Emcon Services Inc. Unit 105—1121 McFarlane Way 20th

We are celebrating 20 years in this fun and challenging business as Emcon Services Inc.

A wise man said that the right of complaining can only go to those that try, the right of rejoicing can go only to those who try and succeed.

Hats off to ALL! As we rejoice as a group, for it is as a group that we have succeeded, and it is to you and your efforts that we share in this toast.

Thanks to all for your past effort and your future successes.

To be in an industry such as ours is a challenge every day of the year and the key to this success lies in many areas, but one of the key aspects of any successful company is it’s employees. Together we have weathered 20 years in this industry and together we will continue the challenges that we face every day. This year the employees re-ceived company jackets in appreciation of their efforts toward continued success. Employees receiving jackets:

We’re on the Web! www.emconservices.org

Road & Bridge Maintenance Contractor

Corporate Office Unit 105—1121 McFarlane Way

Merritt, BC V1K 1B9

Phone: 250-378-4176 Fax: 250-378-4106

Emcon Services Inc.

Truck Rodeo participant Vernon, BC

Sugar Lake project Vernon, BC

Bridge Work on the Sunshine Coast

Salt Shed Prep

Frank Rizzardo, Reg Dyer, Eric Hedstrom & Greg Ehman The Island Girls, Tara Robbins, Gay Ann

Mackay, Debbie Inman & Leah Hurrell.

Dave Boughton shows off his jacket and Dennis Sarabia (right) receives his jacket from Ken Lawson.

Frank Rizzardo and Charlie Baxter, pictured below, are only two of the pioneers that elected to re-group as a viable private enterprise, to welcome the challenge of making the program work cost ef-fectively.

The Coquihalla and Trans-Canada Highways, as well as secondary and access route mainte-nance are high profile aspects of Emcon's ac-tivities, however, the contracts comprise only 85% of our activities. Bringing into the company years of experi-ence, the Emcon team successfully competes in the free enterprise market...from the smallest task to building bridges...qualified experts and a large resource pool of equipment enable us to offer the highest calibre of service.

Our extensive territory and bulk purchase of inventory allow us to pass savings on to our customers. Emcon welcomes the challenges of the future.

Ceremonies to transfer Round and Bridge Maintenance services to the Private Sector took place in the Ni-cola District on November 8, 1988. Pictured left to right are: Frank Rizzardo, General Manager, Emcon Services Inc.; Keith Bespflug, Regional Director Highways Kam-loops; Charlie Baxter, Mechanical Superintendent, Emcon Services Inc. and Jim Rabbitt, MLA Yale Lillooet.

In the beginning...

Emcon Services Inc.

November 8, 1988 to November 8, 2008 20th Anniversary Newsletter

Campbell River Bridge

July 1st Parade

Midway Yard Opening

Jolly Jack Bridge

Dinner Time!

Celebrating Company & Employee Achievement

When Emcon Services employees formed the company to bid on the privatization of the maintenance services for the Ministry of Transportation and Highways in November, 1988 our vision was for the future … and here we are today, 20 years later, still a viable company. Our first contract in 1988 included the Co-quihalla Highway and was a successful challenge for our group. In 1991 we re-bid the Nicola Contract area and were suc-cessful. We were also successful in biding the Kootenay Boundary Contract Area and the Okanagan Shuswap area as well. The men and women, who elected to re-group as a viable private enterprise, wel-comed the challenge of making the pro-gram work cost effectively. The Coquihalla and Trans-Canada High-ways, as well as secondary and access route maintenance were high profile as-pects of Emcon's activities, however, the contracts comprised only 85% of the activi-ties. Bringing into the company years of experi-ence, the Emcon team successfully competed in the free enterprise market...from the smallest task to building bridges...qualified experts and a large resource pool of equipment enabled us to offer the highest calibre of service. The extensive territory and bulk purchasing of inventory allowed us to pass savings on to the customers. Over the years we have successfully ten-dered and completed Bridge Projects on St. Mary's Bridge, Tennis Court Bridge, Courtenay Bridge, Van Horlick Bridge, Cooper Bridge, Sunshine Valley Bridge, McRae Creek Bridge, Pope and Talbot (4 Bridges Total), Fiva Creek Stoney Creek Road, Kelly Creek Bridge and Campbell River Bridges. In the early years we did many subdivi-sions in the Merritt area. Some of those are Fairway Estates, Pineridge, Sunflower

Drive, Banner Street, MacFarlane Indus-trial Park and McLean Place. We also completed many construction projects throughout the Province includ-ing Esquimalt Trunk Sewer Project, Mis-sion Creek Enhancement Project, Oyama Water Line Upgrade, Village of Cache Creek, Westcoast Energy, Lytton First Nations Stein River Water Intake, Mer-ritt Plateau Walls, 45th St. Reconstruc-tion, Sechelt Wilson and Duck Lake For-est Service Roads, Shuswap Lake Bank Protection and Mara Lake Rock Bluff & Lakeshore Protection. The Kootenay Boundary Contract Area 9 has remained the constant for the com-pany. We first bid the contract area in 1991 and we are still maintaining that area today and into 2013, when we will strive to remain the successful proponent. Other areas that we have bid and main-tained over the years follow: Nicola Area 14— 1988 to 1996; Okanagan Shuswap Area 13, 1991 to 2004; Sunshine Coast Area 5—1996 to 2004 Stikine Area 28—1998 to 2004 We also managed the East Kootenays Area 11 from 1998 - 2001 and pro-vided maintenance services to the Dis-trict of Lake Country and Okanagan Landing for a number of years. Today we are halfway through 10 years contracts in Area 2, Mid Island and Area 3, North Island and Kootenay Boundary, Area 9 until 2013. Our vision has not changed we continue to strive towards being an efficiently oper-ated (lean), financially successful company, competitive within its industry. We, as a company, look forward to the future and the challenges it will surely bring with it.

From Projects to Celebrations it’s a Team Effort

“The Early Years”

20th Anniversary Newsletter Page 2

Bronze Medal Winners Emcon Services Inc.

Mixed Softball Team, Merritt

Frank & Almerina Rizzardo Emcon Services Inc.

Christmas Dinner

November 8, 1988 to November 8, 2008 Page 11

Since inception Emcon has supported higher educa-tion within the school system in the areas that we operate. Over the years we have given out tens of thousands of dollars to students that are either sons or daughters, grand-sons or granddaughters of employees. In the case where there are no relatives gradua-tion the bursaries are then provided to deserving students continuing their education.

“Since inception Emcon has supported higher education within the

school system”

Bursaries...Investing in the Future


Joe Mottishaw in the early years presenting a bursary

to Shari-Lee Weaver

Joe Wrobel presenting a bursary to Beverly

Dew, daughter of em-ployee Dave Dew

In 2004 Frank Kavanagh presents his daughter Erin with the Emcon Bursary.

Oliver Watson, Road Supt. for Cherryville / Lumby presents Nicole White , daughter of employee Steve White, with an Emcon Bursary in 2002.

Holly Borisenkoff presents bursaries to Lindsay Doucette (left) and Courtney Mottishaw (right) at the Grand Forks Secondary School Graduation Ceremo-nies.

Pictured below are Geoff Battimelli, Island Division Manager, with his daughter Tessa at their graduation cere-monies in 2007.

Joe Mottishaw and Holly Borisenkoff Take part in the Annual Relay for Life in Grand Forks.

Port Hardy Food Bank do-nation - Pictured here are Darby Gildersleeve (right) and representatives from the Harvest Food Bank.


The management and employees of Emcon have al-ways been very generous to the outside community. Whether it be that our employees take part in various fund raising events by participating in such venues as The Annual Toy Run, Golf Tourneys , Jacket Drives, and the Relay for Life to support Cancer Research. Each year the divisions make sure that those that are less fortunate than themselves are provided for. Food Banks in local communities are presented with hampers, cheques and good will from management and employees.

Community and Giving Back


The Golfers—Charlie Baxter, Frank Rizzardo,

Jim Kitchin (CWB) & Murray Yurkowski at a

fund raising golf tourney in support of the Royal Inland Hospital Founda-

tion in Kamloops, BC

Below Claire Ollenberger (left) and Dennis Sarabia (right) present contributions to the Grand Forks Food Bank.

Wade Wheaton presents a cheque and food hamper on behalf of the Grand Forks

employee to Dave Boughton, a Food Bank Representative.

Dan McClellan (right) delivers ham-pers to the Coast Realty Hamper Drive on behalf of Emcon and its employees.

Emcon participated in Vernon’s Parade of the

Century—Vernon’s 100th Birthday

Grand Forks crews provided a float for the Grand Forks

Figure Skating Club.

We have received many letters of compliment from the public in many of the areas we have operated in. A small sample of the types of services that have been provided to the communities. Rotary International in Grand Forks sends “Thanks” for the donation of a Fire Extinguisher to their Project Save-A-Life. Thanks from George the Bus Driver and all the kids in Beaverdell for keeping the roads safe for their commute to school. Phoenix Mountain Alpine Ski Society Ski Patrol appreciated the donation of a culvert to be used as a shelter for the first aid toboggans. Thanks were sent to the Cumberland Shop from the Back Country Horsemen Society of BC for assisting them with their Trailer Safety Clinic in 2004.

Charity Event—Darren Wasiliew has his head shaved by Gay Ann Mac-Kay of the Island Division as a fundraiser for employee Graham Jones’ son Brian who needs treatment for a brain tumor.

Thirteen years ago today, Highway contractors went their own way.

A small employee group was formed, And on that day Emcon was born.

Through long and endless days of toil,

Offices were set up and there were shop full of oil. Work began with no time to waster,

We plowed the roads with all due haste.

In October ‘91 Area 9 was achieved, It was won through hard work and because we believed.

We have the Paulson and lots of snow up there, But after 10 years there’s nothing we can’t bear.

One short month later we won Area 13,

With more flooding water than any had seen. But there’s also the sun and the grass to mow,

It’s a great area to run, just ask Joe.

In ‘96 we got Area 5 by the deep blue sea, Where we can touch the roads but never the trees.

The culverts get plugged, the alders grow high, But it’s a great little area, no one can deny.

In 1998 we attained Area 28,

With no lack of snow and the potholes we hate. But the great white north is where Doug McKee went,

And we all know he’s happy in his element.

The years have passed , Our fleet very large,

We own almost everything, Except a barge.

Through contract talks, And a couple of strikes,

Emcon has always preserved, And things come out looking bright.

In a couple of years,

Talks will MOT will begin, And minus wings & legs,

Out of retirement will come the chicken pen.

And we will carry on again…..

Our Thirteenth Anniversary Poem (written by Tracy Zackall)


13 Years The Anniversary Cake

Tracy Zakall

Pictured below is Doug

McKee, the Road Sup’t at that time. Doug is looking over the possi-ble site for the new yard in Lytton.

When Emcon was successful with the Maintenance Con-tract in 1988 we took over the existing yardsites and some of the buildings were very old and needed up-dating. In the lease agree-ments that BCBC had with the Ministry the lessor was responsible for any lease-hold improvements. That meant putting our dollars into their buildings with no monetary return at the end of the contract term. So we thought we should try our hand at purchasing a parcel of land that had the

correct zoning and the loca-tion that was required to ser-vice the contract area. We were the first road and bridge maintenance contrac-tors to provide our own maintenance yardsite and Lytton was our pilot project . First we purchased the land and then proceeded to put up a shop that mirrored the newer Ministry yard layout. Lytton was a successful pro-ject so that became our phi-losophy to become a stable, yet cost conscious contractor.

temperature inversions and wildlife crossings, all contributed to keeping users prepared and alert.

In 1991 the Ministry completed the portion of the highway be-tween Merritt and Kam-loops and appropri-ately named it “The C o n n e c t o r ” o r “Highway 97C”. This was then incorporated into our Contract Area and we were required to have an assembly point there to maintain the highway. Another

yard building opportu-nity came our way. We negotiated a lease for some land that was a good location for re-sponse times and pro-ceeded to put up a yard. Maintaining the Connec-tor was not without it’s great chal lenges—blowing snow and fog banks impairing visibility,

Elkhart Yard

Stability—Lytton , the first step

“..that became our philosophy to become a

stable, yet cost conscious contractor.”


Ground Breaking for the Sicamous Yard

Midway Opening Celebration

September 1989 “Yale-Lillooett MLA Jim Rab-bit used a blowtorch to “snip” the surveyor’s tape at the offi-

cial opening of Emcon Services’ Lytton Maintenance facility.

Shown left to right are foreman Doug McKee, mechanic Morris

Green, Mr. Rabbitt, manager Frank Rizzardo and Lytton

Mayor Joe Chute.”

“Our goals have not changed over the years, we are always looking for the piece of equipment that will

provide the best end product. “

Equipment continued...


Our goals have not changed over the years, we are always looking for the piece of equipment that will provide the best end product. In Area 3 we recently purchased a Snow Cat for maintenance on Mt. Washington.

Underbridge Inspection Truck

Cleaning and Sweeping Pavement sur-faces to standard is always a challenge. To accomplish these tasks our first brooms were the Sweeprite 4400—self-propelled mechanical.

Loaded Lowbed

The Johnston Hydro-Vac was the origi-nal hydro vac we used. The MB Truck Broom, Pull Brooms and the Sweeprite 3300, along with the Rosco/Waldron side discharge were incorporated into the fleet as well.

Sweeprite 3300 & Rosco RA 200

New Asphalt roller for Port Alberni crew

“Bringing more diverse

activities in house”.

Emcon Services has been a leader in equipment innovation in our industry since 1988. For example we were the first to use the wobbly wheel at-tachment on graders, truck mounted wings for freeways, light weight plows and sander bodies, just to name a few. Pictured below is the RC Flagman, this unit is utilized for Traffic Control. The first grader purchased was a Cat

140G and gradually the Cat Grader came to be the standard for Grader purchases in the company. The most recent purchase a 140M with its joy-stick controls was aimed at the new the class of employee brought up in the computer age.

Equipment through the years

“Emcon Services has been a leader in equipment

innovation….”


Below Ted Williams, Island Division, gets the first opportunity to try out the Cat 140M—right the 140M at work.

Above we have the wobbly wheel at-tachment in use and the Wirtgen Grinder at work doing milling and pavement activities. We also have the Bobcat Grinder with the Adjustable Cutting Head (pictured below) and the pavement heater.

Frank Rizzardo trying out new equipment in 1989

Pictured below is the Shouldering Trailer

Equipment on its own is a lost investment—with Quality Employees it works!

And so this became the norm for our company. Anywhere that we could we invested in land and buildings in order to pro-vide the company with a base to work from. Over the years we have built many yards, from Atlin in Dease Lake Area 28 to Sechelt Area 5 and onto Vancouver Island. Just a few of these are pictured here.

The Armstrong Yardsite, completed in 2001, was

the most expensive venture overall. Pictured above are Debbie Taylor and Bill Housemen cutting the Grand Opening Cake.

“Anywhere that we could we invested in land and

buildings in order to provide the company with

a base to work from”

Other Yards...


Tappen in Area 13

Cumberland in Area 3 Built in 2003

Birchbank in Area 9

Sechelt in Area 5

Castlegar in Area 9 The salt shed erected here was one of the first in put

up by Emcon.

Midway Opening in Area 9

Atlin Yardsite 2002

Above is the front entrance of the completed building.

Throughout the years Emcon has tried many ventures. Some successful, some not so successful. Our bridge crews have been very successful with outside work on bridges. As we have very knowl-edgeable bridgeworkers we have been able to successfully bid on various bridge projects through-out the province. A sampling of some of the bridge projects are pic-tured here.

Projects & Partnering


McNaughton Bridge Island Division

Sugar Lake Bridge, Vernon, BC

Above and below Jolly Jack Bridge , Area 9

Pictured above are “the Crew” at The Kennedy Lake Binwall Project in

Parksville

Crews from the Island and the Kootenays worked to-gether on the Thelwood Bridge a non-typical install of a Bailey Bridge.

Thelwood Bridge Project

Atwood Bridge

Pearson Bridge (below) is a replacement of wooden structure with a new concrete bridge on Jingle Pot Road in Nanaimo.

Byng Bridge is Port Hardy was another successful Partnering Project between MoT and Emcon. The project entailed replacing some existing wooden pilings and all caps.

Jolly Jack Bridge, origi-nally a timber stringer structure, needed re-placement. The Grand Forks Bridge Crew ne-gotiated with MoT and agreed upon a newly constructed 14m rein-forced concrete box beam structure on pre-cast footings. The pro-ject was completed suc-cessfully and in a timely manner.

It has always been the company philosophy to provide some type of rec-reation and / or social gatherings. In the early years we had a Fish Derby / Campout at a local lake. Campouts and BBQ’s at lakes throughout our ar-eas in the summer time were the norm and those that wished to travel the distance could attend from all areas.

Fish Fry’s in Sechelt, Golf Tourney’s at Christina Lake, and Fish Derbies in Dease Lake to name a few. Social time is important and provides some relax time and networking op-portunities, as well as cre-ating a camaraderie within the ranks.

Social Gatherings


Do you know this little person with the Big Fish?

Above Dease Lake Fish Derby—The Cooks! Doug McKee, Mike Danielson & Wayne James

Dinner after the Golf Tourney in Grand Forks.

Relax & Hang Loose

The Dease Lake Crew per-form a skit at a gathering

Area 9’s 13th Annual Golf

Tourney held on August 20, 2005

Harrison Dancers 2004

Below—Jamie and Madison Ehman are enjoying the good eats at the Island Division Picnic.

Port Hardy Crew gets together for a retirement Barbeque for Lance McGill. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Sodas were enjoyed by all.

Marg and Robin Dell at a Company Gathering

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.”

Documents

Emcon Services Inc. Unit 105—1121 McFarlane Way 20th