Free Laser Cataract Webinar

On November 17th, Eye Care Specialist will be offering a free Laser Cataract Webinar from 6-7 pm to learn more about exciting new FDA approved technology that can help you gain great vision in the distance, intermediate and close- without the need for glasses after cataract surgery.  Register here for the webinar.

Montour Area Recreation Commission 2021 Lawn Care Invitation to Bid Application Terms and Conditions

Sealed bids for lawn care at the various properties managed by the Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) will be received by MARC at any time until 11:00 am on Monday, November 23, 2020. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud during MARC’s regular November 23, 2020 meeting at 7:00 pm through the Zoom online meeting platform.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained online at www.MontourRec.com or by submitting a request in writing or by telephone or email to:

Montour Area Recreation Commission PO Box 456, Danville, PA 17821 570-336-2060 or RStoudt@MontourRec.com

Each bid must be enclosed in a sealed envelope, plainly marked with ‘2021 Lawn Care Bid’, and mailed via the U.S. Postal Service to MARC at the address listed above. Sealed bids may also be hand-delivered to MARC on Monday, November 23, between 8:00 am and 11:00 am, at the Montour Preserve visitors’ center, 374 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821.

Bids may be withdrawn by bidders for any reason for a period of forty-eight (48) hours after the time of bid opening. After forty-eight (48) hours from bid opening, bids may not be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days.

WHLM Parade of Lights

PennDOT has approved the permit for the WHLM Parade of Lights so it will be held Friday, November 27^th at 6:00 p.m. Registration is not required this year. The 2020 WHLM PARADE OF LIGHTS will illuminate Downtown Bloomsburg with classic cars, floats, boats, fire trucks, thousands of Christmas lights, and usher in the Christmas season when Santa Claus comes to the only Town in Pennsylvania! The parade route forms at 4:30 PM at the Geisinger Bloomsburg parking lot on Lightstreet Road, then moves at 6 PM down Main Street to Market Street, and ending at the Bloomsburg Firehall.

Additional details are at https://www.whlm.com/whlm-parade-of-lights

No-Cost Leadership Development Webinar

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) would like to extend an invitation to attend our live webinar on Leadership Development. This two-hour event is complimentary and is an excellent way to kick-start your leadership development initiatives.
The Leadership Development program helps individuals become stronger, more impactful leaders. While joining other managers and supervisors to discuss workplace challenges, attendees will explore topics that include self-awareness, power & authority, risk & failure and leadership style. Using self-assessment tools and experiential learning, attendees will examine their strengths and weaknesses while exploring best practices of exceptional leaders.

This seminar will be held on the following dates from 8 to 10 a.m.:
Monday, December 21st, 2020 
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Attendees will receive the webinar link via email one to two days prior to the event.

To register, please visit nepirc.com/events.  Space is filling up quickly, so register today!

From My Benefit Advisor

Although the severity and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in modern times, there are safeguards built into the structure of the insurance industry that are designed to maintain stability during significant loss events.  Two key elements provide protection against large financial loss for insurance companies and provide some stability in premiums:

• Claim Reserves
  Insurance regulations require carriers to maintain a claim reserve account at specified levels (based on the company’s size and risk profile) that provides a safety net if claim expenses are larger than anticipated.  These reserves are funded through a part of the premiums charged to policy holders.
  
  
• Reinsurance
  Reinsurance is coverage purchased by an insurance company from a third-party insurer that is designed to insulate them from major claims events.  If claims, either individually or collectively surpass designated levels, the reinsurance carrier would reimburse the insurance company for a part of the claim cost.

Additionally, the severity of the virus has varied in different regions of the country.  As a result, insurance carriers will be affected differently based on the specific demographics of their insured populations.  Carriers with large numbers of insureds in some of the country’s hotspots will experience greater claim expenses than carriers insuring greater numbers of insureds in minimally impacted regions.

Impacts from Employer-Related Expenses:
Insurance carriers are also employers and as such, have experienced some of the same pandemic-related business costs as any other business.  Added cybersecurity costs, outlays for equipment and software to facilitate their employees alternative work arrangements, etc. will impact their financial bottom line during this event.   Even the downturn in equity markets will affect the expected level of return on their investment portfolio.

Positive Impacts:
There is also the potential that some recent virus-related development will positively impact insurance costs, such as the more widespread use of tele-health services.  In addition to providing access to care with lower costs, on a long-term basis this development could allow healthcare providers to extend their reach to more remote or less affluent groups of people to expand access to care and improve overall population well-being.

Considering all of these pandemic influences, it is likely that future health insurance premiums will be affected, although the expected range of impact is not clear. 

The Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at cmcc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Jim Pitts at (800) 377-3539.

As developments continue to emerge on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), McKonly & Asbury Partners, David Blain and Mark Heath are back to provide a status update on where we are and to highlight continued changes that are proving to make for interesting times.

During this webinar, David and Mark will review two recently identified Loan Necessity Questionnaires – SBA Forms 3509 and 3510 – and discuss who it impacts, information requested, and what this means for the loan forgiveness process. They will go on to talk about SBA Form 3508S, a forgiveness application for those with loans less than $50,000, as well as lessons learned to date on loan forgiveness calculations including FTE calculations, qualifying payroll, and other costs.

During this webinar, participants will receive:

• Up-to-date guidance and analysis on new forms and changes proposed by the SBA regarding loan forgiveness.
• Further clarity on items specific to loan forgiveness calculations to better position your loan for expedient forgiveness.
• Insight into what the future might hold for the Paycheck Protection Program post-election.

This free, one-hour-long webinar will take place on Thursday, November 12 at 2:00 p.m. One “Other – Advisory” CPE credit is available for this webinar. The level for this CPE is intermediate and a basic knowledge of the PPP Loan program is helpful for attending. This program is a live webinar which offers the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the presenters.  Register here.

Talen Energy is partnering with Houston, TX-based Pattern Energy to develop a 1,000 acre solar farm in northern Montour County near Talen’s Washingtonville power plant. A telephone town hall is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11^th at 7:00 p.m. to provide an overview of the project and answer questions. The public is invited to participate by calling 855-756-7520, extension 69594#.

Details about the project are at montoursolar.com.

November 28 is Small Business Saturday, the highlight of the nationwide Shop Small movement helping small businesses and communities thrive. Add your business to the Shop Small map or update your listing today to make it easier for shoppers to support you in-store and online.

Create or update your listing here.

McKonly & Asbury Managing Partner Recognized as a Bloomsburg University 2020 Grimes Honoree

 McKonly & Asbury Managing Partner and Bloomsburg University alum, Kurt Trimarchi, class of ’94, was recently recognized as a 2020 Grimes Honoree at Bloomsburg University’s Alumni Awards Celebration.

On Saturday, October 10, 2020, the BU Alumni Association held its first ever Virtual Alumni Awards Celebration to celebrate the personal and professional accomplishments of these Grimes honorees, including their service to and loyalty and support of Bloomsburg University.

Since graduating, Kurt has remained connected to the Bloomsburg community, and when McKonly & Asbury acquired a Bloomsburg based accounting firm in early 2019, Kurt was especially excited to have the opportunity to serve the community from the firm’s third office location in the heart of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

Montour Area Recreation Commission 2021 Lawn Care Invitation to Bid Application Terms and Conditions

Sealed bids for lawn care at the various properties managed by the Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) will be received by MARC at any time until 11:00 am on Monday, November 23, 2020. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud during MARC’s regular November 23, 2020 meeting at 7:00 pm through the Zoom online meeting platform.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained online at www.MontourRec.com or by submitting a request in writing or by telephone or email to:

Montour Area Recreation Commission PO Box 456, Danville, PA 17821 570-336-2060 or RStoudt@MontourRec.com

Each bid must be enclosed in a sealed envelope, plainly marked with ‘2021 Lawn Care Bid’, and mailed via the U.S. Postal Service to MARC at the address listed above. Sealed bids may also be hand-delivered to MARC on Monday, November 23, between 8:00 am and 11:00 am, at the Montour Preserve visitors’ center, 374 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821.

Bids may be withdrawn by bidders for any reason for a period of forty-eight (48) hours after the time of bid opening. After forty-eight (48) hours from bid opening, bids may not be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days.

Veterans Day Dinner Celebration with Geisinger

Geisinger thanks all of our veterans for their service to our country, and hopes you’ll join them for an appreciation dinner for U.S. veterans. Pick up your complimentary dinner via a drive-through arrangement on Thursday, November 12th. 

Reservations are required by Thursday, November 5th. Servings are limited, so reserve your meal today.

Complimentary for all U.S. veterans and one guest. You must wear a mask when picking up your meal.

To make a reservation at Geisinger-Bloomsburg, call 866-462-5127 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GBH.

To make a reservation at Geisinger-Danville, call 866-578-3427 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GMC.

To make a reservation at Geisinger-Shamokin, call 866-278-9806 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GSACH.

No-Cost Leadership Development Webinar

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) would like to extend an invitation to attend our live webinar on Leadership Development. This two-hour event is complimentary and is an excellent way to kick-start your leadership development initiatives.
The Leadership Development program helps individuals become stronger, more impactful leaders. While joining other managers and supervisors to discuss workplace challenges, attendees will explore topics that include self-awareness, power & authority, risk & failure and leadership style. Using self-assessment tools and experiential learning, attendees will examine their strengths and weaknesses while exploring best practices of exceptional leaders.

This seminar will be held on the following dates from 8 to 10 a.m.:
Monday, December 21st, 2020 
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Attendees will receive the webinar link via email one to two days prior to the event.

To register, please visit nepirc.com/events.  Space is filling up quickly, so register today!

Incumbent candidates representing Columbia and Montour counties were ahead in election returns as of Tuesday evening. Congressman Dan Meuser, Senator John Gordner, and Representatives Kurt Masser and David Millard all lead in their respective races. In Columbia County, more than 8,000 mail-in ballots were yet to be processed with 3,300 in Montour.

Representative David Millard has won reelection in the 109^th State House District. According to Columbia County’s unofficial results, Millard has received 18,589 votes (66.44%), compared to 6,994 (25%) for Democratic challenger Bill Monahan, and 2,367 (8.46%) for Independent candidate Roger Nuss.

According to Press Enterprise, Representative Kurt Masser leads Libertarian challenger Ryan Bourinski 17,140 to 2,785 across all precincts for the 107^th House District in Columbia, Montour, and Northumberland counties.

Senator John Gordner leads Democratic challenger Michelle Siegel 50,273 to 17,753 with 94 percent of 156 precincts in the 27^th Senate District counted.

Republican Congressman Dan Meuser lead Democratic challenger Gary Wegman 144,517 to 57,030 as of Tuesday evening.

Election results will not be finalized until at least Friday due to mail-in ballots.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Governor Wolf signed dozens of bills into law last week, including several the PA Chamber has been following closely in the final weeks of session.

House Bill 440 (now Act 83 of 2020) expands Pennsylvania’s successful “Clean Slate” law that was supported by the PA Chamber and is helping to improve employment prospects for low-level former offenders in the Commonwealth. The new law allows for automatic sealing of a criminal history record if an individual has been unconditionally pardoned or fully acquitted following a trial.  It also expands eligibility to individuals who have paid all restitution, even if they have not yet finalized payment of underlying court fees associated with the conviction.

House Bill 716 (now Act 85 of 2020) creates a Joint Task Force on Misclassification of Employees within the Department of Labor and Industry to investigate the practice of employee misclassification and develop recommendations to reduce such practices. The task force will be in place for two years, and the PA Chamber will be engaged in the task force and tracking its work closely.

A PA Chamber-backed measure – H.B. 2370 (now Act 97 of 2020) allows for remote notarization. Early in the pandemic, a measure was enacted to provide for temporary remote notaries to allow for social distancing; and the new law now makes remote notarization permanent.

Other notable legislation that received the governor’s signature last week includes:

• H.B. 2438 (Act 98 of 2020) – Allows rural electric cooperatives to use existing infrastructure to deploy fiber lines for broadband.
• H.B. 1439 (Act 89 of 2020) – Ensures that those who purchase insurance are able to access coverage for addiction treatment already included in the health plan.
• H.B. 1696 (Act 92 of 2020) – Amends the state’s Insurance Company Law requiring insurance carriers that cover behavioral health to submit certain information to the state Department of Insurance to help ascertain compliance with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.    

Another bill that earned the PA Chamber’s support became law today without the governor’s signature. Senate Bill 1199 (Act 106 of 2020) supports the investment, creation and deployment of personal delivery services – autonomous robots designed to deliver packages to consumers and from business to business, within a small radius. The new law encourages innovation and helps businesses overtime operational challenges, while continuing to allow for social distancing.

More than 425 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Majik Rent-to-Own.

Majik is a family-owned business based out of the Lancaster area, that provides quality merchandise with flexible payment options and no long-term obligations with free delivery, setup, and pick-up. The newly relocated Berwick location carries home furnishings, electronics, appliances, and more.

For more information on Majik Rent-to-Own visit its website, Facebook page or call 570-752-4860.

From Zoom

From financial planning to fitness classes to food festivals, many of the in-person activities and meetings companies once relied on to generate revenue have all gone virtual. A new era of social distancing has entrepreneurs and small-business owners rethinking how they do business, and video opens up a wide world of opportunities to communicate and engage.

With Zoom, you can create a virtual experience that enables greater accessibility, improves customer service, and helps you build trust and credibility with existing and potential customers.

Win new customers with virtual consultations

Virtual consultations create an ultra-low barrier to entry that makes it easy for potential customers to engage with you without investing much time, money, or effort. A free virtual consultation can help you reach new audiences and gain customers you may never have had a chance to capture before.

Some tips for optimizing your virtual consultation:

• Make it short and simple

Prospective customers in the consideration phase don’t want to be burdened by long initial meetings before they’ve had a chance to decide if they want to do business with you. Advertise your virtual consultations as taking no more than 15-20 minutes. Let them know what they can expect upfront — a short walkthrough of their home, a quick discussion of their financial goals, a demo of your product — so they know how the time will be spent.

• Make it easy to join

Zoom integrates with tools like Google Calendar and Microsoft Office 365 so you can schedule Zoom meetings and send an email invite with the click of a button. To join a meeting, all your prospect has to do is click the meeting link in their email. There’s nothing to download, log in to, or sign up for.

• Make it engaging

Use features to engage prospects and help start a dialogue. For example, if you’re in the home renovation business, ask your prospective customer to share a photo of their home and use the annotation feature to circle, highlight, and take notes on screen as you talk through design ideas. Have photos of past projects at the ready so you can share your screen and showcase your customer success stories.

Delight customers with virtual classes and services

Virtual events may not offer the same type of interaction as in-person activities, but you can still create a rich and immersive experience over video. Here are a few ways to design a virtual event with maximum impact:

• Blend physical and virtual elements

Help your customers bring the excitement and convenience of your in-person experience home. This artist sells paint kits as an add-on to her virtual paint parties that are filled with all the supplies her customers need, and this restaurant in Melbourne delivers a box of ingredients to those participating in its Zoom cooking classes. Develop kits for upselling, or send a free gift as part of an all-inclusive event package.

• Design the environment and ambiance

Create an environment that allows you to present a polished virtual experience from home. If you’re a yoga instructor, play soft background music by lowering your noise suppression level. Personal stylists or decorators will want to have a well-lit space that shows off your design aesthetic, and if you offer financial services or consulting, create a branded virtual background that’s professional and distraction-free.

• Continue educating and engaging

Keep creating touchpoints to engage with your customers via video, whether it’s a weekly virtual coffee talk where they can drop in to chat about the latest products, an interactive class, or a webinar that you record and upload to your website as educational content.