Helmets to Hardhats Program Day

THEY DEFENDED AMERICA; NOW LET THEM HELP YOU BUILD IT

This afternoon, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., signed a declaration recognizing Helmets to Hardhats and declared March 30, 2009, as Helmets to Hardhats Program Day.  Helmets to Hardhats is a nonprofit organization hosted by the Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment and Veterans’ Employment (CMRAVE), which connects veterans to promising careers in the construction industry.  Utah is the 27th state to recognize the vital role of Helmets to Hardhats.

Among those accompanying Governor Huntsman today for the signing were Senator Gene Davis; Senator Karen Mayne; Terry Schow, Executive Director, Utah Department of Veterans Affairs; General Jeff Burton, Utah National Guard; Major General Peter Cook, U.S. Army Reserves; Steve Hadley, Veterans Outreach Program, Department of Workforce Services; Darrell Roberts, Executive Director, Helmets to Hardhats; Dale Cox, Operating Engineers Local No. 3; Rob Mason, Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons; Jim Judd, president, AFL-CIO; Darlene Goldman, Salt Lake Community College; Dale Brockbank, U.S. Department of Labor; Mark Biloz, Regional Director, Veterans Administration; and numerous others representing the construction industry and armed services.

Helmets to Hardhats provides training and support to veterans returning from military service to facilitate a smooth transition to civilian life.  Veterans log in to http://helmetstohardhats.org, establish an account, and begin their search for a productive career.  The Helmets to Hardhats staff of construction industry and military professionals help guide veterans through their career search, connecting them with apprenticeship programs and providing career advice.  Many Utah veterans have received this training.  Click here for Ami Joi O’Donoghue’s great article in the Deseret News relating Darrell Robert’s personal military experiences.

Information is also available on the site about the Wounded Warrior program, which supports disabled Veterans by providing the tools, information and community that will help Veterans gain careers in the Building and Construction Industry.

Here are some impressive Helmets to Hardhats statistics for 2008:

Unique Visitors – 320,259 unique visitors to the H2H website, an increase of 13% over 2007.

Registered Veterans – 21,694 veterans as candidates, an increase of 14% over 2007.

Veterans Hired – 1,714 veteran hires through H2H, a 10% increase over 2007; 79 of whom are Wounded Warriors.

Job Searches – 510,527 candidate career searches, a 24% increase over 2007.

Job Applications – 5,713 candidates applied for career positions, a 27% increase.

Utah Career Postings – 28

Registered Utah Veterans – 127 veterans, 13 of whom are Wounded Warriors

Utah Hires – 9

Darrell Roberts, Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats, flanked by Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., and Major General Peter Cook, U.S. Army Reserves

 
Governor Huntsman Reads the Declaration

 
Governor Huntsman Signs the Declaration
with Senators Davis and Mayne (on the right)

 
The Participants

 
Darlene Goldman, Darrell Roberts and Senator Mayne

 
Dale Cox, Senator Davis and Darrell Roberts

SB 73 - “The Best Bill in the Universe”

by Jessie France
Senator Karen Mayne’s Intern

Electricity was in the air at 10:00 AM today as representatives from Utah’s numerous cities, counties and townships as well as the Utah League of Cities and Towns, The Association of Community Councils Together, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, Utah Association of Special Districts, Rio Tinto, and members of the general public all converged on the Senate floor and gallery.  They came to show their support for Senator Karen Mayne’s S.B. 73 - Unincorporated Areas Amendments.  The bill gives citizens of townships a higher degree of self-determination, allowing them to either join a city, or resist being annexed into a city, depending on the will of the people.  Senator Mayne worked to formulate a compromise amongst individuals from the cities, counties, and townships for months, until finally reaching an agreement with everyone this week.

S.B. 73 passed the Senate unanimously with 19 co-sponsors.  The other senators spoke about how this would help benefit their own constituents, and complimented Senator Mayne on bringing everyone together.  As Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones exclaimed, “This has been a very arduous process.  I have to tell you this is a huge issue in the Millcreek area that I represent…I really appreciate what Senator Mayne has done on this.  She has worked tirelessly.”

S.B. 73 not only received praise from Democrats, but also reached across party lines.  Senator Niederhauser stated, “I also applaud those who have worked on this.  In my senate district, I probably have more county islands than any other senate district in the Salt Lake Valley - one of which is near and dear to me, the Granite area.  So I appreciate what Senator Mayne has done and all of those that have worked on this.”

Senator Mayne also complimented all of those who came together: “I would just like to thank all of the people that are involved with this. It has taken skill, it has taken patience, and it has taken love to make this happen.  All of these people from all over the valley have come together for this common purpose.”

After the senators voted on the bill, Senate President Michael Waddoups stated, “First substitute Senate bill 73 having received twenty-six yea votes, zero nay votes, and three being absent passes this body under suspension of the rules and is the best bill in the Universe.”  S.B. 73 will now move to the House where Representative Greg Hughes will be the floor sponsor.

Sen. Mayne Announces Work Zone Safety Campaign

by Macey Matthews
Session Staff
Westminster Graduate in Communications

Today, Senator Karen Mayne held a press conference to discuss anticipated increases in road construction throughout Utah.  She announced the launch of the Work Zone Safety campaign to improve safety among motorists and road construction crews.  The campaign is a cooperative effort of the Workers Compensation Fund of Utah, Local #3 Operating Engineers, Granite Construction, and the Utah Department of Transportation.

Utah work zone statistics reveal that in 2007, 870 people were injured in work zone accidents, and there were 9 fatalities.  Since 2003, Utah has seen an increase in work zone fatalities, while other states such as Illinois, Arizona, and California have seen a decrease (these states have work zone safety campaigns).  Senator Mayne and these public and private organizations are working together to change the trend.

At today’s press conference, Senator Mayne assisted the Workers Compensation Fund in giving the media a preview of what will be seen throughout Utah on billboards, radio, and television.  Other speakers included Ray D. Pickup, WCF president and CEO, Dale Cox from Local #3 Operating Engineers, and Rich Thorne from the Association of General Contractors.

Senator Mayne expressed appreciation to the State Legislature for its support of transportation in the state of Utah and for its continued effort to make our highways safe.

AND…..just a little added bonus among the supporters behind Senator Mayne!

Habitat for Humanity’s Check-off Box

If passed, Senator Karen Mayne’s Senate Bill 132 will create a tax check-off box that would help Habitat for Humanity to rebuild homes contaminated with meth.

Habitat for Humanity is an organization designed to provide affordable housing for economically disadvantaged families.  S.B. 132 would provide Habitat for Humanity with another means of achieving this goal in Utah.  As Habitat for Humanity Salt Lake Valley Executive Director Stephen Tagliaferri explained in last Thursday’s Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee hearing, “Seventy-four percent of the families who come through our program are single mothers with children. Eight percent are families with at least one disabled person in the family, and one percent are widowed.”

S.B. 132 not only helps these economically disadvantaged individuals in finding homes, it also helps communities to rebuild contaminated meth homes. The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that each pound of manufactured methamphetamine produces 5 to 6 pounds of toxic waste.  Sen. Mayne explained, “We feel that once people understand what we are doing, we are helping those communities with meth homes.  We are giving people that need housing a chance to have a home, and we are cleaning up the meth home from beginning to end.”

Habitat for Humanity volunteers rebuild a contaminated meth home.

Unlike most check-off bills, S.B. 132 aims to raise an astounding $30,000 in its first year.  As Sen. John Valentine stated in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee hearing, “I wish that others who came before us for check-offs would accept that same challenge which is that, ‘listen, we believe in this enough that we can, in the first year, make the $30,000 threshold.’  So I very strongly support the substitute bill.”

Although it will be a great challenge to raise $30,000 this year, Habitat for Humanity is up for the test.  Ed Blake of Habitat for Humanity told the Senators, “I would encourage you to approve our ability to go out there, find thirty thousand people or more to back this, and hopefully be on that check-off box for years to come.”

S.B. 132 passed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee with a favorable recommendation.  Also, KCPW and ABC 4’s Chris Vanocur both featured stories on S.B. 132, which now goes to the full Senate for consideration.  If S.B. 132 advances to the House, Rep. Jen Seelig will be the floor sponsor.

From left to right: Ed Blake, Sen. Karen Mayne,
Stephen Tagliaferri, and ABC 4’s Chris Vanocur

Eddie P. Mayne Senior Center

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and members of the Salt Lake County Council have a new name for the Kearns Senior Center.  Its new name is the Eddie P. Mayne Senior Center, in honor of the late Senator Ed Mayne.  Mayor Corroon said, “We rarely dedicate buildings after people, but Ed certainly deserved this honor.”   Senator Mayne, his wife, and his father were instrumental in establishing the center.

His wife, Senator Karen Mayne, said her husband “always felt he had a charge to take care of the people here and make sure their needs were met.”

Read all about it in the Taylorsville/Kearns Journal.

New Leadership for Senate Democrats

The Senate Democrats elected new leaders today.  Results of the leadership elections are as follows:

Senate Minority Leader - Senator Patricia Jones

Senate Minority Whip - Senator Ross Romero

Assistant Senate Minority Whip - Senator Karen Mayne

Senate Minority Caucus Manager - Senator Luz Robles

Ed Mayne Stadium

The football stadium at Hunter High School, home of the Wolverines, has been renamed the Ed Mayne Stadium in honor of the late Senator Ed Mayne.  Our current Senator Mayne, Karen, and her family attended the ceremony renaming the stadium.

Senator Karen Mayne said, “As I looked into the bleachers and saw friends and family coming together to celebrate this good man, I know he would have been overcome with appreciation and pride.”

Senator Ed Mayne was a loyal Wolverine fan and was instrumental in securing lighting for the stadium a few years ago.

Honoring Senator Ed Mayne

A special monument in honor of the late Senator Ed Mayne was presented to his wife, Senator Karen Mayne, last month by the Polynesian Youth Group as part of the Samoan Heritage Festival. The monument will have a permanent home at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. Senator Karen Mayne spoke at the event. For full details, click here to view a recent article published in the West Valley Journal.

A Deserving Father of the Year

by Senator Ross Romero
District 7

Tonight the American Diabetes Association, through its Utah Chapter, will recognize and honor Senator Ed Mayne as a 2008 Father of the Year. While I did not know Senator Mayne as well as many (having served only 2 years with him in the Senate), I was deeply touched by his family’s openness and love which was evident during the funeral services. It was during these services I came to learn more about Senator Mayne, the husband and father. My respect and admiration for Senator Mayne, the father, grew as I heard from his children during the services as I saw how much they cared for him as a father and how well he had helped guide them to where they are. Similarly, having had the opportunity to serve with Senator Karen Mayne, I have come to see and hear in her the strength and support laid by the foundation and service of the late Senator Mayne. It is therefore truly befitting that the American Diabetes Association is recognizing Senator Mayne as a Father of the Year.

As we approach Father’s Day in a little over a week, it is my hope that we will not only honor our fathers but encourage their good health and exercise. The American Diabetes Association’s website www.diabetes.org offers a lot of important information about diabetes prevention and nutritional recommendations. Some of the recommendations include eating fish 2-3 times a week, drinking water and diet drinks, moderating portion sizes, taking the stairs and not the elevator, taking brisk walks, and reading food labels so you can measure what you are eating. Encouraging our father’s to think about their health through exercise and good health may be the best gift you can give and one that will ultimately be more appreciated than the tie that is returned because it was not the “correct size.”

Again, congratulations to the Mayne family for Ed’s recognition, and thank you for supporting him as he served to benefit all of Utah’s families. I would also like to thank the American Diabetes Association not only for its excellent award selection but for reminding us about the importance of good health.

City of Taylorsville Honors Senator Karen Mayne

The City of Taylorsville held its 12th annual awards banquet last March to honor extraordinary residents and employees of 2007.  Senator Karen Mayne received an award from Mayor Russ Wall for meritorious service to the community as a legislator and as a volunteer.   Click here to read the complete story.  Congratulations, Senator!