NEWS RELEASE
July 24, 2018
Alexandria, VA – On July 12, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took significant steps toward facilitating broadband deployment by releasing a draft report and order that would enact, among other things, a “one-touch make-ready” (OTMR) process for most third-party communications attachments to utility poles. The Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) supports the updated OTMR process, which would give new attachers seeking to access utility poles the choice to either use an approved contractor to perform all work necessary to prepare the pole for its facilities, known as “make-ready” work, or follow the current practice where each attacher performs the necessary make-ready work on its own facilities in a sequential process.
The entire PCCA community is praying for our friends and fellow members affected by the devastating tornado that tore through Pella, Iowa, on Thursday July 19, directly hitting the manufacturing facilities of PCCA-member Vermeer Manufacturing. Several other PCCA members were onsite for a customer-appreciation event.
Vermeer's Jerry Beyer told PCCA that "the visiting customers and the Vermeer team are all OK."
Vermeer CEO Jason Andringa told a local television station that the company had drills in place for such an event and was glad that they were fully prepared. He said the company will certainly rebuild and "come back stronger than ever."
PCCA will provide more information, including where to send relief donations, as soon as it becomes available.

During the 2018 PCCA Convention, the PCCA Education & Research Foundation announced the recipients of its 2018-2019 scholarships: Oscar Zapien Maynez of Norman, Okla., Garrett Vincent of Paoli, Ind., and Emma Syverson of Menomonee Falls, Wis. PCCA received 43 applications representing 15 member companies this year, and the winners were selected by a committee of PCCA past presidents.
PCCA emailed its 2018 PCCA Contractor Survey on February 9 and emailed a reminder on February 20. Fifty-six contractor members responded. Following are the survey results.
(Click on chart thumbnails to open a new window with full-size images.)
1. What trend in workload does your company see for the next 3, 5, and 7 years?
a. Up more than 10 percent
b. Up 5 percent
c. Neutral
d. Down 5 percent
e. Down more than 10 percent
PCCA contractors are very optimistic about their workload, especially in the near term. Nearly 93 percent see their workload increasing by 5 percent over the next three years, with two-thirds of those expecting increases of more than 10 percent. Over the next 5 years, 77 percent expect workload increases of more than 5 percent, with a third of those expecting increases of more than 10 percent. Nearly half (46.4 percent) of respondents replied "neutral" for their expected workload in 7 years, though an almost equal number (48.2 percent) expect gains of more than 5 percent.
73rd Convention Photos & Review2018 Convention photos are now available in the Photo Gallery. (You don't need to login - they are available to all.)
Presentations - If you missed one of the education sessions, convention presentations are available in the Members Only area of this site. Look for the Education link after you've logged in.
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