PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear readers,

We recently sent out a survey in an effort to better serve our members. I would like to share with you this month some of the results of that survey, and what the STA will be doing to respond to those answers.

The top three member benefits deemed the most important by the survey takers were education programs, legislative advocacy and news & information. These have always been priorities of the STA, but in 2021 we will work even harder to bring you more points of focus in these subjects.

• Education programs: each month in 2021 will see some type of online seminar (until we can meet in person again). Coming up in the first half of the year we have programs on the year’s upcoming legislation efforts, new technology on the jobsite, and Scaffold Law Reform.
• Legislative Advocacy: the STA works closely with our lobbyist, as well as other industry associations to advocate for legislation that severely affects our members. In 2021, STA will be focusing on the Substantial Completion bill, which was signed by Governor Cuomo in mid-December, and will be introduced in the legislature early this year. We will also focus very much on COVID-19 rules and regulations that impact small businesses. The STA works closely with the Empire State Subcontractors Association (ESSA) on their legislative agenda, which right now includes Payment Security on Hybrid Projects, 5% Retainage on Private Projects and Invalidate Certain Additional Insured Provisions.
  I would like to urge anyone who has an interest in legislative advocacy to please participate in our Legislative Committee, or contact the STA for more information on the association’s efforts in Albany.
• News & Information: the STA office will continue the monthly newsletters, weekly construction news as well as news bulletins as information arises pertaining to the industry & COVID-19 rules and regulations.

I would also like to make a special point to address the fourth most important member benefit from the survey: networking opportunities. While it is not easy to network while we are all social distancing, the STA is trying out a new online platform, Remo, for our February Speed Meeting event. We knew we had to continue our yearly Speed Meetings as it is by far our most popular Membership Meeting of the year. The Remo platform will allow us to continue to have general contractor “tables” which guests will sit down at during their allotted time slot, watch slides and presentations from our featured GCs, and even network with other attendees. I hope all of our members will be open to trying out something new!

I wish everyone a healthy rest of the winter season.