CSO! Fall 2020 E-Newsletter No images? Click here SEB Spotlight: Contour ConstructionFounded in 2015, Contour Construction is proudly owned by Kimberly Remmereid. Her team is a subcontractor of Hawkins Construction and was responsible for pouring a portion of the concrete on the CSO! Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin project. During the past five years, small and emerging small businesses (SEBs) received nearly $16M in construction contracts and subcontracts, representing nearly 16% of the total construction amount contracted through the City’s CSO! Program over the same period of time. The CSO! public outreach team recently sat down with Kimberly Remmereid, founder and owner of Contour Construction, to learn more about her business and experience working on one of the CSO! Program’s largest projects to date. How did you get into this field? Why did you decide to start your own firm? I got involved in construction over 20 years ago. My husband was in the construction field, and I was involved in staffing and business development. I threw myself into enjoying every aspect of it. I’m a very independent, strong-minded individual, so I started Contour Construction around six years ago so I could lead my own company as a female-owned business. I wanted this company to focus on industrial projects as they relate to concrete and the carpentry field. What are some of the positive experiences you have had as an SEB contractor on this CSO! project? We’ve been treated like part of the team with Hawkins Construction. These are projects that take a lot of strategic planning and preparation, and it’s been a great help to have a company like Hawkins that wants to establish mutually rewarding relationships. It’s been incredible how much we’ve learned and the opportunities we’ve had. What have you learned that's unique to this project? There’s so much planning that goes into placing this concrete. At times, we’ve placed over 200 cubic yards of concrete per hour, which takes a large number of people and pump trucks and organized logistics to make this happen successfully. We’re constantly growing throughout this experience. We’re using it to learn everything we can, and we’ll continue to be even better next time around. What advice would you give to small business owners in this field? Always look for a good partner that can help you succeed and give you their best effort. Good things come when you surround yourself with good partners and good projects. I am a strong believer in standing as a woman in business, and that a person can be very successful if they place themselves in the right mindset with the right individuals, and I feel like we have. I’m very excited for future CSO! opportunities. Current Program Highlights and InitiativesThe CSO! Program's goal is to improve water quality in the Missouri River and Papillion Creek by reducing overflows from combined sewers in Omaha in compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Implementation of the Long Term Control Plan is how we achieve this goal. The following are a few of the most recent, ongoing projects: Cole Creek CSO 204 Sewer Separation, Phase 3 New Green Infrastructure Animation There are many types of green infrastructure all around Omaha that play a key role in capturing and managing wet weather. Check out our latest animation at the bottom of our e-learning page to learn more about what green infrastructure is, where it can be seen in our community and how it contributes to the CSO! Program's goal of reducing bacteria in our river and streams. When the CSO! Long-Term Control Plan was approved in 2010, the City introduced a ratepayer assistance plan to help low-income and fixed-income households. Households are eligible if they receive Low Income Heat and Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) from their utility. For assistance or to apply for Nebraska LIHEAP, call (402) 595-1258. Ask CSO!You have questions, we have answers. Each newsletter, we’ll be answering some of the most frequently asked questions about how Omaha is working to keep our river and streams clean. Q: Is there additional financial assistance available for sewer rates due to the pandemic? A: There is! The 2020 CARES Act increased funding available for utility assistance, which also raised the amount of sewer rate assistance. From January 2020 to August 2020 alone, CSO! Program has helped countless Omaha families with more than $1.1 million dollars of sewer rate assistance. Was this email forwarded to you? If so, be sure to receive the latest updates directly into your inbox by subscribing. |