June 1, 2020 CONNECT WITH OCA  ON SOCIAL MEDIA.....    Featured Content Next in Our “Pleased to Meet You...” Series The project-funding dollars that flow through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) is a vital component of the financing scheme in addressing infrastructure improvement projects for local governments throughout Ohio. The program OPWC administers translates into projects that many OCA members rely on for keeping a healthy flow of work and revenue coming into their companies. Yet for many, how OPWC serves in its funding role, where the agency’s funds are sourced, and how projects are selected is not clearly understood. Please join us on Tuesday, June 9th at 9:00 AM when we will meet with OPWC Director, Linda Bailiff to learn more about the role of OPWC in funding Ohio’s infrastructure and how the program is managed. To register for this event click here. News State of the Association Program Link Available to OCA Members OCA recently held its annual State of the Association event virtually for members around the state to hear from OCA’s Board Chair, Mike Ciammaichella of The Ruhlin Company, along with several association staff members. The panel addressed current initiatives and how OCA is working to advance the industry. A link to the recorded presentation may be found here  on the membership section of the website. Worksite Traffic Supervisor (WTS) Prequalification Testing On behalf of ODOT’s Division of Construction Management and Office of Roadway Engineering, registration is now open for the following sessions of Worksite Traffic Supervisor (WTS) Prequalification Testing. • June 4 – Morning    » Click here to register. • June 4 – Afternoon  » Click here to register. Click here to access the PDF flyer with recent updates. Prerequisites – Do not register for WTS Prequalification testing until the prerequisites have been completed. Please see the online registration form and flyer for details. Pre-registration is required for WTS Testing. Due to social distancing requirements per COVID-19, seating capacity is limited for each session. Please review the important updates and new safety protocols as described per the links above. Looking ahead, additional sessions of WTS Testing will be announced during the next several weeks. OPWC Funding Status Update To our Infrastructure and Clean Ohio Customers – We hope you are all safe and well! Since the end of March, we’ve been reporting that a capital bill is uncertain. This remains to be the case. Nothing has been introduced and it could be months before there is a bill. For infrastructure customers, this means there is currently no funding for previously selected Round 34 State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP) projects, Revolving Loan Program (RLP) projects, and the Round 34 Small Government program. There is also no appropriation for Round 35 and no funding for the Emergency Program. In addition, for Clean Ohio customers, this also means there is no appropriation for future rounds (i.e., 15 and 16). Our Integrating Committees and Natural Resource Assistance Councils are understandably on hold. We have also been reporting that a reappropriations bill has been delayed. Last week, H.B. 670 was introduced in the House and is having its 1st hearing today in House Finance. In addition, the Senate introduced S.B. 316 yesterday which is also scheduled to be heard today in Senate Finance. Both the House and Senate are planning to have legislation to Governor DeWine for his signature by the end of June, if not before. We are doing our best to keep our customers informed about our funding status. We understand our funding may appear complicated as we rely on various budget bills to fund and operate our programs due to various types of funding sources. Operating budgets are enacted in each odd-numbered year. The main operating budget is the primary funding vehicle for the three branches of state government, executive (state agencies, boards, commissions), legislative (Ohio General Assembly), and judicial (Ohio Supreme Court), making operating appropriations for state programs. The transportation budget bill makes appropriations related to transportation and public safety, programs funded by motor fuel excise taxes (“gas tax”). The capital budget, enacted in each even-number year, provides appropriations for the repair, reconstruction and construction of capital assets, most of which are supported by the issuance of long-term debt. Since the Ohio Constitution limits the length of appropriations to no more than two years and capital projects can take more than two years to complete, appropriation balances must be extended or reappropriated to remain in effect to allow time to bring projects to completion. The table below shows how OPWC’s programs are typically funded with reference to the most recently enacted legislation. Note that the state’s fiscal year (FY) is from July 1st to June 30th. As always, please watch our website for updates. We keep it current. The Home Page, www.pwc.ohio.gov, pertains to our funding situation and additional details, including FAQs, are provided on our Covid-19 page, https://pwc.ohio.gov/Home/COVID-19-Protocol-Changes. The Covid-19 page has a wealth of information. You can also use our search tool to look up information based on a key word. If you can’t find what you are looking for, email your program representative or me and we will be happy to assist you. We continue to work from home, so we are not in the office to retrieve mail. Please keep submitting documentation electronically. Also, if you need a disbursement paid quickly, this year’s guarantee date is June 12th to accommodate the State of Ohio’s fiscal year-end shut down. Linda Bailiff Director Ohio BWC Defers Premium Installments The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is deferring Ohio employers' premium installments for the months of June, July, and August. Businesses will have the option to defer the monthly premium payments with no financial penalties. “By extending the premium due date, businesses can continue to focus on the safety and well-being of their employees and customers during this health pandemic,” said Governor DeWine. This is the second payment deferral BWC has given to employers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The deferral is designed to help employers focus financial resources on re-opening their businesses under the Responsible RestartOhio Plan. OCA/AGC Members - Time for Annual Work Zone Safety Survey As we continue to work through the unprecedented developments of the COVID-19 crisis, we must not forget to remain vigilant concerning the other major hazards we face each day in the heavy highway construction industry. One of the most daunting tasks we face is keeping our workers and the traveling public safe in our highway work zones. As Ohio transitions back to open businesses and activities, traffic volumes will steadily increase. Our highway workers will again be exposed to speeders, gawkers, texters, drunk and impaired drivers along with all the others concentrating on getting from point A to point B. What can we do to improve safety within our highway work zones? One way is to participate in industry surveys which yield big-picture results of driver tendencies, work zone design effectiveness and crash data. Such surveys allow us to create more meaningful and effective educational campaigns for the public and adjust work zone designs and devices to enhance the safety of both drivers and workers. Each year, OCA’s national affiliate, AGC of America surveys highway and transportation members about the state of highway work zone safety. Their intent is to measure the extent, and impact, of highway work zone crashes, their impacts on the safety of construction workers and motorists and their impacts on highway construction. Now that many states have begun to lift restrictions, and growing anecdotal reports of motorists taking advantage of less-crowded highway to operate at unsafe speeds, AGC of America and their survey partner HCSS are asking all highway and transportation members to complete the following online survey by Monday, June 22nd. AGC will then analyze the responses and release the results prior to the July 4th weekend to the media. This will allow us to share key safety messages with the motoring public prior to what is likely to be a busy period for holiday travel on our highways. OCA will also share the results with our membership when we receive them from AGC. We encourage all OCA/AGC members to click on the above link and complete this important online survey. Thank you! Free "Selling Safety" Webinar-Thursday, June 4  BWC is hosting a “Selling Safety” webinar on Thursday, June 4 (1 to 2 pm). The webinar will outline ways to convince top management to embrace safety and resources to measure your safety culture. This webinar will be instructed by Cari Gray, CSP, a safety consultant in BWC’s Canton Service Office. Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found here.  Quick Links to On-line OCA Resources •   Current Ohio Contractor Magazine •   Safety Resources •   Labor & Employment Information •   OCA President's Commentary  Upcoming Events Click here for current events Safety Talks  Don't Let Your Guard Down! This Ain't Over Yet! This email was sent to {#party.Email} because you are subscribed to the Ohio Contractors Association weekly e-Newsletter.  This email was sent by: Ohio Contractors Association, 1313 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215