NOMINATE YOUR PROJECTS!

SLC3 AEC SHOW ME AWARDS

Submissions Due 01.13.25

Get recognized by Owners in the Region and showcase your work!

Michael Hargrave, BJC HealthCare, Assumes Role of President of the SLC3

It is with great excitement that we announce Michael Hargrave as the newest Board President of SLC3!

Michael is the EH&S Construction Safety Manager at BJC HealthCare and we look forward to his leadership as we step into a new year. In this capacity, he will collaborate with the board, staff, and committees to lead The SLC3's mission in 2025.

We would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Frank Niemerg, Immediate Past President, for his outstanding leadership and his ongoing dedication to The Council.

Ameren Missouri Delivers Generation Projects That Support Residential Customers, Businesses And Diversifies Portfolio

Ameren Missouri announced 500 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation, representing a total investment of approximately $950 million, are now serving customers. Combined, the three facilities are anticipated to generate energy sufficient to power 92,000 homes annually.

"We are transforming the energy grid to enhance reliability and resiliency for customers as well as provide cleaner energy to our communities," said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE). "Customers depend on Ameren Missouri to continue investing in new sources of generation to ensure reliability and serve customers for decades to come."

The three facilities are: the 200-MW Huck Finn Renewable Energy Center, the 150-MW Boomtown Renewable Energy Center and the 150-MW Cass County Renewable Energy Center.

Both the Cass County and Boomtown facilities will serve Ameren Missouri's Renewable Solutions program. Organizations from across Missouri signed up to take part in the program, increasing their use of renewable energy and supporting its development in our region. As part of the program, participating organizations will also receive renewable energy credits.

Ameren Missouri is also working toward the successful construction of additional new sources of energy to ensure reliability for customers. In 2027, an 800-MW simple-cycle natural gas energy center is expected to be ready to serve as a reliable backup source of energy. The Castle Bluff Energy Center represents an investment of approximately $900 million.

$15M Family Entertainment Complex Starts Construction

Construction has started on a new $15 million family entertainment complex in Fenton, according to the project's general contractor.

The Wow! Family Edutainment is being built by Arco Construction at a property south of Gravois Bluffs in Fenton, off Highway 141. The 26,875-square-foot facility at 130 Fiedler Lane will have an outdoor mini golf course, eight lanes of duckpin bowling, three karaoke rooms, four golf simulators, curling, virtual reality, three party rooms, a full-service kitchen, two bars as well as other types of experiences, the construction company said.

The project is the first from its owner, Wow Entertainment, Arco said. The firm that applied for zoning for the projects, Get Right Fiedler LLC, is registered to Exelco Leasing of Fenton, as is Wow Entertainment Enterprises LLC. Both companies and Exelco are tied to Craig Taylor of Wildwood. Property and sales records for the properties acquired by Get Right were not available.

The developer, represented by attorney Bill Biermann of the Biermann Law Firm in Chesterfield, had proposed a smaller plan in 2022 on one 2.35-acre site that previously housed a mobile home community, the Jefferson County Leader reported. After the developer said it later acquired a neighboring 2.45-acre property that once had a single-family house, Wow expanded its plan, and the larger complex received zoning approval last year.

The ownership group said this fall that it acquired another 2.44 acres at 144 Fiedler Lane that includes a vacant house, but its bid to rezone that property to commercial for a future unplanned development was rejected by the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission in September, for fears that there would be no buffer between residential and commercial uses at the site, the Leader reported.

Wow's outdoor mini golf course would be surrounded by dense woods, which should help offset any lighting impact on neighbors, county officials said at the time.

Biermann did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



A number of family entertainment complexes have been proposed in the St. Louis region this year, including a golf entertainment facility in Edwardsville and an indoor sports facility and outdoor food truck garden in O’Fallon, Missouri. In addition, construction is underway on a project from St. Louis developers for a $400 million new family entertainment district and resort complex in Lake of the Ozarks.

Everyday Excellence, One Habit at a Time with Jeff Koziatek

Habit #3: Dreams & Purpose

Dreams give us purpose and strength. When we focus on our dreams we:

• Get energized
• Grow our confidence
• Enhance our resilience

It's easy to let life happen to us when we lack purpose and have no dream to chase.

Take ownership of your life and grab a dream today!

Remember:

Without a dream, a clear purpose, it is easy to fall into apathy. 

Performance Tips:

• Get clear direction with a BIG Dream.
• A clearly defined purpose helps us to avoid distractions, wasted time, lost energy, and effort, and gives us the ability to say "not yes."

EEOC

The EEOC enforces federal laws outlawing the discrimination of job applicants and/or employees because of a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.

Most employers with 15 or more employees, as well as labor unions and employment agencies, are required to comply with EEOC regulations. In 2024, the agency filed 110 lawsuits challenging unlawful employment discrimination. Five of those cases were filed under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which went into effect June 27, 2023, and requires employers to provide workplace accommodations to employees who have a limitation due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, including lactation.

OFCCP

All federal contractors who conduct business with the government in excess of $10,000 fall under the jurisdiction of the OFCCP and, as such, cannot discriminate against employees based on their race, color, religion, sex and national origin. The law also enforces affirmative action and mandates contractors to make efforts to employ qualified individuals with disabilities, Vietnam-era veterans, and other covered veterans.

Common violations include:

• Insufficient outreach: Contractors are required to make proactive efforts to recruit and hire veterans and disabled individuals. OFCCP often finds that companies fall short in outreach efforts, either due to inadequate recruitment efforts or lack of tracking of outreach activities.

• Recordkeeping: The OFCCP has specific recordkeeping requirements that outline which records should be kept and for how long. Failing to retain required employment and affirmative action plan records or not documenting hiring decisions and employment actions properly makes it difficult for the OFCCP to assess compliance, increasing the likelihood of penalties.

• Inadequate affirmative action plans: Federal contractors are required to develop, maintain, and update affirmative action plans annually. Many contractors fail to create a compliant AAP or update it with current data, which includes analyses of their workforce and hiring practices.

• Pay discrimination: The OFCCP prohibits discrimination in compensation based on race, sex, or other protected categories. Pay discrepancies between employees performing similar work can lead to an OFCCP investigation, especially if contractors lack consistent policies for determining salaries, bonuses, and promotions...