1. Michigan Damage Prevention Board Meetings
A Year in Review
Michigan Damage Prevention Board Meetings

2. May 2016 – May 2017 MDPB hosted a total of 9 meetings
There were a total of 56 different attendees and 27 different companies present at these meetings

3. Election of Officers Bob Darket received the Safe Digging Award
May 26, 2016
Elected Board Officers
Rob Coppersmith, Chair
Steve Makowski, Vice Chair
Dirk Dunham, Secretary
Chris Jensen, Treasurer
August 25, 2016
Jeff Quirante of the MPSC replaces Travis Warner on the Director's List.
Laura Arnold replaces Eric Urbain of MISS DIG as the Substitute Director

4. Election of Officers September 22, 2016 April 24, 2017
Changed Substitute Director for API from Katie Abraham to Pete Langley 
April 24, 2017  
Brian Saintonge named as secondary director for DTE
Laura Arnold will be primary for MISS DIG 811 and Melissa Ramirez-Attinoto will be secondary

5. Gold Shovel Program Introduced to MDPB on May 26, 2016
The GS Program establishes a rating system that measures the level of caution used by excavation companies. Instead of using regulations to punish those who do not take the necessary steps to protect underground infrastructure, the Gold Shovel Standard uses market forces to reward careful companies.
Rick Galyean met with many MISS DIG Members in August 2016   
The benefit for utilizing MISS DIG for the Golden Shovel Standard is so each stakeholder (and members) doesn't have different standards. MISS DIG also has administrative structure in place.

6. Gold Shovel Program
On August 25, 2016 there was a discussion on proposal to implement and manage Gold Shovel program under MISS DIG 811.
Bruce spoke about incentivizing Municipalities to participate in the Gold Shovel Standard because municipal contractors working on water and sewer are the leading cause of damages.
MISS DIG 811 formed the Great Lakes Gold Shovel Standard Committee.

7. Best Practices Approved: Large Project Staking
14 Day Rule revised – to clarify the definition of “excavation” in 14 day rule best practice is same as PA174 definition.
Revised Marking Guidelines – include labels to resolve some of the confusion when abandoned facilities are in area
Abandoned Idle Facilities– (previously known as Inactive Facilities)
Marking Guidelines revised again --- Use of Gray Paint to "erase" erroneous marks

8. Best Practices Still Pending
Storm Tickets*
Various inter-related best practices
Shallow Facilities
Saw Cutting/Milling
Hand Exposure Requirements
Additional Assistance
Impractical Site Conditions
Ticket Scope*
Design Ticket for Residential*
Mapping*
Removing Flags – pending implementation of “near ticket” tool
* No current action by committee at this time

9. MISS DIG 811
In June 2016, MISS DIG Northern office celebrated 20th Anniversary
Restructured Education and Marketing strategy 
Became Gold Shovel Standard Certified
Updated modules so engineers can receive continuing education credits