The Chamber’s Board of Directors is recommending a slate of candidates to serve on the Board beginning April, 2022. Members will vote on nominations during the annual meeting, sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities, on Wednesday, February 9th. Nominated to serve are:
Nominated to a 3-year term on the Board:
Jeff Cerminaro, Walker’s Jewelers
Holly Morrison, Community Giving Foundation
Chris Stamatedes, PPL Electric Utilities
Bob Stoudt, Montour Area Recreation Commission
Nominated to a 1-year term on the Board:
Megan Kiliti, Berwick Brewing
Denise Stone, eXp Realty
Karen Wood, Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Reommended to fill an unexpired, 3-year term on the Board:
Sharon Wilkin, Design Group
In accordance with the by-laws, any fifteen members may nominate an alternate ticket, or tickets, by posting the same, over their signatures, at The Chamber not later than five days prior to the annual meeting.
The officers will also be voted on by the Board at the annual meeting and the chair will appoint three additional members at that time. Nominated to serve as officers:
Chair – Chris Stamatedes, PPL Electric Utilities
Vice Chair – Bob Stoudt, Montour Area Recreation Commission
Treasurer – Denise Stone, eXP Realty
Immediate Past Chair – Dan Knorr, Bloomsburg University
President – Fred Gaffney
Events over the past couple years has caused many employees to reconsider their priorities when it comes to choosing benefits. Employers who have offered traditional benefit packages until recently are finding they may no longer be the employer of choice with an outdated benefit portfolio that doesn’t meet the evolving needs of their workers. Losing key talent is a risk few businesses can endure.
A good, solid employer sponsored medical program is still a chief concern for employees. At the same time, however, as a result of a heightened awareness of medical and financial needs due to pandemic-related factors, employees have sought to round out their coverage with benefits such as:
- Income protection (short- and long- term disability coverage)
- Critical Illness programs
- Hospital Indemnity programs
- Mental Health benefits
- Financial Wellness benefit programs
Adding these programs is neither expensive nor difficult. And for employers concerned about the impact on their operating budget, an effective solution to accommodate this shift in benefit focus without incurring additional cost is through a voluntary benefits package.
It’s no easy task to continually accommodate shifting employee benefit needs while staying within budgetary restraints, but the employer who does so will not only win the loyalty of their employees, but better position themselves as an employer of choice going forward.
The Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at cmcc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Glynis Roberts at (800) 377-3539.
Berwick Area YMCA to Hold Daddy Daughter Dance
A tradition like none other, the Berwick Area YMCA will hold its annual Daddy Daughter Dance at the Berwick Golf Club on Sunday, February 27. The event will from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Young ladies can pick “a favorite male role model” to accompany her to this formal fun-filled night. This exciting night will include an energetic dj, dancing the entire time, great food, games, a photo station and a professional photographer. Lastly, there will also be balloon creations by Lanny Lee. You can purchase your tickets at the Berwick Area YMCA, calling them at 570-752-5981, or by emailing aquatic@berwickymca.org.
Is your organization prepared for disasters and emergencies? Are you confident your organization can protect the lives of everyone at your facility during a crisis? The Red Cross’ Ready Rating program is a free membership program, designed to help businesses, schools, and organizations become better prepared for disasters and other emergencies.
Participants will get immediate customized feedback and recommendations to improve preparedness. Also, you will have access to assessments, tools and resources developed by Red Cross emergency preparedness experts. There is no cost or obligation to becoming a member of the program.
You can become a member by:
Make Preparedness a Priority
- By joining today at ReadyRating.org
Take an Assessment
- Identify possible emergencies – internal or external and their potential impact to your organization. You can choose from:
- ReadyGo – Quick assessment that takes less than 5 minutes to complete
- ReadyAdvance – Detailed assessment to learn your areas for improvement
Create your EAP (Emergency Action Plan)
- Outline the steps your organization will take before, during and after an emergency
Stay Prepared
- Train your staff, practice your EAP and integrate preparedness into the culture of your organization/business
With a preparedness plan in place, you can embrace employee safety, enhance productivity, and minimize losses. Contact Edna Reinard, Disaster Program Specialist at the Red Cross for more information at Edna.Reinard@redcross.org.
The Community Giving Foundation: Berwick is pleased to announce information regarding the 2022 competitive grant round. This grant round includes the Berwick Health & Wellness Fund. The process beings now and will continue through May.
To be eligible to receive a grant, an organization must hold a 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be a governmental organization. All grants must benefit the residents and communities within the defined Berwick service area. Individuals are not eligible to apply. If your organization is physically located outside of the Berwick service area, you may still apply if you will be serving residents within the service area. For information regarding the grant guidelines and service area, see details under the Berwick heading on our Grants webpage.
Grant applications will be completed and submitted through a web-based program. To access the application process, click here. Grant requests $10,000 and under must be submitted online by 11:59pm, February 17, 2022. Grant requests over $10,000 must be submitted online by 11:59pm, March 10, 2022.
If you have questions regarding the grant process, please contact Christine Orlando, Senior Program Officer, at corlando@csgiving.org or call 570-752-3930, ext. 2.
Berwick is an affiliate of the Community Giving Foundation, which manages over 300 charitable funds and makes grant investments throughout the region to improve the quality of life in the Central Susquehanna area.
The Internal Revenue Service recently issued the 2022 optional standard mileage rates which are used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes.
Beginning January 1, 2022, standard mileage rates for the use of cars, vans, pickup trucks, or panel trucks will increase to 58.5 cents per business miles driven, up from 56 cents in 2021. Medical and moving rates climbed to 18 cents in 2022 up from 16 cents in 2021, while charitable organization rates remain at 14 cents per mile.
The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. Increased fuel prices are one factor that has led to the change in rates.
Standard Mileage Rates
The IRS mileage rates for 2022 apply to miles driven starting January 1, 2022. These standard mileage rates are important because they provide small businesses with a framework for calculating deductible costs for operating a vehicle for business purposes.
The IRS does give taxpayers the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates. A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost recovery System (MACRS), or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle.
For more information on the IRS 2022 mileage rates, see this IRS Article.
If you would like to talk to one of our professionals in our Entrepreneurial Support & Client Accounting Segment on this topic or any other business related topic, please do not hesitate to contact them.
The post IRS Increases 2022 Mileage Rates appeared first on McKonly & Asbury.
Co-sponsoring with the Community Giving Foundation, this presentation will provide information on how to use businesses’ State taxes to support local community development activities.
Did you know that PA businesses can team up with non-profits to keep their state tax payments local? This session will explain how to do it all. This program works similarly to the EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program.
Paul Macknosky, the featured speaker, is the primary contact for this program in the NEPA and also serves as the Regional Director for the PA Dept of Community & Economic Development.
The presentation is scheduled to be held at the Community Giving Foundation in Berwick at 725 W Front St. in Berwick on January 10th at noon. A Zoom option is available as well for those who wish to see and hear the program virtually.
Please register with Josh Nespoli at jnespoli@csgpa.org or 570-394-4905
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McKonly & Asbury Announces Promotions to Two Members in the Bloomsburg Office
Aaron Stagliano, CPA – Principal
- Aaron joined McKonly & Asbury in January 2019 through the firm’s acquisition of Brewer & Company, LLC, and is currently a Principal with the firm. As a member of the firm’s Assurance & Advisory Segment, he serves a variety of clients in a number of industries, including family-owned business, construction, nonprofits, and government organizations. Aaron was previously employed by the U.S. Army as a sergeant in food services and was stationed in Germany. Aaron works out of our Bloomsburg office and holds a Business Administration Degree in Accounting from Bloomsburg University.
Diane Else, CPA, MBA – Manager
- Diane joined McKonly & Asbury in January 2019 through the firm’s acquisition of Brewer & Company, LLC, and currently is a Manager in the firm. As a member of the Tax Segment, she handles business tax returns as well as client notices and issues with the state and IRS. She also assists with compilations and audits along with monthly accounting work for our clients. Diane works out of our Bloomsburg office and holds an Accounting degree as well as an MBA from Wilkes University.
MEP Centers (IMC and NEPIRC) and small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) are invited to a special webinar for SMMs to help shape the future of U.S. advanced manufacturing strategy on Jan. 12, 2022 from 3-5 p.m. EST. The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing is in the process of updating the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing. The plan will improve government coordination and provide long-term guidance for federal programs and activities in support of U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, including advanced manufacturing research and development over the next five to ten years.
NIST, as the co-chair of the NSTC subcommittee, is facilitating a series of roundtables, concurrent with an RFI. The intent of the Jan. 12 webinar is to gather public input from SMMs that may be used in developing the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing.
BlueJeans meeting information: https://bluejeans.com/911195551/3791