Happy Monday, Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Chamber concern: ‘Drive-By’ ADA compliance lawsuits target Midland business owners...
In the last several months, dozens of Midland businesses have been sued for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Let me start by stating that the Midland Chamber is not advocating that businesses should be exempt from compliance. We are, however, concerned about the nature of these lawsuits. More than 21 lawsuits have been filed against Midland businesses in the last two weeks alone, and the count is quickly rising. They are all being filed by a single plaintiff, represented by a law firm based in Florida. The basis for most of the suits rests on improper striping and/or improper signage for accessible parking. Therefore, we can only conclude that the plaintiff is mimicking a tactic that has been used in Florida and California, known as a “drive-by” lawsuit. They are so called, because the plaintiff merely drives by the establishment, seeking to identify parking lot violations of the ADA. Furthermore, in each of the cases, the defendant is given a deadline for compliance and issued an ultimatum to pay a settlement or be taken to court.
Again, let me stress that we believe businesses should be in compliance with the ADA. These lawsuits, however, do not appear to focus on generating compliance and inclusion for those with disabilities. Many have suggested that eliciting a settlement is the primary goal.
While researching this situation, we have learned that many businesses are not in compliance due to confusion regarding the law. Owners may mistakenly believe they are exempt or “grandfathered” from compliance due to the age of their facility. This is not accurate. Another common misconception is that they believe they are compliant because they have passed inspection by local and/or state authorities. While local officials do inspect for compliance with local ordinances, they are not obligated to enforce the ADA - as it is a federal law. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation also has a set of standards and regulations for the removal of architectural barriers; however, these standards do not necessarily encompass all of the same stipulations as the ADA.
To assist local business owners, and hopefully end the onslaught of lawsuits, the Midland Chamber will be offering a free seminar on the topic. Our goal is to educate businesses on how to become compliant, avoid costly litigation and encourage an inclusive business culture.
Read more: ‘Midland Reporter Telegram
New Arrival: New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Map
The New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Map is available at the New Castle-Henry County Chamber today! Thanks to Missy Modesitt, Mary Campbell and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town SquarePublications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
Grammy Museum Mississippi: Chamber projects 20 million dollar impact: Cleveland moving from hospitality to hosting
The Grammy Museum Mississippi, which opened its doors on Saturday, is expected to attract 30,000 visitors in the first year.
That figure, adapted from a study on the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, projected a direct and indirect impact of up to $20 million a year on the community, according to Judson Thigpen, executive director of-/ the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
The Grammy Museum has a broader interest than the King museum, which, of course, has solely a blues focus, whereas the new Cleveland museum addresses more genres, Thigpen noted.
For example, the Beatles exhibit and symposium will be open to the public April 1-2, he said.
Meantime, “we’ve formed alliances, and we’ll be forming more alliances,” he said. “We’ve been in touch with the Elvis Presley people, so we can do some cross-marketing.” Read more: Mississippi Business
Jacksonville Area Chamber inducts Agri-Industry hall of fame honoree
Keith Bradbury was inducted into the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce Agri-Industry Hall of Fame on Thursday during the chamber’s annual Agri-Industry Banquet.
Bradbury has been an agricultural lender for 32 years, most recently serving as CEO for Community State Bank in Franklin for the past 22 years. He has been a farmer for several years in West Perry.
A graduate of Illinois College, Bradbury received its Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2009. He is a past president, vice president and board member for Kiwanis and was honored as the Distinguished Kiwanian of the Year in 2004 and Kiwanian of the Year in 2005 and received the George F. Hixson Fellow Honor, the club’s highest award, in 2010.
He has also served as a director of the Illinois Bankers Association, is past chairman of the Passavant Area Hospital board of directors and past chairman of the Elm City board of directors and the Lincoln Land Community College Advisory Council.
Bradbury is a member of the Masonic Lodge and First Presbyterian Church, where he has served as an elder. He and his wife, Nancy, have two sons and one grandchild. They live in Jacksonville.
The chamber also presented the Pioneer of Agriculture award, which recognizes some who gave a lifetime of service to the agriculture industry in the 1800s to early 1900s in Morgan County. This year’s recipient was John T. Alexander.
Alexander made his first purchase of land in Morgan County in 1848 at a price of $3 a acre for 7,000 acres to grow corn and fatten his cattle. By 1857, he shipped 10,000 head of cattle via railroad from the town 10 miles east of Jacksonville that would be named after him. During the Civil War, he shipped about 100,000 head of cattle each year for the Union troops. Alexander developed a systematic approach to preparing cattle for market by grazing them on abundant grasses in warm months and feeding them corn in cattle lots in the winter. Read more: My Journal Courier
Brad Schneider named Henderson judge-executive
Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed Kyndle CEO and President Brad Schneider as Henderson County's judge-executive.
Schneider replaces County Magistrate Bruce Todd, who has been serving as interim judge-executive since the death last month of former Judge-executive Hugh McCormick.
McCormick died Feb. 18 after surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from one of his lungs. He was 58.
Schneider, 50, said he hadn't considered seeking the position until someone suggested it to him.
"A couple of people in the community approached me saying 'You ought think about it; We need you,'" Schneider said. "So I thought about it and got to talking to people who have advised me and mentored me, and of course my wife. And after talking about it and a couple of sleepless nights I put my name in the hat."
He said he learned that he'd been selected Friday morning and was sworn in a short time later in a private ceremony.
"Last Tuesday, I interviewed with the local GOP executive committee and talked for about 30 minutes (Thursday) with Gov. Bevin in what was basically an interview," Schneider said. "He told me he had not made his decision, and today I got a call from members of his staff saying congratulations, I was the pick."
Schneider's term could be short-lived. He will serve as judge-executive until the general election. McCormick was elected in 2014, so more than two years remain in his current term. The Henderson Democratic and Republican parties will each select a candidate who will face off in the Nov. 8 general election. The winner will serve the remainder of McCormick's term.
"I intend to run," Schneider said. "The campaign will start almost immediately."
Schneider is a registered Republican and all five of the magistrates are Democrats, but Schneider said in his role at Kyndle he's worked to become "scrupulously nonpartisan and apolitical," instead focusing on achieving the best outcome for the community.
"I've worked with Fiscal County and consider all five magistrates friends and professional colleagues," he said. "I've worked hard to have really good relationships on both sides of the political spectrum."
Magistrates reached Friday were pleased with Schneider's selection.
"I think he'll be a great county judge. He's an asset to the community," said Magistrate Charles Alexander. "I have worked with Brad on numerous occasions, and we get along excellently. I'm looking forward to work with him in the future."
Magistrate George Warren said he also looks forward to working with Schneider.
"I've worked with Brad through the last few years. I'm confident that we'll be able to complete the projects we've started and begin new ones together."
Magistrate Carter Wilkerson called him "a great addition."
Schneider, a graduate of the University of Evansville, earned a degree in mass communications and spent more 20 years in journalism before being named president of the Henderson-Henderson County Chamber of Commerce in 2009.
He became interim president and CEO of Northwest Kentucky Forward, a regional economic development organization, in March of 2013 and helped lead the effort that resulted in the merger of the chamber and Northwest Kentucky Forward that brought about the creation of Kyndle.
He said he and McCormick didn't just work well together, but were close friends.
"(Hugh) was a great friend, a great supporter and a mentor," Schneider said. "He was a supporter of the merger (that created Kyndle) and was influential in me being chosen to head Kyndle. He was part of my everyday life and I miss him dearly."
Schneider said Friday the first order of business will be the budget and making sure the county can fund its portion of a new $7 million 911 system expected to go online sometime this year. The county is expected to pay about a third of the cost.
"We're right in the middle of that process and we need to pass a responsible budget. Things have been tight lately, what with the decline in coal tax severance — even with the payroll tax, we need to work within our mean and enact a responsible, sustainable budget," he said.
As he steps into the role of judge-executive, Schneider leaves Kyndle, which he has led since its creation.
"Kyndle is set up perfectly to keep right on going. We are structured to never be reliant on one person," Schneider said. "Vice President of Economic Development Donna Crooks and Vice President of Business Support Margaret Ridley are as knowledgeable about Kyndle as I am. The board will meet early next week to determine where we go from here. Kyndle is in great shape and poised to keep right on going." Read more: The Gleaner
Elkhart County/St Joseph County Chambers' good news: Sigh of relief as extra $42M Regional Cities funds OK'd
After a rocky couple of weeks rife with uncertainty, Indiana lawmakers last week confirmed that the state’s Regional Cities grant program will be fully funded, ensuring that an extra $42 million in economic development funds will make its way to the Elkhart-South Bend area.
In a down-to-the-wire decision made last Thursday evening, the Indiana General Assembly voted 91-5 to approve the $42 million grant as part of a larger, road funding bill aimed at financing improvements to the state’s crumbling roads and bridges.
That money will boost Gov. Mike Pence’s Regional Cities Initiative payout to $126 million total to help fund economic development projects.
That’s exciting news for Elkhart County leaders who are tethered to the Regional Cities of Northern Indiana Initiative, which includes Elkhart, St. Joseph and Marshall counties.
“I think there is some real potential for it to do some good things in our communities,” said Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman of the legislature’s decision on the additional Regional Cities funding. “But now it’s going to be up to each community to really buckle down, and while that money is going to help tremendously, we still have to figure out a lot of things on these projects.”
Dallas Bergle, a member of the Regional Development Authority tasked with reviewing and selecting the various projects was quick to agree, noting that Regional Cities money will only fund up to 20 percent of any targeted project. Municipalities requesting the funding will be required to come up with at least 60 percent in private funding and 20 percent in funding from local government entities to pay for the remaining cost of each project.
“When we originally applied for the grant, we had to submit a list of projects that would at least fit in with the objectives of what the Indiana Economic Development Corporation was looking for with this initiative,” Bergle said. “Over 30 projects ended up being submitted, so now we need to start the process of working through those projects, working with sponsors. and seeing who will actually be ready for the funding. So we need to find those projects that have the ability, or already have lined up, both local and private funding in the timeframe that we have, which is just over two years.”
Among the potential projects in Goshen are a nearly $14 million renovation of downtown’s Goshen Theater and a proposed outdoor amphitheater on the west side of the mill race near the Hawks Building.
Goshen Chamber of Commerce President David Daugherty was pleased with the Legislature’s decision to approve the additional $42 million.
“I think it was one of those things where politics was involved a little bit, but in the end it worked out for the best for not only our region, but for the state of Indiana as a whole,” Daugherty said. “So it was definitely good news to see them give the full amount. I think it’s a great program.” Goshen News
New Chamber Awards: 40 Under 40 To Be Recognized by Alexandria Chamber
If you're under 40 and an emerging leader in Alexandria, the Chamber of Commerce wants to hear from you. Its new "40 Under 40" Awards program is to recognize emerging leaders under 40 years of age.
The goal of the program is to highlight the significant, personal impacts of successful young professionals across a variety of business sectors, who, over the next few years, will have a significant effect on the advancement of the city's robust business community.
Joe Haggerty, president and CEO of the Chamber, said that through this program, the Chamber hopes to provide a mandate to empower these successful young professionals to raise the caliber of Alexandria’s business sector and the quality of life in the City.
“The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce is the perfect partner to introduce this program," Haggerty says. "It is important for us, as the voice of business in Alexandria, to recognize the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs – those who go above and beyond to shape the City and its community.”
The program is open to all individuals who either live or work in the City of Alexandria. Organizational or company membership in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce is not required in order to submit an application.
Individuals may self-nominate, or nominate an employee or peer. Nominations for the 40 Under 40 will be accepted by filling out the accompanying forms online at www.alexchamber.com, or submitting via email or mail. All nominations and supporting documentation must be received by May 20, 2016 at 5:00pm.
A cross-section of Alexandria business and community leaders will select the 40 Under 40 recipients. Winners will be announced across all of the Chamber’s communication vehicles, including media partners. An awards reception will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2016.
“The inaugural class of Alexandria’s 40 Under 40 will set the bar incredibly high for those who follow," said Robert Shea, 2016 Board Chair, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce."Being recognized with this award, at an early point in a young professional’s career, is a recognition of their high potential. Read more: LocalKicks.com
89th Annual Greater Beloit Chamber awards: Celebrating Beloit businesses
Awards were bestowed and wisdom was imparted at a celebration Tuesday night when nearly 400 of Beloit’s business elite gathered at the Eclipse Center at the 89th annual Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce dinner, which celebrated the area’s economic accomplishments over the last year.
Keynote speaker Phil Kiser, the president and CEO of the Culver’s Franchising System, talked about the success of his business model. His key topics included culture, which he said trumps strategy, and leadership.
“Keep the main thing the main thing,” he said. “There are a lot of organizations that, sometimes when things get tough, they want to change.”
Kiser said Culver’s fosters its culture in a host of small ways such as calling its customers “guests,” its employees “team members,” it’s transactions “experiences” and its annual convention a “reunion.”
“You got to have a strong culture if you’re going to attract the best talent. The best talent has options, and they know it,” he said. “They really want to be somewhere where they feel like they belong and they feel like they align.”
Incoming Chamber Board Chair Michelle Matthys briefed the crowd on the chamber’s activities.
The highlights she mentioned included working to retain and expand businesses, supporting Alliant Energy’s power generating station and the Ho-Chunk Nation’s Beloit casino project. She also noted the blossoming of the Young Professionals group, advocating on the state and federal level and hosting 11 ribbon cuttings. Read more: Beloit Daily News
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Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here
Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and Custom Maps
Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here
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