From PA Chamber of Business and Industry
Responding to skyrocketing claims of Unemployment Insurance Fraud, the PA Department of Labor and Industry has provided employers with helpful tips for reporting fraudulent claims. When responding to a Notice of Claim Filed that you believe to be fraudulent, keep the following tips in mind:
- L&I does not need any of the person’s actual employment information for identity theft situations. The fields on the response form do not need to be completed unless the system requires it (e.g., start date, end date, termination date).
- The “Reason for Separation” field is always required. For identity theft claims, you should enter the reason as “Still working full-time.”
- For employers using the new benefits system, a step-by-step guide is available here.
- For employers not yet able to log into the new system but enrolled in SIDES, a guide is available here.
- Employers who have hired a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for unemployment matters can disregard any Notices of Application as the administrator should handle this matter.
The Department also wants to remind employers:
- Appealing the financial determination is not the appropriate way to report a fraudulent claim. As the employer, you should respond to the claim notices but should not file a fraud report.
- Ultimately, you will not be charged for benefits paid to fraudulent, identity theft-related claims. Once benefits are denied, your account will be credited.
The Department also noted they are implementing additional verification processes for the UC claims process. Earlier this year, L&I announced that it was expanding a partnership with ID.me, an identity verification vendor, to dissuade fraudsters targeting the UC system.
On July 22, The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce co-signed a letter with other chambers from across the state calling for immediate action to address the UC fraud that has become rampant. The letter was sent to Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Auditor General, Treasurer, Secretary of Labor & Industry, and Secretary of Revenue.
Pandemic shutdowns significantly affected restaurant owners and operators last year. Because of these shutdowns, the industry needed financial relief. In this free educational session hosted by the National Restaurant Association, Randy Crabtree, CPA, Co-Partner of Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals will help restaurants navigate the nuances of how to claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit, provide real life examples of what to expect, and share additional ways to get money back through other tax credits and incentives.
Please note that this webinar will be offering one (1) CPE credit to attendees who acknowledge they’d like to receive it through the registration form.
Key Takeaways:
How to identify if your restaurant is eligible for Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)
What to expect from the application process
How to maximize your tax credits & incentives
Click here to register.
BTE Presenting Free Play in Bloomsburg Town Park
School’s out for the summer, and the New Mexico air is hot, even in the darkest part of the night. But 8-year-old Sheila and her scrappy pack of pals aren’t going to let the summer heat get them down. When their fantastical junkyard fort draws the attention of a mysterious furry stranger, this band of misfit kids suddenly find themselves deep in the desert, face to face with the walking, talking critters who live there. It’s a whirlwind adventure about humans’ effect on the environment and the animals with whom we share the planet. And, spoiler alert: somebody swallows a cactus! Presented outdoors at Totsburg in Bloomsburg Town Park, The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus features a cast of BTE members and friends. This unique twist on traditional fable-style storytelling will captivate the imaginations of audiences of all ages.
There are lots of chances to catch this exciting family adventure in Bloomsburg Town Park.
Thursday, July 22nd, 11AM
Friday, July 23rd, 7PM
Saturday, July 24th, 7PM
Tuesday, July 27th, 11AM
Wednesday, July 28th, 11AM
Thursday, July 29th, 11AM
Friday, July 30th, 7PM
Saturday, July 31st, 7PM
Performances of The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus are free of charge to all audiences thanks to underwriting from the Columbia County Commissioners and longtime Summer show sponsor, Renco Ace Hardware.
Attorney Julie Steinbacher Earns LLM Degree in Elder Law and Estate Planning
Attorney Julie Steinbacher, CELA®, the founding shareholder of the elder care and special needs law firm of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, recently completed her LLM degree in elder law and estate planning from the Western New England School of Law.
An LLM is a Master of Law degree, and a graduate qualification in the field of law. It was created for attorneys to further expand their knowledge or study a specialized area of law, and is generally a one-year program if studying full-time. The elder law and estate planning LLM from Western New England is the only live, interactive and online program of its kind in the United States.
Julie becomes the second attorney at the firm to add an LLM degree to her resume. Attorney Amos Goodall also has an LLM in elder law. The LLM is also just the latest item to be added to her resume. Earlier this year, she was named a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), a national organization of more than 2,500 attorneys and law professors, becoming one of just 96 ACTEC fellows in Pennsylvania, and two of only five from the northeast and north central portion of the state ranging from the Poconos and west through State College (Amos is one of the others).
Along with Amos and Attorney Brittany Smith, Julie is also one of three Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) at Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, one of just 67 in Pennsylvania and of just over 500 in the entire country. The CELA is given by the National Elder Law Foundation and is frequently referred to as the “gold standard” for elder law and special needs practitioners. Julie has a “superb” AVVO rating for attorneys and last year was also named a Super Lawyer® for the first time in Thomson Reuters’ annual listing of the same name. Earlier this year, Julie was named to the Pennsylvania Business Central Top 100 People list for the second straight year and the fourth time overall.
Julie has lectured extensively for several organizations including the Elder Law Institute, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and many more, and is the president of Estate & Long Term Care Planning, Inc. She has also authored several books in a Protect Your Family series that informs people about planning for the second half of life. In 2020, Julie, along with Attorney Jenna Franks, co-published the 2021 Supplement to the Pennsylvania Trust Guide. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Widener University School of Law, Julie founded the law firm Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak in 2002. She sits on the board of Hope Enterprises, Inc. and is also a trustee for the YWCA of North Central Pennsylvania.
Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak is an elder care and special needs law firm offering quality representation to clients throughout Pennsylvania. Since its beginning in 2002, the firm has dedicated itself to practicing law with extraordinary standards of ethics and values. The vision of the firm has been to provide individuals and their families with a unique plan to protect their assets for their spouses and future generations, while providing for their immediate and long-term needs. More information, including resources and seminar information, can be found at www.paeldercounsel.com. To schedule your appointment, call 1-800-351-8334.
McKonly & Asbury Expands Leadership Team; Hires Director of Client Engagement and Growth, Robert Duffield
McKonly & Asbury – one of Central Pennsylvania’s premier accounting and business advisory services firms – is pleased to announce the expansion of their leadership team by welcoming Robert Duffield as Director of Client Engagement and Growth. Rob will be joining the firm on July 19, 2021, and brings a tremendous depth of experience in growing client-focused relationships, establishing strong business connections, and directing strategic growth.
“We are thrilled to have Rob join our team to spearhead our business development efforts across the region,” said Michael Hoffner, Managing Partner of McKonly & Asbury. “Rob is joining McKonly & Asbury at an exciting time in our history, and the focus and understanding he brings to growing a professional services firm, coupled with the development of people and enhancement of culture will contribute significantly to our clients, our people, and our firm’s goals in the coming years. McKonly & Asbury has always had a value-based approach to the accounting, tax, and advisory services we offer, and Rob is uniquely positioned to help us bring these services to our clients as they seek to become increasingly competitive in an expanding marketplace.”
Rob joins McKonly & Asbury with more than 20 years of experience as a performance-driven sales and marketing professional, most recently with a large professional services firm. Earlier in his career, he was a Senior Account Executive with a professional staffing firm focused on placing finance and accounting, human resources, IT, engineering, and administrative services professionals.
“I am honored to be joining the team at McKonly &Asbury,” said Duffield. “For nearly five decades, the firm has enjoyed a stellar reputation for excellence, providing profound business insights to our clients and being actively involved in the communities we serve. The leadership team continues to expand in new and exciting directions, while always maintaining our core commitment to excellent responsiveness to our clients. This is an incredible opportunity for me to leverage the professional skills learned over a lifetime of teaching, coaching, sales, marketing, team building, and more, to bring incredible value to our clients, our employees, and our firm.”
BIDA Holds its 59th Annual Meeting
Berwick Industrial Development Association, a leader in economic development focusing on industrial development and manufacturing, is excited to have held its annual meeting in person at the Forge Pub & Eatery.
This was the 58th meeting in 59 years, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced B.I.D.A. to cancel the meeting in 2020.
Board President, Dan McGann, presented to the audience the work that B.I.D.A. was able to accomplish despite the pandemic. Those accomplishments were assisting business and industry during the pandemic with navigating the changing guidelines and restrictions as well as the financial assistance that was offered through state and federal agencies.
B.I.D.A. closed on two properties within the Complex perimeter that had previously been sold to others. One of which was the former Ingredion manufacturing facility, which is now the satellite facility for Dyco, Inc.
Berwick is experiencing growth and development with our existing business and industry, not to mention the numerous inquiries that are coming in every month looking at our region and as much as we want to recruit new business, right now that would adversely affect our existing employers. The central northeast region of Pennsylvania needs “skilled labor”; which means, those trained in the vocational/industrial arts: welders, pipe fitters, building and trades, HVAC, plumbers and machinists.
B.I.D.A. Board President McGann told the B.I.D.A. board of directors, members and guests, “You all have homework, we need everyone to encourage our youth to seek education and training in vocational studies…to also encourage adults to gain the necessary training for the jobs we have now and going into the future…”.
Mr. McGann, also asked for people to encourage family and friends that may have moved out of our region to “come home”. Berwick alone has lost 10% of its population over the last ten (10) years.
Kelly O’Brien, Executive Director for B.I.D.A., wanted the audience to know that B.I.D.A. does so much more than manage a physical industrial complex. B.I.D.A. provides services to entrepreneurs, small and mid-size companies and large corporations with access to resources, facilitating project development, strategic planning, as well as working with colleges and universities locally to formulate research and development projects that include product development.
Congressman Meuser presented at the event, he reiterated McGann’s call for increasing interest in the vocational trades. The Congressman also stated his commitment to the region as a whole and will be working with B.I.D.A. as we continue to move into the future. “Workforce development is a challenge”, Congressman Meuser stated and explained that he put forth a bill for a new jobs tax credit, which is up for approval this budget cycle.
State Representative Dave Millard, a long-standing supporter of B.I.D.A., stated that the work that B.I.D.A. does for business and industry is invaluable. The Representative discussed the strength and resilience of the businesses in the region and how that resiliency shows in the strength of our economy. “Communicating with leaders like Kelly [O’Brien, Executive Director] … [W]orking hand in hand to overcome any challenges is what builds that resiliency. I pledge to continue to work with B.I.D.A. and our community leaders to make our region better and stronger.”, stated Millard.
Commissioner Dave Kovach also attended and represents Columbia County at B.I.D.A. board meetings monthly.
Commission Kovach gave recognition to the administrative staff of B.I.D.A. for the work that they do on a regular basis, ensuring that the work of the organization is done effectively and efficiently and that the businesses in our region are taken care of. “There are opportunities coming to our region and Kelly [O’Brien] is taking advantage of those opportunities. B.I.D.A. is an economic driver for our region.”, Kovach stated. B.I.D.A.’s Stacy Whitmire, Controller, received her notary public during the pandemic and B.I.D.A. now offers notary services.
The overarching message of the annual meeting and the distinguished guests is the need for and the support for vocational training and education and the demand for employment in industry. Our region is hiring in every industry sector and those jobs must be filled before we can set our sights on the new business and growth that is knocking on the door of the Central Northeast region of Pennsylvania.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Governor Wolf opted to neither sign nor veto H.B. 336, the Administrative Code bill that is one of four bills accompanying the state budget passed in late June. Without action by the governor, legislation passing the General Assembly becomes law after 10 days.
Among the bill’s key provisions is a one-sentence entry worked out as a compromise between the Republican legislature and the Governor’s office that nixed a regulation promulgated in 2019, which would have significantly expanded the scope of individuals mandated by the state to receive overtime compensation.
The Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center, in partnership with The River 105 & 103.5, The Good Insurance Group, and The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, is hosting an in-person job fair at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.
The event will be held Saturday, August 28th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., one week prior to the $300 per week Federal unemployment compensation bonus ending.
There is a limit of 40 employers and applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Booth spaces can be purchased in 10’ increments. Chamber members receive a $25 discount.
Interested employers can download the application at npbcjobfair.com.
From PA Chamber
Leaders of Pennsylvania’s system of 14-state owned universities voted Wednesday to combine six into two, aiming to stabilize their finances and keep them vibrant and able to attract students.
By an 18-0 vote, the system’s board of governors approved a plan to combine Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities, all located in the north-central part of the state, into a single institution. The plan does the same with three western Pennsylvania universities: California, Clarion and Edinboro.
Each trio of schools will have a combined administration and curriculum and share a new name. However, each will continue to have its own campus and athletic programs.
“This will create a unique, possibly historic opportunity to truly re-imagine public higher education as it ought to be in the 21st century,” said Cynthia Shapira, chairwoman of the board of governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
It will take three years to carry out steps including merging and finalizing the curriculum, with the effort expected to be completed by the fall of 2024.
Dan Greenstein, the chancellor for the state system, promised students and parents the plan won’t interfere with students’ progress and ability to graduate on time.
Wednesday’s action concluded an anguished four-year effort in which the system’s governors, state lawmakers, students, faculty and others grappled with how to adapt the state system to factors such as stagnant state funding and declining enrollment, and how to keep tuition affordable for the students from middle class and working families the system was founded to serve.
“This is an opportunity to begin building these new universities together,” he said. “We will monitor our progress constantly, making course corrections whenever necessary.”
A sense of urgency
Enrollment within the system has fallen from about 120,000 a decade ago to less than 94,000. Moreover, state funding has failed to keep up with expenses: it now compromises about 29% of the system’s operating budget, down from 65% in 1983.
Some schools within the system are losing millions per year. Moreover, financial challenges threatened their ability to offer the broad, high-quality curriculums and programs needed to attract students and also meet the educational and economic development needs of their communities.
“If we do nothing, and things continue as they are, we’re in a race to the bottom,” said Democratic state Sen. Judy Schwank of Berks County, a member of the governing board.
Board member Samuel Smith, a former state lawmaker, said the plan approved Wednesday is not perfect, “but doing nothing is absolutely the worst thing we can do.”
Greenstein, in explaining the need for the change, gave the example of Mansfield being able to offer 80 or 90 programs as opposed to 18.
Under the integration plan, each trio of schools will share a president, administration and faculty. Moreover, curriculums will be merged and modified in order to maximize course offerings and make the full range available to students at each campus, system officials say.
At the same time, governors promised students at each campus will have access to plenty of face-to-face instruction as opposed to an over-reliance on online learning.
Another key part of the plan is to maximize offerings, including distance learning, for non-traditional students looking to upgrade skills or change careers. All of the schools are located in rural communities.
Union: Some details are lacking
Jamie Martin, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, said before the vote her group is happy the latest proposal specified that none of the six schools can be closed, and that the period for integrating curriculums was extended to three years.
But she said specifics are lacking on some important things, such as how much students will have to rely on online courses to complete degrees.
“We trust that when the answers come, and as additional feedback and suggestions are given, they will guide this plan going forward,” Martin said.
Despite assurances from the board of governors, some parts of the plan remain uncertain and vulnerable to outside forces.
For example, it remains to been seen how the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which accredits colleges and universities, will respond to the combined schools, and how the NCAA will view the plan to have them maintain their athletic programs.
Responding to those uncertainties, Greenstein said those entities’ role is one of support, and “they can’t begin to support us until they know what direction we’re going in.”
Gov. Tom Wolf supports the integration plan as did state lawmakers on the board of governors.
The process leading up to Wednesday’s vote involved extensive student, facility and public input, with many objecting and some claiming the level of public input wasn’t enough, with the process hampered by the pandemic.
The vote was taken during a public meeting of the board of governors conducted via Zoom.
Several people voiced objections during a public comment period, including who one who said the integrations will create “second class … less prestigious” institutions.
“I don’t see how this plan is going to address anything, but I do see how it’s going to drive students away, and that’s going to further weaken the state system,” he said.
Another opponent, a West Chester University graduate student, said the plan fails to address the most pressing problem — tuition affordability for students.
However, Barbara Chaffee, an alumni and trustee of Edinboro University, said hundreds of colleges and universities around the country are showing “financial warning signs” and more than 50 have closed or merged since 2015.
From My Benefit Advisor
Until recently, self-funding has only been a realistic option for larger groups. Now, however, with the advent of “level funded” programs, small groups can obtain the advantages of traditional self-funding with the benefit of stable monthly costs.
Level funding is worth considering for employers with 25 or more employees if the insured population is generally healthy.
With level funding, the employer pays a fixed monthly cost to cover the amounts necessary for administration of the plan, stop loss coverage and claims funding. A third-party administrator pays the claims. Generally speaking, if at the end of the year, claim costs come in lower than expected, the administrator refunds the difference. If at the end of the year, claims come in higher than expected, the employer will reimburse the administrator for the difference.
Protection for the employer comes in the form of stop-loss insurance. Specific stop-loss limits the employer’s financial exposure when health claims for a particular covered individual exceed a specified dollar level, such as $25,000 or $50,000. Aggregate stop-loss insurance limits the employer’s financial liability when the total claims incurred by their group exceed a specified level, such as 120% or 125% of expected claims.
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 Tanya Ruiz at (800) 377-3539.
PPL Customers are Benefiting from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
As of early June, PPL Electric Utilities customers received more than $1 million in utility payments through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance program representing 55% of the total utility assistance funds paid throughout the entire state. PPL Electric Utilities is the front runner in the state as it helps its customers utilize this new program. The success is attributed to proactively embracing the program, strategic partnerships with the 29 counties throughout our service territory and our effective communications strategy.
In Columbia County, 32 customers were assisted for a total of $23,767. In Montour County, 1 customer was assisted for a total of $709.
Regional Manufacturers Experience Dynamic Growth; Rebound Quickly with NEPIRC Assistance
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) closed out its most recent fiscal year on June 30, 2021, with reports of dynamic growth and much faster than expected COVID-19 recovery among its manufacturing clients over the past year.
Throughout the past 12 months, NEPIRC assisted more than 400 manufacturers across northeastern, the northern tier and central Pennsylvania in responding to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilding their businesses. Of those companies, more than 100 received expanded services tailored to their unique circumstances and challenges. Citing client-reported data gathered through multiple independent sources and subsequently verified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NEPIRC’s President and CEO, Eric Joseph Esoda, announced that those companies recorded $150.5 million in additional revenue over the past year as a result of NEPIRC’s assistance while also attributing $17.2 million in savings due to increased efficiency and productivity. Despite worldwide economic challenges throughout the latter half of 2020 and first six months of 2021, NEPIRC’s clients invested more than $22.1 million in expanding or modernizing their regional manufacturing facilities and were able to create and retain 2,045 good-paying area manufacturing jobs.
“The outstanding impacts that manufacturers are reporting from their engagements with NEPIRC are indicative of the industrial sector’s potential to drive our Commonwealth, and even our country, out of the economic uncertainties that the COVID-19 pandemic left in its wake,” said Mr. Esoda. “We’ve consistently held that our industrial sector is Pennsylvania’s best bet for real, consistent and sustainable economic recovery and expansion and, in fact, fuels growth in other sectors that rely upon manufacturing activity. These results prove that our manufacturers are roaring back to life and will once again drive our Commonwealth forward,” he added.
According to aggregate client data within NEPIRC’s year-end reports, 60% of the manufacturers NEPIRC assisted throughout the pandemic reported the avoidance of layoffs as a direct result of the advisement they received. A nearly equal number of clients (58%) credited NEPIRC with enabling them to retain customer relationships and sales that would have otherwise been lost by working with them to meet production requirements or find alternative suppliers when primary supply chains were disrupted by COVID-19. A full 40% of NEPIRC clients reported increased sales amidst the pandemic thanks to NEPIRC’s assistance in attracting new customers or pivoting into new markets – and over 30% of the companies that utilized NEPIRC’s services over the past 12 months created new manufacturing jobs within the region.
Across the nation, NEPIRC ended its fiscal year as one of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s top-performing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliates, particularly with respect to the number of companies it served throughout the pandemic and the levels of jobs its clients created and retained over the past year.
McKonly & Asbury Announces Promotions
McKonly & Asbury – a regional accounting and business advisory services firm – announced promotions for nine of its team members! One advances to Senior Manager, two to Manager, three to Supervisor, and three to Senior Accountant.
McKonly & Asbury’s focus on people continues to be the vision that drives its culture, and they are fortunate to have some of the best and brightest talent in Pennsylvania working for them! Please join them in congratulating these team members!
SENIOR MANAGER
Jackie Winchell, CPA – Senior Manager
Jackie joined McKonly & Asbury in 2013 and is currently a Senior Manager in the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment. She specializes in serving the affordable housing industry, working with clients in all phases of the development process, as well as during operations. Jackie also serves clients in the nonprofit industry and provides expertise on audit and accounting standards with a focus on the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. She is also a member of McKonly & Asbury’s internal Service Committee – assisting in organizing firm-sponsored community events – as well as the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – leading advocacy efforts to enhance diversity, eliminate racial and other bias, and promote positive change. Jackie works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Business and Accounting from Lebanon Valley College.
MANAGER
Lynnanne Bocchi, CPA, CIA, CISA, MBA – Manager
Lynnanne joined McKonly & Asbury in 2018 and is currently a Manager with the firm. She works in the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment serving clients in the construction industry as well as performing Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) internal audit engagements. In addition, she is a key member of our firm’s System and Organization Controls (SOC) Practice, preparing SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 reports for our clients. She holds the AICPA Advanced SOC Certification for planning, performing, and reporting on SOC for service organizations engagements. Lynnanne works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting as well as an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
Sarah Polcovich, CPA – Manager
Sarah joined McKonly & Asbury in 2007 and is currently a Manager with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Support & Client Accounting Segment, providing accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Sarah specifically provides support in back-office accounting to clients using software such as QuickBooks, as well as serving as a reviewer for back-office accounting staff work. She also provides support for special projects, such as financial projections and analysis, and most recently assisting clients with Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness. Sarah works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting from Susquehanna University.
SUPERVISOR
Alexandra Plantive, CPA, MBA – Supervisor
Alex joined McKonly & Asbury in 2016 and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Support & Client Accounting Segment, providing accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Alex specifically provides support in back-office accounting to clients using different software such as QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero.com, and she has obtained the QuickBooks Certified Advanced ProAdvisor designation. She also provides financial data analysis and has assisted with records management; including excel based data transfer from various accounting platforms including QuickBooks, Xero, and Intacct. Alex works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Lancaster office and holds an Accounting degree as well as an MBA from Université de Nantes, France.
Jessica Reitenbach – Supervisor
Jessica joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment, primarily working with clients in manufacturing and construction industries. Jessica has experience on various audits including SEC, for-profit, nonprofit, and Employee Benefit Plan audits. Jessica works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from Pennsylvania State University.
Chad Roeder, CPA – Supervisor
Chad joined McKonly & Asbury in January 2019 through the firm’s acquisition of Brewer & Company, LLC and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. He provides a wide range of services to his clients by performing audits of nonprofits and local governments. Chad works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Bloomsburg office and holds a degree in Accounting and Management from Bloomsburg University.
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Maegan Cassel – Senior Accountant
Maegan joined McKonly & Asbury in August 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Tax Segment serving clients in various industries including construction, manufacturing, retail, and real estate. Maegan works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University.
Jesse Diamond – Senior Accountant
Jesse joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment, serving clients in the healthcare industry. Jesse works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Business Administration from Shippensburg University.
Tyler Goldberg, CPA – Senior Accountant
Tyler joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Tax Segment serving clients in various industries including construction, manufacturing, retail, and real estate. Tyler works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Lancaster office and holds a degree in Accounting from Elizabethtown College.
Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center to Hold Job Fair
Join the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center on August 28, 2021 – in person – for the 1st Annual NPBC Job Fair in the Industrial Building at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Over 30 employers will be present!Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement upon the release of a joint report between the PA Chamber, PA Early Learning Investment Commission, and the Center for Rural Pennsylvania on childcare and the workforce:
“Families have long strived to balance work and raising children. This tension was made all the more obvious throughout the pandemic when business closures threw many Pennsylvania families’ childcare arrangements into chaos. As part of our ‘Bringing PA Back’ initiative, we teamed up with the PA ELIC and the Center for Rural PA to determine what employers across the Commonwealth are doing today to support families and their workforce and how we can help them in the future. The findings in this report include best practices for businesses and program administrators and, we hope, will help inform lawmakers developing public policy that strengthens childcare and the workforce.”
Key Report Findings:
- Many employers have a workforce with moderate to high childcare needs.
- While flexible work schedules and remote work arrangements are the most common solutions, Pennsylvania employers currently employ various strategies to assist with childcare.
- During the pandemic, childcare emerged as one of the more significant reasons why employers believe they lost employees.
- Most employers offered additional childcare supports during the pandemic to meet labor needs, with 41 percent planning to keep those supports in place after the pandemic ends.
- There is strong interest among employers of all business sizes to support working families with childcare needs – most employers see it as a way to improve retention, recruitment, productivity and reputation.
A summary of the report is available here.
The Montour County Commissioners are considering amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance that would allow for the development of solar energy systems in the townships that fall under the County’s Planning Commission. The proposed changes are in response to the Montour Solar One project in Derry and Anthony townships on land owned by Talen Energy around the Montour Steam Electric Station. A public hearing regarding the proposed amendments will be held Thursday, July 22nd at 7 p.m. at the County Administration Center on East Front Street.
Last week, Montour Solar One hosted a Business After Hours at the Pine Barn Inn to provide an overview of the project and answer questions. Tele-town halls were also held within the past 9 months. Information about the proposed project is available at montoursolar.com.
The Board of Directors of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce has encouraged zoning that allows for solar energy systems while reasonably protecting the environment and neighboring residents and businesses. The development of such projects provides an economic boost with temporary construction jobs and diversifies Pennsylvania’s renewable energy portfolio. In a letter to the Montour County Planning Commission in November, the Chamber suggested that zoning language should address development setbacks, glare, vegetative and other screenings, and provide for the responsible removal of the equipment at the end of the project or the useful life of the equipment.
A draft of the proposed amendments is available here.