Fairs Year-round Information   April 2K19
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On the Calendar:
Accolade on Display  
CFSA's professionalism, expertise and work ethic earn a Certificate of Full Accreditation from CAJPA.
 
In the Spotlight
CFSA's Revenue Protection Program: The facts about this one-of-a-kind, bottom-line protecting program. 

California Construction Authority Update
The  Fairground Facility Conditions Assessments are in! More than 250 project assessments will be submitted to CDFA's Fairs & Expositions Branch tomorrow.

Monthly Reminders:
  • Help CFSA Help You: Send your Fairgrounds' April Contract Logs to CFSA.
     
  • Progress Reports: Keep your fair's Risk Control specialist in the loop about Pre-Fair Inspection Report repairs, improvements and plans of action.
Heads-Up! touch
Be In the Know with CFSA Touchpoints

One of the many ways CFSA stays in close touch with pool program participant fairs is through personalized quarterly Touchpoints -  conversations we initiate with fair CEOs to ensure they know about and have an opportunity to ask questions about upcoming events, deadlines, news and more  that affects their fairs and fairgrounds. CFSA also uses this opportunity to gather feedback and suggestions from pool program participants.

As we head into the second quarter of 2019, we ask that fair CEOs watch their email for their next Touchpoints letter. Then, when it's convenient we invite you to call the CFSA staff member who contacted you so he or she can provide you with Touchpoint d etails and answer any questions you may have. Among our second quarter topics are  the CFSA board's approved annual pool fees, property program renewal updates, appointment of fairground electors, and more.  

board
CFSA's Next Board of Directors Meeting is Thursday, May 23


Scheduling conflicts have made it necessary to move CFSA's June board meeting to Thursday, May 23. As usual, the  meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the Fair Services Building in Sacramento. A copy of the agenda will be emailed to pool participants as well as posted on www.cfsa.org as soon as it is finalized.   

CEO
The New Fair CEO Orientation began at the Fair Services Building on Wednesday, April 10, with presentations from California Fair Services Authority, California Construction Authority (shown) and Western Fairs Association.

New CEOs from Fairgrounds Throughout California Met in 
Sacramento for the Two-Day New Fair CEO Orientation  
 
The two-day New Fair CEO Orientation kicked off on Wednesday, April 10 at the Sacramento Fair Services Building, home to CFSA, California Construction Authority (CCA) and Western Fairs Association (WFA). Nine fair CEOs and three staff members from the California Department of Food & Agriculture's (CDFA's) Fairs & Expositions Branch (F&E) were in attendance, ready to learn more about the resources available to them through the three agencies and CDFA's Fairs & Expositions Branch.

Presentations from CFSA staff were first on the agenda. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions about the many different programs and services CFSA provides and to put faces to the names of many of the staff members they have talked to on the phone. A quick  networking lunch was followed by more introductions and presentations from California Construction Authority (CCA) and Western Fairs Association (WFA). In addition to learning about each agency's history, mission, programs and services, o
rientation attendees also learned how the three agencies and F&E team up to produce informative conferences, conventions and training opportunities (including the orientation) for the benefit of California's fairs and the advancement of the Network of California Fairs as a whole. 

After the presentations and a brief break, attendees headed downtown for an enhanced tour of the California State Capitol, led by WFA's previous executive director, Stephen Chambers, and dinner at the Iron Horse Tavern hosted by WFA. 

Thursday morning, April 11, attendees visited CDFA's headquarters to meet staff from F&E and CDFA, and to take part in a full day of sessions covering everything from California State Rules to Financial Reporting and Board Meetings 101. Attendees also had an opportunity to meet CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, and to learn about CDFA's Emergency Services.
This year's New Fair CEO Orientation was sponsored by CDFA Fairs & Expositions, CFSA, CCA and WFA. 
Ri ck Jenkins, left, presents Steve Kenny, CFSA's board chairperson, with CFSA's Certificate of
Full Accreditation on behalf of the California Association of Joint Powers Authorities. 
CAJPA
On Display at CFSA!
CFSA Receives a  Certificate of Full Accreditation Acknowledging Staff's Expertise, Professionalism  

For the seventh consecutive three-year accreditation time period (a total of 22 years), CFSA has earned a Full Accreditation designation from the California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA). To mark the occasion, Rick Jenkins, from the Schools Insurance Authority and a member of CAJPA's Accreditation Committee, attended CFSA's April 3 board of directors meeting to  present our Certificate of Full Accreditation. Steve Kenny, CEO of the Butte County Fair and the board's chairperson, accepted the certificate on CFSA's behalf. Next time you visit CFSA's office, please take a look at the  certificate displayed on the lobby wall.  

Why is CFSA so Proud of this Certificate? CAJPA's Accreditation Program was started in 1991 with the explicit purpose of establishing standards by which California's JPAs (there are now nearly 150) could measure their efficiency in 10 key areas of risk pool management. Program accreditation also serves to assure pool participants, as well as public officials, governing board members and the public that a JPA is operating with professionalism and that it meets industry standards of excellence. Accreditation also ensures state regulators and legislators that the JPA is well-managed, financially secure and effectively self-regulated.    

The accreditation certificate is valid for three years, December 2018 - December 2021. Because of the time it takes for CAJPA's risk management experts to thoroughly evaluate CFSA's programs and procedures, CFSA  will apply for re-accreditation mid-year 2021.


Spotlight
In the Spotlight:  
CFSA's Revenue Protection Program

Snowstorms, temperatures soaring to excessive highs, flash floods, even the far-reaching effects of terrorist attacks on the other side of the country. These are the types of unpredictable occurrences that can take a big bite out of your annual fair or covered interim event's revenue... unless you're covered by the Revenue Prote ction  Program.

The only program of its kind available within the California fair industry, CFSA's Revenue Protection Program was specifically created to reimburse participating fairgrounds for certain revenue interruption losses and for the extra expenses resulting from a covered occurrence. Protection can be purchased for annual fairs as well as fair-sponsored interim events. Your fairground doesn't need to be a member of a CFSA pool program to participate in the program; however, the fair or event must be entirely fairground sponsored.

In 2018, 63 events, including Spring fairs, rodeos, horse shows, winter holiday craft fairs and more were covered by the Revenue Protection Program. This program is ideal for fairs and events that run through only one weekend as there is limited time to make up revenue losses.

How Program Fees are Assessed
The program's responsive fee structure takes a number of different factors into consideration, including the level of risk associated with the length of an event. Lower fees are assessed for fairs with fewer days, and higher fees are assessed for events that run through multiple weekends. 

Fees are also based on the limit of protection desired, with limits available from $50,000 to $500,000 for events with a three-year history. Protection may also be purchased for events with one or two years of revenue history for a higher fee and reduced limits of protection. Events in their first year aren't eligible for the program as there is no historical revenue on which to base a claim. 
The program pays 80% of the total approved loss up to the limits of protection purchased for fair promoted events with at least a three-year revenue history on the same dates, and 70% for fair promoted events with less than a three-year revenue history on the same dates. If your fair or event has a date change by more than one week, payment is calculated at the 70% reimbursement rate.
All decisions on claims are made by the Program Claims Committee, which includes two representatives from the fair industry. 
How to Sign Up
Every January CFSA sends a program application and a letter explaining the benefits, coverages and application deadlines of this optional program to all California fairs.  Completed applications must be to CFSA at least 90 days before the fair or event to be covered. For events occurring within the first 90 days of the year, fees must be paid within
30 days of the event. Fees are non-refundable.  
Note: There is a two-year waiting period for re-entry if a fair chooses to withdraw from the program; special provisions are available for re-entry after one year from withdrawal. 
How to Make a Claim
1. Your first step in filing a Revenue Protection Program claim is to contact Mario Castagnola, CFSA's risk analyst, as soon as possible. You can reach him at  916/263-6145 or [email protected].
2. Fill out a Sworn Statement in Proof of Loss Form and have it notarized. You'll find the form in your Red Book and on CFSA's website. 
3. Document the event, adding photos if applicable. If it's a weather-related claim, document with weather reports and/or articles from a local newspaper or other resources. Mario recommends that you collect newspaper articles and weather reports as soon as possible; if you wait weeks or months, this information could be difficult to find.
4. Document extra (over and above normal) expenses paid to resume normal fairtime or covered interim event activities (do not include hours normally worked).
For information about additional documentation required in the filing of a Revenue Protection claim, please refer to your Red Book, or check CFSA's website. Here's a direct link: http://www.cfsa.org/cms/self-insurance/revenue-protection-program/proof-of-loss-form/.
Questions?  P lease contact Mario Castagnola at 916/263-6145 or [email protected].

Build
California Construction Authority Update 
Fairground Facility Conditions Assessment Submittals are In

Fairs large and small from throughout California voluntarily participated in the recent Facility Conditions Assessment facilitated by the California Construction Authority (CCA). A total of 63 fairs submitted assessments for 252 priority projects on their fairgrounds. 

CCA has prepared a master list of all of these submitted projects and this list, along with the projects' supporting documentation, will be presented to CDFA's Fairs & Expositions Branch on Friday, April 19. From here, a team at CDFA will make a preliminary selection of projects that will be researched and analyzed in consideration of SB 5 financing. In this first round of SB 5 Bond Measure funding, $3.2 million will be allocated in grants by CDFA.

As the project selection progresses, more information will be shared. This initial response by California's fairs is encouraging and promising! 


ThanksRisk
Remember to Send a Copy of Your Fairgrounds' Monthly Contract Log to CFSA by the 15th of Every Month

Has your fairgrounds sent its April contract log to CFSA yet? If you have, thank you for helping us help you keep claims costs down! If you haven't, please do so as soon as you can. This General Liability Pool requirement asks that all General Liability pool program participating fairs fax or email a copy of their monthly contract logs to CFSA. Doing so by the 15th of each month gives Mario Castagnola, CFSA's risk analyst,  ample time to review your log and to get back to you if there are any questions. Fax your contract logs to: 916/263-6159, Atten. Mario or email them to Mario at:  [email protected].

We know you're busy and that this is one more thing to squeeze into your day, but we wouldn't ask you for the logs unless they played an important role in reducing claims costs, in protecting your fair's loss history and in keeping annual pool fees down. And they do!  ( To see an example of a  contract log, please contact Mario using the information above.)
 

Keep Your CFSA Risk Control Specialist in the Loop with Post Facility Inspection Updates

After you have repaired, adjusted or developed a plan of action for any problematic areas identified in your fairgrounds' Pre-fair Inspection Report, and before your fair or event takes place, remember to send a copy of the correction sheet with the current status of the recommended actions to your Risk Control specialist.  (The correction sheet is attached to your Pre-fair Inspection Report.) 

Then, when your Risk Control specialist returns to your fairgrounds during the fair or after, he or she knows they can focus on other safety needs such as staff training, instead of using valuable time going over what they just went over.

Have questions about your fairgrounds' report or not sure where to begin? Contact your fair's Risk Control specialist or Tom Amberson, Risk Department manager, at 916/263-6180 or [email protected].      


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