News

Commerce Weekly Newsbites ~ January 20, 2021
Norwich, NY
01/20/2021 03:47 PM

Subject line: January 20, 2021 Inauguration Day

COMMERCE WEEKLY NEWSBITES

 

                                                                     

Commerce UPDATES/NEWS

I hope that 2021 is off to a great start for you! Thank you to those businesses and organizations who have already renewed their 2021 membership dues. Here at Commerce Chenango, 2020 was a busy and productive year.
 

Despite the unsettling time in our history, Chenango County organizations pulled together and Commerce Chenango took a leading role by working closely with our state colleagues, Empire State Development, and with the Chenango County Health Department and Emergency Services. We pivoted our mission and programs to create community webinars, took calls from community members and businesses, helped with education and counseling on the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and SBA programs, advocated for the Payroll Protection Program, and legislation like the CARES Act. At Commerce Chenango we never stopped working for you, with you, and on your behalf. We took calls around the clock, reached out, spoke to over 450 businesses during the height of the closures, and then through the phased re-opening.
 

In addition, we implemented a webpage specific to COVID awareness and resources, continued our work to create programs, professional development opportunities and increase awareness of our members. In September, we unveiled our new logo, tagline and a brand new website with a customer management system. If you have not had a chance to check out the new website or log into your personalized member profile, please do so. If you need help with this, our Director or Membership & Program, Mary Miner, can assist you.
 

What else did we do this year? We were able to host a series of “Drive-Thru” Ribbon Cuttings, a series of six “Lunch & Learns”, a virtual Entrepreneurial Roundtable, and a virtual after-hours event. In addition, we were proud to be able to honor local businesses and individuals during the “Sofa Soiree”, we hosted a hybrid Legislative Breakfast in October, a Virtual 5k Chamber Challenge and our first Virtual Auction in November. 
 

We hope that you will continue to invest in the work of Commerce Chenango in 2021. You can be proud that because of you and your continued support, we were able to be there for everyone.

~ Kerri


Commerce Chenango is updating our Chenango County Relocation & Community Guide. We are accepting proposals for a business or individual to help create and design the publication.
 

To see the previous version of the Guide, or download a copy of the RFP, visit our website page at https://commercechenango.com/about-chenango-county/, or click HERE.
 

Qualified and interested parties are asked to respond to this request for proposal by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 1, 2021. Send proposal via EM to mailto:arobinson@chenangony.org or by mail to Audrey Robinson, Director of Communications, Commerce Chenango, 15 South Broad Street, Norwich, NY 13815.


MEMBER Section

 

Yogesh Deshmukh has joined Preferred Mutual Insurance Company as Vice President, Finance. Deshmukh’s role will be to foster business strategies to improve profitability by leveraging data, analytics, and actuary intelligence.
 

Deshmukh brings to Preferred Mutual over 25 years of financial services, operational, and leadership knowledge, with considerable time within the Property and Casualty Insurance industry. Tim Hyle, Senior Vice President, CFO and Treasurer said, “Preferred Mutual will look to Yogesh to help us identify and implement best practices to make the financial processes and internal controls more efficient and effective.” 


DCMO BOCES has announced a new program - Career Destinations Micro-Credentials. This program grants students digital badges upon completion of skills training criteria. Badging according to Forbes magazine is one of the hot rising ideas in the education space. According to Perry Dewey, District Superintendent at DCMO BOCES, these badges strengthen a commitment to employers to best prepare students for the job. “To earn a badge, the student must complete a series of steps that demonstrate proficiency in the credentialing process. We are looking for employers to share their workplace requirements with our team to customize badges that connect the classroom teaching to the job needs,” said Dewey. Read the full release.


Merger for Broome & Chenango Opportunities Organizations

Since 1965, Opportunities for Broome and Opportunities for Chenango, Inc. have helped to serve their respective communities with their greatest needs. In 2013, Opportunities for Broome and Opportunities for Chenango, Inc. began discussing the possibility of a merger of the two agencies. With economic down turns and possible funding scarcity, a merger would accomplish multiple goals. Now that the merger is complete, they are aptly named 'Greater Opportunities'.
 

In an executive statement, Mark Silvanic, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Opportunities, Inc., said "I am proud to work for this organization and look forward to continually evolving our agency to always deliver the most empowering services and assistance to all those in need so that they can become who they envision. With the assistance of our agency, those we serve can live vibrant lives and contribute to the growth of our communities."
 

New mission, same great services. Check out their new ‘merged’ look on http://www.greaterops.org website.


For the INTERESTED….

Visit the news page of our new website.

Quote of the day:  

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." - William James


COVID-19 Vaccine Transportation Offered
 

Rural Health Network of South Central New York's mobility management program, Getthere, can provide rides to vaccinations. Please contact Getthere if you, a loved one, or a client living in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, or Tioga counties are unable to get to a COVID-19 vaccination site. The Call Center can be reached at (855) 373-4040 Monday - Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. A Mobility and Transportation Advocate will help schedule a safe, secure ride. No referral is needed. Getthere is a mobility management program of the Rural Health Network of South Central New York serving Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga counties.


Governor Andrew M. Cuomo delivered his FY 2022 Budget Highlights earlier this week. The Governor presented two budget options, depending on the level of funding the federal government provides to New York following the devastating economic impact of Washington's failed COVID-19 response. The first option would support New York State's ongoing war against the pandemic and aggressive post-COVID reconstruction plan. The second option - absent $15 billion in federal funding - would cause pain for New Yorkers by forcing the state to raise revenue, cut expenses and borrow. See more HERE> https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-outlines-fy-2022-budget-reimagine-rebuild-renew


COVID-19 UPDATES

 

Commerce Chenango would like to remind you that it still mandatory to wear a mask and to social distance.

  • New York Forward

  • New York State's COVID-19 Website

  • COVID-19 Tracker

     

    VACCINATION INFORMATION

     

    Posted January 19

    Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's vaccination program. To date, New York's health care distribution sites have administered 79 percent of first doses received from the federal government, and 77 percent of first and second doses.
     

    The Governor also announced the launch of a new COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Dashboard. The dashboard will update New Yorkers on the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine including the number of doses received by the state, a breakdown of first or second doses, and the number of persons inoculated with the first and second doses in each region. The New York State Department of Health requires vaccinating facilities to report all COVID-19 vaccine administration data within 24 hours; the vaccine administration data on the dashboard is updated daily to reflect the most up-to-date metrics in the state's vaccination effort. To access the dashboard, go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker

     

    Posted January 14, 2021

    https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/

    The COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline is open 7AM - 10PM, 7 days week, to help New Yorkers determine if they are eligible and schedule vaccination appointments. 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829)

    Over 7 million New Yorkers are now eligible for the COVID vaccine but the state only receives 300,000 doses per week from the federal government. Due to limited allocation by the federal government, limited appointments have filled up quickly. Currently appointments have been made for the next 14 weeks. Vaccinations are performed by local health departments, pharmacies, doctors offices and hospitals. Please call them for appointments as they become available & for additional information.

     

    Posted January 12, 2021

    Eligible New Yorkers in Phase 1a and 1b can now register to receive the COVID vaccine. Prior to receiving the vaccination, you must complete the New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Form. This form can be completed online and you will receive a submission ID, or you can fill out the form at your vaccination site. Individuals being vaccinated must bring proof of eligibility to the vaccination site. This may include an employee ID card, a letter from an employer or affiliated organization, or a pay stub, depending on the specific priority status. Check your eligibility phase HERE. Appointments could take up to 14 weeks due to limited federal allocation and all vaccines are by appointment only. Click HERE to determine eligibility and schedule appointments with administrating providers.

     

    Posted January 20, 2021 

    COVID 19 UPDATE FOR CHENANGO COUNTY

    As of January 20, 2021, there are 191 active cases of COVID-19 in Chenango County, and 21 current hospitalizations. There have been 32 confirmed deaths. The Chenango County Department of Health confirmed there have been 1,758 total cases of COVID-19 in Chenango. The health department also confirmed there are 532 residents under quarantine, and 1,540 total recoveries. So far, approximately 63,551 tests for the virus have been administered in the county.


    COVID FUNDING

     

    The new PPP Changes

    Here are some more key changes to this round of PPP compared to how the program operated in 2020:

  • PPP borrowers can set their PPP loan’s covered period to be any length between 8 and 24 weeks to best meet their business needs, the SBA says. 

  • PPP loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property-damage costs, supplier costs, and worker-protection expenditures.

  • The program’s eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6) nonprofits, housing cooperatives, and destination-marketing organizations.

  • The PPP provides greater flexibility for seasonal employees.

  • Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their first-draw PPP loan amount.

Updated PPP Lender forms, guidance, and resources are available at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.

 

The New York Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF) is a new economic recovery loan program aimed at supporting New York State small businesses, nonprofits and small residential landlords as they reopen after the COVID-19 outbreak and NYS on PAUSE.

The NYFLF now targets the state’s small businesses with *50* or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, nonprofits and small residential landlords that have seen a loss of rental income.   

An Eligible Small Business must:

•           Employ *50* or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees; 

•           Have gross revenues of less than *$5 million* per year; 

•           Must not have received a U.S. Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program of greater than $500,000 or an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for COVID-19 of greater than $150,000; 

•           Have suffered a direct economic hardship as a result of COVID-19 related social distancing policies and stay-at-home order that have materially impacts their operations;

•           Been in business for at least 1 year as of the date of the application; and

•           Be located in the State of New York.

For more information and to start your pre-application visit click HERE> www.nyloanfund.com

 

Empire State Development Announces “Raising The Bar” Restaurant Recovery Fund

The “Raising the Bar Restaurant Recovery Fund” will help eligible restaurants adjust their operations to the impacts of COVID-19 and adherence to New York State’s public health and safety measures during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited.

Qualifying purchases and expenditures must be from September 1, 2020 onwards to be eligible. Initial round of grants are up to $5,000. Restaurants can apply starting Monday, January 11, 2021. For more information, visit the ESD website at https://esd.ny.gov/raising-bar-restaurant-recovery-fund.

 

Tourism Updates

 

6 On The Square in Oxford will host an online concert featuring folk singer/songwriter Greg Greenway at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, January, 23. Musically, his guitar, piano and ukulele reflect inspiration from all over the map — gospel, rock, blues, jazz and world music. But his center is in the singer/songwriter tradition that traces its roots to the social awareness of Woody Guthrie. Tickets for the Jan. 23 online concert can be purchased online at https://www.6onthesquare.org/. Those who buy tickets will receive emails about how to view the show on Zoom.


Make 2021 THE YEAR OF PLANNING

63% of All Americans agree they desperately need a vacation, yet American workers on average let 33% of their paid time off go unused last year. Tuesday, January 26, 2021 is National #PlanForVacationDay. Plan your vacation days for a whole year now. NPVD helps highlight the importance of taking time off to travel -- both for our personal health and wellbeing and for the overall economic prosperity of our nation.

 

Last but not least…

Word of Advice…

How to End Any Professional Email (Plus a List of Sign-Offs) Do you have that professional email mostly written, but you’re not quite sure how to wrap it up? Or do you feel like you’re defaulting to the same email closings every time and want some alternatives? Read on to see how to end your emails the right way—plus a list of professional closings for any situation. https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-end-email-list-of-sign-offs  

Reference
Audrey Robinson
607.334.1429
 
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