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May 2006

ATTENTION MEMBERS
June 2nd marks deadline to refine service areas
Sunshine State One Call recently completed uploading its up-to-date county mapping information for all 67 counties in Florida. Since April 2005, members have been participating in a service area verification process as their county information has become available on the server by viewing how their existing service areas fall within the new map data and then either accepting or rejecting the changes.

DEADLINE
June 2, 2006 is the final day members will be able to refine their service area registrations before they are placed into production and used to create locate tickets.

Members are urged to complete this process as soon as possible. To make the process easier, any differences in roadway alignment (data shifts) between the new mapping database and the existing mapping database are highlighted. The new service area you will see includes the existing service area plus where the service area falls within the new mapping data.

This expanded service area could include places where you do not have any underground facilities. You can accept this or reject the changes and further refine the database to delete areas that do not contain your underground facilities. Note: The system does NOT reduce a member's service area.

If you do not complete the verification process by June 2, 2006, the data that will be put into production on SSOCOF's server will include the expanded database, and you will more than likely receive more locate tickets.

Anyone needing additional assistance may contact SSOCOF's Member Services Department online at memberservices@callsunshine.com or calling (800) 651-6720.

Candidates sought for SSOCOF Board May 18

SSOCOF's annual membership meeting and director elections are scheduled for May 18, 2006 with currently 10 open positions. One of those positions is slated for an associate member. If you're interested in running for an open seat on the board of directors, submit a letter on your company's letterhead stating your intentions and your company's willingness to endorse you as a candidate. Submit by email or mail to Mark Sweet, Executive Director, 11 Plantation Rd., DeBary, FL 32713. Nominations will also be taken from the floor. All candidates are required to have the letter listed above.

Letter to use for election.

Information on a director's duties.

Chapter 556 weaves through House and Senate

After weeks of debate in committee and bill drafting, the proposed amendments to the Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act, Chapter, 556, F.S. were approved unanimously by the House and Senate and have been sent to Gov. Bush's office for executive review.

There were several significant changes including extending the life of a ticket to 30 days, eliminating the 5-day start work requirement and an increased ability for local code inspectors and code enforcement officers to enforce Chapter 556. It also is clarified that SSOCOF is not required or permitted to locate or mark any underground facilities.

SSOCOF will produce a summary of all changes in the law to be published on our website and in this newsletter. The law becomes effective October 1, 2006.

To schedule an educational session on these changes, please contact the damage prevention liaison for your area.

IMPORTANT DATES

May 18
Annual Meeting, Committee Meetings and Board Meeting

May 19
Annual Golf Tournament (Click here to register) We're giving away a Harley Davidson

May 29
Memorial Day - Call Center Closed

June 2
Deadline for members to verify their updated service areas

June 16
Executive Committee Meeting

CALENDAR
Keep in touch with what's happening at Sunshine State One Call. Visit our calendar for events, meetings and holiday closings.

LEGAL WAITING TIME
Confused about two full business days?
Click here for an easy-to-understand illustration.

REPORT DAMAGES
The Damage Information Reporting Tool is available for anyone to use to report damages to underground facilities. For more information on how to use DIRT and sharing information with SSOCOF, click here.

Contact us.

8 selected to represent FL in International Locate Rodeo

Eight Florida locators were selected from several entries to represent Florida's locating community at the International Locate Rodeo held in Atlanta, GA in August. Each candidate was challenged to meet eligibility requirements including zero liable damages and zero safety violations for the 90-day period prior to entering along with an essay of their qualifications. The following individuals were selected:

Gas Division

Matthew Sherwood, CLS

James Villarreal, Gulfstream Natural Gas System

Telecom Division

Troy Parsley, CLS

Grady Pate, Kent Technologies

Power Division

Eddie Benetez, CLS

Keith Davis, CLS

Water Division

Paul Donohue, City of Ormond Beach

Russell Maclees, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority

SSOCOF offers help as hurricane season nears

SSOCOF's Member Services Department can help members prepare before and after a hurricane.

Provide accurate contact information
Update all of your contact information so that any SSOCOF member can contact you if they're doing storm recovery near your facilities.

Learn SSOCOF's hurricane procedures
Visit our hurricane web page for SSOCOF's procedures before, during and after a hurricane or major storm.

Declare extraordinary circumstances
Members may declare extraordinary circumstances to be alleviated from the requirement of Chapter 556 to locate underground facilities and, thus, give their crews time to restore vital services to businesses and residents.

Hurricane guides feature 'Call Before You Dig' throughout Florida

SSOCOF has partnered with WESH NBC 2 in Orlando, NBC 6 in Miami, WFLA NBC 8 in Tampa and WPMI NBC 15 in Pensacola to promote "Call Before You Dig" in statewide hurricane guides, websites, news casts and specialty hurricane preparedness segments affiliated with these stations. Some stations will also run our 30-second commercial and other specially-prepared messages throughout newscasts. To the left is one ad to be featured. Look for these messages and advertisements to begin appearing in June and running through November.

SSOCOF offers free educational sessions to professional excavators and homeowners. For more information on free classes and other SSOCOF services, visit www.callsunshine.com.

This email is being sent to you as a result of your enrollment in SSOCOF's email distribution list. Subscribers to this email also receive technical bulletins and meeting announcements. To delete your name from this list, please click here. Be advised that you will not continue to receive information about changes to SSOCOF services and procedures.