While the $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan recently passed by the U.S. House would provide much needed funding for Pennsylvania roads, bridges, and rural broadband expansion, Congressman Dan Meuser and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are not supportive of the $3.5 trillion spending bill that is now linked to it. That additional package includes higher tax rates for businesses at a time when employers are struggling with workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions. Meuser and the U.S. Chamber are advocating for the two bills to be voted on separately so that the hard infrastructure plan can move forward.
Congressman Meuser spoke about the negotiations regarding the two plans at a breakfast with Chamber members on September 2nd at Monty’s on Bloomsburg University’s Upper Campus. Laura Manion, Manager of the Great Lakes Region with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, also participated. Both were confident there are not enough votes in Congress to pass the larger spending plan.
Meuser stated that he “didn’t disagree with all of” the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan passed earlier this year under the Biden administration, as it provided additional funding for business assistance programs. Many mistakes were made at both the federal and state levels during the early days of the pandemic, according to Meuser, including mandating that businesses close. He advocated for an “open but safe” plan and pointed out to the Wolf administration the disruptions to supply chains for critical industries as a result of the shutdown.
To foster economic recovery, Meuser believes the U.S. needs to hold China’s “feet to the fire” regarding trade agreements to minimize disruptions to supply chains and help maintain U.S. competitiveness. He also discussed the need to be more self sufficient in energy and semiconductor production. Meuser is a sponsor of a bill being referred to as Chips USA that would support the production of semiconductors within the United States. Manion joined Meuser in advocating for the promotion of skilled trades as viable career paths and the importance of exposing middle and high school students to options.
With the $300 per week federal unemployment bonus payments ending on September 3rd, Meuser believes this will help to ease the workforce crisis. He pointed out that Pennsylvania’s 6.6% unemployment rate for July was significantly higher than the national rate of 5.4%, which takes into account states that ended the bonus payments previously. He also noted the importance of supporting child care to support working families and help develop the future workforce.
The Columbia Montour Chamber will continue discussions at the federal and state levels on policies to support a more robust workforce.
From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain for so many small business owners. You have taken on significant debt and made incredible sacrifices to reopen in an economy that looks vastly different from the one you knew before. Consumer behavior has changed significantly, and the need for digital transformation has never been more important.
To support you, we wanted to make you aware of a powerful new program created to help small businesses develop the knowledge and skills needed to accelerate their recovery and bounce back even stronger.
BackTo.Biz is a free, online learning program to help small businesses recover, pivot and grow. BackTo.Biz features a collection of 400+ individual video lessons, articles and tools from a diverse and renowned set of innovative entrepreneurs. The content is designed to help small business owners expand their knowledge and skills on a wide range of topics, including: hiring talent, selling online, building their brands, pivoting business models, creating new revenue streams, finding their ideal customers, managing stress and more.
You can view a short video trailer of the program at the link below and access all of the content for free at BackTo.Biz.
The program was funded by former Starbucks ceo and chairman emeritus Howard Schultz and the emes project llc, and co-created with CreativeLive, a global leader in online learning. To reach as many small businesses as possible and share additional best-in-class learning resources from top tier brands, BackTo.Biz has partnered with a coalition of non-profit and business leaders to raise awareness of the program, including Ascend, Chase, Community Reinvestment Fund USA (CRF), Facebook, Grow with Google, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Intentionalist, Main Street America, Microsoft, Reimagine Main Street, Salesforce, Starbucks, Shopify, and CO— by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Our goal is to help America’s small businesses emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger and more resilient.
Danville Heritage Festival This Weekend
The Danville Heritage Festival is a community celebration of all things Danville.
This year’s festival will be held in conjunction with the Danville Business Alliance’s Fall Arts & Crafts Festival, centered along Mill Street, with special events at other locations throughout the Danville community between Friday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 5th.
Enjoy living history presentations, historic tours of Danville, garden tours, live music, vendors, great food, fireworks, and much more.
A full schedule of events is available at DanvilleHeritage.com.
Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Partners with United in Recovery on “Hiding in Plain Sight” Temporary Exhibit
The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum recently partnered with United in Recovery, part of the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, to bring the “Hidden in Plain Sight” temporary exhibit to Bloomsburg
“Hiding in Plain Sight” is an exhibit, meant for parents and caregivers, that simulates a teen’s bedroom in which parents learn to identify objects that could provide critical insights about risky behavior. Amidst the clutter of clothing scattered on the floor, school supplies, and personal care products are items that can signal that a young person could be involved in risky, harmful, or even illegal activity. Visitors will have an opportunity to interact with the items on display.
Olivia Oden, Stigma Reduction & Education Coordinator for United in Recovery explains the importance of this exhibit.
“The ‘problem’ that our Hiding In Plain Sight exhibit addresses is substance use among young adults. Within the ‘teen’s bedroom’ that is set up, there are many places where one may hide illicit substances. Our exhibit strives to make parents and caregivers aware of not only where these hiding places are, but also of what challenges a teen may face when they use these illicit substances. We also provide resources and information for the family to take with them if interested, and the hands-on experience is a conversation starter for many individuals. This simulation is not meant to scare families and loved ones but be a conduit to have an open conversation on safety and prevention concerning illicit substance use among youth. “
The exhibit is currently open and runs through September 18th. Visitors can view the exhibit by entering a separate program space adjacent to the Museum’s exhibit galleries. The exhibit is open during regular Museum hours Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
For more information about United in Recovery please visit https://cmcuw.org/unitedinrecovery.
Berwick Breakfast Celebrates Giving Stories
The Community Giving Foundation: Berwick held its annual grant breakfast on August 24th to celebrate the impact of grant recipients and share stories of community giving from Foundation board, staff, and donors. The breakfast, held at Rolling Pines in Berwick, was a wonderful time of reflection on the long history of the Foundation in the Berwick community and the many dedicated individuals, families, and organizations that make this work possible.
During the event, Berwick Board chair Greg Martz shared his passion for the Berwick community and the giving spirit that is evident through Foundation stakeholders. Holly Morrison, Foundation president/CEO, spoke on her journey to partnership with the Foundation and the exciting opportunities that have come from the Foundation’s re-branding late last year. Christine Orlando, Foundation senior program officer, celebrated the good work accomplished in the Berwick community through the dedication of area nonprofit organizations. Grant recipients from the Berwick Health & Wellness Fund’s 2021 competitive grant round were also recognized. Dr. Bipin Chopra, executive director of the Columbia County Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, shared his organization’s experience with the Foundation as both an agency fundholder and grant recipient. As a new fundholder to the Foundation, Jodi Walp shared a touching tribute for her late husband and how her new donor advised fund will create a lasting legacy for their families by awarding grants in their names. Kara Seesholtz, Foundation chief advancement officer, closed the morning with a call for you to discover your own giving story—made easier through the Foundation’s new Giving Workbook.
The Foundation was honored and inspired by the uplifting community giving stories that were shared. Each joins together to create the story of the Community Giving Foundation.
The Exchange to Host “Catastrophes, Cataclysms, and Calamities: Dealing with Disaster”
Almost all of us have had to deal with disasters in our lives — sometimes a natural disaster like a flood, sometimes an intimate disaster between people. The Exchange Gallery at 24 East Main Street in Bloomsburg will be hosting an evening of music and stories from friends and neighbors about the disasters that they have faced on Wednesday, September 8th at 7 p.m. Musician Paul Loomis will share his homegrown songs, and Laurie McCants, Tim Pelton, Mary Lenzini Howe, Michael Howe, Kamran Shams, Tara MacNish, and Oren B. Helbok will tell their stories of floods, COVID, and other trials and tribulations that they have lived through.
Limited audience seating available: To make a reservation, call 570-317-2596 or e-mail Exchange@ExchangeArts.org.
McKonly & Asbury Named “Readers’ Choice” Accountant by Harrisburg Magazine
Harrisburg Magazine readers recently selected McKonly & Asbury as a “Readers’ Choice” Accountant winner. This long-standing award invites readers to participate in a 3-month poll to select the best local businesses in various categories.
“We are incredibly grateful to receive this award, and for the recognition by the community, which acknowledges our commitment to providing unparalleled accounting and business advisory services,” said Michael Hoffner, McKonly & Asbury’s Managing Partner. “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our client-focused staff and their devotion to delivering value to our clients.”
McKonly & Asbury has been honored to be chosen in past years, both as “Simply the Best” and “Readers’ Choice” winners.
SEDA-COG Hires New Community Development Staff
SEDA-COG recently welcomed three new staff in the community development program.
Aaron Crawford joined the Community Development staff as a program analyst. He has experience in project management, public speaking, grant writing, and local government work. He graduated in April 2020 with a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in public administration, with a major in public and non-profit management, with a minor in urban affairs and planning.
Susan Martin was hired as a program assistant in the community development program. She has experience with housing programs through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Susan has an associate’s degree from Olean Business Institute.
Nadine Simpson joined the community development program as a program assistant. She is taking classes in environmental science at Southern New Hampshire University. She has experience in management and customer service experience.
SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.
As employers of all types and sizes continue to struggle to fill open positions, The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce is joining other chambers from across the state in calling on agencies and officials for policy changes. Among the issues keeping people from reentering the workforce are UC fraud and extended benefits, child care, and skills training. Chambers will be discussing a unified platform and meeting with representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, State Treasurer, Attorney General, and Auditor General next week.
While the $300 per week federal unemployment bonus payment is scheduled to end September 6th, employers are not seeing a rush of people applying for positions. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was at 6.6% for July, compared to a national rate of 5.4%. Attendance at the NPBC job fair held at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds on August 28th was light and participating employers reported many incidents of people not showing up for interviews, performing poorly in interviews, and declining offers since the active work search requirement was reinstated. Legislation is being drafted that would make an individual ineligible for benefits if they discourage their own hire by such activities.
For parents, ever-changing school schedules throughout the pandemic and child care availability create work-related challenges. Affordable, quality early child care and education allows parents to be more active in the workforce now, and helps prepare children for a lifetime of learning and socialization. The Chamber has been a member of the Columbia Montour Early Learning Investment Committee since its inception in order to understand the challenges of providing quality child care and education and is developing an advocacy platform to encourage long-term improvements to the system.
People willing and able to reenter the workforce often need training to meet the needs of employers. Using funds from the federal recovery programs, The Chamber has assisted with the development of basic employability skills and skilled trades training programs. Employers have identified additional training needs and workforce funding policies need to be revised so that these programs can be sustainable and expanded.
Other opportunities to strengthen the workforce include people incarcerated in state facilities or on probation at the local level. The Chamber is in discussions about consistent programs to encourage and assist these individuals in entering the workforce and connect them with local employers.
“There is no magic bullet for solving the workforce needs of our employers, but we have to be more aggressive in dealing with the underlying issues,” said Fred Gaffney, Chamber President. “A coalition of chambers from across the state is amplifying the calls from our members for long-term policy changes in order to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy.”
A new grant program for small businesses in Columbia County will begin accepting applications on Wednesday, September 1st. The Columbia County Commissioners are providing qualifying small businesses a grant to assist in covering the business’ operating expenses incurred in 2021. Operating expenses include but are not limited to: payroll, rent, mortgage, utilities, costs of goods, supplies, raw materials, etc. Grant proceeds may not be used to acquire another business entity. $1,250,000 will be made available for the Columbia County Commissioners Small Business Grant.
Eligible businesses must have experienced a net reduction in revenue of at least 25% in calendar year 2020 compared to calendar year 2019.
Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis until all grant funds are awarded. Grants are to be awarded in $4,000 increments. No awarded grant will exceed $40,000.
Additional details and the application link are available at csgiving.org/cccsbg.
Flavor City Oils Celebrating 1 Year Anniversary This Saturday
Flavor City Oils is celebrating its 1 year anniversary in downtown Danville this Saturday, August 28th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The shop is being reconfigured to offer new products. They will have giveaways throughout the day and will also be raising money for Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. Owners Deb and Greg are so thankful to Danville and the surrounding communities for their first year. Help them show how strong our communities are and donate to fight against Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease.
B.I.D.A. Awards 2021 Vocational Scholarships
Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.), has made a commitment to support the region through their post-secondary vocational education scholarship program. Their goal is to assist the businesses and industries in the greater Berwick area by supporting local youth who are interested in continuing their education in the industrial arts and vocational trades. To help with recruitment, B.I.D.A. encourages the local youth to consider using their anticipated skills and degrees to help grow our region and seek employment opportunities in their own backyard. Students today have the opportunity to turn those skills into long-term careers.
B.I.D.A. presented scholarships to two students from the participating schools, Berwick Area High School and Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School. Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical grad, Liam Ruddy, plans to attend Johnson Technical Institute in the fall where he anticipates obtaining his associate’s degree in electrical construction and maintenance technology while securing an internship at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Liam hopes to broaden his skills and become more of an asset to his future employers.
Berwick High School grad, Logan Noroski will attend West Virginia University this fall where he plans to major in industrial engineering with a minor in business. Logan plans to use his problem-solving skills and work for an established engineering firm where he plans to gain the necessary experience to one day start his own engineering firm and become a job creator.
B.I.D.A. created this distinctive scholarship program to bring awareness to vocational training and education. B.I.D.A. wants to increase public awareness and the importance of vocational training to our economy. Our region is rich in manufacturing, industrial development and logistics. Our communities need to know the opportunities and careers that are here, offer sustainable wages, and provide future job growth.
For more information on the B.I.D.A. Vocational Education Scholarship email info@bida.com or call 570- 752-3612.
Service 1st Announces Going Gold Kick-Off Event This Sunday
September 2021 will mark the 7th year local organizations and communities have joined forces to help fight pediatric cancer and raise funds to benefit the ThinkBIG® Pediatric Cancer Fund.
The Going Gold initiative, which began in 2015, continues to expand. To date, this initiative has raised over $60,000.
Going Gold 2021 will begin with a special Kick-Off event on Sunday, August 29 at Hess Field in Danville, PA. The event will feature a variety of food trucks, live music, family activities, and beer vendors.
Bring a lawn chair or blankets for a great lineup of live entertainment:
Noon – 12:45 pm: Woody Wolfe
1:00 – 1:45 pm: Mark Cresswell
2:00 – 2:45 pm: Uptown Music Collective
3:00 – 3:45 pm: Antonio Andrade
4:00 – 4:45 pm: Frank Wicher
5:00 – 5:45 pm: AC Soul Medicine
The Kick-Off will also feature a number of food vendors including Bason Coffee Roasting, and Marley’s Brewery & Grille will be among several brewers in the brew tent.
Geisinger Hosts Walk with a Doc Event to Promote Heath and Nature
As part of a movement to promote health, nature, and local parks and trails, a month-long campaign is encouraging communities and health professionals to get active together during “Walk with a Doc” programs across Pennsylvania. The statewide initiative will run throughout PA Trails Month in September. Geisinger hosted a kick-off event at Hess Recreation Area in Danville on August 24th.
The effort is a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Medical Society, Geisinger and the Walk with a Doc organization. The initiative provides communities the opportunity to take an active role in their health while exploring their local outdoor recreational areas with the medical professionals who care for them.
“The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of time in natural places to our well-being, which is why we are excited to launch this effort that introduces people to new trails to try and makes the connection between health and the outdoors,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “This has been a great collaboration and we thank all of our partners helping us to advance wellness in nature and meet a goal of our statewide outdoor recreation plan.”
Throughout the month, communities and health organizations are encouraged to get active and host their own Walk with a Doc event. The Aug. 24 event in Danville hosted by Geisinger was led by Dr. Michael Suk, chief physician officer and chair of Geisinger’s Musculoskeletal Institute and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
“Walk with a Doc” is created to encourage the members of our community to get active. Walking is not a high-intensity workout and yet it comes with many health benefits. Walking is great for heart health, boosting your mood, maintaining healthy weight, and improving circulation. It is also great for keeping your muscles and joints strong and healthy,” said Michael Suk, M.D., chair of Geisinger’s Musculoskeletal Institute. “This campaign not only encourages walking but also helps the community create a bond with their healthcare providers.”
Walk with a Doc is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire communities through movement and conversation. During the event, participants will enjoy a light walk with physicians and other local healthcare professionals who will provide support to participants and answer questions during the walk.
Those interested in hosting a Walk with a Doc event in their community can visit dcnr.pa.gov/Recreation/WalkWithDoc . As new Walk with a Doc events in September are scheduled around the commonwealth they’ll be added to the DCNR Calendar of Events.
Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Announces September Programs
Among the programs that will be held at the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum in September is All Abilities Night, Friday September 17th from 3 to 7 p.m. Visitors will enjoy a reduced number of visitors, space, and freedom to explore at your own pace, adapted exhibits, a quiet area, and an opportunity to network with other families. All Abilities Night is a FREE event held regularly.
A full program schedule is available on the Children’s Museum’s website.
New Scholarship Fund at Community Giving Foundation Accepting Applications for BU Students
The Community Giving Foundation: Bloomsburg is pleased to announce a new scholarship fund available for students at Bloomsburg University. The fund was established by the Bloomsburg Greek Alumni Association and is now accepting applications for its 2021 award.
With more than 10,000 Greek alumni of Bloomsburg University living across the country, the association was formed to maintain a strong connection between alumni, support the recruitment and retention of new members of Bloomsburg Greek organizations, and advance professional development and career pathways for all members of the Bloomsburg Greek system. The group created the Bloomsburg Greek Alumni Scholarship Fund to leave a positive impact on student life, the Greek system, and the greater community in Bloomsburg.
Visit the Community Giving Foundation’s website for additional details.
As employee recruiting continues to be a challenge across the region, employers are especially concerned about making sure their wages and benefits are competitive. While the Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information and Analysis provides wage data specific to counties on a full range of occupations, there is some lag in the data and other important information including health benefits and sign-on bonuses are not tracked.
To provide members with the most current data, the Chamber has created a wage survey for those positions most commonly requested. The survey is now available online and will be open through Friday, September 3rd. Data will be anonymous as no identifiable information is being collected.
From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Businesses leaders and childcare advocacy experts shared their experiences in tackling childcare at the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s latest Talent Forward event.
Why it matters: Many working parents have not yet returned to work due to current or shifting guidelines affecting their childcare arrangements. These long-term decisions based on short-term circumstances will continue to have a lasting effect on the workforce. Chamber Foundation research found there has been more than $3 billion in foregone wages due to working parents declining new opportunities because of childcare needs.
TOOTRiS Founder and CEO Alessandra Lezama said small- and medium-sized employers should consider offering benefits around childcare as a competitive advantage when trying to hire in the marketplace.
More takeaways:
- Lilia Vergara, director of human resources at Dr. Bronner’s, said the first step for employers in providing any kind of childcare solutions for employees is to “find out exactly what employees need.”
- To remove barriers in the workforce like childcare, states have an opportunity to build programs that create a pipeline of qualified childcare providers, says Laura Kaloi of Stride Policy Solutions.
- “We need to target support and resources for childcare to those families that truly need it,” says Abby McCloskey, founder and principal of McCloskey Policy.
Click here to view the entire program.
From McKonly & Asbury CPAs & Business Advisors
Ahh the Research and Development Tax Credit…one of the most overlooked tax credits for contractors! The R&D tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of a company’s tax liability, and it was made permanent in 2015 with the PATH Act.
To qualify for the credit, you must have “qualified” research and development expenses. This is what usually holds most people back, thinking they don’t qualify for the credit because they aren’t doing anything deemed “innovative” enough. However, if the work being done requires design and development of new structures and building components, or you’re taking on design and engineering responsibilities, it may very well qualify for the credit and is worth taking a closer look at. Expenses that go into the calculation include salaries and wages, supply costs, and contractor costs. Many design-build contractors see significant savings with the R&D tax credit.
So, if you’re reading this and thinking your company might qualify, the first step is getting a feasibility study done to give you an idea of possible R&D tax credits. If significant savings are found ─ good news ─ tax returns can be amended for the previous three years to take advantage of the credits.
Another piece that is often overlooked is state R&D tax credits. Many states, including Pennsylvania, offer state level R&D credits. After the analysis at the federal level is done, another analysis is done to determine state level expenses eligible for R&D. PA requires businesses to then apply for the credits and a certain amount is then awarded to each business.
Contractors ─ it’s worth it to at least have the conversation to see if R&D credits can be beneficial to you. Don’t leave these tax savings on the table! For more information on these services and more, be sure to visit our construction services page and don’t hesitate to reach out to Dan Sturm, Partner and Leader of our Construction Industry practice at dsturm@macpas.com.
From the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
As reported in USA Today last week, President Biden does not plan to extend the federally-funded $300 unemployment compensation benefit enhancement, which is scheduled to expire Sept. 6.
The article quotes a letter to lawmakers cowritten by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh stating “The temporary $300 boost in benefits will expire on September 6th, as planned. As President Biden has said, the boost was always intended to be temporary and it is appropriate for that benefit boost to expire.”
Click here for the full article.