Tim Rausch, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer of Talen Energy
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
In late November, the House State Government Committee held a voting meeting where two bills were advanced to the House floor that would bar public employers from using taxpayer-funded public systems to automatically deduct from employees’ paychecks campaign contributions or any portion of union dues intended for political activity.
House Bill 1174 and Senate Bill 166 (which passed the Senate earlier this year) both cleared the committee on a party-line vote, with Democrats voting in the negative. Commonly referred to as “paycheck protection” legislation, such measures have been introduced and hotly debated in previous sessions. The organized labor community has strongly opposed any change to the status quo while other groups have advocated ensuring that government resources aren’t being used for political purposes.
The PA Chamber supports paycheck protection bills as good government measures; and previously observed that arrests and convictions of several lawmakers and staffers in recent years have shown that a clear line must be maintained to avoid any use of taxpayer resources for political activity.
Both bills now await further consideration by the full House.
More than 400 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and our region. Increased membership allows us to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities. The Chamber welcomes its newest member, Community Strategies Group, to help us fulfill our mission.
An offshoot of the Columbia County Housing & Redevelopment Authority, the Community Strategies Group is a comprehensive community, economic and housing development organization serving Columbia County and surrounding areas. It is currently involved in the Downtown Berwick revitalization project and also handles projects involving neighborhood revitalization, property management, business development, strategic planning and blight removal. CSG’s offices are located at 700 Sawmill Rd., Suite 101 in Bloomsburg, and can be reached at 570-784-9373, ex. 101, or visit its website for more information.
Member News
- SEKISUI SPI recently received a Gold Level Award for its environmental initiatives at the recent International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD) conference.
SEKISUI SPI’s Aaron Douglas, Julie Hart, and Tom Kapelewski with the IAPD Gold Level Award.
These awards were established by the IAPD environmental committee in 2008 as a way to celebrate the environmentally responsible practices of IAPD member companies, including recycling, community outreach, employee engagement and more. There are four levels of the award – best overall program, gold, silver and bronze.
- Dr. David Hamilton of Hamilton Dental Care and president of the The Jubilate Choir and Orchestra, is pleased to announce The Jubilate Choir and Orchestra’s Annual Christmas Concert, A Holy Night of Angels, will be on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. The choir and orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Alan J. Hack, is made up of community singers and instrumentalists along with Mrs. Kathy George accompanying on the piano. It invites all to join them at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 123 Market St., Bloomsburg for this exciting concert, a high point of the Christmas season celebration in our area!
- Co., a social and professional networking group that is run by the United Way of Columbia and Montour County, will hold its annual holiday party on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Filet 18, 18 W. Main St., Bloomsburg. Come and join this group of area professionals for a fun night of socializing and networking. Co. was founded to give area residents the opportunity to take advantage of all the great things this area has to offer. This group is for everyone, which means any age, ability, or area of residence. It holds multiple events each month. For more information about Co., including future events, visit its Facebook page.
- It is the season of giving and the Ken Pollock Auto Group, is continuing its yearly tradition of collecting new or slightly used coats, in all sizes to benefit local families.
From now through Dec. 15, Ken Pollock Auto Group will be collecting coats that can be donated at any of its auto dealerships, including locally at Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln in Berwick. All coats collected in our area will be donated to the Columbia Child Development Program – Head Start for distribution to families in need. For more information, contact the Ken Pollock Auto Group at 570-655-4575.
From
- Wild For Salmon will host a holiday tasting on Saturday, Dec. 16 at its store at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chefs Matt and Josh have created and prepared a delicious holiday-inspired menu and they invite the public to stop by and try some of their wild caught salmon treats and meet one of their fisherman. This event will feature salmon sushi rolls, cajun shrimp-stuffed keta fillets, whole roasted king salmon, halibut soup, holiday spread with dried cranberries and pistachips, cajun dip and smoked salmon (garlic pepper, traditional sockeye and traditional king).
- The Bloomsburg Area YMCA will be celebrating the holiday season with a senior Christmas party on Tuesday, Dec. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be a potluck-style meal, as well as fried chicken provided by the Y. Guests can come in their favorite ugly sweater and will be able to enjoy Wii bowling and a visit from Santa. Those interested in attending should register at the Y front desk by Friday, Dec. 15. There is no cost to attend this event.
Chamber members had an opportunity to learn about the many varieties and flavors of coffee, the various ways the coffee beans can be roasted, as well as gain some insight into the coffee supply chain at the final Business After Hours of 2017, which was hosted by Bason Coffee Roasting last Wednesday, Nov. 29 at its roasting, production and retail facility in downtown Danville. Attendees also had an opportunity to hear about owner Brad Bason’s efforts to help Rwandan farmers develop their local community through growing coffee, all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres from the Chamber’s newest member, That Kitchen Witch, as well as beer, wine, tea, and of course, coffee, and networking and taking in the pleasant aroma of the various types of coffee that is roasted daily in the building. Several attendees also elected to purchase some coffee while they were there, and those interested in sampling any one of the several types of coffee offered at Bason Coffee Roasting are encouraged to stop by during their holiday shopping, as Bason Coffee makes a great stocking stuffer.
Business After Hours provide regular opportunities to build business relationships while learning about the services offered by other Chamber members. The next Business After Hours will be held at the Bloomsburg Area YMCA, located at 30 East 7th St., Bloomsburg, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
More than 400 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and our region. Increased membership allows us to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities. The Chamber welcomes its newest member, That Kitchen Witch (T.K. Witch for short) to help us fulfill our mission.
T.K. Witch is a full-service, off-premise catering company that can handle everything from casual backyard barbecues to formal wedding dinners and everything in between. It also recently launched a new at-home delivery service, similar to larger, mass-produced home food delivery businesses, but on a local level, which allow it to offer fully-cooked ingredients, unlike larger, national food delivery companies. T.K. Witch caters weddings, corporate events, backyard parties, and also offers bartending and beverage services and private chef/dinner party services. Earlier this year, it moved into a new commercial kitchen located at the old Lewisburg High School at 815 Market St. (corner of Routes 15 & 45) in Lewisburg. T.K. Witch can be reached at 570-259-5179, by email, or visit its website.
Congressman Lou Barletta speaks to members of the Columbia Montour Chamber at a breakfast in October.
The average person in Pennsylvania will save over $2,000 annually on their taxes with the passage of a tax reform plan being ironed out between the House and the Senate, according to Congressman Lou Barletta. When Barletta spoke to Chamber members in October, he pledged that any tax reform plan would have to benefit the middle class. Following the passage of a House plan in mid-November, the Senate plan passed along party lines in the early morning of Saturday, Dec. 2. The bill now goes to a conference committee to work out the differences between the plans with a goal of having a final version to President Trump by Christmas.
Here is a full article on the passage of the Senate bill and the path forward from the Harrisburg Patriot News.
From ChamberChoice
Employers are continually being reminded that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is still intact and remains the law of the land. Final 2017 forms and instructions for reporting information to the IRS to assist with the enforcement of the individual and employer mandates under the ACA have been released by the IRS. This release serves as another reminder that employers should continue to comply with the ACA based on current guidance.
As a summary, Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 6056 requires applicable large employer members to report to the IRS about offers of, and enrollment in, health coverage for their full-time employees. The 1095-C form assists the IRS in determining an ALE’s compliance with the employer mandate and the eligibility of employees for the premium tax credit.
Under IRC section 6055 employers and insurers providing minimum essential coverage (MEC) are subject to reporting requirements which assist the IRS with enforcement of the individual mandate.
Reporting Deadline
The deadline for furnishing the reports to employees/covered individuals is Jan. 31, 2018. The transmitting of information to the IRS is Feb. 28, 2018 for those filing paper copies of the reports. Electronic filers (those filing 250 or more forms, or electing to file electronically) must meet the reporting deadline by April 2, 2018, since the regular filing date of March 31 falls on a Saturday. These are the deadlines regardless of whether an employer’s plan is a fiscal or calendar plan year.
Minimal Form Changes
The 2017 final forms and instructions show minimal modifications and include the following:
• As transition relief is no longer available for ALEs in 2017, relief reference has been removed from Form 1094-C.
• Provided a safe harbor for de minimis errors when reporting the amount of an employee’s required contribution. If the amount reported is off by $100 or less, a corrected 1095-C is not required to avoid penalties, if the employer qualifies for use of the safe harbor.
• Noted that for 2017 reporting the “Plan Start Month” on Form 1095-C remains optional.
• Confirmed that a Series 2 code is not available for reporting an employee’s non-enrollment in health care coverage or waiving offered coverage on line 16 of Form 1095-C.
• Noted that there is no “good-faith compliance relief” in the instructions and provided the 2017 adjusted penalty amounts unless a waiver for reasonable cause is granted.
• Reminded that paper returns must be provided in landscape format.
The final forms and instructions can be found at the following links:
Final 2017 1095-C Form
Final 2017 1094-C Form
Final instructions for both forms
Final 2017 Form 1094-B
Final 2017 Form 1095-B
Final instructions for both forms
Employers should familiarize themselves with the final forms as they being to plan for any 2017 reporting requirements. If using a vendor to assist with the forms, conversations should be conducted to see if any system requirements have changed and any responsibilities the employer may have for gathering and clarifying information. If an employer anticipates not being able to meet its requirement to provide the forms to full-time employees by Jan. 31, then it should consider filing for an extension which is not automatically granted.
In early 2018, Penn College will begin training to support apprenticeship programs in Mechatronics and CNC Machining with funding available from the Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation (CPWDC) to offset the cost to companies.
To learn more, please attend one of the upcoming curriculum planning meetings on Dec. 11 at:
Penn College’s Workforce Development & Continuing Education (WDCE) Office
1127 West Fourth Street
Williamsport, PA
Mechatronics: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
CNC Machining: 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
To RSVP or for questions, please contact John Paul via email.
See this flyer for more information.
November took the Leadership Central Penn class to the Central Columbia School District’s office for an education round table with superintendents Harry Mathias (Central Columbia), Dr. Donald Wheeler (Bloomsburg), Cynthia Jenkins (Millville) and Director of Curriculum for Berwick, Bob Croop, Jr. The educational leaders had four questions on the agenda, but it became apparently quickly that the LCP class was going the hijack the morning as it continuously challenged the panel on topics ranging from educational innovations, “new’ math, technology in the classroom, property taxes, family school life balance, and the ever changing challenges of teaching the next generation. The panel held its own, and the passion they use every day to meet these challenges and more as they educate our young people was evident.
The class was treated to lunch with a wonderful menu of fresh baked yeast rolls, hot soup and perfectly dressed salad prepared by students from Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School. Lunch was delivered and executed under the guidance of Joseph Edmondson, director of food preparation education at CMVT.
After lunch the class welcomed two more guests, Dr. Kim Bolig of Bloomsburg University’s STEM Education Center, and Diana Verbeck, executive director of the Danville Child Development Center. The class saw Powerpoints about the wonderful empowering education being done for young girls and boys, through STEEM Magnet programs at BU. STEM jobs are in great demand and growing in our economy, and this program is meeting the challenges of engaging and exciting young people about the possibilities in these future careers.
As we look to the future, we learned that we need to start planning for that as early as six weeks of age — yes you read that right, six weeks, according to a presentation by Verbeck. Research in neurodevelopment shows that early brain stimulation correlates to success later in life, and it has been widely debated, but the passion of Verbeck and others in the early childhood education field was very evident throughout the presentation. They believe in development through play and tactile education, and the earlier the better. Offering these opportunities to all families regardless of socioeconomic status is imperative and has been echoed by industry leaders and government officials.
One can’t call it a day at Central Columbia without taking a walk on the Career Pathway. Students at this high school have a rare and unique educational experience to begin their career education in ninth grade. You want to be an Engineer; you start on the college prep Engineering, Manufacturing, and Industrial Technology pathway. Four other pathways exist:
- Human Services
- Arts and Communications,
- Business, Finance, Marketing, and Information Technology
- Agri-Science, Science and Health
Students must pick one to focus on as well as a secondary pathway to study. This allows students to get a variety of experiences before making life altering career and college choices. The program is unlike any that any member of the class had experienced before, and it almost made some want to go back to high school.
Leadership Central Penn is sponsored by Bloomsburg University, Kawneer, SEKISUI SPI and USG.