- Bloomsburg University, in conjunction with WVIA Public Media, will hold a screening of the PBS documentary, American Creed tonight, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. in Gross Auditorium in Carver Hall. This screening is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, so reserve your seat online. In American Creed, Condoleezza Rice and David M. Kennedy team up across party lines to ask: In an increasingly fractured nation, what ideals do we share in common? Following the screening, WVIA’s Larry Vojtko will lead a discussion of the film with a panel of special guests and audience participation, which will be taped for broadcast on WVIA Public Media.
- The Bloomsburg Municipal Airport, which is operated by the Bloomsburg Municipal Authority, will hold a Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast this Saturday, March 3, from 8 a.m. – noon at its location at 301 Airport Rd., Bloomsburg. The event is free and open to the public, however donations are suggested, and will be held rain or shine.
- The Bucknell Small Business Development Center will offer a pair of First Step Workshops in March and April. These “pre-business” workshops are intended to assist potential entrepreneurs that are considering starting a business but might not know where to start. Attendees at any of these sessions will learn about legal structure, selection a location, licenses and forms, insurance needs, business planning, small business taxes, hiring employees and more. The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 6, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the DeWitt Building, 3rd floor, located at 416 Market St., Lewisburg. A second identical workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 11, from 1-3 p.m. at Service 1st Federal Credit Union, located at 1985 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11), Danville. Cost is $25 for each workshop, and those interested can register online or by calling 570-577-1249.
- The Wilkes Small Business Development Center will also hold a First Step Workshop on Wednesday, March 14, at 6 p.m. at its location at 85 South Main St., Wilkes-Barre. Cost for this workshop is $20, and registration can be done online or by calling 570-408-4340. A Wilkes SBDC representative is also available to meet with those interested in starting a business in the Bloomsburg and Columbia County area individually by appointment. Call the same number at the Wilkes SBDC to set up an appointment.
- The Danville area as well as two Chamber members were recently featured on a travel blog on travel booking website Expedia.com. The post, titled “15 places for the perfect childfree getaway” lists Danville as one of those 15 along with other locales such as Big Sur, Calif., Wailea, Hawaii, Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., and others. It also specifically mentions the Abigail House Bed & Breakfast, which “offers a peaceful respite” as well as the Montour Preserve, which is managed by the Montour Area Recreation Commission.
- The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) has added two non-stop flights each weekday to Pittsburgh International Airport beginning on April 23. These flights will be in conjunction with Regional Sky, and are now available to be booked. AVP now offers non-stop flights to seven of the largest hubs in the United States, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Newark, Philadelphia and now Pittsburgh. For more information, see the flyer, or visit AVP’s website.
- The local PA CareerLink centers have scheduled their 2018 job fairs. The local one in our area will be held on Wednesday, May 9, from 4-7 p.m. at Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School, located at 5050 Sweppenheiser Dr., Bloomsburg. There will also be job fairs during May just outside of the area at Shikellamy High School in Sunbury on May 2 and at the Selinsgrove VFW in May 30. Later in the year, there will be one at the Best Western in Lewisburg on Sept. 6. The registration links for employers are now open for the three May events. See the flyer for more information as well as registration links.
Rich Kisner, executive director of Community Strategies Group, informed state and local agencies and elected officials about several significant projects being pursued for Berwick’s downtown area.
Efforts to enhance the downtown commercial districts in Berwick, Bloomsburg, and Danville are moving forward.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, the Berwick: The Next Step steering committee met with representatives of state and federal agencies as well as elected officials to provide an overview of the downtown enhancement plan. Several significant projects are currently being pursued and the meeting was to help identify funding opportunities for those projects. The Chamber provided funding for the enhancement plan and is part of that steering committee that meets every other week to advance the plan. Community Strategies Group is coordinating the effort.
Downtown Bloomsburg Inc., the Chamber’s subsidiary organization, is requesting approval from the Town of Bloomsburg to apply for grant funding to convert Miller Avenue into a primarily pedestrian walkway and gathering place. Ideas include tables and chairs serviced by the adjacent restaurants, and additional lighting to enhance safety between Main Street and the municipal parking lot. The project was identified the downtown Bloomsburg enhancement plan coordinated by DBI and supported by The Chamber.
In Danville, funding for the development of Canal Park next to Borough Hall has been awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The plan includes seating and a stage area for live performances. That project is a collaboration between the Borough of Danville and Danville Business Alliance.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
The first of two weeks of budget hearings was held last week, as lawmakers on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees met with the heads of state agencies and state row offices to discuss the proposed appropriations in Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2018-19 state budget, current issues facing each department and what they foresee coming up in the year ahead.
One of the first hearings – the House Appropriations Committee’s hearing with the Independent Fiscal Office – focused partly on the governor’s proposed severance tax on the natural gas industry. IFO Deputy Director Mark Ryan stated that the cost of implementing a new severance tax – which would be in addition to the existing impact tax – would amount to $17 million. Several Republicans on the committee expressed their disagreement with the administration over raising taxes to generate more revenue. The PA Chamber agrees that a severance tax – which unfairly singles out the natural gas industry – is both unfair and hurts the state’s economic competitiveness, which is why our organization is leading a broad-based coalition in opposition to higher energy taxes in this year’s budget negotiations. The IFO also said that while Gov. Wolf’s proposed increase in the minimum wage to $12 an hour would generate more spending and economic activity, it could come at a price – it is likely that the hike in minimum wage would also decrease jobs. In fact, last year, the IFO studied the impact of a minimum wage increase and found that it would cost the state about 54,000 jobs and raise $60 million less than proponents thought it would.
The House Appropriations Committee also focused its attention on job creation at hearings with the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Labor and Industry last week. According to a Capitolwire story, Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York, said he wanted to “take a deep dive into the effectiveness of our current programs for job creation,” stating his belief that money dedicated toward the state’s Workforce Development Board would be better spent on direct job training. Secretary Dennis Davin of DCED and Secretary Jerry Oleksiak of L&I spoke up in support of Gov. Wolf’s proposal to increase funding for a new state Apprenticeship and Training office and boosting spending within the Industry Partnerships program by $3 million in next year’s budget.
According to both secretaries, the extra apprenticeship program funding would be used to double the number of registered apprentices working in manufacturing, businesses and the labor trades and expand apprenticeship opportunities for youth and adults. They mentioned the Shell cracker plant in Beaver County as an example of a place where new manufacturing jobs will be created, and that skilled workers will be needed to fill them. They also discussed legislation that aims to consolidate workforce development programs within L&I, DCED and the Department of Human Services to maximize their effectiveness. “This proposal would give DCED, the agency that is tasked with keeping current employers in Pennsylvania and bringing new opportunities into the state, the much-needed tools to help connect employers who have job openings with workers qualified to fill them,” said the bill sponsor, Rep. Justin Walsh, R-Westmoreland.
At the Senate Appropriations budget hearing with the Department of State, the ongoing issue of the state’s Congressional maps was raised and there was some controversial discussion when Acting Secretary Robert Torres said that the administration does not intend to publish in every county the maps that were imposed by the state Supreme Court last Monday – and that they would focus on sharing the information through press releases, the DOS website and social media. “You’ve changed the maps in the state. Even if the Supreme Court doesn’t order it, I believe the voters should know where they are within those districts, and the maps should be published,” said Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe. According to a Capitolwire story on the hearing, Jonathan Marks, commissioner of the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, said that the issue is publishing maps in newspapers in every county, as is required in Pennsylvania statute under normal circumstances. “When a redistricting plan is enacted, there’s a publication requirement …. Where you would publish in two newspapers of general circulation in every county,” Marks said. “The Court has not mandated that … at least not yet, but we are using other avenues to get the word out to voters.”
Budget hearings will continue all this week. The Senate Appropriations Committee is hosting all of its budget hearings in Hearing Room 1 of the North Office Building in the state Capitol; while the House Appropriations Committee is holding all of its hearings in Room 140 of the Main Capitol Building. The budget hearing schedule, which is subject to change, is available on the General Assembly website; the PA Chamber will be reporting noteworthy information from these hearings in next week’s edition of Sentinel.
From ChamberChoice
It seemed like it had taken the EEOC forever to issue regulations as to whether employers could provide employees an incentive to participate in a wellness program and still have the program be voluntary. The issue of “voluntary” is important because under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) any wellness program that includes a disability-related inquiry and/or medical exam, participation must be voluntary. The same rule is applicable to any information that is protected under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).
In July 2016, the EEOC issued long awaited rules under the ADA and GINA relating to wellness plans. The rule provided that employers could implement penalties or incentives, limited to 30 percent of the cost of self-only coverage, to encourage employees to disclose ADA protected information and certain genetic information without causing the disclosure to be involuntary. These rules were applicable to plans beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2017.
Since then, the EEOC rules have been challenged by AARP. The AARP’s claim is that the 30 percent incentive or penalty still renders participation involuntary, since there could be some employees unable to pay the penalty and in effect forced to provide the protected information. The court agreed with AARP finding that the EEOC was arbitrary and did not provide enough evidence in its rulemaking to justify the 30 percent rule.
The court sent the rules back to the EEOC for further review and analysis. In the meantime, after the court’s decision was issued, AARP requested the court to reconsider its decision and vacate (render void) the EEOC’s regulations, to which the court agreed.
Vacating of the rules is not effective until Jan. 1, 2019. Therefore, the current rules permitting the 30 percent incentive/penalty remain in place during 2018. The EEOC has not indicated a time frame for the provision of new rules. Therefore employers will want to stay on top of this issue as to the future operations or offering of any wellness programs.
In conclusion, employers may stay the course for its wellness program in 2018. However, due to the vacating of the EEOC incentive rules, 2019 will bring new rules. As it relates to wellness programs, employers should remember that there are separate applicable rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The HIPAA wellness rules are not affected by the vacating of the EEOC rules.
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, Viamedia, to help us fulfill our mission.
Headquartered regionally in the Lehigh Valley and nationally out of New York and Lexington, Ky., Viamedia has a local office in Bloomsburg and works with its client to provide advertising solutions for businesses and organizations of all sizes. Viamedia works with national networks and television providers (cable and satellite) to provide clients with local, regional and national exposure on national networks such as HGTV, ESPN, Fox News, History, and much more. It also offers a full suite of digital assets. Locally, Viamedia has an office in the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center, right next door to the Chamber at 240 Market St., and can be reached at 570-387-5266. Local representative Colleen Liddick can also be reached via email. For more information, visit Viamedia’s website.
The Columbia Montour Chamber’s annual golf tournament in 2018, sponsored by Williams will be held on Thursday, May 24 at Mill Race Golf Course in Benton. There will be a 10 a.m. shotgun.
Registration and sponsorship forms will be going out in March’s ChamberPack, which members should receive in their mailboxes the week of March 5. This information is also available on the tournament page, and registrations and sponsorships can also be purchased online.
Member News
- Today is the last day that Thrivent Financial will be collecting items for the Ronald McDonald House of Danville. Thrivent has a collection box at its office located at 417 W. Main St., Bloomsburg, and is collecting small snack items and beverages such as K-cups, juice boxes, and individually-wrapped snack items like granola bars, crackers and cookies. Anyone interested in making a donation should drop it off at Thrivent’s office by 3 p.m. today. Tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 22, the public is invited to join Thrivent at the Ronald McDonald House between 5-8 p.m. where these donations will be presented to RMHD, and attendees can hear about the mission and focus of RMHD, take guided tours of the house and enjoy some hors d’oeuvres and a dessert buffet.
- Friedman Electric will host an
art exhibit featuring local artist Claude Harrington at its Bloomsburg store, located at 1100 Old Berwick Rd., this afternoon, Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 3-5 p.m. There is no cost to attend and light refreshments will be served. Attendees can meet the arist, enjoy the arts and grab a snack while also having an opportunity to look around Friedman Electric’s Lighting Design Center, which features a wide range of products to keep homes and businesses a place of beauty, comfort and energy efficiency. This would make a perfect and convenient stop on the way to tonight’s Business After Hours, which is just down the street from Friedman Electric at Art of Floating and begins at 4:30 p.m.
- The Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) recently released its 2017 annual report. The complete report is available on MARC’s website.
- The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline construction continues to make steady, safe and environmentally responsible progress, according to Williams. Construction is already more than 30 percent complete, keeping the project on schedule to begin flowing natural gas later this year in late summer. To keep residents, businesses and other interested stakeholders up to date on construction activities, Williams has prepared an Atlantic Sunrise Construction newsletter for Schuylkill, Northumberland and Columbia counties. In it, you’ll find information on the latest round of the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program, and a mention of Williams’ recent nomination for the Chamber’s 2018 Large Business of the Year award.
- The Borough of Danville recently transitioned to new recycling tubs for its curb side recycling program. If you or anyone you know is still using the black plastic buckets for recycling, please call the Danville Borough office at 570-275-3091, ext. 0 to request a new recycling tub.
- The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit’s technology group will conduct a pair of computer fairs for middle and high school students in March, and is seeking professionals in business and the community to serve as judges in specific categories. The middle school fair will be held on Monday, March 5 while the high school fair will be on Monday, March 26. Both will be held at CSIU 16’s building located at 90 Lawton Lane, Milton, and will run from 9-11 a.m. Categories that need judges are animation, computer fair logo, digital movies, graphic design, programming and web page design. For more information, or if interested in serving as a judge, contact Bill Herald as CSIU via email no later than this Friday, Feb. 23.
- The Bloomsburg Municipal Airport, which is operated by the Bloomsburg Municipal Authority, will hold a Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast on Saturday, March 3, from 8 a.m. – noon at its location at 301 Airport Rd., Bloomsburg. The event is free and open to the public, however donations are suggested, and will be held rain or shine.
- The local PA CareerLink centers have scheduled their 2018 job fairs. The local one in our area will be held on Wednesday, May 9, from 4-7 p.m. at Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School, located at 5050 Sweppenheiser Dr., Bloomsburg. There will also be job fairs during May just outside of the area at Shikellamy High School in Sunbury on May 2 and at the Selinsgrove VFW in May 30. Later in the year, there will be one at the Best Western in Lewisburg on Sept. 6. The registration links for employers are now open for the three May events. See the flyer for more information as well as registration links.
The Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program has granted more than $2 million to 268 organizations through Pennsylvania since its inception in 2015. Williams is now accepting grant applications for its latest round of grants, which will be the seventh round, and application deadline for this spring cycle is next Thursday, March 1. Two cycles of Atlantic Sunrise grant awards are announced each year – spring and fall.
Please visit the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program page to learn more about the application process, eligibility guidelines, and how organizations are utilizing grant funds to improve their local communities. The application can also be accessed on the same website.
Several Chamber members have benefited from receiving grants during previous grant rounds since the program’s inception in 2015, including the Columbia County Traveling Library, the Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber, Hemlock Township, Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundation, Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Co., Camp Victory, Benton Rodeo Association, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble and the Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School.
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, New York Life – Elizabeth Kelchner, Agent, to help us fulfill our mission.
A native of Berwick, Elizabeth Kelchner is an independent agent of the New York Life Insurance Company. Although she operates out of her office in Scranton, she lives in Columbia County, and has been a New York Life agent since 2016. She offers a variety of products through New York Life that can help meet a number of insurance and financial needs, including but not limited to retirement, college funding, long-term care, lifetime income strategies, and much more. She can be reached at 570-854-1869, or visit her website or Facebook page.
The Chamber’s energy consulting partner, OnDemand Energy, helps businesses and individuals save money on electric and natural gas costs by managing the complexities of energy supply, delivery, and consumption. In January, OnDemand was acquired by Kinect Energy, Inc., a World Fuel Services company. Representatives expect that this acquisition will further benefit chamber members.
OnDemand/Kinect Energy will continue to serve all segments of the chamber membership from residential through large commercial and industrial customers. With Kinect Energy, our ChamberChoice Energy Program will have increased capabilities to provide marketing and back office support to all chambers, allowing education to smaller members and residents on the energy program value. Finally, the ChamberChoice Energy Program large commercial offerings, particularly on multi-state or international chamber customers, will be significantly enhanced through a much broader and comprehensive set of energy products and services.
“OnDemand has been the exclusive energy consultant for our ChamberChoice Energy Program and has done an incredible job delivering market leading energy products and services over the last 10 years. Their combination with Kinect Energy will strengthen our existing energy program and now enable our Chamber members to realize a much broader and comprehensive suite of energy products and services while continuing to allow them to focus on their core business,” said Sam Weber, president of ChamberChoice.
Members of the Columbia Montour Chamber have collectively saved millions of dollars on their energy costs through the program since it began. To find out if you can save on your electricity and natural gas costs, contact OnDemand Energy at 888-566-3362 and tell them you’re a member of the Chamber for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. Or, Chamber staff would be happy to facilitate and introduce you to an OnDemand rep, so, if you would prefer that route, call the Chamber office at 570-784-2522.