JONES ATTENDS ACEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS MEETING

The National Association of Consulting Engineers Council met in Phoenix in December to discuss national and state issues, and Joe Jones, ACEC-SC Executive Director, attended.

Legislative issues common to those ACEC member organizations present were transportation funding, qualification based selection for public work, and the crumbling infrastructure.

Some states have laws that South Carolina needs, such as an expert witness law that requires expert witnesses to be licensed in the state in which they testify.  South Carolina had this law briefly two years ago; however, the SC Supreme Court threw it out.

Other member organizations have more ACEC Fellows than South Carolina. Members should consider applying for this honored position.

Diane Snyder, the ACEC-New Mexico Executive Director, is also a New Mexico State Senator. She minced no words when she told the group how politicians respond to requests.
The senator said her ranking for influence is as follows:

1. People who go door to door with her.
2. People who work in her campaign.
3. People who live in her district.
4. People who contribute to her campaign.
5. People who call on her without doing any of the above.

Guess who she listens to. All engineers should remember this list, and when we want something from a legislator, wouldn’t it be great if we had someone that has helped the legislator in one of the top four from the list above?