Volume 11 Issue 2 | Spring 2017
A Quarterly Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine
State of the Union 2
Director’s Report 3
PLC Member Spotlight 4
Supporting
Member
Spotlight
Labonville
Inc.
Page 8
New Members 6
Safety F irst 10
Annual Meeting 12
Northeastern Region Logger
of the Year 14
Cover photo: PLC Member M&H Logging and Construction grapple working in
the Western Mountains of Maine. Photo by Kyle Haley. Story page 4.
President’s Message
THE LOGGER'S
VOICE
A Quarterly Publication of the
Professional Logging Contractors of
Maine
Executive Board
Scott Madden
President
Jim Nichols
1 st Vice President
Tony Madden
2 nd Vice President
Chuck Ames
Secretary
Andy Irish
Treasurer
Brian Souers
Past President
Board of Directors
Greg Adams
Kurt Babineau
Donald Cole
William Cole
Tom Cushman
Brent Day
Wes Dube
Steve Hanington
Duane Jordan
Robert Linkletter
Andrew Madden
Ron Ridley
Wayne Tripp
Gary Voisine
Dana Doran
Executive Director
I hope all our Members have survived the winter.
Hopefully, it was a prosperous one, although I bet many are
in the same position as myself. I have been logging for 39
years where we have faced many challenges but I can say I
have never been as concerned as I am now. I can't
remember ever working as hard as we did this winter for as
little profit.
For those of you who attended our last
legislative breakfast, you witnessed firsthand what makes
this organization so powerful…. the people. In my opinion
it was pretty impressive how a bunch of loggers, who prefer
to be out in the woods, can come together to
tell their stories and offer ideas on how to make our
industry better. Very impressive indeed. I know we were
heard loud and clear. Now we just have to keep working
with our legislature to do the right thing in the end.
Although this is just one of the
many areas we have work on, business is changing and we
must change with it. We have to stay positive even
when things are not that great. If we don't believe we have
a future, how are we going to expect anyone else to? It is
up to us to keep our industry alive, and with the passion
I've witnessed, there's a lot of fight left in us.
We need to encourage and support new wood
consuming businesses and certainly don't forget the ones
that are already here. The ones that are still here are facing
just as many challenges as we are. We know these mills
and most of us have had long-term relations with them.
PLC has a very busy spring with training sessions
across the state and our 22nd Annual Meeting on May 5th.
Hopefully we can fill every class and let's try
to break record numbers of employees' attendance. In
training, we save; we save injuries, lives and money in the
long run.
In closing, I heard a "saying" late this winter. I was
talking with my forester and we had just lost our winter
roads because of a warm up with a lot of wood on it. It
looked like we had a week of cold weather coming. He
said that when he worked with Vinal Haynes, Vinal would
call the late onset of cold weather “Holy Week”. Well, it's
definitely turned into a long "Holy Month" and for that I’m
thankful.
Amen.
Log on,
State of Our Union
Scott Madden
Scott
Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
110 Sewall St., P.O. Box 1036
Augusta, ME 04332
Phone: 207.688.8195
2 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
Executive Director’s Message
Reflect and Recharge
Dana Doran
As I sit down to write this and look out the
window, it’s hard to believe that the end of March is right
around the corner. It still looks like winter out there but I
know that the end of season is near for many of you.
The winter push is almost over and soon enough
most of you will be able to call it a day on another winter
operation. The question will remain, was it successful?
In reflection, it probably was a much better winter
than most had envisioned. Back in early December, there
was a prediction that most would have to shut down by
early to mid-February because of too much wood on the
market. This shutdown would be a bad sign not just
because of market conditions, but also because it would
foreshadow a very long and gloomy spring.
Fortunately, or unfortunately as some may see it,
the winter weather played havoc with the entire state during
January, February and March and Mother Nature inevitably
took control of the markets. A continuous roller coaster of
cold (December); warm and rainy (January); early cold
with blizzards and a week of rain and warm temperatures
late in the month(February); and then a final cold blast with
more snow (March) wreaked havoc on all. I’m not sure if
we would all rejoice in what we have been put through this
winter, but perhaps the bonus of cold and snow in March
provided longer operating conditions and movement of
wood that will make many feel better in the long run.
Has the weather volatility provided more markets
and increased pay? Absolutely not. Has it made this way of
life any easier or any more certain for the future? Nope.
Are contractors working less as a result and reducing
transportation time and distance? Are you kidding me?
However, perhaps this winter taught us one thing,
that we will make it through together, and Maine loggers
will lead the way. Sometimes it is important to take solace
every once in awhile in moral victories.
Just as unpredictable as the weather has been the
pace of activity at the state legislature in early 2017. With a
full slate of bills in front of them, nearly 2,000 at last count,
the schedule continues to grow, the list of competing
measures seems to get bigger all the time, and the thoughts
of June and July become much more real.
Just as logging has been impacted by winter
weather this year, so has the legislature. In fact, there have
been very few weeks since work began in earnest in early
January that have not been impacted by a winter storm.
Legislators now more than ever can empathize with our
dilemma.
While it might be good to delay the inspection and
review of many legislative initiatives; the work must get
done and every bill does deserve a hearing. However, I
can’t stop from thinking about all of those late nights that
are certain to take place when we get into late May and
early June.
It is ironic that as production in the woods slows
down from the winter time push, the legislature just starts
to ramp up. April, May and June are the busiest during the
legislative session and probably provide the greatest
amount of time for loggers to join me in Augusta. I know, I
know, you have been waiting all winter to get the call to
Augusta!!!
Tongue in cheek, it is a very important time of year
and loggers are again at the forefront of the discussions in
Augusta. If you had a chance to attend our legislative
breakfast in Augusta last week, you would have gotten a
firsthand look.
As they have for the past two years, the legislature
does want to help. Senate President Thibodeau and Speaker
Gideon both addressed our membership at the breakfast and
both acknowledged how important loggers are to rural
Maine. Both know how important loggers are to the forest
economy and pledged to do all they could to ensure your
continued profitability. There is no more important issue in
rural Maine than the forest economy and the fact that both
members of leadership not only came to our breakfast but
made it a point to include us in their decision making is
extremely important.
In terms of our legislative agenda for 2017, the
next eight weeks are critical as almost every one of our
initiatives will be brought up in committee and acted upon
in one way or another. Your interest and participation will
again be vital in 2017.
Our message to the legislature this year has been
very direct and consistent: Do no harm; reduce regulation
to save money and be our partner to create new markets.
When making decisions, ensure that you think through each
of these three themes so that our industry is not only
protected, but has the opportunity to grow.
At the legislature this session, the PLC has three
primary policy objectives: 1) eliminate costly
unemployment compensation regulations; 2) create the
Maine Forest Resources Advisory Council and 3) pass an
omnibus biomass package that will create new markets for
the future. Each is achievable but certainly not easy by any
stretch of the imagination.
Unemployment Compensation
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
Each year, our industry shuts down for the most
part because of mud season. This is due to markets at their
max and poor weather conditions. Each year, loggers lay
off many of their employees because of this temporary
shutdown. In the past, employees prepared for the situation
and knew the return to work was imminent and it was
generally not more than eight weeks. However, in the last
few years, the U.S. Department of Labor has begun
enforcing very stringent regulations regarding
Reflect & Recharge Continued Page 6
3
Photography by Kyle Haley
R
ANGELEY - M&H Logging and Construction
was started in 1981 by cousins David “Joe”
Haley, and Scott Millbury after they decided to
combine their two smaller operations – Joe was
logging with a cable skidder at the time and Scott had a
Ford wheeler with a crane.
From that small beginning a company emerged
that has adapted over more than 30 years to handle
everything from logging, to residential and commercial site
work, to road construction, to septic system installation.
The cousins continue to own and manage the
company together, with Joe mainly handling the logging
side and Scott running the garage and overseeing most the
construction. At one time the logging arm of the company
– J&S Logging – had its own employees,
but these days everyone is an M&H
employee and a worker who may be
logging in the winters will generally be
working construction in the summers.
A third cousin, Ken Haley, is
general manager for the company, and he
has seen it grow a lot from what it was in
1981.
“In the wintertime, we have about
18 employees, and in the summertime, we
get up to around 24 to 26 depending on what we have for
work,” Ken said.
Growth started in 1986 when Joe and Scott bought
the Paul Bolduc Logging Company which added six
skidders to their fleet. By the late 1980s they had added an
excavator, bucket loader, and bulldozer, as well as new
tractor-trailers to keep up with the increased wood output.
In the early 1990s M&H expanded again, adding a
Rottne cut-to-length system with processor and forwarder –
one of the first Maine companies to get into cut-to-length
logging. After four years with the larger SMV processor,
M&H purchased a smaller Rottne thinning system, a
Rottne 2000. Around this same time, M&H also had hand
crews operating that consisted of around eight to ten
Canadian and American loggers.
During this period of expansion, M&H began
operating in central and southern Maine in addition to its
traditional base in the Western Mountains, and maintained
an office in Gorham. The company undertook major road
construction projects including stretches of state highways
on U.S. Route 2 in Dixfield, Route 27 in Coburn Gore, and
the Route 3 connector to I-95 Exit 113 in Augusta.
By the mid-2000s, M&H had scaled back to
working in the Western Mountains where there was plenty
of work at the time. It was also at this
time that the company’s last hand crew
disappeared as M&H bought its first
feller buncher. From there, M&H
operated both a mechanical crew and the
smaller Rottne 2000 thinning processors
up until 2014, when the job that the
processors were working on over the past
decade had finally come to an end, and
with the downturn of the pulp market
reducing the need for them. The
processors each had well over 12,000 hours on them and
the forwarder well over 25,000 hours when they were
traded.
Today, M&H operates a 2011 753J feller buncher,
two 648G-III grapple skidders, and a John Deere 200
ProPac Delimber. The company also runs two Hood cranes
to load with and has five tractor-trailers as well as a 50/48
Morbark chipper in which serves both the logging side of
the business as well as the construction side of the
business.
M&H Continued on Page 7
4 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
M&H feller buncher working in the hills above Rangeley Lake
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
5
Welcome New Members
PLC Members
Ben Savage Logging Inc. of Dover-Foxcroft, ME joined
the PLC as a new Member in February of 2017. Ben
Savage Logging has a professional staff of three. For more
information, contact Ben Savage at (207)-735-6699 or
bsavage75@yahoo.com.
Harry H. Melcher & Sons, Inc. of Bingham, ME joined
the PLC as a new Member in February of 2017. Harry H.
Melcher & Sons has a professional staff of eight. For more
information, contact Dan Melcher at (207)-672-3545 or
melcherlogging@hotmail.com.
Kimball & Sons Logging and Trucking LLC of Poland,
ME joined the PLC as a new Member in February of 2017.
Kimball & Sons Logging and Trucking is Master Logger
certified and has a professional staff of two. For more
information, contact Randy Kimball at (207)-240-6260 or
kimball998@aol.com.
PLC Enhanced Supporting Member
Pelletier Manufacturing Inc. of Millinocket, ME joined
the PLC as a new Enhanced Supporting Member in March
of 2017. Founded in the Spring of 2010, Pelletier
Manufacturing, Inc., prides itself on building high quality
log trailers and headboards utilizing both innovative design
and unique customization. strives to be a one-stop,
convenient supplier, and offers a wide variety of trailer
parts for competitive brands, makes and models for
purchase in their service department. The company also
offers sandblasting and painting. For more information
contact Jeff Pelletier at (207) 723-6500.
PLC’s 21st Annual
Log-A-Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament
Friday, Sept. 15 2017
Reflect & Recharge Continued from Page 3
unemployment benefits as our mud seasons have
gotten longer.
Loggers generally have been granted a
work search waiver for eight weeks with their
unemployment notification. In that eight week
timeframe, they do not have to search for work, but
they are required to participate in work retraining
courses that are mandated by the federal
government. Once the employees’ eight-week
waiver expires, the employee must not only search
for work weekly, but they must also participate in
job training and counseling. In many cases, they
have been pressured to accept jobs that they have
no interest in taking. For loggers who are generally
“attached” to an employer and receive benefits
during layoff, these requirements create both cost
and competitive disadvantages. At such a
challenging time, we do not want to impose any
further restrictions or create unintended
consequences because of government policies.
Other states also have longer waiver timeframes to
deal with this issue so it is our intent to extend the
waiver to 16 weeks from both work search and job
training requirements.
Maine Forest Resources Advisory Council
LD 414 - An Act to Create the Maine
Forest Resources Council, was introduced by state
Senator Tom Saviello on behalf of the PLC and the
pulp and paper industry. This bill would create a
new gubernatorial appointed council of
predominantly industry representatives within the
Executive Branch to oversee and make
recommendations to the Governor and Legislature
regarding forest industry goals and polices on an
annual basis. The council would have a full-time
staff that would analyze and compare Maine to
other states/countries, set goals for the industry and
act as an economic development consultation arm
of state government to assist existing and new
businesses with their operations.
Currently, every one of Maine’s state
competitors in the industry have a similar Council
working on their behalf and it’s about time for
Maine to do the same. Our EDAT work is vital, but
what will happen to it when the grant funds dry up?
This proposed Council is critical to our competitive
future and we will support it from the get go.
Biomass
JATO Highlands Golf Course, Lincoln
As the membership is aware, the
Commission to Study the Economic, Environmental
Reflect & Recharge Continued Page 21
6 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
Three generations: From left to right, Joe Haley, George Haley, and Kyle Haley.
M&H continued from page 4
“We do both
forestry and construction work so that we stay busy yearround,”
Scott and Joe said. “We primarily do logging in the
winter now and
switch to residential
and commercial
earth work in the
summer.”
There are
plenty of challenges
in logging,
particularly in the
scenic but rugged
Western Mountains.
The weather, ground,
and markets pose
major challenges for
logging in the region.
The recent closure of
Madison Paper Industries has also posed a challenge for the
company, and there is also a very small labor pool in the
region, especially of people in the 22-45 age demographic,
which makes finding skilled workers challenging, the
cousins said.
M&H joined the Professional Logging Contractors
(PLC) of Maine soon after the organization formed,
believing it would be a good thing for loggers to have a
voice in Augusta.
The membership has paid off for M&H in many
ways including lower insurance rates, and the company has
also benefited from PLC’s recent successful campaigns to
save the biomass market in Maine, and to secure a sales tax
exemption for off-road fuel used in logging operations.
From a logging perspective, the future of M&H
looks to be very challenging due to current wood markets
and increasing
prices for new
equipment,
insurance, and
parts. Another
challenge is finding
enough skilled
operators, truck
drivers, and
mechanics, and Joe
and Scott agree
M&H could benefit
from more training
and opportunities at
high schools and
vocational schools
for young people to
enter the business.
In spite of the challenges for logging, there are
benefits as well: M&H operates in one of the most scenic
areas of Maine, and tends to work within a 25-mile radius
of the company’s office and garage, keeping the jobs close
to home for employees. And like most in the business, the
cousins still appreciate a job that does not keep them in an
office every day.
“If you like working outside, then this is a good
industry to be in,” they agree.
Photographs for this story were taken by Kyle Haley. To see
more of Kyle’s work, visit: www.khaleyphoto.com
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
7
G
ORHAM, NH - When it
comes to manufacturing
products to meet the harsh
demands of a specialized
industry like logging, it
helps to have deep roots in that
industry.
Labonville Inc. has those roots,
and it has enabled the company to
build a reputation for tough, high
quality products that loggers across the
Northeast and beyond have come to
rely on.
Based in the White Mountains of
northern New Hampshire, the company was founded
by Dolores & Emilien Labonville, who crossed the
Canadian border in the late 1940's with a little money and a
bucksaw and set about building a new life. As time
progressed they became leading loggers in the north
country, employing
114 men and 55 work
horses, a very large
operation for those
times.
Alex
Labonville is their
grandson and Sales
Manager for the
company today, and
said it was in 1953
that his grandfather
decided to found
Labonville Inc.
“As things
progressed and
logging became more
mechanized he saw a
need for more
specialized items,
such as safety
clothing, boots,
skidder chains, etc.”
Alex said.
“In the 70’s
my uncle Rich, the
current owner, started
PLC Supporting
Member Spotlight:
Labonville Inc.
Dolores & Emilien Labonville
to develop chainsaw protection and sat
on the Leg Protection committee in
Washington D.C. to develop the
standards of chainsaw chaps. Today
Labonville chainsaw chaps are
featured in the Smithsonian Museum.”
Labonville chainsaw chaps
have even been worn by U.S.
Presidents including Ronald Regan,
and the company has the pictures to
prove it.
As the logging industry has
changed, Labonville has changed with
it, as horses were replaced first by cable
skidders, and later by today’s fully mechanized logging
operations. One thing has not changed – Labonville has
always kept its manufacturing operations in America, even
as most companies were moving their operations overseas.
Labonville still manufactures its chaps, wool jackets, black
nylon winter pants,
black nylon jackets,
and summer pants
right in Gorham, New
Hampshire.
Over the years,
the company’s
Labonville product
line has expanded and
the company has also
become an importer
and dealer of high
quality brand skidder
chains, tractor chains
and hardware, as well
as specialized
equipment such as
Norse skidding
winches and Pewag
Forestry Tracks.
Being based in
Labonville’s store in Madison, Maine. The company sells a wide range of high
quality work apparel, gear, safety equipment, and specialized hardware for
loggers and others in the forestry industry. Many items are made in Gorham,
New Hampshire. The Labonville brand boot made with Kevlar fiber pictured
here is a popular item.
the White Mountains
means the company’s
products can be field
tested under some of
the most severe
weather conditions on
8 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
the planet.
“We
are a true Made
in America
company that
puts quality
first,” Alex
said. “Every
product that we
carry is of high
quality to stand
up to the harsh
and
unpredictable
conditions of
the forestry
industry.”
The
forestry
industry is
constantly
changing and
that is a
challenge for
Labonville as it
adapts its
products to meet the demands of the market.
Today Labonville has three stores in Maine in
Mexico, Farmington and Madison in addition to its stores
and manufacturing facilities in Gorham and North Conway
New Hampshire. The
company does business
with Maine loggers and
forest industry
professionals from Fort
Kent to Kittery. The
company employs more
than 30 people in Maine
and New Hampshire.
Labonville Inc.
joined the Professional
Logging Contractors of
Maine (PLC) as an
Enhanced Supporting
Member in December
2016.
“We have
wanted to be more
involved with the end
users and I was talking
with a logger in Maine
that had done business
with us for many years
and he told me about the
many benefits of being a
member of the PLC. I liked what I heard and within a few
days we were members,” Alex
said.
Labonville logging operation underway in February 1955. The company’s roots in
logging mean its products are designed with the needs of the industry in mind.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
9
Safety First
Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance
It seems as though every time I go to a seminar pertaining to a particular safety topic, I leave feeling
inspired to change the way I have always done things. We have all felt this before; you go to a training about
distracted driving and see a particularly moving testimony about the hazards of distracted driving. When you
leave the training you hang your phone up, toss it in the glove box and say to yourself, “They were right! I’m
not going to talk on my phone while driving again!” Chances are you will continue to follow this new behavior
for a few days before you start to make an occasional exception and, eventually, fall right back into your old
habits.
When you attend a training, the goal is generally to change or curb behavior that is recognized as
creating a hazard for yourself and/or the people around you. It will work great for a couple of days but, without
a constant reminder, we typically find ourselves falling right back into our old habits. It’s a vicious circle.
Knowing that we are all guilty of falling back into our old ways, I ask you this: Do you feel that one or
two safety trainings a year is enough to curb behavior and inspire your employees to continue safe workplace
practices?
Many of you will likely admit that one or two training sessions a year isn’t enough to change employee
behavior. If we are truly interested in shifting our company’s culture, we need to seek out ways to expand the
training and make safety a more prominent aspect in your employee’s day-to-day lives.
As we come into the spring time, I encourage you to look beyond the PLC training sessions and
determine ways to expand your company’s safety training process in-house. There are many FREE resources
available to help you build a safety program at your company. I suggest starting with your insurance
company’s loss control representative and asking them what type of training or resources they can provide.
You can also take advantage of the PLC’s new training relationship with Cross Insurance, or reach out to the
Maine Department of Labor’s Safety Works, Maine Motor Transport or Troop K.
Training is a small piece of an overall safety program but, in many ways, may be the most critical step
to changing behavior and demonstrating your company’s commitment to creating a safe workplace.
Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that
nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services.
This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this
information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness. Recipients of this
material must utilize their own individual professional judgment in implementing sound risk management
practices and procedures.
PLC Safety Update
✓Safety Coordinator: The PLC will soon be hiring a safety coordinator to
provide free safety consultations for Members and to work on other
safety and loss control initiatives for the organization.
The Safety Coordinator will respond to requests for safety consultations
from members to evaluate incidents, address concerns, develop safety
related policies, and remedy potentially unsafe situations. The
Coordinator will also be responsible for PLC’s annual Safety Trainings,
providing safety bulletins and information, and acting as a liaison with
official regulatory agencies on occupational safety and health issues
when required.
PLC plans to advertise the position in late April. Watch your weekly PLC
updates for additional information on this position, and please contact
PLC at (207)-688-8195 if you know of someone interested in the
position.
10 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
2017 Safety Training
Presented by:
Lower RISK to Save Money
PLC’s Safety Committee is committed to offering tools to help keep our members safe! The goal of this
FREE training is to provide practical, hands-on instruction to improve individual & company safety.
2017 Training Topics
Troop-K: Truck Inspections | Logger Injury Response| OSHA Shop Inspections | Cab Ergonomics
Evaluating Non-routine Tasks | Troop-K: Common Violations & Consequences
Please select a training location:
___ Friday, April 7 th — Porter — William A. Day Jr. & Sons Logging 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Friday, April 14 th — Stratton — JL Brochu, Inc. 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Thursday, April 20 th — Waltham — Elliott Jordan & Son 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Friday, April 21 nd — Passadumkeag — Madden Timberlands 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Thursday, April 27 th — Skowhegan— Richard Carrier Trucking 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Friday, April 28 th — Frankfort — W.C. Tripp Forest Products 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Thursday, May 11 th — Fort Kent— TNT Road Company 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
___ Friday, May 12 th — Lincoln — Treeline, Inc. 7:30 AM—3:30 PM
First Come First Served—Limited Spaces Available!
This training qualifies for CLP re-certification credit. Field verification & fee to CLP still required.
FREE Training for PLC Members & Maine Master Loggers!
FREE Breakfast & Lunch!
Do you have a Great Safety Idea? MEMIC & GH Berlin Windward will be providing
three prizes at each location for top safety ideas. Cross Insurance will be awarding an
authentic football signed by New England Patriot
Rob Gronkowski for the “Best Safety Idea” presented at the 2017 trainings.
Lunch Sponsor
Breakfast Sponsor
Safety Prize Sponsor
Safety Contest &
Prize Sponsor
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
11
’
Professional Loggers:
Growing Our
Future
An Invitation,
Please join us for our 22 nd Annual Meeting to learn and
network with other professional loggers as we look toward
the future.
The Morning Session is only for PLC Contractor Members.
During this time, we will: Conduct a general membership
meeting, review our legislative agenda and Acadia
Insurance will let us know how the dividend program
performed in 2016.
Professional development: Also in the morning, hear from
Tom Trone (former director of John Deere Forestry) about
Succession Planning and Market Development and from
Wendy Farrand about Company and Industry Image
Marketing in 2017.
During our Luncheon, which is open to all PLC Contractor
Members, Supporting Members and invited guests, we will
hear from Jimmie Locklear from Team Safe Trucking about
the risks and rewards of trucking in our industry.
After lunch we have a break until we reconvene at
4:00 pm for our social hour and time to preview the
Log A Load Auction items, open to all PLC Contractor Members,
Supporting Members and invited guests.
To help the Children’s Miracle Network raise money, our
Log A Load Auction will be kicked off by an EMHS Miracle
Child. Can we exceed our $25,000 goal again in 2017?
Dinner will include a welcome and remarks from
Maine’s 2nd District Congressman Bruce Poliquin and our
PLC President, Scott Madden. Followed by our annual
awards presentation.
May 5th, 2017 – Brewer, ME
Dinner Guests — Join us for a buffet dinner and the
honor of meeting one of the many children helped by
the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), Henry. Last year
Henry’s mom, Sarah, joined us and we learned about his
road to recovery-plus, with your generosity we were able
to send his whole family to their first Red Sox game!
What a great story! Without local CMN Hospitals and
donations many Maine children and their families would
need to travel nearly eight hours round trip for each
appointment. This is just one of the reasons we support
such a great program. Meet the people that our
fundraising is impacting and feel the difference that we
are making.
Creating Real Miracles
by Raising Funds for our Local Hospitals
Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network (CMN)
Hospitals have raised more than $5 billion for 170
children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada.
The PLC of Maine and Eastern Maine Healthcare
Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised over $892,000
since 1996 for children in Maine. These donations have
gone to support research and training, purchase
equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in
support of the mission to save and improve the lives of
as many children as possible.
EMHS, a CMN Hospital, is working to save the lives of
kids in our communities. Some are battling cancer, some
are suffering from a traumatic injury, and others require
constant care because they were born too early, or with
a genetic disease. Regardless of why the kids are there,
CMN Hospitals always have their doors open.
Succession Planning - Industry Marketing in 2017
Team Safe Trucking
U.S. Congressman Bruce Poliquin
Jeff’s Catering, Brewer Maine will host the Annual
Meeting & our Log A Load for Kids Fundraiser.
12 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
Meeting & Fundraiser
Schedule
PLC & TCNF Annual Meeting 2017 Preview
CMN Auction & LOG A LOAD Fundraiser
PLC Contractor Members Only
7:30 AM Registration (Coffee & Continental Breakfast)
8:00 AM Full Board and General Membership Meeting, Legislative Update and Acadia Dividend
Program Update.
10:00 AM Logger Health Survey, Erika Scott, Deputy Director, NYCAMH
10:30 AM Succession Planning and Market Development led by Tom Trone ,TNT Consultants, (former
Managing Director of John Deere Forestry )
11:30 AM Company and Industry Image Marketing in 2017 led by Wendy Farrand
PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members, Invited Guests
12:30 PM Lunch Buffet
Luncheon Speaker: Team Safe Trucking – Jimmie Locklear,
Forestry Mutual Insurance
2:00-4:00 PM Break
PLC Contractor Members, Supporting Members, Invited Guests
4:00 PM Social Hour—Auction Items Preview
5:00 PM Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Child & Log A Load for Kids, Auction for CMN & EMHS
6:00 PM Dinner Buffet
6:45 PM PLC President’s Welcome
7:00 PM U.S. Congressman Bruce Poliquin, Welcome & Remarks
7:30 PM Awards Presentation: Northeast Master Logger of the Year, Master Logger
Supporter’s Award, PLC Logger of the Year, Acadia Insurance Safety Award,
PLC Impact Award, PLC Community Service Award, Supporting Member
Award & PLC President’s Award
Succession Planning - Tom Trone, TNT Consultants
Industry Marketing in 2017 - Wendy Farrand
Team Safe Trucking - Jimmie Locklear, Forestry Mutual Insurance
U.S. Congressman Bruce Poliquin, Welcome & Remarks
Children’s Miracle Network Auction
Donate items for the hospitals of EMHS.
Go to maineloggers.com to learn how!
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
13
William A. Day Jr. & Sons slasher at work at dawn,
Summer of 2016
William A. Day Jr. & Sons named FRA Northeast
Region Logger of the Year
P
ORTER – The Professional Logging Contractors
(PLC) of Maine is pleased to announce William A.
Day Jr. & Sons, Inc. has won the Northeastern
Region Outstanding Logger Award, given annually
by the Forest Resources Association.
William A. Day Jr. & Sons is a family-owned,
third-generation logging company based in Porter. The
company is a PLC Member and was
named PLC Logger of the Year for
2016.
“The PLC is proud to see one
of its own win this prestigious
award,” said Dana Doran, Executive
Director of the PLC. “William A.
Day Jr. & Sons is an outstanding
example of a traditional family
logging business with a tremendous
work ethic, highly professional
standards, and a commitment to
giving back to its community. It
would be hard to find a Maine timber harvesting company
that does a better job combining the best of traditional
logging with the advanced technology, sustainable
practices, and forward-looking approach today’s
landowners and markets demand.”
The Forest Resources Association Inc. is a
nonprofit trade association concerned with the safe,
efficient, and sustainable harvest of forest products and
their transport from woods to mill. FRA represents wood
consumers, independent logging contractors, and wood
dealers, as well as businesses providing products and
services to the forest resource-based industries.
The FRA established the Outstanding Logger
Awards program in 1990 to recognize outstanding logging
contractor performance; raise the
visibility of competent, professional
independent logging contractors in the
forestry community; encourage other
independent logging contractors to
emulate the outstanding performance
of the award winners; and improve
forester-logger relations by publicly
recognizing outstanding logging
performance as an essential element of
every planned timber harvest.
William A. Day Jr. & Sons
is a Northeast Master Logger
Certified company and has been a member of the PLC
since 2009.
The company has more than 40 employees and five
logging crews.
The company was named the Maine Forest
Products Council Outstanding Logger of 2016.
Congratulations!
14 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
Team Safe Trucking effort moves forward
TEAM Safe Trucking, a volunteer alliance
committed to elevating the safety, performance, and
professional level of the forest industry’s transportation
sector, is moving forward with its ambitious program.
The group consists of key integral facets of the
forest products industry: production (logging),
consumption, insurance, associations and other advocates.
TST’s revamped web site—teamsafetrucking.com—was
launched in early March.
Ultimately, it will be loaded with tools to help
advance the strength and standing of log/chip trucking.
Resources will include tips for recruiting and retaining
drivers; items to help owners move from reactive to
proactive fleet management; suggestions for improving
trucking efficiency; and ideas for enhancing the sector’s
public image.
The final draft of TST’s comprehensive driver
training module soon will be available on the web site. The
intent is for this module to be used at the state level, as it
can easily be modified to incorporate state-specific criteria.
The group now has restructured and refocused key
committees, has
new leadership, and
its 501(c)3 nonprofit
status has
been approved by
the IRS, meaning
that financial
donations are tax
deductible.
“More and
more organizations
are participating in
TST and are ‘buying in’ to what TST is committed to
achieve,” says Jeremiah O’Donovan, the group’s new
president. “We’re on track to make important strides this
year and invite additional participation.”
Donations to TEAM Safe Trucking, Inc. may be
mailed to TST treasurer Joanne Reese at P.O. Box 785,
Henderson, NC 27536.
*Jimmie Locklear of Team Safe Trucking is a featured
speaker at PLC’s Annual Meeting! Details p. 12.
FMCSA News: Minimum Training Standards Rule, Safety Fitness Determination Rule
▪ The effective date of a rule establishing
nationwide minimum training standards for entry-level
truck drivers has been further delayed due to ongoing
regulatory review by President Trump and his staff.
The rule will now take effect May 22 according to
a notice published March 21 by the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration. The rule was originally slated to
take effect Feb. 6, with a compliance date of Feb. 7, 2020.
The rule’s February 2020 compliance date does not appear
to be affected by the delay in its effective
date.
▪ The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
has withdrawn its January 2016 proposal to rework the way
it rates carriers and determines their fitness to operate.
The Safety Fitness Determination rule, which has
been in the works for a decade, was withdrawn in late
March. The withdrawal came a few weeks after industry
groups asked new Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to
kill the rule. The rule would have also allowed the agency
to put carriers out of service based on CSA BASIC ratings
alone, rather than an intervention and on-site compliance
review.
Logger Leadership classes draw large attendance
On March 31 and Feb. 2, the PLC and generous Supporting
Members brought full days of specialized leadership development
training to nearly 50 PLC Members at sites in Lincoln and
Auburn. Additional classes will follow to assist with improvement
of today’s evolving logging businesses. Thanks to all who
participated and to the companies that made the training possible
and to our sponsors!
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
15
As We See It—February 2017
“ALC Joins U.S. Chamber in Supporting Regulatory
Accountability Act ”
By Jim Geisinger
First The American Loggers Council supports
sensible laws and regulations that are necessary to protect the
public. Our members are committed to the wise and
sustainable use of our natural resources.
Professional timber harvesters in the United States are
subject to the most rigorous environmental laws in the world.
Though well-intentioned, many laws affecting our industry
have become misapplied and misinterpreted through
administrative rule-making and litigation. Today’s federal
regulatory structure has become counterproductive and costly
to our small, predominately family-owned businesses. It no
longer serves the needs of our forests, natural resources,
communities and national economy.
That’s why the American Loggers Council has joined
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in supporting swift action on
the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) that directs the
executive branch to fulfill its statutory goals in the least costly
fashion and look for more public input to find the most
efficient regulatory solutions possible.
The RAA is the first attempt to reform the federal
Administrative Procedure Act. It is an effort to better structure
agency rulemaking between general regulations that are
needed to keep society functioning, and those high-impact
regulations that cost billions of dollars each year and that have
a nationwide impact on jobs and the economy.
According to Bill Kovacs of the U.S. Chamber, by
focusing only on high-impact regulations, Congress can
control overreaching regulations while allowing the day-today
operations of agencies to function. Under the RAA, the
public would get an earlier opportunity to participate in
shaping the most costly and transformative regulations.
Here’s how the RAA works: When an agency first
decides to write a high-impact rule, it would be required
explain to the public why the regulation is necessary, how it
will affect business, jobs and the economy, and why the rule is
the best available alternative. After evaluating the impacts of
the proposed rule, agencies should select the least costly
regulatory alternative that achieves congressional intent.
Independent federal agencies would be held to the same
standards of transparency and accountability as executive
agencies.
The RAA would also allow the American people the
right to verify that high-impact proposed rules are feasible,
cost-effective, and well-supported by good scientific and
economic data. Finally, before awarding deference to agency
decisions, a court must find that the agency addressed all
standards mandated on the agency by Congress.
With a new president and a new Congress elected
with a mandate to create and protect American jobs, we have a
unique opportunity to establish responsible sideboards on
agency rule-making. We can’t allow this opportunity to pass
by. It is time for impactful regulatory reform, which the
American Loggers Council supports and that the RAA can
deliver.
Jim Geisinger is Chair of the American Loggers
Council Legislative Committee and Executive Vice President
of Associated Oregon Loggers.
The American Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for
profit trade organization representing professional timber
harvesters in 32 states across the United States. If you would
like to learn more about the ALC, please visit their web site at
www.amloggers.com, or contact their office at 409-625-0206.
16 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
As We See It—March 2017
“Safety First”
By Danny Dructor
I recently stumbled across an article posted in the
North Kentucky Tribune titled, “Logging by far deadliest job
in U.S.; fishing, pilots/flight engineers next, says U.S. Labor
Dept.” When your mission states “To enhance the logging
profession, provide a unified voice on logging issues; and
cooperate with public, industrial and private timberland
owners to further sustainable forestry practices,” I hardly
believe that this is what we had in mind.
Seeing how I thought that we were doing a better job
promoting safety which, in my mind, is a part of the
professionalism we are supposed to be “enhancing,” I went to
the Department of Labor’s web site, or more importantly the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, to see if I could determine just
where the problems are. As it turns out, I discovered that we
are lumped into this category that includes Farming, Fishing
and Forestry, so I had to dig a little deeper. What I did find out
is that there was actually a decrease in the number of fatalities
in the Forestry and Logging category from 2014 to 2015, but
unfortunately, there were fewer of us doing those jobs due to
downsizing, mechanization and attrition, so the number of
fatalities per 100,000 employed actually rose during 2015.
This is not the direction we want to be headed for
several reasons.
First, the loss of life due to an accident that could
have been prevented is not acceptable, and as we all know,
most accidents are preventable.
Second, when we are trying to attract new employees
to this industry, this is not the track record that needs to be
advertised.
Third, when workers comp rates go up, this is the
reason. No matter how safe your job site is, there are others in
the industry who are not performing as safely as they could be
and you are helping to pay the bills for them.
During our Summer Board of Director’s meeting last
July, we were discussing some of the issues that we should be
focusing on over the next several years, and Dave Cupp with
Walsh Timber in Zwolle, Louisiana and representing our
Individual Logger Members made the statement that we
should also focus on losing our status as being the most
dangerous occupation in the nation and at the very least get
out of the top three. Visiting again with Dave this week he
stated, “I feel very strongly that we can change this culture
and not accept this as a part of our business.”
The American Loggers Council will be addressing
this issue in 2017 and beyond, and by doing so will be helping
to create a safe work environment where we can attract and
retain the best and brightest young men and women in the
country to sustainably harvest our Nation’s forests. You can
help us. Don’t ignore safety issues on your job. Discuss near
misses at tailgate safety sessions, recognize safe practices and
offer incentives for achieving safety goals, and by all means,
make it your responsibility that everyone has the opportunity
to return home each and every evening to their families.
2017.
Let’s make this a safe, productive and prosperous
Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for the
American Loggers Council, residing near Hemphill, Texas.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
17
I recently wrote an article for the New Hampshire
Timberland Owners and the New Hampshire Timber
Harvesting Council entitled “Teamwork Matters.”
Before I finished writing the article, I had already
decided that the topic was important enough that I should try
and convey the message to all of you who are on the front
lines of the timber harvesting industry and who take the time
and opportunity to come out of the woods and be proactive on
the issues that are impacting the industry.
At the ALC Board of Directors meetings, we have
managed to cuss and discuss many issues over the past 23
years, including master logger certification, H2b visas, woody
biomass, the Canadian Softwood lumber tariffs, truck weights,
the US Forest Service Timber Sale program, trucking
regulations, safety regulations, IRS rules for heavy use
vehicles, and a whole host of things that are of importance to
the well-being of the timber harvesting industry. We are
currently taking an active role in the industry TEAM Safe
Trucking issue, hoping that we can assist in improving driver
safety and assuring that there are qualified, insurable drivers
in the industry.
Because of the ability for the Board members from
the 32 states that the ALC now represents to be able to sit
down and work out policy and position statements that are
beneficial to all is indicative of the teamwork that takes place
in order for us to maintain our status as “The National Voice
for Loggers.”
We have all managed to educate ourselves and each
other on the issues that are seemingly regional in character but
actually national in scope, and we all speak with one voice on
the issues that we are concerned with. Our dialects vary from
region to region, but the hearts and minds of those
participating in the discussions are one and the same.
We try and monitor legislation at the federal level that
would have an impact on logging businesses, and more
oftentimes than not now, have members of Congress reaching
out to us asking, “What do the loggers think?” We also
monitor some state level legislation when it becomes apparent
that there might be a trend in the works from state to state
making something more of a national issue.
This would not be possible without the dedication of
the volunteers who make the yearly trek to Washington, DC
and have formed relationships with members and staff on the
Hill and that oftentimes look forward to their visits. Members
of the American Loggers Council continue to make that yearly
trek, and represent the industry very well.
Later this month, March 29-30 to be exact, those men
and women from the logging profession will once again travel
to Washington, DC representing you and your profession. Be
sure and thank them for their dedication and time promoting
this industry that we all have in common. You might even ask
them how their trip went and what discussions did they have
with members of Congress.
While there are other organizations that do a great job
at representing other sectors of the forest products industry at
As We See It—April 2017
“Teamwork Matters”
By Danny Dructor
the local, State and Federal level, the fact remains that many
of the issues that are important to the logging industry are not
on the radar of the other associations. Our focus is and will
remain representing professional timber harvesters at the
national level.
The American Loggers Council and the State and
Regional logging associations; loggers working for loggers.
That’s what we do. Teamwork!
18 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
The PLC held its 2017 Legislative Breakfast March 16, as legislators joined logging contractors from around Maine at the
Senator Inn in Augusta to hear firsthand about the challenges and opportunities facing the state’s logging industry.
Attendance was strong and many of our PLC board members spoke on important issues legislators can help Maine loggers
with including regulations, taxes, biomass markets, workforce development, education, and transportation. Multi-generational
family logging businesses were featured, reminding legislators of the importance of planning for a Maine future that includes
the logging industry. Thanks to all who participated in making this important annual event a success and to the legislators
who took time from their busy schedules to attend.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
19
Madden Timberlands hosts press conference
announcing federal recommendations for Maine
forest economy
P
ASSADUMKEAG – Recommendations for
Maine’s forest economy were announced by a
federal Economic Development Assessment Team
(EDAT) at a press conference Jan. 18 hosted by
PLC Member Madden Timberlands.
The recommendations were outlined by Matt
Erskine, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development, at an event held at the AFM
Passadumkeag Wood Yard in the Madden Timberlands
garage. The recommendations focused on reviving Maine’s
struggling forest economy and the event also included
announcements of federal grants to address critical needs
including $1 million to develop a long-term vision and
strategic plan.
“Loggers and truckers are the root of the forest
products value chain in Maine and right now that root is
compromised. This has the potential to threaten the entire
forest products value chain and the many rural
communities that depend on it,” Dana Doran, executive
director of the PLC, said. “Our strongly held tradition of a
market for every tree has been compromised and we need
to create a plan for how to stem the losses, protect what we
have, and create opportunities for growth - now for the first
time this process is beginning to yield that, and we hope we
are writing the first chapter in the comeback story for rural
Maine.”
In August 2016, the EDAT and members of the
Maine Forest Economy Growth Initiative - a coalition of
regional forest products industry representatives and
community and economic development leaders including
the PLC - participated in a series of economic development
sessions, tours, and briefings to understand the challenges
and opportunities for the forest products industry in Maine.
The EDAT visit was spurred by recent mill
closures and related declines in forest manufacturing and
harvesting that have drastically reduced softwood pulp
markets and resulted in job losses in many sectors,
including logging and trucking.
The recommendations that emerged in the wake of
the work by the EDAT and the coalition include developing
an industry-wide strategic plan to assess future demand for
wood products and Maine’s wood supply both now and in
the future; determining where infrastructure investments
are needed to improve transportation efficiencies;
supporting the development of markets for forest product
residuals; identifying training needs and preparing the
workforce to meet changing requirements; supporting
redevelopment of vacant mill sites; supporting vibrant
Maine communities where people want to live, work, and
visit; and investing in long-term community infrastructure
for the future.
In addition to the $1 million awarded to develop a
long-term vision and plan, federal grants are also being
awarded to the Eastern Maine Development Corporation
($200,000 for redevelopment of the Bucksport mill site)
and the Maine International Trade Center ($145,000 to
assist small businesses that export products.)
The PLC is working closely with other members of
20 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
the Growth Initiative to implement its
recommendations over the coming
months and create a plan for
sustaining and growing its
opportunities for the value chain. PLC
is well represented in the process,
holding a seat on the Executive
Committee overseeing the work and
with PLC Board Members and
Executive Director Dana Doran
serving on both the Transportation and
Combined Heat and Power
subcommittees.
At this point, much of the
work underway involves collection of
data on everything from what states
Reflect & Recharge Continued from Page 6
and Energy Benefits of the Maine Biomass Industry met
this past fall to come up with a long term roadmap for the
sustainability of our biomass markets. PLC members, Bob
Linkletter, Steve Hanington and Jason Brochu, along with
Supporting Members, Ryan McAvoy (SAPPI) and John
Bryant (AFM) all participated on the Commission. The
Commission released its final report in mid-December.
Amongst a list of recommendations, the
Commission’s primary considerations were focused on
increasing biomass markets with policy drivers, including:
1) create a thermal renewable energy credit program to
encourage the construction of thermal biomass projects: 2)
incentivize the growth of businesses around biomass
electric producers through micro-grids and 3) provide low
interest loans to assist with biomass thermal projects. The
bulk of the Commission’s recommendations will be folded
into an omnibus bill, LD 131 – An Act to Protect the
Biomass Industry that Senator Saviello introduced. Senator
Woodsome also introduced LD 897, An Act To Authorize
a General Fund Bond Issue To Encourage Efficient
Biomass Thermal and Power Projects in Maine. This bill
attempts to provide funding for the third solution that the
Commission recommended.
Now that mud season is upon us, there is no greater
time to reflect on the challenges that are all around us and
find a path forward. The legislature provides one of those
pathways that we can call rally around especially while we
have their attention. They want to work with us and they
Matt Erskine, U.S. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Economic
Development, speaks at the press
conference.
and nations Maine’s forest products
sector competes with to transportation
issues facing the Maine market and
emerging technologies that may
benefit it.
As the process continues,
related legislative efforts being
advocated by the PLC are also
proceeding including a drive to
establish a 17-member Maine Forest
Resources Council representing every
sector of the Maine forest economy.
The Council would be key to
advocating for and guiding efforts
identified by the EDAT process once
that process is complete.
want to do what is right. We have put together a very
worthy plan that has been a year in the making and now is
the time to execute it.
I look forward to seeing all of you this spring at our
annual safety trainings, our 22nd Annual Meeting on May
5th, at the Loggers Expo in mid-May and most importantly
at the legislative hearings that will require much of our
attention in the coming weeks and months. In the end, they
want to hear from you and not the tall guy in the funny
shoes.
Thanks for all that you do every day to make our
industry the best and stay safe out there.
Dana
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
21
22 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Spring 2017
23
Professional Logging
Contractors of Maine
110 Sewall St.
P.O. Box 1036
Augusta, ME 04332
2017 Meeting Schedule
Professional Logging Contractors of Maine and
Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands
Executive Board and Full Board
April 2017: No Meeting
May 5, 2017: Annual Meeting, Jeff’s Catering, Brewer
June 15, 2017: Executive Board, PLC, Augusta
July 2017: No Meeting
August 17, 2017: Executive Board, HO Bouchard/Comstock, Hampden
September 21, 2017: Full Board, Augusta - TBD
October 2017: No Meeting
November 9, 2017, Executive Board, PLC, Augusta
December 14, 2017: Full Board, Bangor - TBD
This newsletter is printed on FLO Gloss Digital Text paper
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