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ACEC Bookstore Has All Your HR Needs Be sure your human resources department is in the know. For all your HR needs, see the ACEC Bookstore at www.acec.org/publications or click here today! Fair, Square & Legal: Safe Hiring, Managing & Firing Practices to Keep You & Your Company Out of Court, 4th Edition Donald H. Weiss $35 This a classic guide to maintaining a legally sound, ethically strong workplace. Click here to order. How to Develop Essential HR Policies and Procedures John H. McConnell $49.95 An expert's guide to handling one of HR's toughest and most important tasks. Click here to order. A/E Job Descriptions $195 Do you struggle to come up with job descriptions for your staff? Save yourself time and aggravation with your copy of A/E Job Descriptions. Click here to order. The Hiring and Firing Question and Answer Book Paul Falcone $18.95 Fast answers to the most pressing questions about how to safely and effectively hire and fire employees. Click here to order. Don't forget to visit our "On Sale" section—great sales on ACEC books through October 31! Where do engineers go to find their next jobs? ACEC's A/E Job Board www.acec.org/jobbank/ Are your job openings posted there? Still Time To Register For 2005 Business Of Design Consulting October 26-29           Dallas, TX Join us at the Fairmont Dallas Hotel for ACEC's flagship business management program the Business of Design Consulting. This exceptional business management and leadership program shows participants how to consider new innovations, develop action plans, and apply what they learn at their own firms. The seminar includes hands-on activities, extensive discussion and interactive workshops to help you get the most from this learning experience. Early Bird Fees: Members $1,395/Non-members $1,595 After October 17: Members $1,595/Non-members $1,795 Click here for more information and to register. Just Announced: 2006 North American A/E Leadership Retreat December 7-9    San Diego, CA Co-Sponsored by ACEC and AIA, this "focus-on-the-future for A/E executives" retreat will feature engaging ideas from leading A/E/C industry futurists. Discussions will focus on preparation for changes that facility and infrastructure practitioners will face, such as global economic shifts and environmental fluctuations. This highly-charged two-and-a-half day summit will prepare participants to handle the next one-, three- and 10-year cycles. Early Bird Fees: Members $895/Non-members $1,095 After November 10: Members $995/Non-members $1,195 Click here for more information and to register. Upcoming Online Seminars October 18 Differentiation Workshop: How Are You Different and Why Does it Matter? Mike Reilly, Reilly Communications Click here to register. October 19 Capitalizing on Your Ideas and Innovations David Gallimore, VentureQuest Click here to register. October 25 Getting Outside the Box: Alternative Stock Plans and Equity Compensation Colvin Matheson, CFA, Matheson Financial Advisors, Inc. Click here to register.

Register Today For The Annual Structural Engineering Convocation: The Radius of Risk How important is risk management to your firm? With the proper risk management program you cannot only reduce the chances of being sued, but also can take on potentially risky projects that can yield a tidy profit if handled correctly. Attend the CASE Risk Management Program Convocation, The Radius of Risk, Best Practices for Engineers and Project Managers, to be held November 4-5 in Dallas. Registration is $189. Topics covered include: How to negotiate onerous provisions out of your contract with the owner; The steps to take before signing a contract for a potentially risky, but profitable project; What contract language can be a dealmaker and what can be a deal breaker. For program information and to register go to www.acec.org/case.

Supreme Court Wetlands Cases Of Interest To ACEC Members, Private Clients The U.S. Supreme Court announced this week that it will render decisions on two wetlands cases that could significantly alter the extent to which the federal government can regulate the nation's wetlands. ACEC client groups, including home builders and other developers, have argued for many years that federal agencies have overreached in their regulation of activities in and around wetlands. While the 1972 Clean Water Act gives federal agencies the authority to protect "waters of the United States", that authority has been extended to include adjacent wetlands; much uncertainty and dispute has arisen over the proper definition of "adjacent." A 2001 Court decision introduced the concept that a "significant nexus" must exist between a wetland and a body of water, but continued uncertainty remains. The Supreme Court agreed to hear two Michigan cases in which the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals applied a broad interpretation of the Corps' jurisdictional authority. Both cases involve questions over the extent to which impacted wetlands are adjacent to larger bodies of water. ACEC has been supportive of past efforts in Congress to address this issue. Congress attempted to weigh into the wetlands debate during the last major effort to reauthorize and update the Clean Water Act in the mid 1990s. While legislation passed in the House to create a more certain and definable process for identifying and regulating wetlands, it met heavy opposition from the environmental community and their supporters in the Senate. Since then, most of the action has taken place in the courts. The case will be argued in early 2006 and a decision is expected by next July. ACEC is currently evaluating its next steps to support industry and client interests related to these cases.

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