Message from LeDuc & Dexter

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New Fire Sprinkler Ordinance	RESIDENTIAL

Todd McCoy Heads the residential fire sprinkler department at LeDuc & Dexter. (Click photo to enlarge.) LeDuc & Dexter prefabricates and installs residential fire sprinkler system risers like this one in the Renaissance community at Stone Tree Golf Club located at Black Point in Novato. (Click photo to enlarge.)

On May 27^th a "Zero Tolerance" Fire Sprinkler Ordinance will take effect in unincorporated areas of Sonoma County. The new ordinance, in addition to the already existing NFPA 13D requirements, will make fire sprinklers mandatory for all new home construction and remodeling projects that affect 75% of the existing exterior walls. Todd McCoy, who oversees the residential fire sprinkler department at LeDuc & Dexter, says, "The biggest opposition to the new ordinance is that it will raise new home prices."

According to Todd, this new ordinance should save money for Sonoma County because it's less expensive to require fire sprinkler systems than it is to maintain emergency fire services in remote areas. Homes in many of the unincorporated areas cannot be reached by existing fire departments within a normal response time, such as the 5-minute rule used in Santa Rosa.

In the past few years many of Sonoma County's municipalities have adopted a "Zero Tolerance" ordinance. Currently there are differences from city to city that come up in fire code application, for instance, such as requiring fire sprinklers in bathrooms smaller than 54 square feet or in bathrooms with fiberglass bath tubs. "Sometimes it's confusing for homeowners and contractors trying explain it," says Todd.

The new fire sprinkler ordinance may also be causing homebuilders to submit building plans before May 27^th, to beat the deadline. In spite of this McCoy sees more fire sprinkler work coming his way because of this ordinance and because of low interest rates and refinancing. "Consequently, we are already ahead of last year's contract numbers."
 

Racing with NASCAR	COMMERCIAL

The hottest ticket at Infineon Raceway is the Dodge/Save Mart NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that will take place on June 19-22. Additional races will also take place over the weekend, which will draw over 100,000 spectators. There is also another race in progress, the race to complete construction projects that must be in place for the NASCAR weekend.

View from the new Administration Building at Infineon Raceway. LeDuc & Dexter is in the process of hooking up rainwater leader pipe that is sticking out of cement piers in the foreground. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Ken Sutherland, Construction Manager at Infineon Raceway, oversees the building projects currently underway and is confident that the deadlines will be met. The new administration building, overlooking the raceway, is part of this project, so is Building B, situated closer to the track, which must be remodeled to accommodate NASCAR requirements. Building B will house a medical emergency center, a tire changing facility and conference area for NASCAR officials and drivers. A new main entry gate, built with stone columns, will be added for traffic entering off Highway 121.

The administration building will be home to marketing and hospitality offices along with offices for the management team at Infineon Raceway. The entry way or lobby will feature a bank of 9 television monitors with racing information and news available to visitors. Coffered ceilings and a cherry wood reception desk accent the area. The 12-foot windows that run along the building facing the raceway give a panoramic view and add a surge of energy to the building that is inherent from the atmosphere at Infineon Raceway.

Entranceway at Infineon Raceway shows new Administration Building at the top of the hillside. The old offices are below. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Sutherland has assembled a team of subcontractors that he likes for their flexibility and cohesiveness. Of LeDuc & Dexter, he says, "They are very good to work with. They're flexible to changes in schedule and all I have to is call them if I need something." LeDuc & Dexter's commercial department is currently completing the roof drainage for the administration building that includes concealed rainwater leaders that exit the water through underground piping. LeDuc & Dexter recently designed & installed all the plumbing work for the grandstands, hospitality suites, concession buildings, south shops, main food preparation facility and snack bar at Infineon Raceway.

Ken Sutherland knows that it will take a coordinated effort to meet the NASCAR deadline. Jere Starks , Vice President at Infineon, has the challenge of traffic control for the big NASCAR weekend. Sutherland says he has heard Starks remark more than once, when describing the upcoming NASCAR event, "The elephants are loaded on the train, the circus is coming to town."
 

Careers in Construction	EDUCATION

Tom LeDuc is interviewed for video presentation that is used to promote the Careers in Construction Expo to high school students. (Click photo to enlarge.) High school students are working on a picture-framing project at Careers in Construction Expo. (Click photo to enlarge.)

On March 6^th the North Coast Builders Exchange, along with construction trade groups and companies from the North Bay, sponsored the Career in Construction Expo. The event was held at the Santa Rosa Veterans Building. Over 10 high schools participated as students arrived at the event by school bus. Chairman of the event, Tom LeDuc , was happy with the flow of students interested in careers in construction, "Last year everyone seemed to arrive at the same time. This year students had a better chance to move around and talk to people without being crowded out."

LeDuc is also chairman of Workforce Development; a committee within the NCBE dedicated to educating prospective entry-level construction hopefuls about career opportunities in the industry. Workforce Development has also teamed with local high school officials to create construction-related high school curriculums for interested students. Workforce Bootcamp, which had a booth at the Expo, offers an entry-level training program for construction workers. It is based on a successful model used by the Shasta Builders Exchange. LeDuc previously installed a similar Bootcamp at LeDuc & Dexter for his employees.

Tom LeDuc understands the meaning of industry opportunity. When he was 18 years old he knew he wanted to become a plumber. LeDuc had grown up close to the business since his father owned and operated a plumbing company in Santa Rosa. Faced with the decision to join the National Guard or become a union apprentice plumber during the Viet Nam era, LeDuc choose the difficult to attain plumber's apprenticeship. He later went to work for his father's plumbing company and then Empire Swift. From there LeDuc's career path was set.

If you were to ask one of the 18-year old students who attended the Careers in Construction Expo if they wanted to become a plumber or an electrician, a contractor or an architect, the answers would probably vary widely, vaguely and indecisively. One thing that they would probably all agree on is that this yearly event is a great introduction to the opportunities in the construction industry.