January 29, 2010

Don't miss the February Membership Luncheon this Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at Dixie State College Gardner Center. Buffet opens at 11:45 am.

Luncheon Speaker: Will the legislative regulations referred to as "Cap and Trade" affect us in Washington County? Is there a simple presentation available using facts on global warming? YES!!! Come listen to a rational look at climate change concerns by Kimball Rasmussen from Deseret Power.

There is, perhaps, no subject that currently stands greater in importance - not to mention confusion, hype and hysteria - than the topic of climate change (formerly referred to as global warming). Regardless of man's influence on the climate, policies under active debate and consideration could entirely change the way that we produce and consume energy to fuel our economy and lifestyle. This issue spans the globe, impacting both developed and developing countries. Whether the planet is in peril, or whether the risk is an artifice, potential climate change legislation will come with inescapable consequences, both intended and unintended.

Sponsors: Core Zero Creative
Core Zero Creative is a fusion of creative media expressions that effectively convey your image to the world. Formerly Tina Anne Stiles-Architectural Illustrationz, Core Zero Creative was established on the collaborative efforts of over 30+ years of combined experience in traditional & digital architectural rendering and graphic & website design. From unique and richly textured digital watercolor architectural illustrations to beautiful and efficient websites, architectural films, and internet marketing, you have found your source. We will take it to the next level for you and your company. Your brand. Your image. Your message. Our design. Your success. www.CoreZero.com

Cost: One lunch is free per SUHBA membership. Each additional lunch is $13.

RSVP/Advance Registration: Not Required

Dixie State College Parking Instructions: Please park only in the parking lot located on the corner of 700 East 300 South next to the gymnasium. Vehicles parked in any other location may receive a parking ticket.

Boulevard Home Furnishings, located in St. George, offers the “Area’s Largest Selection” and the “Guaranteed Best Price” on name brand furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, accessories, flooring and window coverings. Boulevard Home Furnishings is located at 390 North Mall Drive in St. George. They also have a clearance center at their Distribution Center in Hurricane and a store in Mesquite. Visit Southern Utah’s largest Home Furnishings Showroom and let the Boulevard’s experienced interior designers help you turn your house into a home. Buy Smart, Buy at the Boulevard!”

Burton Lumber & Hardware Company, the oldest lumber company native to Utah and still in operation, was organized in 1911 and has been serving the contractor trade

and retail public for nearly 100 years. The company was founded by the Burton family and continues to be owned and operated by them, with the family’s fifth generation now active in the business. Burton Lumber is a full line building material supply company specializing in lumber, trusses, windows, garage doors, fireplaces, and paint and stain grade interior and exterior doors and millwork. Burton Lumber also offers installation of many of these products. Burton Lumber has built its business by helping Utahns build their businesses, their homes and their communities. It has been a successful, strong and growing partnership since 1911. Through their service, technology and industry knowledge, Burton Lumber is poised to remain “The Contractor’s Choice” for many years to come.

Hurry ten Builders have sold out of exhibiton spaces. Call now to reserve your space in the 2010 St. George Area Parade of Homes. Grow your business and promote your products and/or services to thousands of visitors. We had 26,000 visitors attend the 2009 Parade! Booths are going fast - so don't delay! Click here to download an exhibition space application.

For booth space availability, please contact Shawna Applegate at 435-674-1400 or email shawna@suhba.com.

Exhibit in the 2010 Parade of Homes and get the results you expect!
We want to thank the following 2010 Parade Exhibitors for their great support:

Advanced Window & Door Design	Affordable Sheds
American Family Insurance	American Food Storage System/Perama Pack
Art Gallery Outlet	Baja Broadband
Blingin' Beads	Boulevard Home Furnishings
Burton Lumber	Butler Home Products
Canyon Creek Kitchen & Bath	Classical Glass
Codwell Banker Premier	Creative Outdoors
Distinctive Surfacing	Dixie Direct Savings Guide
Dixie Escalante Electric	Downeast Homes
Ence Homes	Gorgeous Garage
Graystone Mortgage	Green Permanent Structures
Green Valley Cabinets	Hanson Eagle Precast
Host Business Services	James Brown Roofing
Jenson Construction	Jones Paint & Glass
K H Traveller Development	Kayenta Homes & Properties
Keystone Construction & Design	Kolob Care & Rehab
KV Electric, Inc.	Larry's Pools & Spas
LP Windows & Doors	McNaughton Fine Art
MetLife Home Loans	Mountain Alarm
Outdoor Living Furniture	Paxman Heating & Cooling
Plant World	Private Wealth Management
Pure Tech Water	Questar Gas
Re/Max Associates	Red Rock Retractable Screens
Richardson Homes	Riverwoods Mill
Rose Concrete Coatings	Salisbury Homes
Southwest Air Conditioning	Sport Court of Southern Utah
Spiegel Burn Foundation	St. George Grapevine.com
State Bank of Southern Utah	Stilson's Central Vacuum & Intercom
Stonebrook Cabinets	StoneTree Landscape
Sun Savvy Homes	SunRiver Development
Sunset Pools	SunShade Enclosures
Tastefully Simple	Terminator Pest Control
The Spectrum	Tiffani's Creations
Tolbert Neilson Realty Group	White Glove Home Improvement
Winder Farms	Zions Bank
Zions Security

Beginning February 1st, SUHBA members may purchase discount Parade of Homes tickets from the SUHBA office for $10 each (minimum of 10 tickets). This year's event will feature 25 spectacular Parade homes located in St. George, Santa Clara, Ivins, Washington, Hurricane, & Virgin. From 1600 sq. ft. to almost 12,000 sq. ft, this year's event is going to be incredible! Come see why the St. George Area Parade of Homes has an excellent reputation as being one of the best Parade of Homes in the country!!

Come celebrate the kickoff to the 20th Annual St. George Area Parade of Homes by attending the Parade Banquet scheduled for February 11th at 7:00 pm. It will be a night to remember with an excellent dinner, entertainment, friends, and keynote speaker- Utah Lieutenant Governor, Greg Bell. This will be an exciting event paying tribute to Southern Utah and how the Parade of Homes has helped build our community 20 years and beyond. The event will be held at Dixie State College Gardner Center. Reservations are required. Call 674-1400 or visit www.suhba.com/calendar.amp then click on Parade of Homes banquet for more information. Thank you to Zions Bank and Washington County Board of Realtors for sponsoring this event.

The 2010 St. George Area Parade of Homes is just 2 weeks away. If you have product in a Parade home or have provided a service, you can display approved signs for FREE during the Parade of Homes. To order signs, please contact Rainbow Sign & Banner at 628-5107 or click on the following Signage Policy for more information. Please review the following policies for the 2010 St. George Area Parade of Homes:
Signage Policy
Advertising Policy
Exhibition Policy
Ticketing and Hosting Policy

For complete details on the St. George Area Parade of Homes and to preview the 25 Parade homes, please visit the official website at www.ParadeHomes.com. The site includes important information such as dates and times, where to purchase tickets, a preview of the homes, and promotional opportunities available. The builders and trade contractors are currently working very hard on the Parade homes and we are confident the 2010 St. George Area Parade of Homes will be the very best ever!

Hurricane City is intending to consider amending Hurricane City’s previously adopted capital facilities plans for Roads and Parks/Open Space. This amendment will consist of reviewing the cost assumptions in the originally adopted plans and making adjustments, if justified, in those cost assumptions. The geographic area this will impact is the current boundaries of the City of Hurricane. For more information please contact Toni Foran, Planning Director, at the City of Hurricane.

The Pine Valley Special Service District will holding a public hearing on February 3^rd at 5:00 pm to consider raising impact fees for single family residences $1,000 per unit to $2,500. Stand-alone additions will be charged $.50 per square foot (capped at $750.00), and $2.00 per square foot for new commercial construction. The Pine Valley SSD plans to use those fees for payment of additional EMT equipment, development of the Pine Valley Park and picnic area and construction and expansion of the Pine Valley fire house.

For copies of the impact fee analysis summary go to SUHBA’s Government Affairs Section of the Website or contact Spencer Beckstrom at the Pine Valley Special Service District or call Barbara Button at SUHBA at 435-674-1400.

The County Commission has put into place all the needed preparations for the ARRA Bonding Program to properly operate within the county. Three bond allocations have been approved by the Commission; a private activity bond to Apogee for the purpose of installation of new manufacturing equipment at the Viracon glass plant in St. George, a public purpose bond to St. George City for projects at their new airport and a public purpose bond for the construction of a new facility to house the county attorney’s offices.

This week the county received notice that state government is requesting assignment of any unused bond allocation to the state by April 1^st, 2010. How the county will respond to the request is unknown at this point but this development reinforces the need for timely local use of the bond allocation. Once the allocation has been delegated to state government it will be necessary to apply to the state and compete with applications from throughout the state rather than those within Washington County.

If you are considering using the ARRA bond program we recommend you move quickly to begin the application process so that the county will be on record of your interest. We don’t know that it is necessary to deposit the required $5,000 retainer with the county at this point; a letter stating your intent may well place a “hold” of the amount of allocation you are considering using. In any case, it would be worthwhile to consider timely action.

The Southern Utah Home Builders Association has two upcoming vacancies on the Utah Home Builders Association Board of Directors. Serving on the State Board for the Utah Home Builders Association requires traveling to Salt Lake City about five times per year (usually the first Friday of May, August, October, December, and January). Legislative issues, code requirements, continuing education requirements, and other issues are discussed and decided upon. If you would like to be considered for nomination for a position representing SUHBA on the State Board, please contact Barbara Button at 435-674-1400 or barbara@suhba.com.

Sponsor a SUHBA Luncheon and receive the following benefits to your company:

Your logo and name in e-newletter sent to all SUHBA Members and other interested parties.
Your logo and name on the General Membership Luncheon Postcards mailed to all SUHBA members.
Table at front door of luncheon hall reserved for your display and brochures.
Meet and greet attendees at luncheon.
Display your business banner at luncheon.
Three minutes in front of attendees at luncheon to promote your business.

Cost is only $250 (That's less than 7 cents per contact!!!)
Several months in 2010 are still available. Contact Barbara Button at 435-674-1400 or email her at barbara@suhba.com.

SUHBA is now accepting applications for scholarships. Preference is given to families and employees of SUHBA Members seeking further education in a field related to the building industry. The deadline for applying is April 15. Funds for these scholarships are made possible from proceeds received from the annual Golf Tournament and from the Parade of Homes Builders. Click here for an application.

NAHB
The key to the mainstreaming of green is to make sure that consumers understand the value of green upgrades - and exactly how cost-effective that sustainable construction can be in the long run, according to four green home building professionals who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday at the National Association of Home Builders' International Builders' Show.

Builders, remodelers and product manufacturers are beginning to green their processes and incorporate more energy-, water- and resource-efficient features. They are learning how to reduce waste on the job site to save enough money to pay for these upgrades - and help ensure that the builder makes a profit, said consultant Steve Bertasso, who helps builders achieve these measures. ...More

This course will review the top 10 most frequent citations given by OSHA in the construction industry including common fall protection issues, personal protective equipment, scaffolds, and ladders. It will focus on the situations leading to these citations, training issues and ways to comply with the most frequently cited standards for construction. It will be held on Thursday, Feb 4, 2010, from 8:30 am to 10:00 am, at the WCF Building at 1453 S. Dixie Dr, STE 100, St. George. This course is free to WCF policyholders with the exception of a $50 materials fee. Non-WCF policyholders can attend courses for a fee of $175 per seminar. Please register by calling 801-288-8103 or 800-466-2667 ext. 8103 or online at www.wcfgroup.com.

This is a basic electrical safety course to help participants recognize the electrical hazards that might be present in the workplace. Participants will also receive information to assist them in complying with OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy Standard. This class will be held on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, from 10:15 am to 11:45 am, at the WCF Building at 1453 S Dixie Drive, Ste 100, St George. This is a free course to WCF policyholders and non-WCF policyholders can attend courses for a fee of $175 per seminar. Please register by calling 801-288-8103 or 800-466-2667 ext. 8103 or online at www.wcfgroup.com.

Small businesses owned by women and minorities that provide professional services, construction and supplies related to the transportation field can apply for a free certification. This certification is called the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification. Airport, Highway and Transit agencies across the US seek out firms certified as DBE for federally funded projects.

If you are interested in learning about a free certification program that can help your small business find excellent contracting opportunities with State (UDOT), City (City of St. George, SLC Dept of Airports, Cedar City) and transit (UTA, Logan Cache Valley, Park City Corporation) please com to this workshop. There is no charge to attend. ...More

You're in the elevator and your friend John introduces you to Sally who is the CEO of one of the companies you'd like to do business with. Sally asks, "What do you do?"

Here is your chance to make a connection with a prime member of your target market. You want to get her attention, make a positive impression, and get her interested enough to continue the conversation. You've got about fifteen seconds to do this. ...More

Town & Country Bank moved into their new location and will have a grand opening on February 25^th from 11-2 pm. Please stop by and help them celebrate at 405 East St. George Boulevard, St. George.

Dixie State College accounting department has developed an Accounting Incubator in the Udvar Hazy Building, room 127. Their services are FREE! The Incubator has over 20 eager Junior and Senior Accounting students who want to help you in your existing or start up business. These students want to help you with your Quickbooks, income statements, balance sheets, cash flows, projections, payroll taxes, and point of sales system, income taxes, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other accounting issues. If you are interested in this service please contact Kelly Whittekiend at 435-652-7741 to schedule times to meet with these amazing students.

Questar Gas is pleased to announce that our newest natural gas refueling station is located in Washington County. The new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Station is located at 40 North 6300 West, Hurricane, Utah. We would like to invite community and business leaders to join us for the open house on Friday, February 12, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hurricane Chevron station.

Habitat has arrived in Haiti and they are working with people in Port-au-Prince to determine how we can best help survivors pick up the pieces and rebuild.

Over a million people have been affected by this devastating tragedy. Haiti’s ambassador to the U.S. has called the quake a “catastrophe of major proportions.”

Our ability to respond depends on supporters like you. Will you please make a gift to Habitat today so that we can help families rebuild? ...More

Windermere Real Estate published their Southern Utah Housing Report: 2009 in Review. Click here to read it.

The Questar Gas ThermWise Builder Rebates Program is pleased to announce the 2009 Builder of the Year Awards. Established to recognize and honor Utah builders who are dedicated to building high-quality energy-efficient homes, the awards are offered in three categories: large, medium and small production builders. Within each category, Platinum winners receive $2500 and Gold winners receive $1500 in marketing funds to promote the energy efficient features of their homes.

“With more homebuyers interested in lowering their energy bills and reducing their impact on the environment, building energy efficient and high performance homes just makes sense,” said Bryan Taylor, Questar Gas ThermWise Program Manager . “We’re so pleased to honor these exceptional Utah builders because they are focused on offering more value to homebuyers and making a positive difference in their local communities.” The combined efforts of all of the builders participating in the ThermWise Program in 2009 resulted in saving nearly 50,000 decatherms of natural gas. This is equal to planting 68,744 trees or taking 485 cars off the road for 1 year. ...More