BAM NEWS

BAM: Working Hard For You In 2009 This past month BAM has been busy providing you with information about the economy and state of the industry, engaging in discussions about fire sprinklers, planning your 2009 legislative agenda, and wrapping up the final details for the 2nd Minnesota Builders Convention happening in February.
The week of December 15th BAM hosted Senior Economist Dr. Elliot Eisenberg of the National Association of Home Builders in Minnesota and while he was here we put him to work! He promoted the building industry and association to the local media from all corners of the state and spoke to BAM members about building industry economics.
Monday the 15th Elliot traveled to Rochester and delivered a local economic impact study he’d prepared for the Rochester Area Builders. Tuesday, at the BAM Builders Symposium, he held the audience captive for an hour and a half talking about the housing industry and economy. Thursday Elliot traveled to Duluth and presented a local economic impact study for the Arrowhead Builders Association. And Friday rounded out the week with the Builder Summit where Elliot spoke alongside Commissioner Glenn Wilson of the Department of Commerce, Commissioner Dan McElroy of the Department of Employment and Economic Development, Toby Madden an economist from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve and many other industry experts about the state of the industry, what to expect and ideas for builders about where to go from here.
In December three town hall meetings on fire sprinklers were held throughout the state and hosted by Commissioner Steve Sviggum of the Department of Labor and Industry. The first town hall was held in Rochester on December 12th, the next in Bemidji December 16th and the last was held in Saint Paul December 18th. BAM member attendees did a great job of asking questions of the proponents for fire sprinklers and addressing the issue with the prepared talking points found online at: http://bamn.org/documents/FireSprinklerTalkingPoints.pdf.
As a reminder the International Code Council passed a fire sprinkler mandate for all single and multi-family homes for the 2009 IRC, BUT that doesn’t necessarily mean Minnesota will adopt that mandate. Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry adopts the IRC after an 18 to 24 month process that will likely begin this spring. BAM will be part of the process and will keep you up to date.
The 2009 Minnesota Legislative Session began on Tuesday January 6th and BAM has been busy at the capitol talking with our longtime friends in the senate and house of representatives and introducing ourselves and making friends of the newcomers. BAM will be working hard to promote our 2009 agenda which will be available soon on the members-only website. Please check in to see what the Government Relations Committee is up to throughout the session. We will also be sending you information through the weekly e-newsletter This Week At BAM.
BAM is also gearing up for the second Minnesota Builders Convention happening February 27-March 1st in Brainerd. It’s only a month and a half away, so get online and register at www.bamn.org/convention – it’s going to be a weekend full of education and networking opportunities and a whole lot of fun! See you there partner!