As the days get longer now, I can feel the road construction season getting closer and closer.  I have a good spot in the Brooklyn office to observe much of the training that has been accomplished this winter.  I have been particularly impressed with the “buy in” that I perceive at the meetings from managers and supervisors as they see safety issues becoming their responsibilities and not just the problem of our safety department in Brooklyn.  I have a sense that our workers compensation rate will be headed downward to a level that gets us below the industry average.  I look forward to seeing all employees at this company going home at night without an injury.

Safety is a concern of all of us.  Training our crews is vital to reducing accidents.  Monday morning tool box talks will also aid in awareness of the concerns we encounter every week.  Everyone at Manatts is responsible for your safety.  Be careful and help look out for others.

Another area of training that we have been aggressively pursuing is computer training.  We have a very full schedule of events planned at our corporate training facility in Brooklyn.  We want each session to be full and some classes are not.  I would suggest to all that these classes are not just for office staff and managers.  I recommend that other employees at Manatts take advantage of this opportunity.  For example, why not train mechanics on computers?  We’ll be using computers in the shop some day.  Seems all of our trucks are being tested on computers.  More people need to know more about computers and training is how we get comfortable with these tools.  Remember, my policy is that you have 8 hours of training every year to get your computer upgraded.

On another note, I want everyone to know who receives the Manatt Mirror that you are welcome to write an article or submit anything of interest.  I think we have not made this plain enough.  I know there has been some doubt as I was asked about it at the Des Moines/Ames Christmas Party.  I apologize for not making this clearer.  We appreciate positive and informative articles.  If you notice a fellow employee or customer doing an outstanding job, we would like to hear about this.

Finally, I would like to make everyone aware at the Manatt Companies that we have formed a special alliance with Allied Construction and Green Limestone of Charles City, Iowa.  We have signed an intent-to-purchase these two organizations in three years.  We plan to work together and share our knowledge in the meantime to make both companies better.  Much planning will be done in the interim.

Allied Construction is a mid size concrete paving company in Iowa with five concrete plants located in Charles City, Rockford, Riceville, Nora Springs, and New Haven.  Green Limestone operates a sand plant and two limestone-crushing crews in Floyd, Chickasaw, Butler, and Eastern Franklin Counties.  If asked please help them in anyway you can.  The more we all communicate, the better our practices can become.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone back at work and to having a good summer.