Renaissance Jamboree is co-sponsored by Bloomsburg University and its Program Board, Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc., the Town of Bloomsburg, and The Columbia Montour Chamber.With information from the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Last Wednesday, PA Chamber Director of Government Affairs Kevin Sunday spoke before a DEP permit hearing in Lycoming County in support of an air quality permit for an expanded compressor station on Williams’ Transcontinental pipeline system. The expanded station would allow for increased capacity on the system in advance of the build-out of the Atlantic Sunrise project, which received key clearance from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this past winter and is awaiting several water and wetlands permits from DEP and the Army Corps before construction can begin in earnest later this spring. At the hearing, Sunday noted that infrastructure projects, such as Atlantic Sunrise
, represent the potential for thousands of jobs in the state, billions of dollars in new investment, and continued opportunity for the state’s manufacturing base.
The PA Chamber will continue to advocate on this issue, given that infrastructure is critical to supporting and sustaining economic growth. Likewise, The Columbia Montour Chamber is submitting a letter to DEP this week in support of the project. The Chamber continues to support the expansion of Pennsylvania’s natural gas transportation and distribution pipeline infrastructure.
In recognition of the small business community’s significant contributions to Pennsylvania’s economy, the week of April 30-May 6 will be celebrated as Pennsylvania Small Business Week. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has partnered with agencies from across the state to celebrate entrepreneurs and small business owners for their contributions to Pennsylvania’s economy, and draw attention to the resources available to support them.
Pennsylvania is home to one million small businesses, and employs 2.5 million individuals — about half of the state’s private workforce. Small businesses play a vital role in Pennsylvania’s economy, accounting for 99.6 percent of businesses in the state. Their economic impact is evident across a variety of business sectors, ranging from professional services, retail, construction, and health care to manufacturing, education and beyond.
To support the continued success and growth of small businesses, business-owners and entrepreneurs can participate in DCED’s Small Business Web Series. Each free webinar in the series will be presented by experienced business experts.
Monday, May 1 (Noon) – Resources for Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses, presented by Betsy Lockwood, SEDA-COG
Tuesday, May 2 (Noon) – Registering a Business in Pennsylvania, presented by PA Departments of State, Revenue, and Labor & Industry
Wednesday, May 3 (Noon) – Government Procurement & Diverse Business Certification, presented by PA Department of General Services
Thursday, May 4 (Noon) – Raising Capital in Pennsylvania, presented by PA Department of Banking and Securities
Friday, May 5 (Noon) – Entrepreneur Stories of Small Business Success, presented by Jennifer Gill, President of Exact Match Masonry Staining; Vivian Isaak, President of Magnum Group; and Maryann Petta Cook, Founder and President of Bella Lucia
Visit the DCED website to register for these webinars and for a complete list of workshops, trainings and seminars. Pennsylvania Small Business Week is part of a nationwide celebration launched by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Each year, the President announces National Small Business Week to highlight the critical role of entrepreneurs and small business in the U.S. economy.
Recommendations for strengthening Berwick’s downtown were presented to an audience of dozens of interested business people and community members last Tuesday evening. The report, prepared by a consulting team from the Lehigh Valley, provides strategies for supporting small business growth, improving properties and infrastructure, and enhancing the sense of community. A local steering committee, which includes Chamber Board member Jeff Cerminaro and President Fred Gaffney, has provided oversight of the development of the report and will work with local stakeholders on evaluating and implementing the recommendations. Downtown Berwick merchants are invited to a follow-up meeting on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m.
at Berwick Brewing to discuss some of the specifics in the plan.
The full report is available for download on the Columbia County Housing and Redevelopment Authorities’ website.
As Pennsylvania is facing revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year, the Governor’s 2017-18 budget proposes more modest spending increases. What will the final budget include and when might it be finalized? Get insights from our State delegation and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry at a breakfast program scheduled for May 5.
Jennifer Reis, Manager of Government Affairs with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry, will provide an overview of the 2017-18 budget proposal, highlighting issues that impact business. Senator John Gordner and Representatives Kurt Masser and David Millard are scheduled to provide updates and insights on the negotiations. Attendees will also be invited to provide questions and comments.
The program will be held Friday, May 5, from 8–9:30 a.m. at The Greenly Center in downtown Bloomsburg. Cost is $18 for members, $25 for non-members, and includes a buffet breakfast. Register by sending in the registration form or by calling the Chamber office at 570-784-2522. The event is being presented by the Joint Governmental Affairs Committee of the Chamber and Visitors Bureau.
Local employers looking to connect with potential employees and network with other area businesses are invited to participate in the upcoming Montour County Job Fair. The event, co-sponsored by the Chamber, will be held on Tuesday, May 23, from 2:30–6 p.m. at Frosty Valley Country Club, 2201 Bloom Road, Danville. The first thirty minutes of the session are reserved exclusively for veterans. The fair will then be open to the general public from 3–6 p.m.
Employers interested in participating are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Space is limited by industry to ensure variety. The registration form is available here.
For more information, contact the PA CareerLink office for Columbia & Montour counties at 570-387-6288.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors welcomed three new members this month. Beginning their first terms as Board members are:
Lissa Bryan-Smith, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
Amanda Marko, Danville Business Alliance
Chris Stamatedes, PPL Electric Utilities
The annual spring event known as “Block Party” is scheduled for this weekend in Bloomsburg. The Town/Gown Relations committee is implementing two new initiatives to increase security this year by discouraging visitors. The new initiatives include:
• Parking Restrictions – Bloomsburg University will temporarily close the Lightstreet Road Parking Lot and the ATM Parking Lot to all vehicles and temporarily restrict access to the First Street (Green) Parking Lot to permit-holders only from 12:00 p.m. Friday, April 21, 2017, through 12:00 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 2017.
• Residence Hall Visitation Restrictions – Bloomsburg University will temporarily restrict overnight guests in the residence halls to one visitor per student for the evenings of Friday, April 21, Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, 2017. A professional security company firm will assist in managing guest registrations and enhance front door security.
The Town/Gown Relations Committee is reminding participants that neither the Town of Bloomsburg nor Bloomsburg University endorse the Block Party Event, and a large police contingency of both uniformed and plain clothes officers will be present.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
The state’s Independent Fiscal Office unveiled a new report this week showing the amount of additional state dollars that would be necessary to implement and sustain a so-called property tax reform bill. The analysis concluded that nearly $12 billion would be needed up front, which is $2 billion less than the previous estimate; but also showed that this amount would need to grow by hundreds of millions more than previously estimated – between $800 million to $900 million each year. As it did in the earlier report, the IFO again assumed an estimated $530 million from gaming revenue will be dedicated to the property tax relief effort.
The PA Chamber remains opposed to this tax shift measure that relies on fluctuating revenue streams (sales and personal income taxes) to replace the steady, reliable funding that property taxes have provided for generations. The property tax legislation that a small but vocal group of advocates are promoting would have an especially negative impact on renters, small businesses and young families who would see a new sales tax placed on many everyday essentials like diapers and daycare.
The Joint Governmental Affairs Committee of the Columbia Montour Chamber and the Visitors Bureau will be evaluating the legislation once it is introduced.
Congressman Lou Barletta recognized business investments in technology during a visit to the Bloomsburg area on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Barletta toured the new SUEZ water treatment facility on Irondale Road before visiting with businesses at the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center.
The new, $32 million water treatment plant includes pressurized membrane filtration and ultraviolet light technology to provide high water quality. The facility took two years to build and is located above the floodplain on higher ground across from the old plant. A new intake includes submersible pumps to provide continuous operation during times of future flooding. The company also recently placed a new, 1.8 million gallon water storage reservoir into service that replaces an old reservoir. Congressman Barletta recognized the company’s investments and efforts to protect the system against cyber attacks.
The Chamber advocated for and supported the new facility to improve reliability. Chamber President Fred Gaffney also recognized SUEZ for their investments. “Thanks to the time and resources SUEZ has spent working on these improvements, our water supply is something the rest of us don’t have to think much about,” he said.
At the Tech Center, Barletta and representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration met with another Chamber member, OPTiMO Information Technology. OPTiMO specializes in application development, system integration and digital design. Their client base includes the private and public sectors.
The Joint Governmental Affairs Committee will be hosting the annual breakfast with Congressman Barletta this summer for an update on activities in Washington.