The COMANCO Way Pg. 4 SAFETY QUALITY SERVICE

SAFETY QUALITY SERVICE

CONTACT US:4301 Sterling Commerce Dr.

Plant City, FL 33566

(813) 988-8829

SAFETY QUALITY SERVICE The COMANCO Way Pg. 1

TH E WAYyour quarterly newsletter for environmental construction

a Publication of comanco environmental corPoration

1st quarter / 2016

April 4th - 6thSWANA Landfill Gas Symposium

Charleston, SC

April 28th - 30thFPPC Spring Conference

Boca Grande, FL

June 8th - 10thElko Mining Expo

Elko, NV

June 15th - 17thFAWQC Annual Conference

Naples, FL

Come out and meet theCOMANCO Team!

Frank Strnad Sr. - Project ManagerAlexander Russell - Project Engineer

Tammy Klish - QA/QC ManagerEvan Cline - Project Engineer

Robert Dees - LaborerWilliam Gau - Project Manager

Liborio Delgado - LaborerMartin Calderon Jr. - Laborer

Magdaleno Crispin Quiroz - LaborerDaniel Saenz-Gonzalez - Laborer

Charles Moulton - LaborerJoaquin Trejo Martinez - Laborer

Rojelio Zuniga - LaborerEduardo Cervantes - Equipment Operator

Cody Hetrick - LaborerSaul Moran Ortiz - Laborer

Steve Story - Project ManagerMark Milford - IT Support Tech

Ambrosio Tello Balderas - Liner TechJason Goings - Project Engineer

Mark A. Topp, President

EmployEE AnnivErsAriEs:Thank You For Your Continued Service

Thomas Topp – 26 yearsWillie Boswell – 15 years

Mario Moran Ortiz – 15 yearsCarlos Campos-Estrada – 14 yearsCarlos Granados Cruz – 14 years

Cirino Martinez Cortez – 14 yearsJorge Mendez – 14 years

Jeffrey ‘Scotty’ Martone – 14 yearsMartin Calderon-Murillo – 12 years

Frank Gutierrez – 12 yearsFrancisco Rubi Murillo - 12 yearsPablo Gomez-Medina – 12 years

Hever Argueta – 12 yearsJose Manuel Mendez – 12 years

Segundo Alvarez - 12 yearsMaximino Macedo – 9 years

Jose Zenteno – 8 yearsRuben Carreno – 8 years

Bersain Velasquez – 8 yearsObed Velasquez – 8 years

Ronald Wyatt – 8 yearsAntonio Sanchez – 8 years

Carlos Lopez Gomez – 7 yearsKathleen Peterson – 6 years

William Newman Jr. – 6 yearsFrancisco Vargas-Flores – 5 years

Cynthia Reed – 4 yearsChristine Thomas – 3 years

Christopher Sowers Jr. – 2 yearsOscar Ochoa – 2 yearsJose Sanchez – 2 years

Jesus Delgado Jr. – 2 yearsPamela Frazier – 1 yearShawn Essex – 1 year

Alberto Chavez Juarez – 1 yearKip Thompson – 1 yearPatrick Harris – 1 year

Michael Bloodworth – 1 yearMichael Fraley – 1 year

Brian Doane – 1 yearMichael Dillon – 1 year

wProgressive Waste JED Landfill Cell 13 GCL, Liner, Geocomposite Installation

Holopaw, FL

wOrange County Eastern WRF Pond Liner PVC Liner Supply & Installation

Orlando, FL

wRepublic Cedar Trail Perimeter Rd Expansion Earthwork, Pipe Install & Rd Construction

Bartow, FL

wMosaic Riverview Ground Stabilization Liner Liner Installation

Riverview, FL

wRepublic Livingston Landfill Parcel C Closure Liner & Geocomposite Installation

Pontiac, IL

wSimplot South Slope Liner Liner Installation

Pocatello, ID

wAES Puerto Rico Lined Staging Area, Phase I GCL, Liner & Geocomposite Supply & Install

Guayama, Puerto Rico

wMosaic Uncle Sam Lined Expansion Area Geocomposite, Liner Supply & Install

Convent, LA

wRepublic Washington Co. Landfill Phase 4B GCL, Liner & Geocomposite Install

East Carbon, UT

wMosaic South Pierce Area 6 HDPE Liner Supply & Installation

Fort Meade, FL

wRepublic Apex Landfill Evaporation Pond Liner Installation

Las Vegas, NV

wFort Hood Alert Refuel Liner Containment XRM-5 Liner Supply & Installation

Fort Hood, TX

wRepublic Roosevelt Co. Landfill Ash LF Stage M GCL, Liner & Geotextile Installation

Roosevelt, WA

Log on to www.comanco.com or search ‘COMANCO’ on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube & more.

Visit our new COMANCO Blog at www.comanco.com/blog

What’s in a Name?What image do you think about when you see the names

Apple® or Walmart®? Does the Apple logo make you think of high standards or the latest technology? When you see Walmart, do you think ‘name brands at a low price’?

When you hear the name COMANCO, what comes to mind? When you see our name or logo on a truck or trailer, does ‘Safety’ come to mind? Do you think about ‘Quality’ or Customer ‘Service’?

The name COMANCO is an acronym originally formed from COnstruction MANagement COmpany. In the military, the word Company represents a strong, well-disciplined, cohesive unit ready to deploy and succeed; whatever the mission. Today, the name COMANCO represents much more as the products and services we offer have expanded. We are in the containment construction business, and we are the best in the field at managing and constructing both large and small projects at maximum efficiency.

When our customers and the public see the COMANCO name on our equipment, trucks and apparel, it should invoke a positive feeling. They know they can depend on COMANCO to deliver the highest quality work for their project, done safely and know they will be treated as each of us would like to be treated.

Creating a name is easy, but building a good reputation and name recognition as the industry leader requires constant work and effort by everyone. Think about how COMANCO is perceived by our customers and the general public and then ask yourself, “Am I proud to associate my name with the COMANCO brand?”

Thank you all for representing COMANCO in a first-class, professional manner, making the COMANCO name synonymous with Safety, Quality and Service.

COMANCO Progressing with Class I, Phase VDisposal Facility in Polk County, FL

In October 2015, COMANCO was awarded the North Central Landfill, Class I, Phase V Expansion project located in Polk County, FL. The project includes the construction of a 28+ acre landfill cell with a double liner system, leachate collection and removal systems, sub base, earthwork, pumping stations, piping, roadways, stormwater manage-ment and paving on the site of the North Central Landfill (NCLF).

The project began with clearing and grubbing

Followed by excavation

The construction of a stormwater holding pond

Followed by earthwork and dewatering for the new landfill

cell expansion

Currently, the crew is placing the underdrain system under the liner

subgrade

The construction of a basin which acts as a filter

Followed by the construction of cell #2, the construction ditch

The crew is led by Superintendent Bill Newman, Project Engineer Greg Pignataro and Project Manager Dan McRae.

The COMANCO Way Pg. 2 SAFETY QUALITY SERVICE SAFETY QUALITY SERVICE The COMANCO Way Pg. 3

COMANCO Fleet Department

When Are We Going To Windows 10???More and more the IT Department is being asked, “When are

we upgrading to Windows 10?”

Upgrading your home computer to a new operating system is challenging, doing the same thing here at COMANCO presents an even greater challenge. The short answer is, we will upgrade to Windows 10 when we are ready.

There is a lot to consider when upgrading an operating system:

• Is your machine’s hardware capable of running the new operating system? Sometimes the new OS needs more resources than your system has.

• Is your software compatible with the new operating system? If your most important software doesn’t run, don’t upgrade!

• Do you know how to use the new operating system? The learning curve can be difficult to overcome.

At COMANCO, several pieces of software are not Windows 10 ready. These vendors are busy readying their software, and when they release new versions, we will move closer to upgrading.

Lastly, Windows 7 is functional and supported until Jan 14, 2020. It would be a waste of money to throw out a perfectly good operating system only to spend money and time training on the newer version with virtually no return on investment.

Ever wonder what the word ‘Fleet’ really means? By some definitions, it could be the largest group of naval vessels under one commander, organized for specific tactical or other purposes. Another definition could be swift in motion, quick, fast, or rapid. While still another would explain it as a group operated under unified control or operating as a unit, a group of vehicles that move together and are owned by one company.

COMANCO Fleet may best be described as vehicles and people having a shared origin, a purpose of operation that is swift in motion. Things move at a fast pace to keep the job sites up and running with the most up-to-date equipment that allows for the finest service and production for our customers.

First Quarter 2016 has been very busy. In addition to Fleet’s daily tasks of keeping the equipment in excellent condition, we provide training to keep our people up to date with skills to work on the equipment. There was a Stihl class for small engines such as chainsaws and pressure washers and a McElroy class for working on fusion machines. This training keeps them abreast of the newest technology that is ever evolving in this industry.

Why is it important to save for retirement?Can we predict what’s going to happen in the future? Is

there a formula that tells us how long we will live and what our financial needs will be after retirement?

Unfortunately, we cannot predict the future. By saving now for your golden years, you can ensure you will have enough money to live after retirement and can no longer work.

Retirement plans are not the same for everyone. What you can predict is basic living expenses such as mortgage or rent, home maintenance, car payments, insurance, medical care and day-to-day living expenses. The performance and management of your retirement plan should be based on your current age, present and future living expenses and the lifestyle you want when you retire.

The employer-sponsored retirement plan is your best opportunity to start your savings. It offers automatic withdrawals, pre-tax dollars weekly, from your paycheck and sends the money directly to the qualified retirement plan. When you contribute to a retirement plan from your gross income you are lowering the amount of taxable income. Also, COMANCO matches a portion of the contributions you make to the plan. At COMANCO, everyone is automatically enrolled after six months of service and age 21 with up to a 3% contribution. COMANCO matches 25% up to 6% salary deferral plus another 15% on any amount deferred over 6%. Best of all, the company contribution is weekly so you can watch your money grow.

Nathalia Plante, HR & Benefits Administrator

“It’s like paying yourself a bonus from the company,” says President Mark Topp.

When you are ready to start, we recommend a target of 10 to 15 percent of your annual income to begin your savings plan. VOYA, our qualified sponsored retirement plan provider, offers the ‘retirement calculation tool’to establish the best savings plan adjusted to you. At the very least, you should take advantage of COMANCO’s contribution to the plan. Remember, you can always increase your contributions when times are good and cut back when money is tight.

At COMANCO, you have your basis covered by a group of professionals that are here to help you understand the retirement plan process. Now it’s your turn to make a move!

Doesn’t this sound great?

Matt DiTarando, IT Manager

In February, COMANCO employees attended several Open Enrollment meetings: Nathalia Plante, HR & Benefits Administrator, in partnership with representatives from Stahl & Associates Insurance met with employees at the jobs sites and the corporate office!

The meetings proved to be beneficial to the employees in gaining an understanding about the benefits COMANCO offers. The employees eagerly asked questions about the details of the insurance plans, life and disability insurance and 401(k).

The HR Department would like to extend a HUGE ‘THANK YOU’ to the Project Mangers, Project Engineers, Superintendents and Foreman for their support with this endeavor! Because of your constant support, the HR team was able to reach out to all active employees, giving each of them an opportunity to learn about the benefit options COMANCO offers and make any necessary changes to their benefit plans.

Benefits Open Enrollment 2016 – Big Success!!!

Fleet has also added 22 lightweight torpedoes. The weight of the torpedoes dropped from 108lbs to 58lbs making them easier to lift and handle, which makes a difference to the guys working in the field. Fleet is currently working to lighten the weight of our spreader bars for the same benefit.

Fleet would like to leave you with a Helpful Hint as we close out the 1st Quarter of 2016: When unplugging cords from machines, please hold onto the base and not the cord, so you do not damage the plug.

COMANCO HR Department

COMANCO Environmental recently began the liner installation for a 5-layer system comprised of secondary geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), secondary 60mil textured geomembrane, a secondary Geocomposite drainage layer, primary liner and primaryGeocomposite. This system is for a newly constructed, solid waste landfill cell in Central Florida.

Once the project is completed, the crew will have installed approximately 1,563,000sf of 60-mil textured HDPE liner, 777,700sf of GCL, and 1,531,500sf of 200-mil Geocomposite for the new landfill cell expansion.

COMANCO Begins Geosynthetic Installation for Landfill Cell Expansion in Central Florida

At COMANCO, safety trumps most things when working on a project. We cherish safety because we know accidents happen, and it is vital we take care of our employees and clients. In fact, safety is so important to COMANCO that we offer bonuses that are awarded where exceptional care to safety is shown.

As hard proof of our importance to safety, our experience modification rate continues to lower every year. COMANCO has been able to prioritize safety to achieve an experience modification rate of 0.56. COMANCO is proud of all of our employees for their work ethic, attention to detail, and responsibility to safety.

COMANCO Safety Tied toExperience Modification Rate

COMANCO Safety Department

Everyone has been working hard and safe to complete the project on time. The 20-man crew is led by Superintendent Tony Sanchez, Project Engineer Marcus Gress and Project Manager Bill Gau.

When it comes to geosynthetic liner installation, no one does it better than COMANCO.

Central Florida

Solid WasteLandfill