SAVE THE DATE!
Manufacturing Days at the Capital is scheduled for February 4-5, 2013 in Tallahassee. This is an annual event for MAF members. Sponsorships are now being accepted. More details forthcoming. Please contact nancy@mafmfg.com.
Closing in on the Manufacturers Summit
This is the last week to register for the upcoming Manufacturers Summit and it is not too late to sign up for an exhibit or a sponsorship. There are nearly 40 speakers at the Summit this year and 25 exhibitors. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making the Summit possible. Regarding the Manufacturer of the Year Awards Banquet at the Summit, we have 17 finalists this year vying for the winning position in four categories. Thank you to everyone who participated in this awards process and to Phil Centonze, POS-Impact for managing it! You may register for the Summit at www.mafmfg.com. An updated agenda is also posted there for your convenience.
DEP Solid Waste Webinar
On December 4, 2012 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. DEP will hold a solid waste webinar. The purpose is to discuss 1) the changing of District boundaries; 2) the centralization of some solid waste permitting in Tallahassee; 3) updates on plans for Chapter 62-701 rulemaking and 4) time for questions. In order to participate you must register at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/303989418. You can also find more information on the first two discussion items from the DEP solid waste webpage at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/solid_waste/default.htm.
Florida Legislative Organizational Session
On November 19 Nancy Stephens, nancy d. Stephens & Associates, cosponsored a legislative reception for freshman legislators, sponsored by the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists. It was great to see the freshman legislators and their staff.
On November 20 the Florida Legislature held their organizational session for the 2012-2014 Legislature. Some of the highlights follow:
· Senator Don Gaetz was named President of the Florida Senate; Rep. Will Weatherford was named Speaker of the Florida House.
· President Gaetz announced new ethics rules for the Senate; combined the K-12 and Higher Education Policy Committees and respective appropriations committees; announced a Select Committee on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare); and announced a panel on gambling.
· The Democratic Minority Leaders for the House and Senate were chosen, both from Broward County. They are Rep. Thurston and Senator Smith.
· Sen. Garrett Richter, Naples, was chosen as Senate President Pro-Tempore; Sen. Maria Sachs, Boca Raton, was elected as the Senate Democratic leader Pro-Tempore.
· Senate Democrats also chose Sen. Braynon, Miami Gardens, as the Democratic whip, Sen. Soto, Orlando, as the Deputy Whip, and Sen. Montford, Tallahassee, as the policy chair.
· House Democrats chose Rep. Jones, Jacksonville, as House Leader Pro-Tempore; Rep. Waldman, Coconut Creek, Minority Floor Leader; Rep. Pafford, West Palm Beach, as the policy chair; Rep. Rouson, Tampa, as policy advisor; and Rep. Williams, Tallahassee, as Minority Whip.
Legislative Delegation Meetings
Legislative delegation meetings are held in the local community and are a great way to get the attention of local legislators on your issues. They are always held prior to the upcoming legislative session. You can contact your local legislator to find out who is responsible for setting the agenda and ask if you can have 3 minutes on that agenda to present your 2013 legislative issues. If you would like to do that, MAF can help you with your remarks related to the MAF legislative agenda. This makes the next contact on the issue much easier! Contact nancy@mafmfg.com.
November 27
Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation Miami 9:30 am
Broward Legislative Delegation Ft. Lauderdale 4:00 pm
December 7
Manatee Legislative Delegation Bradenton 8:30 am
December 10
Polk County Delegation Bartow 8:30 am
December 11
Hardee County Delegation Wauchula 10:00 am
December 12
Brevard County Delegation Viera 2:00 pm
December 13
Central Florida Delegation Daytona Beach 1:30 pm
Palm Beach Delegation Jupiter 2:00 pm
December 17
St. Lucie County Delegation Fort Pierce 2:00 pm
December 18
Broward County Delegation Pembroke
Pines 4:00 pm
December 19
Indian River County Delegation Vero Beach 9:00 am
December 20
Seminole County Delegation Sanford 9:00 am
Broward County Delegation Ft. Lauderdale 4:00 pm
Workforce Florida Announces Statewide Branding Initiative
As you have noticed, each of the 24 local Workforce Boards call themselves something unique, which is a bit confusing for the public. As a result of this and state law that calls for a single, consolidated workforce brand that is customer-focused and delivers consistency across all regions, Workforce Florida has selected IDEAS of Orlando to lead the branding initiative. The campaign will be launched in 2013.
Florida MEP Releases Its Summary of Economic Impacts on Florida Economy
The Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (FMEP) is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce and the State of Florida. Its purpose is to help small and medium size manufacturers identify and implement advanced manufacturing and management technologies. Through an independent survey of 1,000 FMEP client companies they have documented the impact of their programs from October 2007 through August 2012 as follows:
· Created 2,823 jobs that otherwise would not have existed
· Retained 5,156 jobs that otherwise would not have existed
· Increased and retained $693.8 million in sales
· Spent $176.6 million on new investment
· Experienced $149.2 million in cost savings
The sum of the direct, indirect, and induced effects spurred by these small- and medium-size manufacturing companies that increased or retained jobs or sales and/or increased investments with assistance from the Florida MEP are responsible for:
· Creating or retaining 28,359 jobs that paid a total of $1.42 billion in employee wages and benefits
· Increasing or retaining economic output worth $6.5 billion
· Contributing or retaining $2.46 billion of gross state product
· Generating or retaining $547.5 million in additional tax and non-tax revenues at the Federal, state, and local government levels, including $176.5 million at the state and local level.
Great job FMEP!
Activity Picks Up on Restoring Springs
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is expanding its efforts to restore Silver Springs. In the past two years DEP has directed $11.5 million to restoring Florida springs, more than double the spending in the previous three years. DEP research and monitoring led to designating Silver Springs and the Upper Silver River as impaired for nitrates. With finalization of the Total Maximum Daily Load for the springs at .35 milligrams per liter, Florida protection will be identical to that of the EPA protection for the springs. A total management plan to reduce nitrate inputs to meet the daily load is yet to be developed with local involvement. As a part of the solution DEP announced $1 million in wastewater projects last summer in the Marion County area. The projects include redirecting discharge from the Silver Springs Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Silver Springs Shores Wastewater Treatment Plant, connecting a series of small wastewater treatment plants to the central facility eliminating more than two tons of nitrates that are going into the Silver Springs system. Another $400,000 will be invested by DEP to take Silver River State Park off septic tanks and hook it to central sewer, reducing another 1,370 pounds of nitrates that are going into the Silver Springs system.
Across the state to the Gulf Coast, DEP is committing $1.1 million to a reuse project for the City of Crystal River which will send 750,000 gallons of reclaimed water from the Crystal River wastewater treatment plant to the Progress Energy Citrus County Power Complex, reducing wastewater nutrient loading to the local springshed by 16% and increasing spring flow in Kings Bay by reducing the need for groundwater pumping at the power complex.
Next the DEP will establish nutrient reduction requirements for the Rainbow, Jackson Blue and Weeki Wachee spring systems. DEP has already adopted a water quality restoration plan for the spring fed Santa Fe River and will adopt a similar plan for the Wekiva Basin. Restoration plan initiation for Wakulla Springs and Suwannee River springs are expected yet this year. The objective is to speed up the pace of restoration and develop plans with local stakeholders to solve long term goals.
Short Notes
· Facts About Manufacturing, 2012, is now available at www.themanufacturinginstitute.org. This is a compilation of 65 charts and analysis presenting a wide array of data for the manufacturing sector and highlighting its importance to the U.S. and global economy. It is the first comprehensive update since 2009 and is the product of the Manufacturing Institute, the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation and the National Association of Manufacturers.
· Interested in adopting a school through the MAF Center’s Dream It Do It Program? Contact your regional manufacturing association or June Wolfe at june.wolfe@comcast.net. For more information about Dream It Do It, visit www.mafcenter.org.
- Know someone who should be a member of MAF? Contact nancy@mafmfg.com to provide the contact information.
Upcoming Events
December 5 MAF Executive Committee Lunch Meeting, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL
December 5 MAF Center for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., (Center Board of Trustees and invited guests), Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL
December 5 Joint Reception for MAF Board Members and MAF Center for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence Board of Trustees, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL
December 6 MAF Board of Directors Breakfast Meeting, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. (MAF Board Members and invited guests), Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL
December 6-7 MAF Manufacturing Summit and Marketplace and Manufacturers of the Year Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, FL. Now accepting sponsors and exhibitors. Go to www.mafmfg.com for more details or contact nancy@nstephens.com.
December 13 MAF Environmental Teleconference, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. E.T. Dial in number is (712) 775.7000; PIN 317371#.
December 13 Volusia Manufacturers Association 32nd Annual Awards Banquet at the Speedway Daytona 500 Club. Register at www.VMAonline.com.
2013
February 4-5 Florida Manufacturing Days at the Capital, Governors Club and the Capital, Tallahassee, FL. More info coming soon.
