IN THIS ISSUE

** CECO Opposes Sales Tax on A/E/LS Services
** Official Notice of CECO Annual Meeting
** Nominating Committee Report
** CECO Convention with Missouri/Arkansas In Just 3 Weeks

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CECO OPPOSES SALES TAX ON A/E/LS SERVICES

YOUR PROFESSION AND BUSINESS IS UNDER ATTACK AT THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE. IF YOU DON'T ACT, YOUR BUSINESS IS IN JEOPARDY!!!!!

Sales Tax on Professional Services, including engineering, architecture and land surveying, has been recommended to the Oklahoma Legislature.

CECO STRONGLY OPPOSES SALES TAX ON ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND LAND SURVEYING SERVICES!!!!!

CECO has submitted a White Paper to the Oklahoma Legislature outlining CECO's OPPOSITION to the imposition of the State Sales Tax on Engineering, Architectural, and Land Surveying services. A copy of the CECO White Paper has been sent to member firms and is also available on the CECO Website.

The Legislator and Citizen Task Force on Tax Reform, a special task force appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President Pro-Tem of the Senate, presented their report to the Legislature in mid-April. To date, the report has not been put into bill form, so we can't provide you with a bill number. But, if you just refer to the "Legislator and Citizen Task Force on Tax Reform Report", all members of the Legislature will know what you're talking about.

The Task Force report addresses numerous tax issues: Personal and Corporate Income Tax, Estate Taxes, Franchise Taxes, and the imposition of the State Sales Tax on many professional services, including Engineering, Architecture and Land Surveying.

CECO only addressed the professional service tax on Engineering, Architecture, and Land Surveying services, and did not address the other tax issues or other professional services.

For your profession, THIS IS A SINGLE SUBJECT ISSUE - Sales Tax on Engineering, Architecture and Land Surveying services!!!!! While the imposition of the sales tax on any of the myriad of professional services seems to be bad public policy all the way around, we must, first and foremost, keep in focus our opposition to imposing the sales tax on our services.

Time is growing short with the end of the Legislative Session set for Friday, May 24th. There is talk of a special session to address this issue specifically, but we can't wait!!!!! We must start now if we are going to have any chance to prevent sales tax on our services.

ALL CECO MEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF are asked to call your Senator and Representative TODAY urging their opposition to any effort to impose the State Sales Tax on Engineering, Architectural and/or Land Surveying Services!!!!!

To find your Senator, go to the Oklahoma State Senate Website: http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/senate/welcome.html

To find your Representative, go to the Oklahoma House of Representatives Website: http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/house/ohorpage.htm

If you would like to see the Task Force Report, it is available on the Governor's Website: http://www.governor.state.ok.us/

This may be the biggest legislative issue and threat CECO members have faced in many years! The health and welfare of your business is on the line.

Don't delay. Call and write your Senator and Representative TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have any questions, please give CECO a call.

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OFFICIAL NOTICE OF CECO ANNUAL MEETING

As required by the CECO By-Laws, this shall serve as official notice of the Annual Meeting of the Council, scheduled for 9:00am, Friday, May 31, 2002. The meeting will be held at the Chateau on the Lake, Branson, MO.

The 2002-2003 CECO Annual Budget will be presented for consideration and approval, annual reports will be presented, and election of officers for the 2002-2003 year will be conducted.

All members are urged to attend.

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NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT

The CECO Nominating Committee presented its report at the April CECO Meeting. The slate of officers for the 2002-03 year are:

President-Elect
Mike Homan, Terracon, Tulsa

Vice President ­ Membership
Don Vick, JGVE, Inc, Oklahoma City

Treasurer
Jerry Farrar, CH2M Hill, Tulsa

Vice President - Business Practice
Jim Stewart, PSA Consulting Engineers, Oklahoma City

Vice President - Education/P.R.
Jim Fisher, TranSystems Corporation Consultants, Tulsa

Chuck Darr will automatically assume the Presidency at the Annual Meeting, Mike Arand will become Immediate Past President, and Tony Dark will continue as ACEC National Director.

The election of officers will take place during the Annual Meeting of the Council, May 31st. Members not attending the Convention may vote by mail ballot. If you desire to vote, please mail a letter to CECO expressing your vote no later than Tuesday, May 28th.

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CECO CONVENTION WITH MISSOURI/ARKANSAS IN JUST 3 WEEKS

We are making final preparations for the CEC Midwest Meeting at the Chateau on the Lake, Branson, MO, May 30-June 1, 2002. We have an exciting weekend planned and here is a preview of what we are doing:

Thursday, May 30
3:30 p.m. Registration
6:00 p.m. Opening Reception
Co-Sponsored by ACEC Business Insurance Center & ACEC Retirement
Trust / Prudential Retirement Services

Friday, May 31
8:00 a.m. Breakfast / Roundtables
9:00 a.m. CEC Board Meetings
11:30 a.m. Golf Tournament
Sponsored by The Insurance Exchange; Ramsey Krug, Farrell &
Lensing; & Van Gilder Agency
1:00 p.m. "Professional Liability in the Construction Process" Seminar
5:30 p.m. Ozark Country Dinner Buffet
Sponsored by ACEC Life/Health Insurance Trust

Saturday, June 1
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. "Mentoring and Coaching Your Project Team" Seminar
6:00 p.m. Reception
Hosted by Lockton Companies; & CNA/Schinnerer
7:00 p.m. Multi-State Installation Banquet

Promising something for just about everyone, this event will be the opportunity for you to get away from your business and network with your peers from ACEC/Arkansas and CEC/Missouri.

You will be able to pick up some PDH's, learn some new business practice techniques and relax with your family on a spring weekend in Branson.

We are going to dress Business Casual - so leave your high heels, suits, and ties in your suitcases until the Annual Installation of Officers Banquet.

If you would like more information, please see our website, http://www.cecok.org.

See you in Branson!!

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