March 2016 Newsletter - Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of

AN ARTICLE FROM CHAMBER
PRESIDENT/CEO JOE KLEINKNECHT
In the past two months my articles have focused on how
the entire community benefits from what a Chamber of
Commerce does and how the Galion­Crestline Area
Chamber of Commerce is structured and how it
operates. In this month’s article I want to focus on THE
IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF BUSINESS &
INDUSTRY (the very people that we represent) TO
THE COMMUNITY!
BUSINESSES CREATE CAPITAL
Retail – Entertainment – Professional Manufacturing – Health Care Construction – Transportation Home Based Businesses – Etc.
BUSINESSES PAY TAXES THAT SUPPORT
Executive ­ Legislative – Judicial Rules – Regulations – Public Services (Depend on and Consume Capital)
BUSINESSES MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT
SUPPORT
Health – Social – Arts & Culture Sports & Recreation – United Way (Depend on and Consume Capital)
IT'S SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE
THE MONEY FOR
Schools & Education – Health Care Roads & Highways – Places of Worship Festivals – United Way – Little League Year Book Ads – The Arts
(Our Community's Quality of Life)
TRUISM
Communities rise and fall based on the success of
businesses & commerce!
As a valued customer of the Alternative Energy Source (AES) natural gas CHOICE Pool
program we thank you for allowing AES to manage your natural gas needs. The PUCO recently announced Columbia Gas of Ohio (COH) will be increasing their
Standard Choice Offer (SCO) from $0.129/Ccf (or $1.29/Mcf) to $0.143/Ccf (or
$1.43/Mcf), effective in April, 2016. Full PUCO media release here
Pool Customer Savings to Grow to 23% in 2016 While the SCO rate is going up, we have negotiated our CHOICE pool rate to remain at
$0.110/Ccf (or $1.10/Mcf) through March 31, 2017, increasing your savings against the
SCO rate to 23%. As you can see from
the graph, our POOL
program has out­
performed the
COH standard service
offer for the last 3
years!
To continue this program, no action is needed. Your program will automatically
continue through your March, 2017 billing cycle at the rate of NYMEX +$0.110/Ccf (or
$1.10/Mcf). * If you wish to cancel or renegotiate your agreement we must receive written notice from
you no later than March 9, 2016. After said date, your program will automatically renew at
the $0.110/Ccf (or $1.10/Mcf.) As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact our office or your account
representative at 866­646­7322.
WEEKLY UPDATE - NATURAL GAS
NYMEX Close Report: Click Here
Storage Report – 2/25/2016 Thursday’s storage report cited a withdrawal of 117 Bcf, bearish to market expectations of
a 136 Bcfwithdrawl. As a comparison, last year’s reduction for the same week was 205 Bcf, and the five­year
average is 144 Bcf. Working gas in storage was 2,584 Bcf as of Friday, February 19th, 2016, according to EIA
estimates. Inventory was reported at 615 Bcf (+31.2%) more than last year at this time,
and 577 Bcf (+28.7%) above the 5­year average of 2,007 Bcf. Natural Gas Trends: March NYMEX: March 2016 NYMEX moved off the board yesterday (2/26/2016), settling
the month at $1.711/Dth. As a comparison, March '15 NYMEX closed at $2.894/Dth, and
the 3­year average settle price for March is $3.153/Dth. April NYMEX: closed Thursday’s trading at $1.785/Dth, down 4.9 cents from
Wednesday’s close of $1.834/Dth. Over the last month, APR­16 has traded as high as
$2.291/Dth and as low as 1.747/Dth. Seasonal Strips: the summer strip (APR16­OCT16) settled Thursday at $1.981/Dth,
down 13.3 cents from last week. While next year’s winter strip (NOV16­MAR17) settled at
$2.443/Dth, down 11.1 cents from a week ago. 12 month Strip: closed Thursday at $2.108/Dth, down 35 cents from a month prior. As a
comparison, the strip was trading one year ago at $3.039/Dth. Summary: Winter storm Petros has recently dumped snow on most of the Midwest and
Northeast, finally displaying some typical winter weather for these regions. The 6­14 day
outlook shows warmer than normal temperatures for states west of the Mississippi, while
the states east are expected to see normal weather conditions for the start of March.
What is important to note is; because of how mild the winter has been thus far, this winter
is likely to conclude as one the warmest since 1950. This has done little to alleviate the
abundance of gas we started the season with, as storage has been at record levels since
the end of fall. Also not helping the excess of natural gas is domestic production, which is back to record
numbers. Production levels have averaged 73.8 Bcf/d so far in February, an increase of
1.7 Bcf/d m­o­m and 0.9 Bcf/d y­o­y. Natural Gas trading prices are a dominant influence
1.7 Bcf/d m­o­m and 0.9 Bcf/d y­o­y. Natural Gas trading prices are a dominant influence
on electric prices. This being said, because natural gas has sustained at such low prices,
we have seen electric prices continue to fall, and we have seen a substantial boost in
generation levels of natural gas for electric generation (+17% y­o­y). With March 2016 settling for the month Thursday, we are officially done with winter
trading, as April opened as the new prompt month this morning. Storage is on pace to end
March above 2 Tcf for only the second time in history. Supply and demand fundamentals
continue to sink NYMEX prices, while the market looks for new demand sources to help
rebalance itself for the course of 2016. To Discuss this week's Market Report, please contact us or your representative at 866­
646­7372.
New Budget Deal to Significantly Increase
OSHA Fines for the First Time in Twenty-Five
Years
Last year, OSHA assembled a work group to evaluate its penalty policies and found
currently assessed penalties are too low to have an adequate deterrent effect. Based on
the group's findings and recommendations, several administrative changes to the penalty
calculation system are being made. The penalty changes will increase the overall dollar
amount of all penalties while maintaining OSHA's policy of reducing penalties for small
employers and those acting in good faith.
The budget allows for an initial penalty “catch up adjustment,” which must be in place by
August 1, 2016. The catch up adjustment is tied to the percentage difference between the
October 2015 Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the October 1990 CPI.
Because the October 2015 CPI will not be available until November 17, 2015, the actual
percentage increase is unknown at this time. However, based on recent CPI trends the
increase will likely be in the range of 70% – 80% over current penalty amounts. OSHA
would be required to pass an interim final rulemaking to finalize the “catch up” increase.
Assuming an 80% catch up adjustment, starting in August 2016, new maximum penalties
are listed below.
After the initial catch up adjustment, OSHA will be required to implement annual cost of
living increases, with the adjustment tied to the year­over­ year percentage increase in the
CPI. Adjustments must be made by mid­January each subsequent year.
OSHA has the option to implement a catch up adjustment less than the maximum if the
Agency determines increasing penalties by the maximum amount would (1) have a
“negative economic impact” or the social costs of the increase outweigh the benefits, and
“negative economic impact” or the social costs of the increase outweigh the benefits, and
(2) the Office of Management and Budget agrees. However, OSHA Chief Dr. David
Michaels has long advocated for a substantial increase in penalties so it is difficult to
envision the Agency seeking anything other than the maximum increase. The changes in the budget go into effect on July 1, 2016 with the new penalties
coming into effect by August 1, 2016.
Potential 2016 Maximum Penalties
Other than Serious Violations Current Max Penalty $7000; 2016 Maximum Penalty* $12,600 Serious Violation Current Max Penalty $7000; 2016 Maximum Penalty* $12,600 Willful Violation Current Max Penalty $70,000; 2016 Maximum Penalty* $126,000 Repeat Violation Current Max Penalty $70,000; 2016 Maximum Penalty* $126,000 *assumes 80% catch­up adjustment
Ohio Safety Congress & Expo
BWC’s Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest and longest­running occupational
safety, health and workers’ compensation event in Ohio. More than 6,000 representatives
from businesses, organizations and government entities attend the three­day event. They
learn techniques for injury and illness prevention, rehabilitation, return­to­work and cost
savings. They also shop for services, industrial supplies, safety equipment and gear in the
Expo Marketplace. To register go to: bwc.ohio.gov
OSHA reminds employers to post injury and illness summaries
Employers who are required to keep Form 300, the Injury and Illness log, must post Form
300A, the Summary of Work­Related Injuries and Illnesses, in your workplace from
February 1 to April 30. If you have questions please contact Jim Wirth at RiskControl360°,
614.827.0370
Willig Tire Recycling
Andrew Willig & Steve Kurtzman
352 South Street Galion, Ohio 44833 1­855­WILLIG1 (945­5441)
Alger Arms Apartments
Jim Alger 475 Portland Way N. Galion, Ohio 44833 419­834­9045
Carol Rhodebeck
981 Tiehack Ct.
Galion, Ohio 44833
(Associate Member)
Elaine Hottenroth
984 Tiehack Ct.
Galion, Ohio 44833
(Associate Member)
CHAMBER CREATING NEW COMMUNITY
GUIDE BOOK
RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW
This exciting publication will be in an 8.375" x 10.875" format and will include:
Interesting information about our communities, events, and community facts and
stories.
Easy to read information about Crawford County’s quality of life, our advantageous
location, easy access to healthcare, superb education, positive business climate,
shopping and dining, real estate and housing, and arts and recreation.
All surrounded by stunning, full color photography.
The book will be distributed to and used by: All members of the Galion­Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce;
All members of the Galion­Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce;
New businesses and residents moving into our community;
Galion City offices & Crestline Village office;
People seeking information on where to buy or sell products and services;
Crawford County’s Economic Development office in the promotion of our
community.
The Community Guide will also be available online at www.galion­
crestlinechamber.org.
This is an excellent opportunity to sell your products and services throughout the
North Central region of Ohio. This useful new Community Guide booklet is made
possible only through the advertising support of our community. We appreciate your
complete cooperation toward making this outstanding, professionally prepared publication
a success. There are preferred position ad spaces available on a first reply basis. Please contact our Chamber partner, A­1 Printing, at 419­562­3111 to reserve your
space. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Galion­Crestline Chamber office
419­468­7737. Thank you for helping.
“To promote the success and growth of the Galion­Crestline Area Business
Community.”
East of Chicago Pizza
at 759 Carter Drive is celebrating their 22nd year in business.
Galion Grace Point Church
at 683 Portland Way N. recently completed a remodeling project to enlarge their foyer,
provide new seating & technology updates in the sanctuary, relocate and enlarge
restrooms and create a cafe area.
February 29, 2016 KNOW THE ISSUES See the legislation we're tracking and find out how it could affect your business. We're All For... EXPANDING BUSINESS ACCESS TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT The Ohio Chamber and its Ohio Small Business Council applaud the House for
unanimously passing House Bill 387 last week. The bill increases the small claims court
unanimously passing House Bill 387 last week. The bill increases the small claims court
cap from $3,000 to $6,000. Get the latest. A PERIODIC REVIEW OF TAX EXPENDITURES Tax expenditures were front and center in two legislative committees last week. While the
Ohio Chamber generally supports a process of periodically reviewing the effectiveness of
tax expenditures, any review committee must have private sector tax representation and
utilize dynamic tools to estimate each tax expenditure's economic impact. Get the
details. ANOTHER SALES TAX HOLIDAY The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 264 on Tuesday, legislation that would give Ohioans
another opportunity this August to buy clothes or school supplies without having to pay
any sales tax. Find out why. FOCUSING ON POLITICS IN MARCH With the March 15 Ohio primary just two weeks away, limited legislative activity is
expected over the course of the next month. During these next two weeks, those
lawmakers seeking re­election will be focusing on their primary campaigns. Afterwards,
the legislature will likely take what amounts to a spring break, meaning there will be
limited legislative activity until the week of April 4. During its last full day of session on Tuesday, the Senate officially appointed Rep. Bob
Hackett to fill the vacancy created when former Sen. Chris Widener resigned at the end of
January. In addition, Senate Republicans voted to elevate Sen. Larry Obhof from Majority
Whip to Senate President Pro Tempore, the leadership position that also came open upon
Sen. Widener's resignation. Sen. Gayle Manning was subsequently chosen to replace
Sen. Obhof as Majority Whip. The House has already announced its intention to appoint
the winner of the four­way primary in Rep. Hackett's House district to fill his seat in the
House. OHIO CHAMBER VOTING RECORD UPDATED AFTER HB 387 KEY VOTE The Ohio House voted last week on HB 387, legislation that raises the small claims court
cap from $3,000 to $6,000, was included in the Ohio Chamber's General Assembly
Voting Record. Be sure to see how your state representative voted on HB 387. Click here to see the bills we are following. _______________________________________________________________ ALL FOR OHIO BLOG All of our blog posts have been moved to our new blog website at www.allforohio.com. Be
sure to read all of our blog posts, including the latest:
Member Spotlight: Abbott
2016 Primary Election Resources
Keep Calm and Drill On
_______________________________________________________________ IS GOVERNMENT GETTING IN YOUR WAY? Do you have an issue with how a state law or rule is impacting your business? Let us
know. We're here to advocate for you. know. We're here to advocate for you. BBB WARNS LOCAL CHARITIES!
Better Business Bureau is issuing an alert to local charities about a DONATION FRAUD
from a scam artist alleging to be a philanthropist in London, England. Charitable organizations in several cities have reported to BBB being emailed by "Ken
McFarlane" or "Kenneth McFarlane", with offers of 5­figure donations. As an example, three charities in the Richmond, Virginia area received and deposited
$39,850 checks. They were each then contacted by "McFarlane" immediately claiming
that a mistake had been made and asking them to return $10,000 of the donation as soon
as possible. The checks turned out to be worthless. Had these charities followed through with the request, they would have lost a significant
amount of money. BBB urges any charity that receives these emails not to respond or engage in any way.
The name & contact info in emails received by local charities mirrors an architectural firm
in the UK. The scam artists have copied the UK firm's website in an attempt to legitimize
themselves. BBB urges charities to use extreme caution if they are contacted in any way by "Ken
McFarlane" or other unknown parties. Even more, it's extremely unlikely that a huge
donation will appear out of thin air. Any such event should be viewed with great caution.
Never accept an "overpayment" from an unfamiliar person or company where you are
asked to deposit the check and then send back a portion. These are almost always
scams! NEXT: This scam is back! Dr. Timothy Mason at Lewis Animal Hospital (Toledo) is the
latest to report the power cutoff scam: "I am sure I am not the first person to be preyed
upon in this way but I just received a call from "First Energy" that I was about to have my
electric service disconnected for non­payment. They informed me they would only accept
cash payment at a CVS pharmacy. Well I called First Energy billing and they informed me
it was a scam and that I owed them nothing at this time. These people were very good.
They had me quite upset and about ready to lose it (well actually I did lose it). I am sure
you are aware of the scam but just wanted to give you a heads up." Dr. Mason did have one good comment: First Energy was top notch in their response.
The customer service representative was quite kind. NEXT: Con artists are impersonating cable companies and taking advantage of
NEXT: Con artists are impersonating cable companies and taking advantage of
subscribers' eagerness to save money. You get a call from someone claiming to be from your cable provider's "loyal rewards"
program. The caller offers you a significant discount on your monthly cable and/or service.
For $80 per month, you can get phone, broadband Internet, and the premium cable
channels. This package would typically run subscribers well over $100/month. WHAT'S THE CATCH? You need to pay for six months of the discounted rate upfront.
And this "representative" doesn't take credit cards, only pre­paid debit cards (which are
untraceable). BBB Scam Tracker reports the con artists are impersonating Comcast, but they will
usually move on to other cable providers as the scam expands. Also, reports say that
scammers frequently have personal information about targets, such as address, phone
number and current level of service, making this con very believable. (You can place
scam attempts on www.bbb.org/scamtracker to warn others.) Prepaid debit cards are a red flag: If a caller specifically asks you to pay by prepaid debit
card or wire transfer (like Western Union), this is a huge warning sign. Your cable
company will accept a check, credit card or online banking transfer. Don't cave to pressure to pay immediately: If you feel pressured for immediate payment
or personal information, hang up the phone and call the customer service number on your
cable bill. This will ensure you are speaking to a real representative. Never allow anyone into your home to check the cable (or the electrical wiring, natural gas
pipes or appliances) unless you have scheduled an appointment or reported a problem.
Also, ask the employees for proper identification. FINALLY: Want to get BBB ScamAlerts by TEXT?Just text the word "scamalerts" to
95577. Dick Eppstein, BBB
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTH CENTRAL
OHIO ANNOUNCES 2016 ADULT EGG
SCRAMBLE DATE
Save the Date for the 2016 Adult Egg Scramble!
The Adult Egg Scramble, presented by Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, is an after dark
event for adults (18 years or older). The Football Field at Colonel Crawford High School
will be blocked off with cones and Easter eggs are scattered throughout the field. The
eggs are filled with various prizes ­ candy, raffle tickets, and slips of paper to redeem for
items donated from the community. Please join us on Friday, March 18th at Colonel Crawford High School (2303 Ohio 602 ­
North Robinson, OH). Space is limited to the first 350 participants! Sign up now to reserve your spot! Why should the kids have all the fun? Don't miss this special event designed just for
adults! Bring a flashlight, a bag for goodies, and your friends to experience hunting in the
darkness for fabulous prizes. Don't miss out on the chance to find the Golden, Silver, and
Bronze Eggs. All proceeds will benefit Junior Achievement students in Crawford County. Junior
Achievement programs teach students a wide range of concepts and skills needed to
prepare them to be successful. These concepts include understanding how businesses
work, career planning, job interviewing skills, budgeting, savings, credit card risks, and
how to start their own business.
HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR
On February 18th, the Galion Safety Council held a Health & Wellness Fair at the Polk
Township Hall at 7680 State Route 309 in Galion. 114 people attended the event that
included a blood draw, flu shots, blood pressure checks, 5 minute chair massages,
smoking cessation, an exercise program, breast cancer awareness, diabetic education,
chiropractic care and reflexology awareness. The Galion Fire Departments was also there to pass out free reflective house signs. Safety Council, Manager, Janelle Benner was very pleased with the event and said the
Safety Council plans to do another one next year.
GALION CITY COUNCIL MARCH CALENDAR
Copyright © 2016 Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce, All rights reserved.
unsubscribe from this list
update subscription preferences