We are off to a nice start for the 2005 year as the weather has been very kind to us with cool dry Spring days, great for working outside. Summer has come upon us now with 90-degree days and chances of rainstorms popping up every day in the forecast. It makes scheduling jobs and getting work done very challenging.

Brian Armstrong’s Asphalt crew has been very busy completing a mile long mill and overlay job in Louisa County on the north side of Wapello. They have also completed work at Hon All Steel in Muscatine, Muscatine Community College, the City of Durant, and patching on Muscatine County Roads.

Currently they are working with Courtney on Manatt’s concrete job in Cedar County on the I-80 ramps at the West Liberty Exit.

Our big job for the year, Muscatine County X-54 will start on Wednesday June 8, with Manatt’s tiling crew.  Jake Boyer has been very busy with meetings, scheduling subcontractors and getting this job off to a good start. Our asphalt crew will be paving full width for the first time and are anxious to get at it.

Larry Senger and crew have just completed a large DOT crack fill job which started the first week in April and are gearing up for a summer of Seal Coating and PCC joint sealing for local concrete companies.

Larry Sammon, Mike Weir and crew have spent the spring at the Des Moines Airport sawing and sealing joints around the Terminal Gates and the South Cargo Apron. This job involved daily scheduling and coordinating with the airport, the airlines, and a patching sub-contractor, plus a lot of clean up. Good job guys.

They will move on to Des Moines County, Story County, and Dallas County on I-80 as the summer moves along.

I think by now most people have heard Jake Boyer is heading back to Manatts later this summer to work with Dave Schinckel. Jake came to Illowa in the Spring of 2002 and worked on the asphalt crew for a year before coming into the office. The past few years he has been involved with scheduling asphalt work, estimating, safety and some HR responsibilities. I know I can say for everyone at Illowa, Jake will be greatly missed and was always a pleasure to work with. Good Luck in your new endeavors.

Brian Armstrong will take on new responsibilities with Jake’s departure becoming more involved with scheduling and estimating asphalt work. Brian has great initiative to learn new things along with a great attitude.

Jeff Herington will become our Asphalt Foreman. Jeff started with Illowa in 1995 working on various crews over the years and has been with the asphalt crew for three years. Jeff has always been a hard worker and strives to do quality work in anything he does. With the assistance of a great crew, you will have great success.

We appreciate every one’s continuing efforts to work safely every day. Please continue this through our work season and help watch out for your fellow crew members.