For me, this new year has been especially hectic with the many tasks needing attention for our new affiliated organization, World Sweeping Association. However, I am excited about this step out into the future. Since our existing 40+ Contractor Locator customers are becoming automatic Founding Members, this has also been an opportunity to speak personally with many of them. Thank you to all for the many expressions of support that have been offered. I will do my best to live up to your expectations as we move forward.

On January 23rd I'll be flying to the National Pavement Expo to bring back our usual yearly coverage of seminars, sweeper walkarounds, vendor interviews and whatever else I can unearth of value to our readership. At the NPE Sweepers' Roundtable I will also be presenting our annual Award of Excellence in Power Sweeping to an expecially deserving recipient.

If you're headed to NPE, I'm sure I'll see you there. If not, I suggest you consider signing up for the free American Management Association webcast that's happening that day at noon, Eastern. It's entitled: "Reenergize Your Best Employees Before They Leave You." Since getting and keeping good employees is probably the largest single complaint I hear from both municipal managers and contractors, learning on this topic might be a great way to start the new year.

We have an exceptional selection of stories this issue; I especially enjoyed many aspects of our lead article about sweeping New York in 1877. Adapting and re-purposing the phrase introduced in 1968 by the makers of Virginia Slims cigarettes, "We've come a long way, baby."

Good Sweeping,
Ranger

January Newsletter Contents
(Scroll down to read stories or click on links.)

"In wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting tragedy it pushed us from just thinking about a plan we had been discussing to give back to one or more families in our area to actually making it happen.

"On the Sunday before Christmas we decorated our sweepers and loaded them with Christmas gifts and Christmas dinner, then 'swept' our way with Santa to deliver over $2,000 worth of presents to families in our area. Looking back, there's no question that the recipients enjoyed a Christmas they otherwise would not have. In a sense, so did we."

The above words are those of Jay Presutti, Vice-President of Pine Bush, NY-based, East Coast Industrial Services Inc. Jay and his wife, Laurie, who own the company, covered the entire cost of the event. Their employees donated their time for preparation and delivery. The success in what the response was by all concerned – from employees to management to grateful recipients – was so positive that the Presutti say they plan to make this an annual event.

Check out the feel-good story.

Pavement Magazine Bringing Back "Top Contractor" List

Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction magazine is resurrecting its "Top Contractor Listing" program, which it published annually until 2003.

Editor Allan Heydorn in his January Editorial says the Top Contractor lists were "the single effort we've undertaken that has gotten the most response from readers."

Heydorn says the magazine is bringing the ranking back with an added level of third-party verification of each company’s annual gross sales, which is the basis for list qualification.

Pavement magazine will develop Top Contractor lists in each of four industry segments: Paving, sealcoating, striping and sweeping. To see the procedure for applying, qualifying and to be considered for a list, use the link shown. Applications must be received by April 1, 2013 and awards will be made in the publication's June issue.

Check it out.

In the late 1990s, Ryan Bertholdi found himself learning about the sweeping industry as a result of a somewhat unlikely occurrence: His mother, an accountant with a large company called Brothers, suggested he would be a good fit to help with that company's sweeping program, among other duties.

After two years of learning experience via Brother's sweeping program, Bertholdi founded a company called Star Sweeping in 2000. Then, with partner, Anthony Bova, he transitioned to Moonlight Sweeping, LLC in 2008. Today, Bova handles night routing and working with sweeper operators, with Bertholdi taking on the rest. The interview, which includes a 40-minute audio podcast, provides a host of tips about GPC, dealing with third part vendors and more.

In the contract wording the contractor is signing that they "...agree to hold harmless and defend Walmart from any and all responsibilities as a result from any and all claims. ...if they keep reading, they are agreeing to have their case decided in the Bentonville Arkansas courts and if any items are not covered under the insurance, the vender (is agreeing they) will take on the responsibilities of the suit, personally.

"I hate to say it, but I feel that most of our fellow venders are so excited about getting the business, that they never read the fine print. But I do. Seen it, read it, refused it, trashed it."