The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA), Lisle, Ill., announced the revamping of its committee structure at the C&D World Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in late January.
The CMRA board of directors and CMRA executive director William Turley decided to form six committees to concentrate on areas of mutual interest to CMRA members and the C&D recycling industry in general.
“Concerns about markets and regulations will unify us the most,” CMRA president Tom Roberts of JR Capital Corp. in Florida told the association’s members at its annual meeting. “We want to bring a voice to regulators and elected officials in states where there are challenges and debates concerning our industry,” he remarked.
Roberts and Turley urged members to sign up for one or more of the six committees, which will work separately on several common goals, including adding members, securing funding for research, and putting together a communications programs that can explain the CMRA position to elected officials, regulators and the general public.
Members listed several challenges to their industry occurring in several states—ranging from Massachusetts to California—on a variety of fronts, including solid waste franchising, unworkable concrete crushing restrictions, and specifications that work against the use of recycled materials.
Roberts noted that increased attention and funding can help the CMRA have a presence in such states to speak up for C&D recyclers. Increased membership was touted as one solution. “We need more members, which generates more revenue,” stated Jay Giltz of Eagle Crushing Co., Galion, Ohio, chairman of the new Membership Committee. “The only way we can have a voice in these states is if we grow,” he added.
The six committees and their chairpersons are:
-Membership Committee: Jay Giltz, Eagle Crushing Co., Galion, Ohio, (800) 253-2453.
-Public Relations Committee: Rick Givan, Recycled Materials Co., Arvada, Colo., (303) 431-3701.
-Awards Committee: Rob Hosier, General Environmental, Des Moines, Iowa, (515) 249-9308.
-Nominating Committee: Ken Patterson, Patterson Services, Mableton Ga., (404) 505-1449
-Legislative Committee: Trey Brown, Big City Crushed Concrete, Dallas, (972) 243-5820
-Finance Committee: John Kelso, Jet-A-Way Inc., Roxbury, Mass., (617) 541-4000.