Following a $20 million cut to child care line items in the 2016-17 state budget, the spending plan passed earlier this spring in the House would reduce funding another $28 million. The proposed cuts would dramatically increase the waiting list for services and force families to make tough decisions on child care and possibly staying at home to take care of children. As proper child care and early childhood development have been shown to provide a solid foundation for developing social skills and life-long learning, the Chamber is asking Senate and House members to not only sustain, but consider increasing funding for child care. Funding for child care is important for many reasons, including:- The proposed cuts to the Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance appropriations would eliminate services for more than 10,000 children and increase the waiting list for these services to 19,000 – the highest level in the state’s history.
- This funding supports child care subsidies for low-income working families, which allow parents to work while their children are in safe and stable child care. These cuts include:
- a $10 million reduction that would negate the proposed expanded enrollment of 1,800 children on the child care waiting list;
- the further reduction of $40.2 million in state funds that would mean the elimination of 6,885 children from the current program; and
- a $12.7 million cut to the Child Care Assistance line item that provides for child care subsidies for families receiving TANF and SNAP and will potentially impact 2,018 low-income children receiving subsidies through this line item.
On Tuesday, June 13, Chamber President Fred Gaffney issued comments in support of the Atlantic Sunrise Gas Pipeline Project at a hearing of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The hearing, held at the Bloomsburg High School, was specific to permits related to water obstruction and encroachment and erosion and sediment control. Pending approval of the permits, the project is expected to begin construction later this summer.
The Atlantic Sunrise Project, coordinated by Williams, will expand the Transco gas pipeline system with a new pipe approximately 185 miles long connecting the existing pipeline just north of Columbia County to southeast Pennsylvania. The project will allow more efficient transmission of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus natural gas. Construction will be divided into seven sections, and is expected to take one year. The economic impact for just Columbia County is estimated at $85.5 million.
The Chamber’s research indicates that modern pipeline technology provides among the safest methods of transporting natural gas. The Chamber Board previously passed a resolution supporting the expansion of Pennsylvania’s natural gas transportation and distribution pipeline infrastructure. Specific to this project, Williams has demonstrated its concern for property owners and the environment with the adoption of more than 400 route modifications affecting more than 60 percent of its original route.
More information on the DEP permit process is available on the agency’s website.
More information about the Atlantic Sunrise project is available here.
Chamber members enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the many and sometimes complex things that individuals need to do and remember when approaching the Medicare-eligible age of 65 at the Chamber’s bimonthly Learn at Lunch event, held at Wesley United Methodist Church on Tuesday, June 13 and presented by PPL Electric Utilities. Jacqueline Lucas, community relations representative at Geisinger Health Plan, gave a presentation that went over when and how to enroll in Medicare, coverage options, differences between Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, and the timing involved in collecting social security and how that can run concurrent with Medicare benefits.
If you weren’t able to make it to this presentation but would like some additional information, GHP representatives are available to do individualized home visits to people at or near the Medicare eligibility age. Contact Jacqueline by email for additional information or call GHP member services at 1-800-498-9731. The Medicare and You handbook, published annually by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is also a valuable resource for those interested in learning more about this important subject of healthcare for retirees.
The next Chamber Learn at Lunch is scheduled for Tuesday, August 8 at noon and will feature Mike Atchie from Williams, who will talk about the mobile app that is currently being developed by Williams for workers that come into our area from outside to work on the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline. The app will feature information and listings of local businesses in order to encourage the patronage of local businesses. He will also speak about the current state of the pipeline project. Location is TBD.
First Columbia Bank & Trust celebrated the opening of its new community banking office at 400 Walnut St. in Danville (Rt. 11) last Thursday morning, June 8, with a ribbon cutting. Several local dignitaries and members of the business community, including Columbia Montour Chamber President Fred Gaffney, were in attendance to cut the ribbon on First Columbia’s newest branch, its 14th location, and first in Montour County.
For additional information on the new branch, including photos from the ribbon cutting and grand opening, visit First Columbia’s Facebook page.
Member News
Grow Your Business with Email and Social Media Workshop
The Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will hold a workshop titled “Grow Your Business with Email and Social Media” on Tuesday, June 20, at 1 p.m. at the DeWitt Building, third floor, 416 Market St., Lewisburg. This workshop will present tips and tricks for successful email marketing, including how to get your messages opened and read, shared and socially visible. Growing a healthy list, creating great content with a mobile-friendly format, effective subject lines and resulting tracking and reporting are among the topics that will also be covered. Cost is $35 and veterans are welcome at no charge. Register by calling Shelley Gadoury at 570-577-1249 or online.
Children’s Museum Hosts Special Needs Night
The Children’s Museum, 2 W. 7th St., Bloomsburg, will host Special Needs Night on Friday, June 23, from 6-8 p.m. Come to a fun night out for families with special needs. Enjoy a reduced number of visitors, space and freedome to explore at your own pace, adapted exhibits, a quiet area, fun craft and sensory activities and an opportunity to network with other families. Special Needs Night is a free event held quarterly.
The 2016-17 Leadership Central Penn class at its graduation last month.
Leadership Central Penn, a program of The Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber, is currently seeking applications for spots in its 2017-18 class. LCP seeks to identify and educate citizens from Columbia and Montour counties that exhibit leadership potential. Classes meet on the third Thursday of each month for a full day (approx. 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) from September through May. Area businesses and organizations are encouraged to nominate and sponsor employees. Individuals may also apply. The application deadline is July 31.
The 2017-18 class will be the 19th since LCP’s inception in 1993. The 18th class held its graduation last month.
Application (.docx)
Program promotional brochure (.pdf)
Chamber members partook in some homemade hors d’oeuvres as well as local wine from fellow members Three Dogs Vino, Pickering Winery and Freas Farm Winery as they put a bow on the month of May at the second of two Business After Hours last month at Members Choice Financial Credit Union in Danville. Attendees were able to enjoy the outstanding food and drink while networking and meeting several members of the MCFCU team and learning about the credit union’s offerings. For more information about MCFCU, visit its website or call 800-834-0082.
Business After Hours provide regular opportunities to build business relationships while learning about the services offered by other Chamber members. Please join us at our next Business After Hours next Wednesday, June 21 at the Pump House Bed & Breakfast just outside Bloomsburg.
More than 100 state and local chamber officials from across the Commonwealth, including Fred Gaffney, Columbia Montour Chamber President and Dan Knorr, Board Member, came together on Tuesday, June 6th to participate in 2017 Chamber Day. The annual event, which is co-hosted by the PA Chamber of Business and Industry and the Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals, allows local chambers to meet with key policymakers and discuss ways to improve Pennsylvania’s business climate and competitive edge.
“While we have a good working relationship with our state delegation, it is beneficial to travel to Harrisburg from time to time to meet with legislators,” said Gaffney. “Chamber Day also provides the opportunity to show a unified voice statewide on issues of importance to employers.”
Participants met with elected officials and cabinet members throughout the day, including Gov. Tom Wolf, who served as the keynote speaker during the Chamber Day luncheon. Senate Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, R-Jefferson, and Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny both kicked off the event with welcoming remarks at the State Capitol. The day-long event also featured policy discussions on a variety of topics, including: the 2017-18 state budget, pension reform, property taxes, workforce development, as well as the Commonwealth’s transportation and infrastructure needs. The legislature passed the pension reform plan during that week, which was signed by Governor Wolf on Monday, June 12th. As budget discussions continue, there was no clear plan provided for filling the budget gap estimated at nearly $3 billion.
This is the fifth and final post recognizing all of the valuable contributors that helped make this year’s Chamber golf outing a huge success. It is the continued support of these businesses and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs and benefits to its members, giving its members a stronger voice in advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
With only three full-time staff members, the Chamber could not successfully put on the golf outing each year while also making sure the office remains staffed during the day of the tournament without the help of several dedicated and willing volunteers that assist the Chamber staff with logistics and day-of-event duties. Thank you to these individuals for donating their time and helping make sure the event ran smoothly.
Jodi Berry, M&T Bank
Heidi Bolus, M&T Bank
Dave Brokus, M&T Bank
Lisa Makara, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
Mary Ann Rizzo, Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau
Deb Sokol, Columbia Montour Chamber
Diana Verbeck, Danville Child Development Center
Jon White-Spunner, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
Also, thanks to both Kathy Taylor and Amanda Woolsey from the Hampton Inn-Danville, who originally planned to volunteer but were unable to due to the date change of the tournament.
Special thanks to Jodi Berry of M&T Bank, who went above and beyond in both rounding up volunteers, but also in requesting prize donations from area businesses. Her volunteer efforts on behalf of the Chamber and the golf tournament are greatly appreciated, and the tournament would not have run as efficiently, nor would the prizes have been as good without her help. Thank you, Jodi!
Finally, last but not least, thank you to the staff at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Club, which hosted the Chamber golf outing for the second straight year. Mike Thompson and the pro shop staff had every detail related to the course and players taken care of, and Kathy Baker and her food and beverage staff served some great-tasting food for the tournament’s players and patrons. It’s a first class group and we thank them for all of their efforts for making this a first class tournament.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
In a whirlwind of activity last week, the General Assembly passed and sent to Gov. Tom Wolf an important public pension reform bill that will help to rein in the what has been unsustainable growth of the state pension systems, shift a significant portion of the risk from potentially under-performing investments off of state taxpayers and help to secure the future sustainability of state and public school employees’ retirement plans. Governor Tom Wolf signed the legislation into law on Monday.
Senate Bill 1, which was passed 40-9 by the Senate last Wednesday and 143-53 by the House on Thursday, offers a choice of three new retirement plan options for new employees hired after 2019 within the State Employees Retirement System and the Public School Employees Retirement System, along with an opt-in provision for current workers. Two of the choices offer hybrid defined benefit, defined contribution plans, while the third option is a defined contribution, 401k-style plan.
Prior to the Senate and House votes on the bill, the PA Chamber sent memos to both chambers urging their support for the measure. The memos noted that while the organization is ready to support additional steps to mitigate rising costs in the near term, it believes that S.B. 1 will put the state pension systems on a better path to stability and sustainability. These beliefs are strengthened through findings by the education advocacy organization PennCAN, which has found that few teachers do better under the existing PSERS pension plan than they would under a plan like S.B. 1; and from the Pew Charitable Trusts, which has noted that the bill would be one of the most – if not the most – comprehensive and impactful reform any state has implemented.