization that pro-vides riding therapy for kids with challenges such as MS, Muscular Distrophy, Down'sSyndrome, Traumatic Head Injuries, and now they've added wounded warriors back fromwartime injuries. Sean Harper of Harper Homes and his team represented the PCBA well.Kelley Buick GMC provided the lunches and water for all the workers while they built the build-ing from dirt to done.

Foundation Vice President Kylie Guess came up with some great T-shirts that are for sale.This is another way of getting our name out and showing support for the Foundation and thescholarships we provide to Polk County students.

We're happy for the support of everyone in our programs and we're looking forward to another great year!

JC MartinPresident

PCBA Foundation

The time has arrived for FHBA to discuss and decide on its Legislative Priorities for the 2013 session of the Florida Legislature, which begins on March 5, 2013.

This process begins with staff providing a list of possible priorities, which can be found below. Local HBAs, through its Executive Officers, then recommend anyissues that should be added to the list. The list then goes to the FHBA Governmental Affairs Committee, which meets on Friday, November 3, 2012 from 10 amto noon at the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg during the Annual Fall Conference, to determine the priorities.

Let me point out two things about the process.

One, invariably, we end up working on issues that do not make the priority list, or come up after the list is established, so rest assured we will address all issuesthat impact our industry.

Two, as you look at the list below, note that we gave just brief explanations of the issues on the belief that if the issue is impacting the industry, you’ll have receivedmore than enough feedback to gauge its importance. In other words, there is no attempt here to “sell” you on the significance of one issue over another.

Please send your recommendations to me by October 22, 2012.

FHBA Legislative Issues (Proposed)

Workers Compensation:• Prescription Drug Repackaging loophole has allowed a 2.5 percent increase in WC rates• Priority of FHBA last year• 2011 bill failed

Sadowski Funding:• Funds have been swept by the Legislature past years• State Budget appears to have stabilized, improving chances of funding

Unlicensed Activity:• Comprehensive changes based on FHBA Task Force• Increase fines• Increase enforcement action• Assure that fines go for additional enforcement• Industry support

Septic Tank Study Funding:• Final Budget allocation $800,000• Study completed with this allocation

Septic Tank – Permitting Issues:• Local Health Departments have not lessened their review requirements or costs in light of last year’s changes in bedroom definition

Building Code Issues:• Repeal Florida Energy Code as sole method of compliance

Permanent Funding for Grants:• Implemented permanent budget changes as passed last year

Wage Theft:• Prohibition of local wage theft ordinances• Failed the past two years

Mandatory Sick Leave Ordinances:• Prohibition of mandatory sick leave ordinances

Unemployment Compensation:• Oppose increases in the risk factor for certain businesses• Each one percent +/- $125• Potential 3 percent increase

Funding for Construction Trades:• Advocate for allocation of training monies for construction trades

Condo issues: • Proposal to replace the date triggering certain obligations; to clarify when a condominium unit is created; and to permit extending the period for adding

phases to a condominium • Florida Bar moving forward with bill we can support

Amendment 3 Implementation:• The Legislation implementing the restriction of property value increases when improving a home for energy efficiency or mitigation has failed to pass the

legislature 3 years in a row

6 P C B A . c o m P C B A . c o m 7

EventsCocktails and Conversation

History has been made and we are so proud to be the first Professional Women in Building Council in theState of Florida. Our focus charity is KidPack to help the 2400 homeless children in Polk County not gohungry! We will be collecting donations for money or fruit cups to support this effort.

If you didn’t make it to the October 4th PWB Cocktails and Conversation Bingo Night sponsored byBerkshire Management Group then you missed a fun time. We raised $251 for Kidpack which means thePWB is able to feed one kid for an entire year!! That’s pretty good for our first fundraiser! ☺

Plan on attending our next networking social and bring your friends.Save the date for Nov. 8th 6-9 pm the location will be announced soon.

Contact Donna Slagel for details or to RSVP at donna.slagel@gbmail.com.Also join the PWB on Facebook to get all the latest updates.

Hope to see you at the next social.

Events

Professional Women in Building NetworkingThursday November 8th

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm