What's in this month's newsletter? |
- A message from Executive Director Jim Smith
- Jingle and Mingle Charlotte Reception
- ACEC/NC Raleigh Reception
- 2022 Midterm Elections - An Overview
- ACEC/NC NCDOT Joint Transportation Conference
- Triangle Real Estate Transformation
- National Officers Nominated
- Featured Member Spotlight: Weston & Sampson
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The 2022 Midterm Elections - An Overview
As the dust settles from the 2022 midterm elections, a few things are clear. First and foremost, all ACEC-supported candidates won their elections and will be returning for the 118th Congress.
While the projected "red wave" of extensive Republican electoral victories did not occur nationally, many individual races were divided along partisan lines leaning towards Republicans, including in state races across North Carolina. With a US Senate race at the top of the ticket this year, ballots across the state had numerous highly competitive races whose results will ultimately impact North Carolina for years to come.
Here is a quick look at how the 2022 midterm elections shook out:
- With the retirement of Senator Richard Burr, this year's elections saw the inclusion of a hotly contested US Senate race, pitting Republican Congressman Ted Budd against former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. As expected, the race was highly competitive, with Budd besting Beasley by roughly three percentage points, 50-47.
- For the first time in state history, the 2022 elections saw fourteen Congressional district contests due to the results of the 2020 Census, which showed North Carolina's population growth warranted the additional district. Entering the 118th Congress, the North Carolina Congressional delegation is equally split along partisan lines-7 Republicans and 7 Democrats. This includes five new Representatives who are former state legislators Don Davis (D-1), Wiley Nickel (D-13), Valerie Foushee (D-4), Chuck Edwards (R-11), and Jeff Jackson (D-14).
- Senate Republican leadership achieved their long-held goal of attaining a veto-proof super-majority, gaining two additional seats for a total of 30. This gives Senate leaders the ability to override Governor Cooper's veto without engaging Democrats. Across all races, only one incumbent Senator lost their election, Democratic Senator Toby Fitch who was beaten by former Senator Republican Buck Newton.
- Unlike the NC Senate, House Republican leadership fell just short of achieving a super-majority, achieving only 71 of the necessary 72 seats to limit Governor Cooper's veto powers. This situation is considered a functional super-majority due to the ability to override pertains to those members "present and voting" and is something to watch over the coming biennium. Numerous incumbents of both parties lost their elections, including multiple in rural eastern North Carolina, which has seen significant partisan shifts over the past two years (Democrat to Republican).
Over the coming weeks, we will continue to analyze how we can connect with new legislators on critical issues facing our industry. And we will need your help!
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ACEC/NC NCDOT Joint Transportation Conference
Join ACEC/NC and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Conference, the largest transportation event in the state, which explores the latest transportation innovations and provides attendees with the chance to network with other professionals.
WHERE:
Raleigh Convention Center
500 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
WHEN:
November 30th - 5:00pm to 7:00pm Small Business Showcase & Reception
December 1st - 7:30am to 6:30pm Full Conference
Registration Deadline is Friday, November 18th (with no exceptions)
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Triangle real estate transformation underway as old buildings get new life
The Triangle's flex market is in transformation as many of its legacy properties are being converted or torn down for more specialized uses for life sciences, retail or office buildings.
It was announced in August that Targan, a Morrisville-based biotechnology company, has preleased all of the 100,000 sqaure feet at the Midtown Biocenter building that is under construction at a former Kroger grocery property on Six Forks Road. The future of life sciences building set to deliver in spring 2023.
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2023 - 2025 ACEC National Officer-Nominees Announced
The ACEC Nominating Committee has nominated a slate of National Officers for 2023-2025. Ballots for the election of Officers are being emailed to the National Directors shortly, and voting will be open from today to 5:00pm Eastern on Friday, December 2nd, 2022. Once elected, the following National Officers will join the ACEC Executive Committee starting in 2023 at the Spring Convention and Legislative Summit.
Nominees
2023-2024 Chair-elect and 2024-2025 Chair - Gary W. Raba, PE, D.Eng., of Texas
Vice-Chair - Derek L. Clyburn, PE, MBA, of North Carolina
Vice-Chair - Daniel Meckes, PE, of Missouri
Vice-Chair - Elizabeth Stolfus, PE, FACEC, of Colorado
Learn more about the nominees HERE.
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Featured Member Spotlight
Founded in 1899, Weston & Sampson is known as a provider of top-tier engineering and design services related to the water, wastewater, and stormwater industries. We have since grown into a provider of a wide range of interdisciplinary design, engineering, and environmental services that make the world a better place. Innovative and reliable, we've worked to improve the communities where you live, work, and play for more than a century.
Weston & Sampson provides its services across three companies and six disciplines:
- Weston & Sampson Engineers
- Water
- Wastewater
- Transportation
- Environmental, Geotechnical, and Energy
- Facilities
- Landscape Design
- Weston & Sampson Services
- Operates water and wastewater treatment systems
- Weston & Sampson CMR
- Provides construction and pre-construction phase support services
Throughout our history, Weston & Sampson has been successful by consistently exceeding clients’ expectations and providing attentive personal service, superior technical quality, and adherence to cost and schedule requirements. We pride ourselves on the expertise that our staff provides on each assignment. Our project teams are carefully assembled to meet the specific needs of our clients and ensure project success.
With over 750 employees and headquartered in Massachusetts, with offices up and down the east coast, Weston & Sampson maintains an office in Apex. One recent project of note is the recently completed design of the award-winning East End Connector project (U-71) in Durham County for NCDOT.
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ACEC/NC is the premier organization that represents the business interests of the engineering industry in our state. ACEC/NC's mission is to promote the business interests of engineering companies by providing legislative advocacy and business services. |
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