10/12/2024

Amid construction worker shortage, CAWV, WVU Tech work together to help find solutions

WVU Tech hosted the Contractors Association of West Virginia’s (CAWV) quarterly board meeting on campus and offered officials from both the CAWV and K-12 partners a look at the construction and contracting education provided by the institution. The CAWV board of directors joined several of WVU Tech’s K-12 Southern 13 initiative partners to tour WVU Tech’s state-of-the-art construction management and engineering laboratories on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Officials from the school districts and CAWV also met with the faculty and students working in the construction management program.

10/9/2024

The Contractors Association of West Virginia visits WVU Tech campus

Members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia gathered on the campus of West Virginia Institute of Technology in Beckley on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, to hold its quarterly Board of Directors meeting and to tour the campus. According to information posted to the CAWV website, the group is the only full-service organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the construction industry in the Mountain State. James Dailey, president of W. Harley Miller and CAWV member, said being at WVU Tech was a good opportunity to further part of the group’s mission.

10/8/2024

Contractors Association of West Virginia coming to WVU Tech

The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) will hold its quarterly Board of Directors meeting on the campus of WVU Tech on Wednesday from 11-11:45 a.m. Members of CAWV will also tour construction management and engineering laboratories, meet faculty and students, and learn more about the importance of educating the next generation of construction experts in the mountain state. Some of WVU Tech’s K-12 partners through the Southern 13 initiative will join the CAWV to learn more about the opportunities for careers in construction trades and at the professional level. As new construction projects take shape across the state, providing the expertise necessary to meet growing demand for new architecture is critical. WVU Tech is the only school in the state of West Virginia offering a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.

9/15/2024

Pizatella hoping for compromise work zone enforcement bill in 2025 session

West Virginia road builders are trying to come up with a compromise in hopes of enforcing the speed limit in highway work zones. The Contractors Association of West Virginia plans to back a bill in next year’s legislative session that would allow for speed enforcement equipment to be used. CAWV Chief Executive Officer Jason Pizatella recently told lawmakers the bill was first introduced in 2022 and has undergone several changes. The latest proposed change is a compromise, Pizatella said.

7/17/2024

Contractors Association of West Virginia Elects 2024 Officers

James W. Dailey III of W. Harley Miller Contractors Inc. was elected President of the Contractors Association of West Virginia for 2024. Other officers include Mark Urso, Shannon Hapuarachy, Derick Foster, and James Pierson. The CAWV also elected new board members and division chairs to represent over 500 businesses in the contracting industry in West Virginia.

7/15/2024

Manchin Speaks at Contractors Association of West Virginia Annual Meeting

United States Senator Joe Manchin made a special guest appearance at the Contractors Association of West Virginia’s Annual Meeting General Business Session on July 13, 2024 at The Greenbrier Resort. The CAWV presented Sen. Manchin with an award for his over 40 years of public service and support for West Virginia’s construction industry.

4/23/2024

WVDOH remembers fallen workers, urges work zone safety

More than 50 WVDOH highway workers have been killed on the job. Backed up by State Police, the Federal Highways Administration, and the Contractors Association of West Virginia, the WVDOH held a press conference on Monday, April 22, 2024, to urge drivers to slow down and pay attention in work zones. The press conference was punctuated by 57 men and women dressed in orange and draped with black sashes to remember the 57 highway workers killed in the line of duty. John Rogers, a local representative with the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA), said 94 highway workers were killed in work zones nationwide during 2022. Alarmingly, work zone deaths increased by 62 percent between 2013 and 2021, largely due to distracted drivers or excessive speed.

4/9/2024

Contractors Association of West Virginia Announces 2023 Safety Excellence Award Winners

The 2023 Safety Excellence Awards winners were announced by the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) at its State Meeting on March 20, 2024, held during the West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The awards recognize members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to improving safety in the construction industry. Evaluation criteria include safety policies, commitment to safety and health, and statistical data. The quality of safety training and employee involvement in safety processes are also considered.

3/20/2024

Construction & Design Expo provides prime opportunity for laid off West Virginia workers

Industry leaders say the West Virginia Construction & Design Expo couldn’t have come at a better time due to the loss of jobs across the state. Allegheny Wood Products, a 50-year-old West Virginia-based internationally known hardwood producer, closed its doors last month and eliminated hundreds of jobs held by state residents. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. also announced it plans to idle its tinplate production plant in Weirton in April which will result in 900 layoffs. Cassidy Webb, the expo’s show manager and director of communications for the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said there are now more people looking for work.

3/19/2024

Construction & Design Expo will promote jobs available in industry

The West Virginia Construction and Design Expo is set for Wednesday and Thursday at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Contractors Association of West Virginia Chief Executive Officer Jason Pizatella said the expo is one of the highlights of the year for the industry. “It’s the two days of the year where almost everyone that is associated with the construction industry will pop their head into the Civic Center for at least a little while,” Pizatella said.

2/8/2024

Contactors Association of West Virginia holds ‘Build a Bike’ charity event

The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) has taken part of its training program and turned it into something beneficial for the community, building bikes for kids. The event was part of the CAWV’s Construction Leadership Program which requires 12 training sessions over the course of six months. On Thursday, members of the CAWV gathered at Wolfe’s Excavating in Clarksburg and were put into groups. Each group was given a starting number of bike parts and had to answer training-based questions as well as race on smaller “Big Wheel” bikes in order to earn the next part of the larger full-size bike that they were building.

7/14/2024

Contractors Association of West Virginia and Jobs & Hope to spearhead community project in Morgantown

The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) will be holding a community project for SteppingStones Recreation at Mylan Park in Morgantown on Friday, June 16. SteppingStones is a non-profit organization that provides year-round recreation for children and adults with disabilities. March-Westin Company, Inc. is leading the project with other CAWV members to demolish a park area that includes several horseshoe pits, existing fencing, as well as some grading/leveling of a gravel area.

7/11/2023

Contractors Association of West Virginia Elects New Officers

Tim Spradling, president, Benchmark Construction Company Inc., Hurricane, W. Va., has been elected president of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV). He replaces James Ridgeway, president, March-Westin Company Inc., Morgantown, W. Va., who will serve on the board of directors as immediate past president.

7/9/2023

Gov. Justice speaks at Contractors Association of West Virginia's centennial celebration

Gov. Justice addressed Contractors Association of West Virginia members at their centennial celebration, expressing gratitude for their valuable contributions to enhancing the state's roadways, particularly mentioning their transformative work through the Roads to Prosperity Program.

7/7/2023

Pizatella: Contractors will be ready when additional monies come in for road, bridge projects

Gov. Jim Justice, state Senate President Craig Blair and others have indicated this week some of the more than $400 million that will be leftover from the revenues collected last fiscal year will go toward highway maintenance work. Contractors Association of West Virginia CEO Jason Pizatella said that money, combined with other funds, including federal money coming to the state for roads and bridges is unmatched in state history. “I don’t use the word unprecedented very lightly but I think it’s appropriate here,” Pizatella said during a Friday appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.” “It really is an unprecedented amount of money dedicated to infrastructure.”

6/18/2023

Contractors Association to honor those who built WV's infrastructure

From the New River Gorge Bridge to West Virginia’s interstate highways and modern water and sewer systems, the state’s contractors built them all in the past 100 years. “I got to work with the generation that built West Virginia’s roads and bridges, schools and water and sewer systems. West Virginia was really just in the infancy of the interstate construction program back in the early ‘70s,” said Mike Clowser, former executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV). “And also, the water and sewer program really did not take off until 1972 with the passage of the Clean Water Act. I had the great opportunity to work with the first generation of contractors who built I-64, I-77 and I-79. They built the modern water and sewer systems.

6/17/2023

Morgantown community comes together for the production of all-accessible playground

SteppingStone in Morgantown’s Mylan Park is in the starting stages of a new addition that literally everyone will enjoy. SteppingStone had planned to create an all-accessible playground for both kids and adults, with or without disabilities back before the start of the pandemic and once COVID struck, the facility figured its dreams would stay as such. On Friday the initial steps to the project began, fulfilling long awaited hopes in staff and its participants. The Contractors Association of West Virginia, March-Westin Company, Inc., Wolfe’s Excavating, LLC, Reclaim Company, LLC, and Jobs & Hope all came together to donate equipment and manpower.

6/17/2023

Federal infrastructure funding gives WV's contractors opportunities

Thanks to federal funding coming into West Virginia through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the state’s contractors have opportunities to continue building roads, bridges, water and sewer facilities and work on abandoned mine land projects, as well as other infrastructure improvement projects. “For contractors, that’s been probably one of the best infrastructure programs in a number of years. That program itself is bringing about $6 billion into West Virginia,” said Mike Clowser, former executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “It’s creating thousands of jobs for West Virginians, but most importantly, it is helping to improve the infrastructure of the state. It’s putting in hundreds of millions of dollars for water and sewer to people that have never had water to people who have had poor quality water.”

6/14/2023

Contractors Association of West Virginia and Jobs & Hope to spearhead community project in Morgantown

The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) will be holding a community project for SteppingStones Recreation at Mylan Park in Morgantown on Friday, June 16. SteppingStones is a non-profit organization that provides year-round recreation for children and adults with disabilities. March-Westin Company, Inc. is leading the project with other CAWV members to demolish a park area that includes several horseshoe pits, existing fencing, as well as some grading/leveling of a gravel area. Jobs & Hope heavy equipment operator program participants will take part in the project to learn the dynamics of a project site.

6/14/2023

Michael Clowser: FAA deal shouldn't nix flight from WV to DC (Opinion)

As a longtime member of West Virginia’s business community and construction industries, as well as a former Charleston city councilman, I’m concerned about an effort underway in Washington, D.C., that could jeopardize Charleston’s — and our state’s — only direct flight into and out of Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). Some members of Congress are trying to expand what is known as the High Density (slot) and Perimeter Rule at DCA. This rule, part of the upcoming FAA Reauthorization bill, limits the airport to shorter flights and smaller aircraft to manage congestion at this space-constrained facility. The “perimeter” is a 1,250-mile radius from D.C., beyond which, nonstop flights to or from DCA are prohibited without a federally granted exception.

4/17/2023

Gov. Justice urges safe driving in Work Zones as state begins massive 2023 highway construction season

Gov. Jim Justice held an event today at the State Capitol to kick off  the 2023 highway construction season and remind drivers to slow down and pay attention in work zones. The Governor was joined by state and federal officials, as well as a representative from the Contractors Association of West Virginia. "Today in West Virginia, on every street corner, we've got orange cones, workers everywhere, and the roads are improved," Gov. Justice said. "Now, Is it too much to ask that workers deserve to be able to get their dinner bucket, go to work, and deserve to go home safely? It only takes one wrong turn, and we have a catastrophe. I'm 100% supportive of our Work Zone Safety campaign because lives are on the line.”

4/17/2023

As paving season kicks off, West Virginia officials emphasize safety in work zones

West Virginia leaders described a push for greater highway safety at the start of paving season. “This is my number one priority. This is absolutely my number one priority,” state Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston told lawmakers during interim committee meetings. “Just to go out there and set standard, minimal requirements in these work zones is not good enough. Our goal is zero fatalities in our work zones. This is the most important thing we will ever do.” Jason Pizatella, chief executive of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, also emphasized the need for cautious driving in work zones. “Our ask is simply this: Slow down, obey the posted work zone speed limit and always stay alert,” he said. “Let’s do our part to make sure these men and women get to work and then back home to their families as soon as possible.

4/5/2023

Belcher gets $3,000 contractors scholarship

Bluefield State University student Chase Belcher of Peterstown has been selected to receive a $3,000 Contractors Association of West Virginia Scholarship. The scholarship was presented to Belcher by Gene Thompson, chair of the WVCA Scholarship Fund Foundation, during the annual West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO in Charleston. Students representing institutions of higher education from throughout West Virginia competed for this year’s scholarships. Dr. Kerry Stauffer, professor of civil engineering technology at Bluefield State University, commented in a press release, “With the hard work Chase invests in his academic endeavors, as well as his significant amount of real-world construction experience, it was an honor to recommend him for this scholarship. We are proud of Chase, and I’m confident he will succeed in the engineering and construction industry.”

3/31/2023

Contractors Association of West Virginia announces 2023 Scholarship Winners

The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) Scholarship Foundation distributed $27,500 this year to West Virginia college students pursuing an education and career in construction or engineering. The selection committee chose the recipients based on their academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, financial need and an interest in a construction industry career. Eligible schools include West Virginia University, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Marshall University, Fairmont State University and Bluefield State University.

3/22/2023

Top safety professional speaks at 2023 West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO

Around 300 exhibitors from construction and infrastructure industries took centerstage at the two-day 2023 West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Wednesday morning’s keynote speaker at the event, Richard McElhanney, encompassed the broad scope of safety and risk management on any industrial job site in his presentation called, The Real Cost of Safety. After receiving a Masters Degree in Safety Science from West Virginia University, becoming a Certified Safety Professional, and Construction Risk Insurance Professional, and acquiring over 30 years of safety experience across a wide range of industries, McElhanney discussed his extensive knowledge of safety in the field, as well as his own personal experiences.

1/30/23

WV Senate passes bill that would create DEP design-build pilot program

The West Virginia Senate has passed a bill aimed at making it easier for state environmental regulators to fast-track projects supported by a massive influx of federal infrastructure funding. Approved without opposition or discussion Monday, Senate Bill 439 would allow the Department of Environmental Protection to combine the design and construction elements of a project into a single contract in a design-build pilot program. Design-build projects combine design and construction services under one contracting entity. Contractors Association of West Virginia CEO Jason Pizatella told the Energy, Industry and Mining Committee last week that his group is “generally” comfortable with the bill, having pushed for its scope to be narrowed through its annual reporting and sunset provisions. “We certainly understand ... the DEP’s desire to move with some speed in the contracting process that they may not have otherwise had before,” Pizatella said. “Design-build’s not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a solution.”

10/10/22

ARTBA Contractors Honor Mike Clowser With Highest Honor Award

Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, has received the highest honor from the Contractors Division of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) during the group's national convention in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 26. ARTBA presents the Nello L. Teer Jr. Award, named for a legendary past industry leader, to an individual who has advocated for and served the nation's transportation contractors. Michael Vecellio of the Vecellio Group, an ARTBA vice chair at large, presented the award. "Simply put, West Virginia would not look the same today without Mike Clowser," he told convention attendees.

8/31/22

Contractors Association of West Virginia Head Mike Clowser Announces Retirement at End of 2022; Jason Pizatella Named New CEO

After 44 years of service, Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) Executive Director Mike Clowser will retire at the end of 2022. Jason Pizatella will assume the role of chief executive officer on Oct. 3, 2022. "Mike has been the consummate leader for the CAWV since 1979 and the impact he's had on the construction industry will be long lasting," said CAWV President James Ridgeway, March-Westin Company Inc. "As an organization we're sad to see him go but wish him the best in retirement." Clowser joined the CAWV as director of member services in 1979 and became executive director in 1983. He has served as editor of West Virginia Construction News, the association's 85-year-old publication, since 1983.

8/22/22

Mike Clowser departs contractors association after 44 years

Mike Clowser has announced he will retire as executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia after 44 years with the organization. The association today announced that Jason Pizatella, a lawyer and longtime government official, will assume the role of chief executive officer starting on Oct. 3. The contractors association works with its members and state officials to develop highways, bridges and other infrastructure. The organization played a central role in the Roads to Prosperity initiative championed by Gov. Jim Justice.

8/15/22

W.Va. Contractors See Construction Boom, Challenges Ahead

West Virginia contractors and builders say they have never been so busy and have never had so many challenges. They say the future will only bring more work and more concern. Randy Yohe talked about the current and future state of construction with Mike Clowser, Executive Director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. The organization represents 450 members, from bridge builders to bankers.

8/7/22

Soaring inflation, supply chain issues become project ‘speed bumps’ statewide

Enormous amounts of government relief money directed to public and private projects has created a labor shortage for contractors. Additionally, soaring material prices have created very tough times for owners, suppliers and contractors. Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser said a recent survey shows the industry is booming and there really no end in sight for the near future. “Most all of our members are looking for people and looking for qualified people,” Clowser said. “We think this is going to be an exciting time for construction in the next five to seven years in West Virginia.”

6/30/22

Business Briefs – July 30, 2022 – Construction News marks 85^th year

West Virginia Construction News (WVCN) marks its 85th year in circulation this year. The publication, which is the “Voice of Construction in the Mountain State,” has represented the best of the best in West Virginia’s construction industry. WVCN, the official publication of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV), has played a major role in representing the building, highway and utility construction industries in West Virginia. First published in 1937 by P.J. Walsh, executive director of the West Virginia Contractors Association, WVCN was originally published twice a month and contained project bid information.

6/26/22

West Virginia Construction News magazine marks its 85th year in circulation

West Virginia Construction News (WVCN) marks its 85th year in circulation this year. The publication, which is the “Voice of Construction in the Mountain State,” has represented the best of the best in West Virginia’s construction industry. WVCN, the official publication of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV), has played a major role in representing the building, highway and utility construction industries in West Virginia. First published in 1937 by P.J. Walsh, executive director of the West Virginia Contractors Association, WVCN was originally published twice a month and contained project bid information.

6/12/22

Transportation secretary cites challenges of supply chain, equipment and personnel

Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston expects a great summer of West Virginia roadwork, but he told legislators that supply chain issues, shortages of some equipment and personnel challenges will increase the difficulty. Wriston spoke Sunday evening before an interim meeting of the Oversight Commission on the Department of Transportation Accountability. Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, spoke before legislators and agreed that the supply chain complications are affecting road work. He described an “unprecedented and unforeseen rapid change in material prices over the last year” to affect contractors. “And as such that is affecting a lot of our members, it’s affecting their bottom lines, it’s affecting their profitability,” he said, going on to also describe “unprecedented delays in supply dates.”

5/4/22

Marion County drivers reminded to heed work zone warnings: Slow down

As state officials continue their efforts to respond to citizens’ cries for better roads and bridges, and with the influx of federal infrastructure dollars beginning to make an impact, we’re seeing more and more orange cones and signs indicating road work ahead. Gov. Justice has said the 2022 highway construction season is expected to be the busiest ever. And it is apparent throughout much of North Central West Virginia. In Marion County, projects are well underway to address the hillside slip along U.S. 250 near Muriale’s, as well as the major Interstate 79 widening project from White Hall to Pleasant Valley. “Our road workers are people who work hard every day to make your commute to work, play, and vacation better,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

5/4/22

Road work zone safety is every drivers' responsibility

Those road work zone warnings we hear so much about struck way too close to home last week in Lewis County, when highways worker Craig Howell was struck while working as a flagger about 8 p.m. Thursday evening at the intersection of U.S. 119/U.S. 33 and Court Avenue in Weston. Fortunately, Howell wasn’t seriously injured. But the incident should remind us all of the dangers of highway work zones — and not just for the workers. Last year, there were 889 crashes in West Virginia work zones, killing five and injuring more than 300. “Our road workers are people who work hard every day to make your commute to work, play, and vacation better,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.”

5/3/22

Slow down in state's highway work zones

In his front page story on Sunday, Managing Editor Matt Harvey wrote about how automobiles have become so much safer in the past 50 years. We’ve seen the advent of seat belts, air bags, electronic stability control and automatic emergency braking. But there remains one important variable: Humans, and their need for speed. As of this writing, police in Lewis County are looking for the driver of a black pickup truck who was speeding through a work zone Thursday night and struck a Division of Highways worker. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Last year, there were 889 crashes in West Virginia highway work zones, injuring 300 people and killing five. “Our road workers are people who work hard every day to make your commute to work, play, and vacation better,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.” For construction workers and Highways employees, the work zone is their office. You want to be safe in your office. Our employees who are on our roadways deserve the same consideration.”

4/15/22

Contractors association names winners

The Contractors Association of West Virginia has announced its 2021 Safety Excellence Award winners. They were recognized during the March 23 state meeting held in conjunction with the annual West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Awards include winners in building, highway, industrial, utility and associate divisions.

4/18/22

Officials announce statewide crackdown on speeding in work zones

Speeding drivers, especially ones speeding through West Virginia’s work zones this highway construction season, will be seeing a crackdown on their recklessness. Drivers will see an increased police presence in the state’s work zones this highway construction season, leaders with the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) and several law enforcement agencies announced during an event at the State Capitol recognizing Work Zone Awareness Week.” Our road workers are people who work hard everyday to make your commute to work, play, and vacation better,” said Mike Clowser, Executive Director, Contractors Association of West Virginia. “For construction workers and Highways employees, the work zone is their office. You want to be safe in your office. Our employees who are on our roadways deserve the same consideration.”

4/11/22

WVDOT Achieves Peak Project Performance

With apologies to John Denver, West Virginia’s transportation network is much more than country roads. There are also interstates, secondary highways and rural connectors comprising a nearly 39,000-mile road network, 96% of which is maintained by the West Virginia Dept. of Transportation, ENR MidAtlantic’s Owner of the Year. The WVDOT has long viewed its design consultants and contractors as partners and project stakeholders. Since the 1960s, WVDOT’s highway division has worked closely with the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) via a joint cooperation committee to evaluate trends and agency-proposed changes to specifications for materials and other elements.

4/9/22

Contractors Association of West Virginia recognizes Tri-State Roofing

The Contractors Association of West Virginia recognized two Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. divisions for safety excellence in the workplace in 2021. The association presented the awards at the association state meeting held recently with the Construction and Design EXPO at the Charleston Civic Center. The 2021 Safety Achievement Award — Building Division was awarded to Tri-State of Parkersburg and the 2021 Safety Achievement Award — Industrial Division went to Tri-State of Charleston. The association scores contractors participating in the program on documented safety policies and procedures, commitment and approach to safety and health and recorded statistical data for the year.

3/31/22

Employment Conundrum: Greater Marijuana Use

America is slowly, but inevitably, moving toward legalization of marijuana. Recreational use of cannabis is legal in 18 states and Washington, D.C. Thirty-seven states, including West Virginia, allow marijuana use for medicinal purposes. A Gallup Poll released last year found the most support ever for legalization. Sixty-eight percent of Americans questioned say pot should be legal. Congress is considering a bill that would remove marijuana from the federal list of prohibited drugs. Mike Clowser, executive director of Contractors Association of West Virginia, said drug testing, which is necessary for many of their members, frequently trims the pool of potential workers.

3/26/22

McKinley discusses inflation, infrastructure with Mid-Ohio Valley officials

Local city and utility representatives who met with U.S. Rep. David McKinley on Friday said the federal funding they’ve gotten or stand to receive is not going to buy as much as expected. Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp told McKinley, R-W.Va., the cost estimate for a planned water line extension the city is funding with a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act money increased by 60 percent from the original design. McKinley asked Todd Grinstead, with the West Virginia Rural Water Association, to pull together some data and suggestions from his group and requested Craig Richards, director of engineering services for Burgess & Niple, provide input from the Contractors Association of West Virginia’s Joint Utility Committee.

3/24/22

McKinley applauded by contractors for infrastructure vote

Rep. David McKinley received a round of applause Wednesday from contractors, architects and engineers for his vote in favor of a hard infrastructure package that is already beginning to pay off for West Virginia. McKinley, R-W.Va., was a keynote speaker Wednesday morning for the annual West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The two-day event is organized by the Contractors Association of West Virginia. McKinley, one of two licensed engineers in Congress and founder of McKinley Architecture and Engineer, has been a member of the Contractors Association since the 1970s.

3/24/22

Nucor invests $1B in WV mill so far, with more expected this year

One of the first things John Farris, vice president and general manager of North Carolina-based Nucor Corp., said during his opening remarks at the 2022 West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition in Charleston on Wednesday is that a new steel mill is really coming to Mason County. “The West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO is the region’s largest trade show for construction and design industries,” said Cassidy Webb, the expo’s show manager and communications director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

3/24/22

Let the Work Begin!

West Virginia is going to be on the receiving end of a flood of federal money. The infrastructure law passed by Congress earlier this year dedicates $1 trillion to the states, and West Virginia’s share is more than $7 billion. The West Virginia Construction and Design Expo is underway this week in Charleston and the organization’s members are getting briefed by federal and state officials on how and when the work will become available. Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said after Covid forced the postponement of the previous two Expos and the economic slowdown from the pandemic, there is a lot of optimism because of “all the opportunities that are coming to West Virginia over the next five to six years.”

3/24/22

Expo highlights infrastructure in West Virginia

The West Virginia Construction and Design Expo wrapped up Thursday afternoon as it made its return to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center for the first time in three years. The Expo is an event where people can network and learn from experts in the construction field, but a big topic around the whole expo was the new projects West Virginia can look forward to thanks to billions in federal funds.

3/23/22

Gov. Justice celebrates newest Jobs & Hope graduates: “Hire these people!”

Several West Virginians are on a pathway to meaningful employment and have a renewed sense of purpose thanks to Gov. Jim Justice’s life-changing Jobs & Hope West Virginia program. Today, the Governor hosted a ceremony to celebrate the newest class of Jobs & Hope graduates. The graduation ceremony was held at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center – which is also hosting the annual West Virginia Construction and Design Expo this week, providing graduates with the opportunity to network with potential employers. The Contractors Association of West Virginia, a staple of the Expo, has also been instrumental to the Jobs & Hope program, conducting on-site interviews for graduates of this class, as well as prior classes of graduates.

3/23/22

Construction & Design Expo underway with high optimism

For the first time since 2019 West Virginia’s contractors and designers are all gathered under one roof. The West Virginia Contract & Design Expo runs through Thursday at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said the optimism has never been higher among those attending the event. “I think there are so many opportunities today in the construction industry. We see this as a great opportunity for West Virginia to hire a lot of people and repair our infrastructure,” Clowser said in an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”

3/21/22

Construction & Design Expo returns to Charleston this week

The West Virginia Construction & Design Expo is returning to Charleston this week after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 43rd annual event brings industry leaders together. It will be held Wednesday and Thursday at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. “It’s more than just a professional trade show. It’s a great networking and educational opportunity for anyone that is directly or indirectly related or involved in West Virginia’s construction industry,” said show manager Cassidy Webb during a recent appearance on “580” Live” heard on 580-WCHS.

3/20/22

W.Va. Construction and Design Expo coming to Charleston this week

The 2022 West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition will be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 23 and 24, at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Attendees can network and learn from a variety of expert exhibitors and other attendees on the billions of dollars in new West Virginia projects. More than $7 billion in new federal funding is coming to West Virginia from the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “The West Virginia Construction & Design EXPO is the region’s largest trade show for construction and design industries,” said Cassidy Webb, EXPO show manager and communications director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “We anticipate one of our largest turnouts ever — due to the billions of dollars in new projects and because this is the first time, in a long time, that people can meet and do business in person.”

3/3/22

WV Construction & Design EXPO 2022 to be held in-person at Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center

The 2022 West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition (EXPO) will be held on March 23 and March 24 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Attendees can network and learn from a variety of expert exhibitors and other attendees on the billions of dollars in new West Virginia projects. More than $7 billion in new federal funding is coming to West Virginia from the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). “The West Virginia Construction & Design EXPO is the region’s largest trade show for construction and design industries,” said Cassidy Webb, EXPO show manager and communications director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV). “We anticipate one of our largest turnouts ever – due to the billions of dollars in new projects and because this is the first time, in a long time, that people can meet and do business in-person.”

2/17/22

Camera Bill For Work Zones Will Stop Speeders, Save Lives

In West Virginia, the numbers show that too many drivers speed through active work zones, negligently causing deaths and injuries. One proposed bill uses technology to save highway workers' lives. Del. Josh Booth, R-Wayne, has a day job as a highway construction worker. So, Booth has both a public and personal interest in sponsoring House Bill 4595. “I’ve been struck by a car twice, once in Huntington, once in Institute,” Booth said. “There have been 15 fatalities in West Virginia work zones over the past five years and 500 accidents with injuries.” Mike Clowser, the executive director for the Contractors Association of West Virginia explains that violators caught by camera will first be warned if traveling more than 10 MPH over the speed limit.

1/16/22

West Virginia, worst in the nation on bridges, gets $500 million to improve them

West Virginia, which has long lagged behind on its aging bridges, stands to gain $506 million over five years in funding aimed at bridges. That comes under the historic Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program under the federal infrastructure law passed by congress and signed by the president. “The infrastructure act is particularly important for West Virginia because it is going to provide us with about $500 million in new, additional money specifically to repair and replace West Virginia’s bridges,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

11/19/21

West Virginia Executive magazine industry outlook on rebuilding West Virginia’s workforce

The Fall 2021 issue of West Virginia Executive magazine, which features their Young Guns 2022 section, highlights the workforce needs and innovative approaches to filling positions by some of the Mountain State’s leading sectors.  “The construction industry offers a wide range of opportunities, both in the field and in the construction office, with different avenues to prepare young people for their first job,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.  To view full comments, plus to see the hiring needs in energy, health care, high technology, manufacturing and tourism, go to https://joom.ag/r4fI/p32. To see the full issue, go to www.wvexcutive.com

11/6/21

Crane new executive director at asphalt association

John Crane has been named executive director of the Asphalt Pavement Association of West Virginia. Crane previously served as the pavements, materials and field applications engineer for Flexible Pavements of Ohio. He has also eight years of experience with the West Virginia Division of Highways’ Materials Control, Soil and Testing Division. He last served there as the asphalt group supervisor. Crane replaces Pat Parsons who is retiring after 43 years with the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV), including the last 35 years as Executive Director of APAWV. APAWV, a division of the CAWV, is a non-profit trade association representing the producers of asphalt and aggregates, laydown contractors, asphalt cement suppliers, equipment and material suppliers and other firms involved directly and indirectly in the asphalt industry.

11/3/21

Joe Manchin Actually Has a Lot Riding on the Infrastructure Bill’s Passage

It’s November and the best-laid plans of congressional progressives are crumbling before their eyes. With Senator Joe Manchin threatening to walk away and leave both parts of Joe Biden’s infrastructure agenda dead on the floor, the White House and progressives have repeatedly capitulated to the West Virginia coal baron’s demands. In West Virginia, the bill has been endorsed by the state’s Chamber of Commerce, whose president has called it a “very, very high priority” and said its funding is needed for the state’s private sector “to conduct commerce.” The executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia has similarly touted the importance to the state’s “economic future” of the bill’s funding for the “safety, security, and stability of our roads and bridges.”

10/22/21

Positively West Virginia – Construction Industry Podcast

Since November 2017, Positively West Virginia has been on a mission to inspire and equip small business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs – by telling positive, inspirational stories about West Virginia businesses.  Each week, Jim Matuga features in-depth interviews of the actual people leading companies that are doing great things for the communities they serve in West Virginia.  “Our vision is to inspire people to start and build great companies here in West Virginia.  We encourage young people to stay in West Virginia, we encourage business leaders to move to West Virginia, and we invite those who left the Mountain State to come back and start a business here in West Virginia,” Matuga states. The October 22, 2021 podcast was on construction and renovation projects in the Mountain State.  Representatives from Arrow Consulting Group, WYK Associates and Woodlands Development Group.  CAWV member John Jarrett, Jarrett Construction Services, Charleston, and Mike Clowser, CAWV executive director, were panel members.  To listen to the 60-minute podcast, click here.  Information on past podcasts is available at  www.positivelywv.com.

07/19/21

Contractors Association of West Virginia elects new officers

Nathaniel Orders, president, Orders Construction Company, St. Albans, has been elected president of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. Orders replaces Michael Gianni, president of The James White Construction Company of Weirton, who will serve on the Board of Directors as immediate past president. Serving with President Orders as officers of the CAWV for the coming year are James Ridgeway, president, March-Westin Company, Inc., Morgantown, senior vice president; Tim Spradling, president, Benchmark Construction Company, Inc., Hurricane, vice president; John P. Boyle II, president, Source Contractors, LLC, Morgantown, treasurer; and James W. Dailey III, president, W. Harley Miller Contractors, Inc., Martinsburg, secretary.

06/24/21

Report: WV interstate highway bridges, pavement among worst in US

West Virginia has the most deteriorated interstate highway bridges in the U.S. and ranks among the worst in the country for percentage of interstate pavement in poor condition, a report released Tuesday by a Washington, D.C.-based national transportation research nonprofit organization found. Released to mark the 65th anniversary of the U.S. interstate system, the report by TRIP found that 13% of interstate bridges in West Virginia are in poor or structurally deficient condition... TRIP quotes Mike Clowser, chairman of the West Virginia Business and Industry Council (BIC) and executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, saying, “The state’s businesses require a safe and modern transportation system to move goods and services. Quick passage of a new federal highway bill will allow West Virginia to address its critical transportation infrastructure needs.”

06/20/21

Construction industry in West Virginia facing short-term pricing issues related to pandemic, sees potential jobs boom in future

State residents may not know much about the Contractors Association of West Virginia, but nearly everybody has seen what they do. The Contractors Association of West Virginia represents about 450 members, who in turn employ about 20,000 West Virginians. They build West Virginia’s roads, bridges, water and sewer lines, schools, hospitals, airports, dams and more. Mike Clowser, executive director of the CAWV, said their members create and maintain the infrastructure for the state.

06/08/21

Contractors are ready to go to work on road maintenance

Members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia were thrilled with the Legislature’s approval of $150 Million in funding this week for more than 400 highway maintenance projects across the state. According to Association Executive Director Mike Clowser, the redirection of funding makes up for a lag the Department of Highways has experienced with revenues from the gasoline tax. The gas tax revenues, where much of the maintenance funding comes from,  are well behind estimates for 2021. “If you look at the types of project this $150 Million is going to address, that money has really not been available up until this point,” Clowser said on MetroNews Talkline.

05/18/21

‘Shared roots’: West Virginia senators key to Biden agenda

He’s known her for as long as he can remember, once challenging “Shel” to a heart-pumping zipline race down a rugged mountaintop. The way she tells it, they actually first met when he came to measure the carpeting for her new house in the 1970s. The two U.S. senators from West Virginia, Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Shelley Moore Capito, grew up in politically prominent families and now find themselves playing central roles in President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plans… “We depend on infrastructure for every single thing we do,” said Mike Clowser, the head of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. For a population that voted overwhelmingly, twice, for Donald Trump for president, there are vast potential political benefits, but also risks, to the senators’ roles in Biden’s infrastructure push.

04/08/21

AGC Presses Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on PRO Act & Biden Infrastructure Plan

On April 7, AGC of America CEO Stephen Sandherr, Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser and members of AGC Chapter-CAWV met in Charleston, West Virginia with Senator Joe Manchin on the PRO Act—the greatest threat to open shop and union construction firms—and President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan, on which you can find a comprehensive AGC analysis here. Sen. Manchin is one of five Democrats who has not pledged support for the PRO Act. He is also a pivotal player in the Biden’s administration’s plans for enacting any infrastructure legislation through the partisan reconciliation process that would only require 51—instead of 60—votes to pass in the Senate. AGC and its members in West Virginia and around the country will continue to oppose efforts to enact the PRO Act and to support significant investments in our nation’s transportation, building and utility infrastructure.

04/06/21

Federal Transportation Investment — Fundamental for America & West Virginia — But Leaders Need to Walk the Walk, Not Just Talk the Talk

West Virginia, which is carved into the rugged but beautiful Allegheny region and Appalachian mountains, has not been without its struggles in providing public services through the decades. But its leaders are reimagining and reframing West Virginia, with surface transportation at the core of those efforts. The state also is positioned to address the unceasing call to reinvest in, and devise sustainable funding, to construct adaptive and modern transportation infrastructure in the United States. West Virginia’s U.S. Senators, moderate Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican pragmatist Shelley Moore Capito, sit on the Senate Appropriations Committee… “West Virginia’s infrastructure is one of its greatest assets and most important responsibilities,” agrees Mike Clowser, Executive Director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “A critical underpinning of our state’s economic future is the safety, security and stability of our roads and bridges. … Most every major highway or bridge project in West Virginia requires federal funding as part of the financing package in order for it to be constructed.”

02/23/21

West Virginia Construction & Design EXPO canceled due to COVID-19 concerns

The 42^nd annual West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO, scheduled for March 24 – 25 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, has been canceled due to continued concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to cancel the 2021 EXPO was made by the EXPO Board of Directors. The need to withdraw from an in-person March event was recognized after EXPO conducted a survey of exhibitors and another survey of attendees. “The survey responses revealed an overwhelming majority of companies who were still not allowed to travel or attend large gatherings,” said show manager Cassidy Webb. “A number of respondents indicated they were not comfortable attending an in-person event in March because of the uncertainty of the pandemic.”

02/19/21

National transportation study says West Virginia Roads, Bridges are in poor condition

The latest annual report by TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based national transportation research nonprofit, “West Virginia Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility,” was released on Tuesday. The report determined that deteriorated, congested, and unsafe roads and bridges cost metro Charleston drivers an average of $1,280 a year in extra costs for vehicle repairs, wasted fuel, and lost time. For metro Huntington drivers, that annual additional cost is slightly less, averaging $1,273, the TRIP report determined. Statewide, poor road conditions cost state drivers a total of $1.6 billion annually, the report concluded. Mike Clowser, chairman of the West Virginia Business and Industry Council and executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, added, “Good roads and bridges provide West Virginia with the opportunity to compete with other states in attracting jobs and economic development. Investing in roads and bridges is key to West Virginia’s economic future.” Other participants of the virtual news release included Byrd White, secretary, West Virginia Department of Transportation / commissioner, West Virginia Division of Highways, Jimmy Wriston, P.E., deputy secretary, West Virginia Department of Transportation / deputy commissioner, West Virginia Division of Highways, and a video message from Senator Shelley Moore Capito, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

12/20/20

WV Business & Industry Council elects Mike Clowser chairman

The West Virginia Business & Industry Council recently announced that Mike Clowser has been elected as chairman of the organization. He succeeds Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association, who has served in the position since 2012. Clowser, who serves as executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, will assume the chairmanship of the West Virginia Business & Industry Council on Jan. 1, 2021. Bridget Lambert, president of the West Virginia Retailers Association, was elected first vice chairwoman of the organization.

12/03/20

Civil Engineers give West Virginia’s infrastructure a “D” in 2020 Report Card

On Wednesday, the West Virginia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released the 2020 Report Card for West Virginia’s Infrastructure, the Section’s inaugural report card. West Virginia civil engineers gave five categories of infrastructure an overall grade of a ‘D,’ meaning the state’s infrastructure is in poor condition, with many elements approaching the end of their service life. Civil engineers graded bridges (D+), dams (D), drinking water (D), roads (D+) and wastewater (D). Event speakers from ASCE included Rodney Holbert P.E., P.S., M.ASCE, Tabitha Lafferre E.I., M.ASCE, and Dave Meadows P.E., P.S., F.ASCE. Also providing insights on “building a better West Virginia” and drawing from decades of engineering experience was Mr. Mike Clowser, Executive Director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

06/29/20

Students awarded scholarships by Contractors Association of WV

The Contractors Association of West Virginia Scholarship Foundation has awarded scholarships to four Fairmont State University students pursing an education and career in construction or engineering. Recipients were selected based on their academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, financial need and an interest in a construction industry career. “The CAWV scholarship makes a huge impact on all the students who have had the honor of applying,” Glover, a Civil Engineering student, said. “It is not only a wonderful opportunity to work on interviewing skills and professionalism, but it also allows us to network with those in the field who have many years of valuable experience for us to learn from.”

06/09/20

Construction industry works through coronavirus

Planning is key in the construction industry, but there wasn’t a blueprint for handling the impact of the coronavirus. On March 24, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice issued the statewide stay-at-home order. Justice deemed construction as one of the select occupations considered essential during the ongoing pandemic. That designation, however, didn’t address the concerns and questions about how the industry would function during the pandemic. From digitizing some blueprints for use on iPads to cleaning tools after each use, the Contractors Association of West Virginia has made adjustments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, said Mike Clowser, the organization’s executive director.

06/08/20

Contractors changing safety procedures to protect workers and the public

Contractors Association of West Virginia members are doing their part to protect their workers and the public now that the coronavirus has introduced unprecedented challenges in our everyday work and personal lives. Ever since Gov. Jim Justice identified construction as one of the sectors allowed to continue operating in order to keep West Virginia’s economy strong, CAWV members have created comprehensive new safety plans to change the way construction operates in order to maintain that commitment to safety. (The CAWV ran an ad in the 6/8/20 issue of The State Journal.)

06/01/20

Contractors Association of West Virginia announces 2020 scholarship winners

The Contractors Association of West Virginia Scholarship Foundation awarded $17,500 this year to West Virginia college students pursuing an education and career in construction or engineering, the association recently announced in a news release. Recipients were selected based on their academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, financial need and an interest in a construction industry career. Eligible schools include West Virginia University, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Marshall University, Fairmont State University and Bluefield State College.

05/23/20

Construction industry trying to work through coronavirus

Planning is key in the construction industry — but there wasn’t a blueprint for handling the impact of the coronavirus. On March 24, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice issued the statewide stay-at-home order. Justice deemed construction as one of the select occupations considered essential during the ongoing pandemic. That designation, however, didn't address the concerns and questions about how the industry would function during the pandemic. From digitizing some blueprints for use on iPads to cleaning tools after each use, the Contractors Association of West Virginia has made adjustments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, said Mike Clowser, the organization’s executive director.

04/13/20

Coronavirus Update: Members of Contractors Association of W.Va. participate national safety stand-down

Members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV), along with hundreds of construction firms across the country, stopped work Thursday, April 9, to participate in a nationwide safety stand-down focusing on ways to protect construction workers and the public from the spread of coronavirus. The safety stand-down was organized by the Associated General Contractors of America and was designed to make sure industry professionals are taking measures outlined by public health and safety officials.

06/09/19

Experts: WV construction industry continues to thrive, add jobs

West Virginia’s construction industry continues to be among the most robust in the nation, with consistent additions of jobs over the last 12 months, according to data from the Associated General Contractors of America. Between April 2018 and April 2019, West Virginia added the highest percentage of construction jobs in the nation, with an overall increase of 33.7 percent, or approximately 12,200 jobs. The numbers show a persistent need for qualified, well-trained workers, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. Michael Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said the state’s construction industry is one of the most vital components of West Virginia’s multi-faceted economy.

04/13/19

North Central, WV, economy benefiting from busy construction industry

Construction activity whether it’s a new project, an expansion of an existing one or the revitalization of an historic structure brings with it the promise of employment, investment and other economic benefits. While overall employment numbers give an indication of the construction industry’s outlook, they don’t show how large an impact construction employment has throughout the economy, said Roger Thomas, president of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

03/24/19

The road to progress, always under construction

It's not very often that a state can go from last to first in any category without first undergoing years of struggle and clawing its way to the top; however, this is exactly what West Virginia did when it created an astounding number of construction jobs in 2017. From January to December of 2017, construction jobs in West Virginia jumped by 4,300, an increase of more than 14 percent, making it the highest growth in the country, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of U.S Department of Labor. Many with a stake in the construction business are working to ensure this momentum does not fade by pushing for investments in infrastructure to entice existing businesses to grow as well as new businesses to relocate to the Mountain State, while also encouraging more training in the construction field to school-age children in order to build a large workforce, which is already needed. One of those individuals striking for this is Mike Clowser, the executive director of the Contractors  Association of West Virginia, which serves the interest of contractors who perform commercial building, utility, industrial, highway and heavy construction throughout the state of West Virginia.

03/15/19

Contractor rep says quick start possible for secondary road projects

“We could go to work next week.” That’s what Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, is saying about Governor Jim Justice’s new plans to pool money from a number of sources to fund secondary roads maintenance. “One of our members, they’re opening their asphalt plant Monday,” Clowser said on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.” The majority of asphalt plants, he predicted, would be operating within the next two weeks.

02/19/2019

Racetrack satellite casino bill heads to House, along with bill to end limestone severance tax

HB 2829 proposes to end the severance tax on limestone and sandstone on July 1. Members passed it unanimously and sent it to the floor. Mike Clowser, with the Contractors Association of West Virginia, told the members that the tax has been an issue for close to a decade, but this is the first bill to address it. The chief problem, he said, is that the tax isn’t uniform. And Deputy Tax Commissioner Lydia McKee confirmed that. The tax, they said, is based on the value of the stone, which is determined by production costs.

03/28/18

Jobs, jobs, and more jobs

Just last week, Justice took time to tout recent good news: West Virginia was No. 1 in construction job growth (per capita), meaning that our percentage of job growth was even higher than California. That comes just two years removed from when West Virginia was — yes, No. 50. And that’s before Justice’s main jobs booster — the road bond projects — break ground with even more construction-related jobs. The reason for the increase: Growth in North Central West Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle, as well as rebuilding efforts following the devastating floods in Southern West Virginia. That’s according to Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, who told The State Journal that growth in the Clarksburg-Bridgeport and Morgantown areas was a driving factor. He also credited the Proctor & Gamble plant project in Berkeley County. Justice also said that construction crews are already being hired for road projects and that will ramp up in the near future, with projections calling for more than 40,000 new jobs.

03/22/18

View Governor Jim Justice’s Press Conference at the 2018 WV Construction and Design EXPO

Governor Jim Justice held a press conference March 22 at the West Virginia Construction & Design EXPO to announce AGC of America’s figures that show West Virginia ranked first in the nation in adding the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year.

03/26/18

Justice touts construction, road bond jobs

Gov. Jim Justice is tired of reading about West Virginia’s economic comeback in Forbes magazine and the Wall Street Journal. “Two years ago, as far as the Department of Labor data, West Virginia was ranked 50th in new construction jobs,” Justice said. “Now we’re first.” Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said some of those construction jobs came from rebuilding efforts following June 2016 floods that killed 23 people and destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and businesses around the state.

03/25/18

WV construction is building momentum

West Virginia celebrated nation-leading job growth in the construction industry this week, and close observers believe even better days are ahead. “It is legitimate improvement. It really is legitimate improvement,” said Brian Lego, economic forecaster at West Virginia University’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Gov. Jim Justice touted West Virginia’s growth in construction activity during an appearance at the West Virginia Construction and Design Expo.

03/22/18

West Virginia adds highest percentage of new construction jobs

The numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America show that West Virginia added the highest percentage of new construction jobs over the last year at more than 14% or 4,300 jobs. The Governor says now the state is looking for even more workers. "We're not looking for a few people, we're looking for a lot of people," added Governor Justice. Mike Clowser, Executive Director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, says the numbers will continue to grow and the need for workers is statewide.

03/22/18

Justice touts construction employment data, signs state park bond bill

Gov. Jim Justice touted an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data Thursday that shows West Virginia hosted the highest percentage of new construction jobs in the nation in 2017. Speaking at the West Virginia Construction and Design Expo at the Charleston Civic Center, Governor Jim Justice said the analysis, conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, shows the construction sector added 4,300 new jobs in the state last year, a 14.4 percent increase. “We’re just on the springboard and we’re ready to launch into the pool with the god-awfulest cannonball you’ve ever seen in your life,” Justice said.

02/17/18

WV Construction Trades Job Fair attracts hundreds of applicants for Roads to Prosperity projects

Thousands of jobs are expected to be created in the highway construction industry in West Virginia this year due in large part to the funds created by the Roads to Prosperity Bond passed by voters last fall. Hundreds seeking those jobs participated at the Construction Trades Job Fair at BridgeValley Community & Technical College in South Charleston on Friday. More than 50 organizations and potential employers were present to speak with job seekers. “We want to maximize their abilities to land a career in the construction industry,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractor’s Association of West Virginia.

02/15/18

Hiring to ramp up in anticipation of road work

Some of the first benefits of last year’s vote in favor of a huge road bond for West Virginia will start to be realized in the days to come. The West Virginia Contractors Association has teamed with Workforce West Virginia and other organizations to stage a job fair Friday at Bridge Valley Community and Technical College in South Charleston. “We’ll give people an opportunity to talk to contractors, engineers, and suppliers about opportunities and qualifications,” said Mike Clowser, with the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “Workforce West Virginia will be there to help people with resumes, interviewing skills and so forth.”

02/11/18

West Virginia highway projects driving job fair

The West Virginia Department of Transportation next week will hold a job fair in anticipation of the road projects financed by the $1.6 billion bond approved in November. The job fair will be held 10 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Bridge Valley Community and Technical Center in Charleston. The fair is hosted by the transportation department and the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

02/10/18

Longtime city council members won't run again this year

As Charleston elects its first new mayor in nearly 16 years this year, it will also replace some long-serving City Council members.Council President Tom Lane, the council’s longest-serving member, will not seek re-election. Neither will Mary Jean Davis, Rev. James Ealy, Jerry Ware, Susie Salisbury, Mike Clowser or Jack Harrison. Councilman Andy Richardson is running for mayor rather than seeking re-election. Clowser, the director of the Contractors of Association of West Virginia, said he wants to see new people and ideas get involved with city government.

02/02/18

Officials say road projects, Marcellus Shale energizing West Virginia

Upcoming highway projects and opportunities in the energy sector have the potential to create many jobs and economic opportunities throughout the state, officials said. A job fair will be held Feb. 16 by the Contractors Association of West Virginia at Bridge Valley Community and Technical College in Charleston.

02/01/18

Roads, electricity and drugs all discussed at legislative breakfast

Highways officials, contractors and trade association representatives can’t say exactly how many jobs will be created by Gov. Jim Justice’s almost $3 billion road construction program. But they insist they want as many of the jobs to go to West Virginians as possible. State Highways Commissioner Tom Smith, Contractors Association of West Virginia Director Mike Clowser and Affiliated Construction Trades Director Steve White held a panel discussion on the status of the road projects Thursday at a symposium hosted by the West Virginia Press Association.

01/23/18

Hiring, work on W.Va. ‘Roads to Prosperity’ to start in February

West Virginians can start looking for both orange barrels and jobs in February, according to the West Virginia Department of Transportation. “Feb. 16, starting at 10 a.m. at the BridgeValley Community and Technical Center (in Charleston, W.Va.), there is going to be a big job fair,” Smith said, explaining the WVDOT and Contractors Association of West Virginia are hosting the event to hire people to work with the contractors across the state.

01/19/18

Different outlook at annual transportation rally

The 7th annual West Virginians for Better Transportation Rally held Friday at the state capitol was much different than the previous six because of what happened last October in the Mountain State. Residents approved a $2.8 billion road bond amendment in a statewide vote. Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser said that brings certainty.

01/19/18

Transportation advocacy group hears kudos at Capitol

A year ago, members of the advocacy group West Virginians for Better Transportation were standing near the steps of the House of Delegates calling for the state to do something about the deplorable condition of West Virginia’s crumbling roads. On Friday, they were celebrating a nearly $3 billion road construction program begun under the administration of Gov. Jim Justice.

12/18/17

W.Va. economy has growth opportunities in 2018

A successful road bond election and permits for two major interstate natural gas pipelines can brighten the outlook of people in the construction business. “It’s a lot more optimistic today than it was this time last year,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. The most recent economic outlook prepared by West Virginia University predicts a good year for the northern part of the state in 2018 but not so much good news in the south.

10/19/17

Justice is feeling good after bond, legislative victories

Governor Jim Justice was asked repeatedly during his campaign in support of the road bond whether the jobs created would go to West Virginians. Each time he answered that he would do everything possible to ensure that West Virginians were given priority in hiring for the dozens of road and bridge construction projects. Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said, “The bill will put more emphasis on contractors to hire local workers.”  “The CAWV will also be notifying all bidders on future WVDOH projects of the new requirements prior to the bid opening so bidders know of the Jobs Act requirements,” Clowser said.

10/10/17

Road bond focus moves to accountability, hiring West Virginians

As West Virginia prepares to spend millions of dollars on highways construction, Gov. Jim Justice says he wants to handle the spending carefully and ensure the hiring of as many West Virginians as possible. The Contractors Association of West Virginia is interested in making sure local firms are able to bid competitively on the work. “How do we maximize these projects to make sure we create a lot of opportunities for West Virginia firms?” asked Mike Clowser, executive director of the contractors association. “That includes breaking up the contracts into small enough pieces.”

10/5/17

 WV road bond campaign nears finish

As the campaign for the road bond referendum winds down, proponents of the Roads to Prosperity 2017 amendment are hopeful that a healthy turnout Saturday will help lead to passage of the $1.6 billion bond plan. “If everyone who says they’re supporting the bond issue votes, it will be a landslide in support of the amendment,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “The key is, who will actually go out and vote on Saturday.”

09/18/17

New disclosure requirements now required for contracts with West Virginia agencies

During the 2017 Regular Session, the West Virginia Legislature enacted a law that affects virtually every contractor doing business with the State of West Virginia. House Bill 2001, which concerns the West Virginia Ethics Commission, went into effect July 7. As part of that law, state agencies are now prohibited from entering into a contract, or a series of related contracts, having an actual or estimated value of $100,000.00 or more until the contractor fills out a “Disclosure of Interested Parties to Contracts” form and submits it to the state agency. (Article by Gene Bailey, II and Carl Fletcher Junior, Hendrickson & Long, PLLC and written exclusively for the May/June 2017 issue of West Virginia Construction News, the official magazine of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.)

09/13/17

Groups plan campaign to sway voters to support WV road bond

With the clock ticking down to the Sept. 22 start of early voting, proponents of the road bond amendment are hastily assembling a campaign to encourage voters to support the bond referendum election on Oct 7.  “Obviously, it’s a late start,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “A bunch of us just kind of came together to try to develop a plan and are trying hard to raise some money to get a message out.”

07/18/17

Roads chief says U.S. routes, busy secondary roads to be repaved first

State Transportation Secretary Tom Smith says there will be two waves of repaving projects getting started in the coming weeks in the Mountain State. Smith met with contractors Tuesday in Charleston, members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, detailing plans on how the DOH is looking to spend up to $140 million available in the next year following tax and fee increases approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor.

07/18/17

WV road projects to roll out in waves, officials say

Gov. Jim Justice’s road-building initiative will roll out in multiple phases, like waves hitting a beach, state Transportation Secretary Tom Smith told dozens of contractors in Charleston on Tuesday. “We are having these projects go out the door as quickly as we can, in continuous waves,” Smith said during a forum sponsored by the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “Twenty years from now, people will still be talking about what was accomplished in 2017 with the roads program.”

6/20/17

More road maintenance begins immediately, big goals await bond vote

Improvements to West Virginia roads could begin at the start of July, even as the state prepares for a multi-billion-dollar bond vote, the state Transportation Secretary said today.  Road improvement bills passed by the state Legislature last week will provide a boost of additional revenue starting July 1, state Transportation Secretary Tom Smith said on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”  A successful bond vote would provide funding for new projects over nearly a decade as bonds are sold, said Mike Clowser, director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

6/20/17

Finally we are going to #FTDR

West Virginia is finally going to #FTDR (Fix the Damn Roads). The highway plans were nearly lost in all the debate and consternation about the budget, but lawmakers did pass several proposals that, if approved by the Governor, will trigger a massive highway construction and maintenance program for the state. Collectively, these measures will raise about $130 million in additional dollars every year for road work.  The Contractors Association of West Virginia estimates the average motorist will pay about another $55 a year with these changes.

6/02/17

The road to a new budget runs through Special Session

The Legislature resumes a special at the state Capitol Monday to again try and come to an agreement on a budget for the coming fiscal year that begins on July 1. The resumption of the special session follows continued negotiations between Governor Jim Justice and legislative leaders this week. The goal is a budget agreement for fiscal 2018, but there are many different components, including a couple of roads bills. According to TRIP, a private, nonprofit organization that researches, evaluates and distributes economic data on transportation, 17 percent of West Virginia’s bridges are structurally deficient and traffic congestion cost drivers $225 million dollars a year in fuel and wasted time. Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, sees roads as an issue people on both sides of the aisle can agree on.

5/31/17

Economist says construction work in Charleston area at record low

With jobs in construction, mining and logging in the Charleston area at the lowest levels since 1990, representatives of the Contractors Association of West Virginia and Associated General Contractors of America joined with Cabinet Secretary Thomas Smith, head of the W.Va. Department of Transportation, Wednesday to call for support of state spending on road, bridge and infrastructure projects. Speaking from the Governor’s Conference Room at the West Virginia Capitol, Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, introduces Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, center, who joined with Clowser and Cabinet Secretary Thomas Smith, at right, head of the W.Va. Department of Transportation, to discuss jobs and the state budget.

5/31/17

Contractors group backs Justice infrastructure plan in wake of job losses

A national contractors group voiced its support for Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed infrastructure plan Wednesday, saying it would create jobs in an area seeing one of the sharpest declines in construction jobs nationwide. “Proposals like the governor’s will bring more workers into the economy,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America, in an announcement at the state Capitol about Charleston’s construction job losses. “Without increased funding, West Virginia infrastructure will continue to crumble and jobs will disappear.” The group’s state chapter, the Contractors Association of West Virginia, is gathering support to get Justice’s plan implemented, Simonson said.

5/31/17

Economic argument made for W.Va. roads plan

The latest push for increased spending on West Virginia highway construction is focused on economics. The state Division of Transportation and the Contractors Association of West Virginia were among those at a Wednesday presentation at the state Capitol focusing on potential economic benefits of infrastructure investments. The main message came from Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, a national association for the construction industry.

5/31/17

Contractors Associations Urge Adoption of Justice’s Roads Plan

Local and national contractors are urging the adoption of a $2.8 billion road and infrastructure program proposed by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice to fix the state’s crumbling bridges and roads and put state residents to work. Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, hosted a news conference Wednesday, May 31 with state Transportation Secretary Tom Smith and members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia to talk about recent losses in construction jobs and the need to get construction workers back on the job.

5/31/17

Charleston Area Losing Construction Jobs at Second Fastest Rate in Nation

The Charleston area has lost construction jobs at the second-fastest rate in the nation according to a survey from the Associated General Contractors of America. A representative of the national group presented the results of the survey of 358 metro areas at the Capitol Wednesday, accompanied by West Virginia Department of Transportation Secretary Tom Smith. AGCA Chief Economist Ken Simonson said the Charleston metro area lost about 1,200 construction jobs between April 2016 and April 2017, a 16 percent decrease. The Contractors Association of West Virginia is affiliated with the AGCA and has been lobbying lawmakers to approve the tax and fee increases to fund the road bond.

4/30/17

As other states approve roads funding, W.Va. has decision ahead

As West Virginia considers whether to raise fuel taxes and DMV fees to pay for highways improvements, it’s not the only state to do so.  Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, a Republican, sought and got legislative approval of a gas tax increase of 6 cents over three years to pay for longstanding transportation needs. Various fees on motor vehicles also would go up. (Contractors Association of West Virginia)

4/26/17

State DOH works to reduce construction zone crashes in W.Va.

Over the last five years, there have been nearly 2,000 work zone crashes in West Virginia. “Over that five year period, we’ve had 15 fatalities. It’s just completely unacceptable. We have to do better,” said state Transportation Secretary Tom Smith. The state Division of Highways is working with State Police, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program and the Contractors Association of West Virginia to reduce work zone crashes. Representatives from those organizations kicked off the state’s Work Zone Safety campaign Wednesday morning at the state Capitol. The message this construction season, again, is “Just. Slow Down.”

4/7/17

Setback for #FTDR

The attempt this legislative session to provide funding for major highway maintenance and construction has hit a significant pothole. This week, two road funding bills that passed the Senate died in the House. The House Finance Committee failed to take up SB 477 that would have added 4.5 cents a gallon to the state’s gasoline tax (raising it to 25 cents a gallon) and would have increased DMV fees from $30 to $50. The committee also left off the agenda SB 482 which would have raised tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike. The Governor wanted to pass the tax increases and then go to the voters with the bond. Supporters of the Governor’s plan, including the Contractors Association of West Virginia, believe going to the voters first is a recipe for failure.

4/5/17

Contractors Association of WV Awards Scholarships to Three FSU Students

Three Fairmont State University students were among those who received scholarships from the Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) Scholarship Foundation. Kathleen McDiffit, Ben Costello and Michael Daetwyler, students in FSU’s College of Science and Technology, received scholarships during the CAWV’s State Meeting, held March 22, during the West Virginia Construction and Design EXPO in Charleston.

4/4/17

Justice vows to veto current GOP budget plan

Gov. Jim Justice gathered about two dozen senior officials from business, labor, education and nonprofits Monday to show the support he has for this budget plan. Some of the governor’s remarks were a repeat of speeches he has recently given while trying to persuade legislators to abandon the Republican leadership’s budget plan and support his. But there were some new developments. Justice said the gap between his proposed combination of revenue increases and budget cuts and that of the Republicans’ has increased. Gov. Jim Justice spoke during his budget summit Monday with more than 20 state leaders, including Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts, AFL-CIO President Josh Sword and Mike Clowser, Executive Director, Contractors Association of West Virginia.

4/3/17

Justice’s optimism on reaching WV budget pact fading

With five days left in the West Virginia Legislature’s 2017 session, the moves are accelerating in the chess match that is the state budget process, with all indications at the moment that the game will end in a stalemate. The Senate, in Finance Committee on Monday, unveiled a 2017-18 state budget plan that does not raise any taxes, but makes major cuts to public education, higher education, and health care programs to cut spending to $4.102 billion, a reduction of more than $160 million from the current general revenue budget, and about $340 million less than the governor’s budget proposal. Gov. Jim Justice spoke during his budget summit Monday with more than 20 state leaders, including Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts, AFL-CIO President Josh Sword and Mike Clowser, Executive Director, Contractors Association of West Virginia.

3/15/17

Bill increasing gas tax - DMV fees begins to move in Senate

The state’s gasoline tax would go up 4.5 cents a gallon and the annual DMV vehicle registration fee would cost $20 more in a bill that passed the state Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Tuesday. Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser told the committee some of the fees haven’t been updated since the 1970’s and he believes West Virginians can afford it.

3/14/17

Governor's Gas Tax Advances in Senate

The Senate’s Transportation Committee has voted to advance a bill that would hike some taxes and fees to help increase funding for the state’s roadways. The bill was presented to lawmakers by Gov. Jim Justice, but is not part of his plan to generate more than $1 billion in revenues for a bond initiative. "All of those fees that you have before you in Senate Bill 477, that's in total about $90 a year," Mike Clowser with the Contractors Association of West Virginia told the committee. "That is less than 25 cents a day in what it costs the average West Virginian.”

2/16/16

Report ranks West Virginia roads 5th worst in nation

A report released Thursday from national transportation research group, TRIP, states West Virginia's roadways and bridges are fifth worst in the nation. In 2015 the Mountain State ranked eighth. The report says the deficient roadways costs West Virginia drivers $1.4 billion annually. "The report was a very sobering report. It says we have tremendous needs in our highways, we have tremendous needs in our bridges," said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

2/16/16

Justice’s highways vision gets rolling

A big push for Gov. Jim Justice’s ambitious infrastructure plan has been underway at the state Capitol. Today, the new state Transportation secretary and advocates for infrastructure projects gathered to tout a report that spotlights West Virginia’s crumbling highways and bridges. The ambition and discussion are good signs of momentum, said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. “We are glad that people are talking about infrastructure,” Clowser said. “We are glad people are talking about highways. Today’s report was a very sobering report.

2/16/16

Report: W.Va. Roads Cost Taxpayers $1.4 Billion Annually in Vehicle Maintenance, Lost Time

A national research group says the deficiencies, congestion, and lack of safety features on West Virginia’s roadways are costing drivers in the state more than a billion dollars every year. The report, released at the Capitol Thursday by TRIP, a national transportation research group based in D.C., says each year, West Virginia drivers pay an additional $1.4 billion in vehicle maintenance, the cost of traffic accidents, and wasted gasoline and time because of the poor condition of the state’s roads. They were invited to Charleston to present their latest report by the Contractors Association of West Virginia, a lobbying group that works to promote the interests of the construction industry in the state.

2/7/16

Justice wants to borrow. But how much, what for and how will WV pay it back?

Several times over the past few months, Jim Justice has talked about gathering a pot of millions of West Virginia dollars, leveraging it through investment firms and coming out on the other side with more than a billion dollars to be used for investment. But the governor has not yet specified the source of the initial investment or what indebtedness might result. He has also switched from saying his plan might be a way to patch the budget gap of an estimated $500 million to saying the resulting money could pay for billions of dollars in infrastructure spending. That sounds good to Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia. But like everyone else, Clowser is waiting to hear more from the governor.

01/16/17

WV contractors group encouraged by Gov. Justice’s infrastructure proposals

Gov. Jim Justice’s proposal to sell $1.4 billion or more in bonds to fund highways and infrastructure projects reached a receptive audience in West Virginia. Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser said, “It sounds like he is making an investment in infrastructure a priority, not only for jobs but for the economy.”

01/15/17

Editorial: Rock Creek development project should remain priority

Although not a surprise, it was still encouraging to learn last week that incoming West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is committed to continuing an ambitious economic development project that was started by his predecessor, Earl Ray Tomblin. Questions were raised about whether that project was being moved ahead of other highway work that had been scheduled for years. The project also was receiving pushback from the Contractors Association of West Virginia, which said it couldn't back the project because the state has so many other highway needs.

01/10/17

No projects skipped over for Hobet road, WV Highways engineer says

Acting West Virginia Division of Highways engineer Greg Bailey assured legislators Tuesday that the access road to the Rock Creek Development Park, in Boone County, didn’t “jump” other pending highway projects on priority lists. Meanwhile, Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, reiterated that group’s refusal to support the project, saying it sends the wrong message at a time when the state needs anywhere from $750 million to $1.3 billion a year in additional funding to complete and adequately maintain the state road system.

01/01/17

West Virginia fuel tax drops on New Year's, but is it cause to celebrate?

West Virginia’s gasoline tax drops by another penny to 32.2 cents a gallon today, and that isn’t especially good news for the state’s roads. As the price of gas has gone down and as many consumers driving more fuel-efficient cars buy less gasoline in the first place, West Virginia’s fuel tax isn’t exactly going the extra mile. Because of the multi-year downward trend, the Road Fund will be down $49 million compared to three years ago. “That would have fixed a lot of bridges, paved a lot of roads,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

12/5/16

Daily Mail editorial: Good news, bad news with gasoline tax decrease

Everyone likes paying less in taxes, so in that vein, the news that the state motor fuel tax will drop by 1 cent Jan. 1 is good, bringing savings to drivers across West Virginia. The bad news is the reduction will hit an already underfunded state highway system that can’t keep up with maintenance and repair of bridges and roadways as it is.

9/12/16

Volunteers work to repair Spotted Salamander Trail after 30 years

It took an army of volunteers to build Kanawha State Forest’s Spotted Salamander Trail back in 1986, when the paved, wheelchair-accessible, quarter-mile loop trail, studded with signs describing the plant and animal life it passed, was virtually completed. The trial was the first of its kind in the region, though it wasn’t officially dedicated until the following year. Nearly two dozen members of the Contractors Association of West Virginia’s Young Contractors Forum were installing signposts

12/5/16

Daily Mail editorial: Good news, bad news with gasoline tax decrease

Everyone likes paying less in taxes, so in that vein, the news that the state motor fuel tax will drop by 1 cent Jan. 1 is good, bringing savings to drivers across West Virginia. The bad news is the reduction will hit an already underfunded state highway system that can’t keep up with maintenance and repair of bridges and roadways as it is.

8/15/16

Wvdoh holds public meeting on proposed Hobet access road in Boone County

Representatives with the state Division of Highways will be in Boone County to talk about the details of the proposed 2.6 mile access road designed to link Route 119 directly to the former Hobet Mine property, a reclaimed mine site. The article notes the Contractors Association of West Virginia has publicly opposed the Hobet road plan.

8/11/16

CAWV announces opposition to governor’s Hobet mine site plan

The Contractors Association of West Virginia opposes Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s plan to spend $100 million to build over a 2.5 mile four-lane roadway at the reclaimed Hobet mine site in Boone County, the association recently announced in a news release. The association said it opposes the project until new sources of funding are made available to repair and maintain state highways and bridges. “The CAWV is keenly aware that a good infrastructure of highways, adequate water and wastewater systems and suitable sites available for commercial and industrial development are vital to economic development and job creation,” said CAWV Executive Director Mike Clowser. “Our association is probably one of the biggest proponents of the ‘build it and they will come’ strategy, but we cannot support diverting money from an already distressed State Road Fund to build this project,” he said.

8/11/16

WV contractors come out against governor’s Hobet mine plan

The Contractors Association of West Virginia has come out sharply against Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s signature plan to spend an estimated $99.8 million to build a 2.6-mile highway to the reclaimed Hobet surface mine in Boone County. The association recently issued a news release, saying it could not support the project at a time when the governor’s own Blue Ribbon Commission on Highways has found that an additional $750 million a year is needed just to maintain the existing highway system.

7/14/16

PSC building topic of WCHS-TV Waste Watch

Repairs to the Public Service Commission Building was the subject of a Charleston TV station’s Waste Watch segment titled “Costly State Construction Projects.”  WCHS-TV reporter Kennie Bass questioned whether the state’s 10 year statute of limitation statute was beneficial to taxpayers since the PSC building’s defects were found nearly 30 years after its completion.  CAWV Executive Director Mike Clowser was interviewed and noted that this was a rare and unique situation and that current laws provide protection to public agencies and taxpayers, therefore validating the need keep the current statute of limitation law in effect…

5/28/16

Drop could take big toll on state

One rating agency has already downgraded the state’s bond rating, based on the downturn in the global energy market, and officials have advised the other Wall Street rating houses are awaiting the outcome of the special session on the budget to determine whether to also impose downgrades. So what happens if West Virginia’s bond ratings are downgraded? Drop in West Virginia bond rating could raise interest rates for state agencies such as Division of Highways, School Building Authority, for counties, municipalities and Public Service Districts, which means less money for construction projects... (Contractors Association of West Virginia)

3/8/16

Highways bill advocates asked to support PEIA option

House Finance Committee Chair Eric Nelson pulled a highway funding bill (SB555) from his committee’s agenda Tuesday morning saying there’s not support for it. The bill would raise taxes and fees to generate more than $200 million a year to go toward repairs of the state’s roads and bridges. Despite Nelson’s actions, one bill supporter believes there’s still time for the legislature to pass the bill before the Saturday night end of the 60-day regular session. Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser told MetroNews after the finance committee meeting the bill is still “very much alive.”

3/3/16

West Virginia Senate Passes Tax, Fee Hikes for Highways

Legislation to increase highway funding in West Virginia by more than $290 million a year — primarily through increasing the state sales tax from 6% to 7% — is headed to the state’s House of Delegates that has proven adverse to tax hikes. However, Mike Clowser, of the Contractors Association of West Virginia and a member of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Highways, said March 2 that he’s hopeful the House will accept at least a portion of that increase to help fix the state’s deteriorating roads.

2/27/16

WV faces struggle to supplement federal construction funding

The next year could have mixed results for construction companies in the Mountain State, with federal funding providing some relief as local and state spending is expected to contract. The approval of the first multi-year federal highway spending bill in a decade could finally provide some long term stability for the planning of roads, bridges and highways in West Virginia. But while the 5-year, $305 billion federal plan would provide some market stability for construction companies, Mike Clowser, the executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said it does little to actually boost spending for transportation projects.

2/24/16

Contractors call for action on highways bill

West Virginia residents are fed up with the condition of the state’s roads according to the top man with the group which builds most of them. “I think people are realizing today the situation of our roads and the situation of our bridges,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia in an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline” Wednesday. “A report came out this week that says West Virginia has gone from the 14th worst bridges in the nation to 8th in a two-year period.”

1/18/16

Transportation Day Monday at Capitol addresses road concerns

Monday’s Transportation Day at the state legislature addressed concerns about the dire condition of the Mountain State’s roads. State legislators in both the House and Senate promised to do something in front of West Virginians for Better Transportation, a coalition that holds the Transportation Day event each year. “People are finally realizing that one, we’re paying a lot more for operator vehicles because of bad roads,” explained Contractors Association of West Virginia executive director Mike Clowser. “Secondly, because of the situation in the state of West Virginia with our budget and with our employment, I think people finally look the nexus between good roads and jobs.”

7/9/15

Rains impeding production throughout region, strikes a large blow to local economies

Rains have fallen steadily on North Central West Virginia for over a month, washing many dollars away from the local economy as much of the terrain lies drenched. The National Weather Service reports the region has seen more than six inches of rainfall above normal since the end of March, with one inch coming in the first week of July alone. Work done outdoors is vital to many aspects of the state’s economy, but the number of rain-free days has been in short supply this year. “It is (the rain) having a tremendous effect on contractors and construction projects,” said Executive Director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, Mike Clowser.

7/1/15

Meeting to focus on EPA rules

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and several state organizations will host a town hall meeting in Putnam County next week to discuss the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule regulating local waterways and his office’s legal challenge to it. The town hall meeting will begin at 7 p.m. July 7, at the Putnam County Courthouse, 12093 Winfield Road, in Winfield. The public is invited to attend. In addition to Morrisey, several local business leaders and representatives from the Contractors Association of West Virginia, West Virginia Business and Industry Council, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia, West Virginia Coal Association, West Virginia Farm Bureau, and West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association will discuss the potential effects this rule could have on local landowners.

6/2/15

Mountain State construction jobs on the decline

In just one year, West Virginia experienced massive job loss in the construction industry. A study shows that West Virginia lost 4,400 workers and the Executive Director for Contractors Association of West Virginia says this decline has been going on for 18 months. The main explanation for construction job loss is credited back to the infrastructure and our state's lack of funding for highways. But, an expert economist says some areas as well as certain sectors of construction are doing better.

6/2/15

Report: Construction job losses greatest in W.Va.

West Virginia lost 4,400 construction jobs between Apr. 2014 and April of this year, according to the most recent numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America — more than anywhere else in the United States. “Not only has West Virginia had the largest percentage decline, but we have also had the largest total job loss in the nation,” Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, said of the numbers.

5/31/15

Contractors group again cites loss of W.Va. jobs

A national contractors group said last week that West Virginia lost a bigger percentage of its construction jobs between April 2014 and April 2015 than any other state. Construction employment in West Virginia dropped by 4,400 workers during those months, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. A few months ago, the group made a similar assertion about jobs between November 2013 and November 2014. “I don’t think we’ve ever had the largest total of construction jobs lost [before this latest report]. We had not only the biggest percentage drop, but the biggest drop in the number of workers,” said Mike Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia.

5/29/15

Contractors Association of West Virginia awards $5,000 scholarship to Kalee Murphy

Kalee Murphy, a civil engineering technology student at Fairmont State University, is the recipient of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, CAWV, Scholarship Foundation's $5,000 scholarship award for 2015. Murphy is president of the university's American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter, member of the concrete canoe team and completed a 2014 summer internship with the West Virginia Division of Highways. This year, the association has distributed $16,000 to West Virginia college students pursuing education and careers in construction or engineering. Academic performance, extracurricular activities, work experience, financial need and interest in a construction industry career are the criteria recipients are selected by.

4/16/15

Jared Hunt column: Contractors facing a tough 2015

West Virginia construction contractors suffered through a rough 2014 and the outlook for 2015 so far doesn’t look so good. In its latest edition of West Virginia Construction News, the Contractors Association of West Virginia released survey results from state highways contractors — which account for a large portion of the state’s construction jobs — that indicated more firms plan to lay off workers this year than hire new ones.

3/25/15

Annual W.Va. Construction and Design Expo kicks off

The 36th annual West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition kicked off Wednesday at the Charleston Civic Center. EXPO, as it is known, is sponsored by the Contractors Association of West Virginia and is the largest construction and design show in the region. More than 5,000 engineering, construction and public works representatives from businesses and organizations in more than 30 states were expected to gather at this year’s event…

3/15/15

Design expo marks both past and future

The annual West Virginia Construction and Design Exposition later this month will celebrate the past and future. This year’s conference, which organizers say is the largest gathering yet, will combine the Marcellus to Manufacturing Conference and the annual meeting of the West Virginia Manufacturing Association, marking its 100th year. The Construction and Design Expo, sponsored by the Contractors Association of West Virginia, always marks the coming trends in industry, said show manager Cassidy Webb.

3/3/15

Investment in WV roads would also stimulate economic growth, report says

Better roads would pave the way for a stimulated economy in West Virginia, officials said during a press conference March 3 at the state Capitol hosted by the Contractors Association of West Virginia. The association revealed the findings of a report conducted by The American Road and Transportation Builders Association. The report suggests a $500 million increase in West Virginia's highway and bridge improvement program, sustained annually, would generate $994.5 million in economic growth and support or create 9,630 jobs.

3/3/15

Study shows entire state would benefit from additional road construction funding

The Contractors Association of West Virginia released a report Tuesday that it says shows the benefits of having an additional $500 million annually in highway funding. CAWV Executive Director Mike Clowser said even though they are investing in highway and bridge construction, the benefits elsewhere and throughout the state would be great. Clowser said he’s hoping the state can produce the annual $500 million.