08/05/2010

Subcontractors Support BX BLOG

SAWO President Carol Oren issues statement in support of BX Blog concept

The Builders Exchange has received a letter of support for our new BX Blog section.  In a statement received from the Subcontractors Association of Western Ohio, the BX is praised for its efforts to help members engage in a dialog about ethical contracting practices in the region.  We look forward to the input of the Subcontractors Association's membership on these issues and appreciate their promotion of this concept to their members! 

A copy of the letter is below:

The Subcontractors Association of Western Ohio congratulates the Builders Exchange of Dayton for their progressive move in starting a blog on local construction industry issues.

This new communication tool provides a great forum for the construction industry and is a potential window for the rest of the community to see what the construction industry is all about and where we stand on issues.  

The construction industry is a major piece in the economic picture of this region.   A strong local construction base is vital  to the ability attract and retain industry into this area.

Local government agencies need to  consider this when they are awarding construction contracts. If local agencies will take into account the issues discussed in the BX blog, maybe they will understand how their actions are not made in a vacuum, and in fact, have a large economic impact.

When public owners drag construction claim cases through the court system rather than choosing the quicker, fairer and less expensive system of binding third party arbitration, our local construction industry infrastructure is weakened and public dollars are squandered

Over time, a municipality’s reputation for handling disputes through court battles can also discourage local contractors from bidding public work.  This deprives the taxpayer of the robust competition that yields the most efficient use of local resources.

Our local construction industry is also harmed when contracts are awarded to construction firms that are located hundreds of miles outside of the area.  When the job is over, they take the revenue and disposable income from those construction jobs with them too.

I encourage all SAWO members to check the BX blog and comment on the topics being discussed.  Be active in your industry.  The great thing is that you can do it from your desk or even from your mobile phone!  This can be a valuable tool for our industry.  Let’s use it.

 SAWO Board of Directors