From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

House and Senate lawmakers are seeking a greater balance of power during disaster emergencies, as evidenced by their approval on July 14th, of a constitutional amendment that limits the governor’s powers under such circumstances.

Senate Bill 1166 – which passed the House in a 115-86 vote and the Senate in a 33-17 concurrence vote – provides that a gubernatorial emergency declaration could last no longer than 21 days unless extended by a concurrent resolution passed by the General Assembly. Notably, S.B. 1166 also states that the resolution would not need to be approved by the governor to take effect – a provision that comes on the heels of the state Supreme Court’s ruling that the governor could veto a resolution lawmakers passed to terminate the Wolf Administration’s emergency declaration.

Senate Bill 1166 also prohibits the governor from issuing a new emergency declaration upon the expiration of an existing one without the legislature’s approval via concurrent resolution. According to a Capitolwire story, the Senate bill was introduced shortly after the governor renewed his COVID-19 emergency declaration despite the objections of several lawmakers who “argued it was time for the governor to start working with the General Assembly regarding the virus instead of dictating policy that GOP leaders say has included mistakes – such as the handling of business closures, nursing homes, the state’s health care facilities and unemployment services – that may have been avoided if Wolf had worked with legislators.”

As a Constitutional Amendment, the exact same language must be passed again in the next legislative session that begins in January 2021, before it would be presented as a ballot question for voters to ultimately decide.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

On July 15th, Governor Tom Wolf and Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine issued new mitigation orders – namely on dining and entertainment establishments throughout the Commonwealth – in response to a recent increase of COVID-19 cases in certain areas of Pennsylvania. The restrictions include a requirement that dining facilities must offer sit-down, dine-in meals to remain open and that they limit indoor dining to 25 percent capacity; that indoor events cannot exceed 25 persons and outdoor events 250 persons; and that businesses continue to allow for telework, when possible; among other orders.

Following this announcement, PA Chamber President Gene Barr issued a statement expressing the business community’s concerns about the impact of these new orders on many employers. Many of the impacted businesses are small businesses that have invested and planned for months to ensure their safe re-opening with adherence to the CDC and state-issued health guidelines – including wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing.

“While we understand the need to implement mitigation tactics that will control the spread of COVID-19, today’s announcement by the Wolf Administration is yet another setback for so many businesses statewide,” Barr said. “Earlier this week, our state’s health secretary admitted that while there has been a recent rise in COVID-19 cases in some areas of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth isn’t ‘anywhere near’ to the situation we faced in the spring. She went on to say that higher case counts were the result of more testing and that ‘no more restrictions on business’ were being contemplated; yet today we learn that more restrictions are being placed on dining and entertainment establishments.”

“According to the Wolf Administration, the recent increase in cases is localized and is a result of people not adhering to masking and distancing guidelines. Many counties have been stable for a long period and some have seen only a single digit total during the entire course of the pandemic. This begs the question – why is an overly prescriptive, blanket mandate being enforced upon Pennsylvania’s business community in response to a situation that is only occurring in certain pockets of the state? Yet again, businesses must comply with an order that has been handed down without notice, and which leaves them with more questions than they have answers.”

“Rather than place further restrictions on these businesses – which will likely result in the closure, perhaps permanently, for many of them – we should utilize that enforcement action against those who refuse to comply with the safety protocols that we all know by now will keep our communities healthier – including hand washing, social distancing and wearing face masks. In fact, our organization encourages enforcement action against businesses and individual patrons who are violating the guidelines and have been calling for more enforcement against those whose irresponsible actions imperil the health, jobs, and businesses of others.”

“Our organization has been in constant contact with our broad-based membership since COVID-19 was first reported in Pennsylvania, to ensure we understand their most pressing needs and questions surrounding this situation; and we have consistently asked state government officials to describe the end result that is desired and to let businesses figure out the most effective, efficient ways of getting that result. Our state’s employers are among the best in the world. They have been diligent in working to navigate and comply with the health and safety protocols that are a hallmark of the pandemic era; and they’ve been quick to innovate in order to keep their doors open and their workers employed.”

“We all want to control the spread of the virus while balancing the needs of Pennsylvanians to live productive lives. Unfortunately, today’s order is a major setback in our collective efforts to bring Pennsylvania back.”

The PA Chamber response to the Wolf Administration’s actions were included in stories in Pennlive, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Allentown Morning Call, and CBS 21 News.  

The Columbia Montour Chamber’s Visionary Member Spotlight highlights Bloomsburg University.  As one of 14 public universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Bloomsburg University prepares students to become productive members of society and leaders with 57 undergraduate degree programs with 66 minors and 19 graduate degree programs. 

The university is the largest employer in Columbia County and has a significant positive impact on the area’s economy. 

The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce enjoys a strong working relationship with Bloomsburg University, supporting the Husky Dog Pound business pitch competition, participating in the Zeigler Institute for Professional Development (ZIPD) annual conference and with students in the program to assist them in their professional development, and in partnering to offer the Management & Leadership Certificate Program. Recently, the Zeigler College of Business started a new program to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Information about the program was shared in a recent Chamber webinar.

The Chamber’s Foundation also supports the University’s STEM Magnet School.

And, the Chamber is exploring additional opportunities to connect Bloomsburg University and its students with the local business community to enhance our area and its employers. 

It is the intent of the the Columbia County Commissioner’s Small Business/Tourism Grant to provide qualifying businesses a grant to help with costs such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and lost inventory.  This COVID-19 Columbia County Relief Block Grant (Small Business/Tourism Program) will utilize the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation’s web-based grant management system only as a technical assistance resource.  Review and allocation of available monies will be overseen by Harry Mathias. Funds will remain with the County Commissioners until disbursed to small businesses. The application window opens on July 17th.

A statutory clause states that “priority” is to be given to businesses that did not receive a loan or grant through the Federal Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Disaster Loan Program.  Therefore, those business’ fixed cost calculation will be adjusted upward by 5%. 

The County Commissioners have set aside a fund of $3,000,000 for this grant program.  If sufficient funds are not available to fully fund the intended target, all qualifying businesses will receive a pro-rata share of the $3,000,000 set aside amount.  No awarded grant will exceed $100,000.

For purposes of this grant, “fixed cost” is defined as base costs involved in operating the business and will consist of:

1. Rental lease/mortgage payments
2. Property and liability insurance costs
3. Property taxes (if paid by the business)
4. Utilities to operate the business facility
5. Lost inventory due to the COVID-19 emergency

QUALIFICATIONS:

Who is eligible?

• Any for-profit businesses or individuals doing business as businesses with base location in Columbia County, PA.
• One Owner per business may apply.

Approval Requirements:

• Must be in business by March 1, 2019 and still in business on July 1, 2020
• Must intend to stay in business through, at least, July 1, 2021
• Total employees less than 100 OR an entity primarily engaged in the Tourism industry
• Business must be based in Columbia County, PA
• Net Profit in March 1-June 30, 2020 window must be less than Net Profit in March 1- June 30, 2019 window.
• Must not owe federal, state or local taxes
• Must not be subject to criminal justice process as per the question in the application

Required Documentation:

• Most recently filed federal tax return
• Entity documents including DBA or FBN certificate and proof of ownership
• Business License (if sole proprietor)
• Government Issued ID
• Evidence of fixed costs including: mortgage/rent/lease payments, utility costs, license fees, property tax bills, property and liability insurance bills, attest to any inventory lost

TIMELINE OF THE GRANT PROCESS:

• July 16: Commissioners approve the amount of funding, grant process and timeline
• July 17: Grant application window opens.
• August 10: Grant application window closes
• August 10-August 18: Team compiles data, determines qualifying businesses, determines 5-month fixed cost calculation or ceiling amount, calculates pro-rata share in applicable
• August 20: Grant amounts recommended to Commissioners
• August 21: Letters of approval sent out to qualifying businesses including Grant amount and Grant contract
• Checks will be issued upon return of grant contracts to the County Commissioners Office.

 Grant applications must be completed and submitted through the Foundation’s grant website. Applicants may access the grant application by visiting www.csgiving.org.  Click on the homepage banner “Columbia County Relief Block Grant (Small Business/Tourism Grant Program)”.  The deadline to apply is Monday, August 10, 11:59 pm, online.  For questions about the online grant application, contact Christine Orlando, CSCF Senior Program Officer, corlando@csgiving.org,  570-752-3930, ext. 2.

From Left to Right: Ginny Weibel, Director of the Children’s Museum, Montana Jandrasitz, Quality Inn Bloomsburg, and Jamie Walker, Quality Inn Bloomsburg

Chamber members enjoyed an evening at the Children’s Museum, taking tours of the exhibits, while sampling baked goods, and sipping on wine at the Chamber’s Business After Hours, held on July 15th in Bloomsburg.  Attendees were able to catch up with and meet others in the local business community, while also getting a sneak peek of the new Health and Nutrition exhibit that is being built. 

The Children’s Museum was founded in 1985 to offer unique, sustainable, and dynamic learning opportunities for youth through year-round interactive exhibits, programming, and community outreach.

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 is currently slated for Wednesday, July 29th at the Quality Inn Bloomsburg, 189 Columbia Mall Drive, Bloomsburg.

Danville Heritage Festival

As part of the Celebrate Danville festivities, The Danville Heritage Festival organizers have been working to create videos, essays, and other content to celebrate our community’s history and are excited to announce the planned 2020 Danville Heritage Festival scheduled all throughout the week of July 13-19. The content can be viewed on the Heritage Festival Facebook page.

Celebrate Danville this Weekend

Celebrate Danville “going green” on Saturday, July 18, 2020. Downtown Danville will be extending its storefronts onto the sidewalks of Mill Street for some safe, socially-distanced dining and shopping.

Stores and restaurants will be offering sales, discounts, and specials in celebration of the opportunity to once again be open and serving customers.

Musical entertainment – sponsored by the Danville Area Arts – will be scattered up and down Mill Street for your listening pleasure. Don’t forget to show your appreciation to these talented individuals!

Get your “greens” with a visit to the Ferry Street Growers’ Market between 8 a.m. and noon.

Children are invited to participate in a contact-less Treasure Hunt all weekend long (July 18 & 19). Stayed tuned for more details on the Danville Business Alliance – and other participating stores – Facebook pages.

Bring your family for a quick bite to eat and shop or enjoy a quiet night out with your significant other at one of the delicious downtown dining establishments. Don’t forget to stick around for the fireworks to be set off at dusk!

Please keep checking the Danville Business Alliance website at www.visitdanvillepa.org and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DanvilleBusinessAlliance/ for more information.

Thank you to Geisinger for sponsoring this event.

Return to rabbittransit         

As much of Pennsylvania reopens for business, rabbittransit invites you to return to ride with us!  Ride safely on our Shared Ride service by following these three guidelines:

Keep Your Hands Clean: Our vehicles are frequently sanitized for your protection, but experts say keeping your hands clean is still the best way to prevent spreading the coronavirus and other illnesses. Take advantage of the hand sanitizer available for your use on the vehicles. When possible, use the hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting the vehicle.

Wear a Mask: Wearing a nose/mouth covering reduces the spread of the virus significantly. If you need a mask, please contact customer service at 1-800-632-9063 or email info@rabbittransit.org. Reusable cloth masks are available at no cost to riders.

Maintain Social Distance & Use Contactless Payment: Plastic barriers have been installed in all vehicles to maintain social distance between the driver and riders. Riders should sit as far apart as they are able. To further reduce contact, we recommend pre-paying for your trip on rabbittransit.org.  You can also prepay by calling customer service at 1-800-632-9063.

rabbittransit’s Shared Ride service is available to seniors 65 years of age and older. This door-to-door service provides rides that are grouped together between multiple customers. There are no restrictions on the reason you may ride, so you can use the Shared Ride Program for all kinds of trips, including; medical appointments, grocery shopping, beauty salons, banking, recreation, physical therapy, visiting friends, adult day care, and more! There may be a co-pay each time you board the vehicle. The cost depends on many different factors.

There is a required application process for new riders to use Shared Ride, so call 1-800-632-9063 today to speak with a customer service representative to get started today!

More than 435 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 Helping Hands Home Health.

Helping Hands Home Health is a privately owned home-health business, that offers in-home care services that can help prolong independent living. They have been in business for 3 years in Williamsport, and the new Bloomsburg facility will be their second location.  

Services that are offered include: hygiene, mobility assistance, nutrition, companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errand running,  transportation to/from appointments, and medication reminders. 

To learn more about Helping Hands Home Health, visit their website, and their Facebook page.  

Governor Tom Wolf announced that $10 million is now available for Pennsylvania businesses that have worked to maintain access to fresh, healthy food throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Pennsylvania’s food retailers stepped up to the plate to protect those putting food on the shelf, to think outside of the box to protect the most vulnerable, and to make investments to support those using assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC to support their families,” said Gov. Wolf. “I will be forever grateful to those who have worked hard to ensure food is always accessible through this pandemic; our frontline workers in grocery stores and farmers markets are among Pennsylvania’s heroes.”

The Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund — funded through the CARES Act — is available to for-profit, nonprofit, or cooperative entities impacted by COVID-19, including grocery stores, corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood markets, bodegas, food hubs, mobile markets, farmers markets, on-farm markets, urban farms, and food aggregation centers with a direct connection to direct-to-consumer retail outlets.

To be eligible, more than 50 percent of sales must be from staple and perishable foods to consumers and the retailer must serve customers that live in a low-to-moderate income area. Applicants must also provide access to affordable, high-quality fresh produce, meat and dairy products and other healthy grocery items for low-to-moderate income shoppers, and must accept SNAP and WIC to the maximum extent possible.

In recognition of the disproportionate impacts of both COVID-19 and food apartheid on communities made up of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and especially Black and African American communities, prioritization will be given to businesses owned by minorities and serving low-income BIPOC communities. Additional prioritization criteria include businesses located in or serving a USDA-designated food desert; businesses sourcing and selling Pennsylvania grown or processed products to the extent practicable; and applicants with supplier diversity and offering increased business opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, Veteran Business Enterprises, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprises; and Disability-Owned Business Enterprises.

“This pandemic has revealed many things, one of the most prevalent has been about where our food comes from – how it gets from the farm to those who need it. This relief fund is about strengthening the local food system and improving food security and nutrition,” said Sec. Redding. “We need to stimulate local economies, increase market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers, create jobs, and contribute to better health by improving access to fresh, local foods – we need to feed Pennsylvania, now and in the years to come. And that is all a part of this initiative.”

The program is administered by the Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Department of Community and Economic Development. Applications will be accepted through August 14, 2020. Grant funds will be distributed to eligible applicants for impacts related to COVID-19 that have been incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020, such as:

• Higher operating costs related to cleaning and social distancing requirements, including costs related to outside contracting associated with managing social distancing, limited occupancy, and cleaning;
• Infrastructure improvements including renovation, new construction, or adaptive reuse directly related to COVID-19;
• Equipment purchases that improve the availability of quality fresh food, such as additional refrigeration to manage volume, or personal protective equipment such as plexiglass dividers;
• Inventory (higher cost of goods, higher transportation or delivery costs, or procuring Pennsylvania-grown produce, meat, and dairy products, or loss of product);
• Innovative food access technology such as mobile or pop-up markets, or mobile EBT reader technology;
• Costs to expand access to Pennsylvania grown or processed produce, dairy and meat products or provide stable market access for Pennsylvania farmers that have lost or limited markets; and
• Other one-time or increased expenses incurred related to COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the individuals and businesses that stepped up to protect and provide for their communities over the past several months, by supplying critical goods and services,” said Sec. Davin. “Little is as life sustaining as providing access to fresh, healthy food, especially in food-insecure areas. This funding will help alleviate the financial burdens placed on Pennsylvania’s food system during the pandemic and will ensure continued access to nutritional foods as we work toward greater recovery.”

“A very big part of staying healthy is having access to healthy food. The effects of this pandemic are challenging communities across this commonwealth where access to fresh food is limited, particularly urban communities,” said state Representative Austin Davis (D-Allegheny). “This innovative program will help food retailers to maintain access to healthy, fresh food for people who depend on it.”

“During these unprecedented times, it is critical that we provide support to the communities and organizations that need them most. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the vulnerability of so many people who are struggling with food insecurity, especially how food deserts disproportionately impact communities of color,” said state Senator Tim Kearney (D-Chester, Delaware). “The Fresh Food Financing Initiative is an important step in putting food on the tables of individuals and families in need. Now more than ever, this initiative is essential to fighting hunger and ensuring access to healthy food for those hit hardest by this crisis.”

“Like so many things, food insecurity across the commonwealth — and especially in our urban areas — has been exacerbated by the current pandemic,” said state Representative Stephen Kinsey (D-Philadelphia). “Ensuring communities of color have access to fresh, perishable, and affordable foods to feed their families has never been more important and this program invests in the grocers and food providers who have struggled to ensure access through this crisis.”

“Like many businesses across our commonwealth, supermarkets that have utilized the Fresh Food Financing Initiative to locate in food deserts are incurring additional expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These grocers need assistance to safely remain open and to continue providing fresh and healthy food to these underserved communities, which far too often are communities of color,” said state Senator Pam Iovino (D-Allegheny, Washington). “As Pennsylvania pursues a holistic response to the pandemic, this funding will serve to support local economies and community health, particularly for some of those hardest hit.”

For full details on Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund eligibility, award amounts, additional prioritizations, and criteria visit agriculture.pa.gov/foodsecurity.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

PA Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement after Gov. Tom Wolf signed S.B. 637, legislation that helps Pennsylvanians with criminal records re-enter the workforce by reforming the process by which they can obtain an occupational license:

“Pennsylvania oversees the administration of more than 250 types of processional licenses – that’s 250 potential opportunities for individuals to find meaningful employment and help to close an existing jobs skills gap. Previously, the rules varied in terms of when a criminal record could prevent issuance of an occupational license and impede someone from entering into careers for which they were otherwise qualified. Under the new law, licenses may only be denied if the job applicant’s record is related to the occupation they’re pursuing – the same standard that employers follow if a job applicant has a criminal record. In addition, the new law requires agencies to determine and publicize the types of criminal records that relate to certain licenses – with language we suggested to ensure that the employer community’s perspectives are being sought in the process.”

“Providing this uniformity and clarity in the application of the occupational licensure law will help people make informed decisions related to the education and training opportunities they pursue. It will further help to ensure that good candidates are not being denied entry into their chosen career path based on a bad decision for which they’ve already paid their debt to society. Helping otherwise qualified people earn occupational licenses is one part of the Pennsylvania Chamber’s multi-pronged strategy to address our state’s workforce crisis, and we applaud Senator John DiSanto and Representative Sheryl Delozier for sponsoring bills in their respective chambers; as well as all lawmakers and the governor for their support of this important legislation.”