Chamber Weekly Update for Dec. 17, 2004

		Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce Weekly Update www.chillicotheohio.com Mission statement: The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce promotes economic and community development by addressing issues important to business.

Volume 3, Issue 15 Friday, December 17, 2004 This Week's Sponsors Chamber Calendar Dec. 24-27: Christmas holiday, office closed Dec. 31: New Year's holiday, office closed, re-open on Monday, Jan. 3 Wednesday, Jan. 12: Pathfinders Leadership session, City-County Government Day, start 7:45 a.m. at the chamber Thursday, Jan. 13: Ross County Safety Council luncheon for CEOs, 11:30 a.m., Chillicothe Country Club Safety Council luncheon registration Tuesday, Jan. 18: Ross County Safety Council Steering Committee, 8:30 a.m., chamber Tuesday, Jan. 18: Pathfinders Leadership Steering Committee, 3:30 p.m., chamber Wednesday, Jan. 19: Business After Business, Southern Hills Academy, Keller Road, 5-7 p.m. BAB registration Thursday, Jan. 20: Executive Committee, 8 a.m., chamber Thursday, Jan. 27: Workforce Academy: Public Speaking and Presentations, by Ted Janusz, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ross County Service Center, $15 Workforce Academy registration Thursday, Jan. 27: Board of Directors, noon, AEP district headquarters, Hardin Drive You are receiving this newsletter as a benefit of your membership in the chamber. If you wish not to receive it, please reply to mjones@chillicotheohio.com and write "Unsubscribe" in the subject.		PLENTY OF REASONS FOR HOPE: This holiday season as you look around, there are many reasons to think of a bright future for the city and county from a business standpoint. For instance: The roof is going on the Carlisle Building. And soon the inside will come alive. And soon after, even more commerce should flow in the center of our downtown. Our architectural jewel will have been restored and that success should lead to many others. A 12-screen theater is nearing completion behind the Elder-Beerman shopping area. Even more people from surrounding counties will arrive to take advantage of our many and varied retail and dining offerings. U.S. 35 is now four lanes all the way from the Ohio River to Dayton. Freight will flow more freely and the entire corridor becomes prime space for new development to take advantage of the improvement. Our most major employers -- Kenworth, MeadWestvaco, Adena Regional, the VA, the prisons -- all are reporting stable or growing workforces. Not too many regions can make that boast. So, while some remain hurting this season, there is reason for hope and there is reason for many of us to count our blessings. Happy holidays to all chamber members, your employees and your families from your chamber staff.---Jan, Lynette, Rosie and Marvin BAB WAS A FESTIVE BLOWOUT: Nearly 200 took advantage of the hospitality offered by Delbert Bochard of Huntington Bank and Charlie Stevens of RLS Recycling Wednesday at the Business After Business at the bank downtown. Plenty of door prizes were given away, plenty of food was eaten and many a holiday greeting was passed from friend to friend. Next month's BAB will be at Southern Hills Academy on Keller Road which will feature fondue dishes and brain teaser quizzes. It's not too soon to sign up for the Jan. 19 event. BAB registration UPDATES ON LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS: Businesses need to be aware of some recent changes or reminders that could affect your operations: Businesses represented by third-party administrators, such as the chamber-affiliated Compensation Consultants, at workers' compensation hearings will be glad to know the Ohio Supreme Court ruled against a recommendation that the administrators be barred from the hearings on the basis it represented an unauthorized practice of law. Many Ohio business groups filed "friend of the court" briefs in support of the administrators. Tort reform finally has been approved by the Ohio legislature. Thanks to efforts that included those of Rep. John Schlichter, the General Assembly passed and sent to the governor the bill that includes limits on punitive damages, limits on non-economic damages in non-catastrophic injury cases and the right to let the court and juries know of other payments a plaintiff will receive as a result of the injury. Now, maybe there can be some relief on liability insurance rates. Businesses will have six months to transition to the new law which might require them to charge the sales tax rate of the county where merchandise will be delivered rather than Ross County's rate. The law was to have taken effect on Jan. 1, but merchants have until July 1 to make the transition. Over the counter sales and those goods delivered in the same county are not affected. For more information, merchants can go here: Sourcing law changes WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Joining the chamber recently: Southern Ohio ENT Associates, 4439 Ohio 159, Suite 100, by Dr. Mathew Cosenza, 779-4393 Mattress, Etc., 1080 N. Bridge St., by Jeff Wood and Dick Brown, featuring furniture and bedding, ribbon-cutting planned for Jan. 8, 779-3445 Debi's Accounting and Bookkeeping, 16099 Pike St., Laurelville, by Debi Speakman, 740-332-0117 ARE YOU A SMALL BUSINESS?: The government wants to know your definition of a small business as it looks to revise its rules which can affect acquiring government contracts. To learn more about this issue, visit the website of the Small Business Administration: www.sba.gov/size/anprm.html. Comments must be made by Feb. 1. NEWS FROM MEMBERS: Here are items submitted by chamber members using the new link found at the bottom of this newsletter or by including us on their mailing list for news releases: David M. Polk has been promoted to vice president of administrative services for Horizon Chillicothe Telephone. The former general manager for human resources will be responsible for the business office as well as various internal support and administrative functions. Nancy Russell is the new branch manager for National City Bank on Western Avenue. Marsha Swinehart is retiring from the Ross County Health District after nearly 31 years in the public health sector. She is coordinator of the Heart Health program for the district and after retirement plans to earn her master's degree and teach in a nursing college. The Gift Post, 601 E. Main St., is collecting non-perishable food items for the Good Samaritan Network until Dec. 24. Just drop off a can or item before the deadline. The Chillicothe Animal Clinic has been recertified by the American Animal Hospital Association. The process includes a rigorous inspection and the clinic has been certified since 1996. Jack Thompson, the chief financial officer and secretary for Horizon Telcom (and a former chamber board treasurer), received the Hixon Award recently from the Chillicothe Kiwanis Club. He has been a Kiwanian for 45 years. MORE THAN THE BASICS: About 25 folks attended Thursday's economic development seminar put on by American Electric Power and sponsored by the chamber, the Ross County Community Improvement Corporation and the City of Chillicothe. Attendees included county commissioners, auditors, chamber and CIC board members, school board members and a township trustee. Patrick Lawrence, shown at right, is an economic development specialist with AEP who headed up the half-day program. PROJECT REMAINS ON TRACK: The American Centrifuge project in Piketon "appears to be off to a good start," according to an official with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The comment came after a quarterly review by the NRC with the USEC staff in Rockville, MD in late November. It was noted the license application review is proceeding well. The plant is scheduled to begin production by no later than 2010 and will employ about 500. VENDORS LICENSES: Here's who's received licenses recently from the Ross County Auditor. The licenses are required if you are required to collect state sales tax on your products or services. Jester Hill Pottery, 4696 Jester Hill Road, Bainbridge, by Kathy West. Stark Image, 10 Sunbury Road, by Peter Seth Stark. Anna's Attic, 1008 E. Main St., Suite 4, by Charles Barthelmes. Bob's Garage, 342 1/2 E. Main St., by Robert Gregory Jr.
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