PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear STA Members,
I am taking this President’s Message to talk about the importance of our membership base and to encourage you to invite new members to join STA.
As we all know, the strength of our organization lies in the numbers and diversity of our membership. The more voices we have, the more trades we represent, the more we can achieve for our industry.
In Albany, as we show support for bills that protect the interests of union subcontractors, strength in numbers is critical. The more members that unite under a shared cause sends a strong message to policymakers that the industry is invested and passionate about certain issues.
A larger membership base can also lead to increased networking opportunities, access to resources, and a stronger sense of community. All of these factors can help to strengthen the New York City union construction industry as a whole and create a more optimistic future for professionals in the field, and those who are looking to enter it.
So, I urge you to reach out to colleagues, friends, and other professionals in the industry and encourage them to join STA. Let them know about the benefits of membership and how the association has helped you run your business better. Please have any interested companies reach out to Samantha Sweeney-Annarumma at ssweeney@stanyc.com for more information. All membership information, as well as an application, can be found on our website at www.stanyc.com.
I look forward to working with you to bring more companies into STA and create a strong future for union construction in New York City.
Thank you for your continued support.
Regards,
Anthony Acerra
STA President
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ANTHONY ACERRA
Principal, ACL Steel
President, STA Board of Directors
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Dear members,
We are excited about the range of activities taking place at the STA.
In February, the STA’s School Construction Authority Working Group met with Gordon Tung, Vice President of Construction Management, and Barbara McIntyre, Senior Director Change Order Unit, to discuss critical project delivery and payment issues, including working to resolve long-open change orders.
Plans are underway to schedule a working group meeting with NYCHA. If you have issues and concerns regarding NYCHA projects, and would like to be part of the NYCHA working group please reach out to Samantha Sweeney-Annarumma at SSweeney@stanyc.com.
DDC Commissioner Tom Foley will be attending the STA’s upcoming Public Agency Committee Meeting on March 31st at the STA. If you would like to join the STA’s Public Agency Committee and attend this meeting please contact me at FFarber@stanyc.com. Space is limited so please RSVP to attend.
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FELICE FARBER
STA Executive Director
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ANDREW RICHARDS
Co-Managing Partner(LI), Kaufman Dolowich Voluck,
Attorneys at Law
Legal Counsel, STA
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Payment Bond vs. Mechanic’s Lien Foreclosure Action | Many prime contracts require a subcontractor to commence a mechanic’s lien foreclosure action and bring that to a conclusion prior to commencing an action directly against the prime contractor for sums owed for work performed. This clause was “invented” after the courts held that a “pay if paid” clause that states that the subcontractor gets paid only if the owner pays the prime contractor is void and unenforceable. This rule of law was determined because the shifting of the risk of payment would constitute a waiver of the subcontractor’s lien rights under section 34 of the Lien Law. Prime contractors inserted the clause requiring the lien foreclosure action in order to circumvent the fact that the “pay if paid” clause is void and unenforceable. | | |
STA Legislative Update Feb/March | | |
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STA Lends a Hand in Support of Capitol Reform Task Force Recommendations | On February 27, the STA joined with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, DDC Commissioner Tom Foley, City officials and other members of the Mayor’s Capital Process Reform Task Force in Albany to advocate for inclusion of all nine of the Task Force recommendations that required state legislation to implement in this year’s state budget. Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget included only four of the nine recommendations. Electronic Bidding, Alternative Project Delivery, OCIP/CCIP Authorization, and increasing the MWBE discretionary purchase threshold. Among those initiatives left out of the budget is the creation of a New York State Insurance Fund pilot program (the Small Contractors Relief Act) originally proposed by Arthur Rubenstein, chair of the STA Legislative Committee. The STA is working with the City to advance this legislative proposal. | | |
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The New York City Business Integrity Commission (BIC) issued an updated directive on March 20, 2023 on required information for trade waste workers. Trade waste licensees and registrants must provide trade waste employees with information on driver compliance with BIC investigators; worker’s rights; and corruption reporting to BIC. More detailed information can found in the BIC directive at the link below: | | |
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What Architects, Engineers and Contractors Need to Know About the New Lease Accounting Standard | In 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) approved the new lease accounting standard (“ASC 842”) for private companies. Subsequently, several updates were added. ASC 842 must be adopted by companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and for interim period financial statements beginning after December 15, 2022. | | |
STA Partnership with Mutual of America Helps Members Provide Retirement Benefits for Employees
The STA has partnered with Mutual of America to provide STA member companies with a cost-effective option to provide their employees with competitive retirement benefits through a Multiple Employer Retirement Plan (MEP). The multiple employer plan lets you give your employees a full range of retirement plan services, including a range of savings and investment options, streamlined administration and dedicated support. The more STA members that join the MEP, the lower the administrative costs will be for all participants, creating a win-win for all.
The MEP is great way for small employers to offer competitive retirement benefits to their employees in a cost-effective manner.
Contact Felice Farber or Samantha Sweeny-Annarumma at the STA for more information about this valuable member benefit only for STA members.
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Mayer Malbin Company, Inc.
Sam Gordon, CEO, Dan Gordon, President
62-25 30 th Avenue
Woodside, NY 11377
718-937-5100
sam@mayermalbin.com
Mechanical Wholesaler – Pipe, Valves & Fittings
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ALLIANT INSURANCE SERVICES
Miranda Fischer
333 Earle Ovington Blvd,Suite 700
Uniondale, NY 11553
Miranda.Fischer@alliant.com
Insurance Provider
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THEMIS CHIMNEY
Mark Papadimitrou
81-01 Furmanville Avenue
Middle Village, NY 11379
917-538-8021
markp@themischimney.com
HVAC/Specialty, Boiler, Generator, Exhaust
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STA wants to put your news in our monthly newsletter and share on the STA’s LinkedIn page!
Please send photos, company news or anything else you wish to share with STA to ssweeney@stanyc.com to be featured in our next newsletter and on our LinkedIn page.
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Mark Your Calendars for These
Upcoming Meetings and Events
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2023 CONSTRUCTION AWARDS DINNER | |
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
6:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.
Gotham Hall – 1356 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
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WORKERS’ COMP BREAKFAST SEMINAR PRESENTED BY AMERICAN GLOBAL | |
Thursday, May 4, 2023
LaGuardia Marriott
102-05 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11369
8:00am – 10:00am
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ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING | |
“Let’s Do Business” Speed Meetings
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Club 101, 101 Park Avenue
5:30pm-8:00pm
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Monday, July 17, 2023
9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
North Hills Country Club
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Mayor Adams, NYC Parks Commissioner Donoghue, NYC DDC Commissioner Foley Announce $55 Million in Funding to Build New Indoor Pool and Renovate Existing Pool in Roy Wilkins Park | |
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley today announced $55 million in additional funding for the creation of a brand new indoor pool and repairs to the existing indoor pool in Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans, Queens. This investment builds on $92 million previously announced in December 2021 to build a brand new recreation center in the park. The planned pool will be competition-sized and allow the city to offer more New Yorkers swimming classes and programming. | | |
Mayor Adams Announces Plan to Expand Harlem River Greenway to the Bronx | |
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball today announced a groundbreaking plan to deliver a critical public space to a community too often left behind by expanding the Harlem River Greenway to the Bronx. | | |
Mayor Adams, EPA Break Ground on $1.6 Billion Project to Protect Gowanus Canal From Sewage Overflow, Add 3.6 Acres of Public Waterfront Space | |
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia today broke ground on the first of two underground storage tanks that will have the combined capacity to prevent up to 12 million gallons of sewer overflow during rainstorms, stopping it from polluting the Gowanus Canal. This groundbreaking marks an important alignment among city
leadership and the EPA to get these projects on track after Gowanus was categorized as a Superfund site in 2010. These two major infrastructure projects will make an estimated $1.6 billion investment in Brooklyn's waterways and public spaces, significantly improve the health of the canal, and create 3.6 acres of new public waterfront open space and amenities for the Gowanus community.
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