Thank You, Joe!
This article was featured in the Galion Inquirer
By: Jodi Myers, Galion Inquirer
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GALION — After serving 18 years as president of the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce, Joe Kleinknecht has decided its finally time to retire … for good.
His last day will be Friday, May 29. Miranda Jones was named as his successor several weeks ago and is now trying to fill his wide shoes.
Kleinknecht has a long history of working in the community, retiring from Columbia Gas after 40 years and having served on Galion City Council.
“I had been working with another company as a contractor back with Columbia Gas and I thought about (applying for the chamber president position). I’ve lived here all my life and worked here all my life,” he said. “I thought it was something I would like. I really didn’t know what a chamber of commerce was or what a chamber of commerce did, but I applied for it and I got the job.”
During his service as president, Kleinknecht said many accomplishments have been made in the business district.
“When I started, the city helped finance the chamber. We got $70,000 a year and our budget was only $110,000. Chambers usually don’t get city money. Then, when (the city) went into fiscal emergency back in 2004, that stipend was discontinued so we lost some 60 percent of our income.
And to get through that and continue to grow and continue to prosper … I think that’s the biggest thing, we were able to make up that $70,000.
“I knew going in that we could not be funded by the city because we’re the advocate for the business community and you advocate with the city on issues all the time,” he added. “You can’t hardly be paid by them and then go to them and tell them we don’t think they have a good sign ordinance. Or we don’t think the electric rates are fair.
“So it really was a blessing in disguise, as now we’re totally self-funded. About 50 percent of our funding comes from special projects and commissions off medical insurance, workman’s compensation and natural gas and electric programs. The other 50 percent comes from membership dues. That’s a really good split.”
To also help funding, Kleinknecht said they started a holiday open house and a golf outing.
“We did a lot of things to generate non-dues income,” he said. “But they were good things that were good for the business community.”
Besides advocating for local business, Kleinknecht noted the chamber also provides a worker’s compensation group rating program where businesses can save up to 53 percent off their BWC costs.
“We also have a natural gas and electric program through a company out of Toledo that’s called Alternative Energy Source. Another big accomplishment was when Crestline joined and we became the Galion-Crestline Chamber of Commerce. The other thing we have is medical insurance through Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where people can save a percentage of their premiums by being in the chamber program.”
Kleinknecht said when he took over as president they had about 230 business members. They went as high as 366 and right now are around 340.
“Once we started showing value to our members, more joined,” he said.
He said it’s important that cities have chambers because “if businesses do well, everything does well. Communities rise and fall on the success of the business community.”
Kleinknecht said he decided now was the time to retire because he’s worked for 60 years straight.
“Technology has changed and we hired Miranda about three years ago and she just comes in and she’ll handle that type of thing, and she does a great job,” he said. “The world changes. I was born working with a manual typewriter, so to come from there to where we are now days with technology, it’s sometimes hard for people our age to keep up with.
”I love the people and I love the relationships and I’ll miss that part of it. But it’s the right time.”
He noted he and his wife plan on making a few trips to Florida to see their daughter, but mostly, Kleinknecht said he’ll keep busy working in is yard and relaxing.
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Joe's Retirement Party will be planned for a later date, once we can host more people. We will send out invitations well in advanced once it is scheduled.
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JUNE NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS
- Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center
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For Chamber Chat - we will be "Staying at Home". Click on the ticket area and join us with ZOOM. We will have a "Virtual Chamber Chat" at 8am on Wednesday, July 1st.
Chamber Chat is a monthly networking event that is free and open to all. Each month we have a different topic, activity or speaker. Chamber Chat is a great chance to meet other decision makers in the area in a relaxed setting
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The June 18th Safety Council Meeting has been canceled. We will update Safety Council members with information about upcoming events and reporting guidelines as they become available to us.
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Crestline, OH - Joe & Gretchen Dzugan
are busy renovating "The HUB."
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"Here are a few pictures of the Post, to show what's been going.
I would like to thank all our members, Post, Auxiliary ans Social, without you we could not have done what has been done
A GREAT THANK YOU TO ALL
Officers of Post 2920"
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Galion, OH -
Galion Building & Loan
said "Happy Retirement" to Craig Clinger after 46 years in the banking industry on Friday, May 29th. He was vice president in charge of the loan department. Craig was also a Chamber Board Member. Thank you for your many years of service to our community and the Chamber Board.
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Do you have an anniversary, new associate or employee, sign, or business update? Contact Miranda or Candy at the Chamber Office, 419-468-7737 or email
[email protected]
so we can add your business to the Member Spotlight in our next Newsletter.
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As United Way of Crawford County's focus on emergency relief begins to shift to long term community recovery, their partners are working to provide local families with job readiness training, mental health counseling, and budget & financial planning support, while continuing to meet the immediate demands for food, shelter, and emergency funds. Please consider making a donation to help fund these efforts in our community.
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The Community Foundation for Crawford County Seeks Donations
for Small Business Emergency Financial Assistance
Crawford County
: The Community Foundation for Crawford County has created a Program Related Investment (PRI) Fund, in conjunction with the Crawford Partnership. This fund was developed to provide emergency loans to small businesses in Crawford County that have experienced economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first donations toward this fund were made by local business owners Pat and Janel Hord and Doug and Renee Leuthold. “Janel and I felt it is important for our community to come together to support our small businesses. We are proud to support this program and urge others to do so as well,” noted Pat. “We also encourage those who receive stimulus checks who are not personally suffering to consider donating that income to the Foundation’s PRI Fund,” added Doug, who is also a Board member of the Foundation. “As these loans are repaid, the fund will become a revolving investment fund, making additional future loans available for even more small, local businesses impacted by this or other disasters,” he added.
While the fund will be held at the Foundation, the loans will be administered by the Partnership. Maximum loan amount will be $10,000 per business. Loans will be offered at 0% interest and will provide short-term (1-3 year) payment terms. In addition, payments will be deferred for 60 days. The loans are intended to be used towards overhead such as salaries, inventory, and utilities.
To be eligible, a small business must be a for-profit enterprise with its principal place of business located in Crawford County. The business must employ a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 25 employees. Need resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic must be demonstrated. These loans are meant to supplement larger funding programs available through governments, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and financial institutions.
“This collaboration between the Foundation and the Partnership will help maintain our local economy during this difficult time,” added Gary Frankhouse, Executive and Economic Development Director at the Crawford Partnership. “We must sustain our businesses if we are to ensure economic recovery from this financial crisis.” The Partnership’s Budget and Finance Committee will be responsible for reviewing applications and making loan recommendations, and the F
oundation Board will approve final selections.
For more information regarding eligibility, guidelines and application instructions, please visit:
https://crawfordpartnership.org/
. The Foundation is actively seeking contributions from the community to support this new fund. To make your much appreciated, tax-deductible donation, please call 419-562-3958, or visit
https://www.cfcrawford.org/donate
.
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COLUMBUS – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) is deferring the due date for employers to pay their June, July, and August premium installments until Sept.1.
Governor DeWine said the deferral is designed to help employers focus resources on re-opening their businesses under his
Responsible RestartOhio Plan
, the state’s effort to restart the economy while keeping Ohioans safe amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“By extending the premium due date, businesses can continue to focus on the safety and well-being of their employees and customers during this health pandemic,” said Governor DeWine.
BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud noted the deferral is the second deadline extension given to employers since COVID-19 emerged in Ohio in March.
“We’ve said since the beginning of this pandemic we would do our best to relieve the financial pressures employers are facing in this unprecedented time,” said Administrator McCloud. “This is our latest step, and I’m grateful to Ohio’s employer community, our stakeholders, and our staff for putting us in a strong position to help.”
Among several actions to help the business community’s bottom line, BWC sent Ohio’s private and public employers nearly $1.6 billion in dividends in late April thanks to strong investment returns, declining injury claims, and other costs savings. The agency is also sending at least 2 million face coverings to employers and their workforce to weaken the spread of the coronavirus under its
Protecting Ohio’s Workforce — We’ve Got You Covered
plan.
For more on COVID-19, including prevention guidelines and its impact on Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health website
coronavirus.ohio.gov
.
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Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program Available
COLUMBUS, OHIO – Ohioans can now apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), a new federal program that covers many more categories of workers than the traditional unemployment program, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced today. Those who believe they may be eligible should visit
pua.unemployment.ohio.gov
and click the button that says “Click Here to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.” Individuals who pre-registered for the program received an email earlier this week with instructions for how to complete their applications.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we diligently worked to build this new system in record time for the agency,” said ODJFS Director Kimberly Hall. “We encourage anyone who believes they may be eligible to apply. Even after you return to work, you still may be eligible to receive retroactive benefits, dating from as early as February 2.”
PUA was made possible by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law on March 27. The program offers up to 39 weeks of benefits to many who traditionally have not qualified for unemployment benefits, including self-employed individuals, 1099 tax filers and part-time workers.
The benefit amount is similar to traditional unemployment payments, plus an additional $600 per week
through July 25.
Many who were denied regular unemployment benefits may be eligible for PUA. Those who have pending unemployment claims may apply before they receive a determination, and individuals who have exhausted traditional unemployment benefits and any available extensions also may be eligible. The program is effective through December 31. There is no minimum income requirement. To be eligible, individuals must NOT be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and must meet one of the following circumstances:
- The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or is experiencing symptoms and is seeking medical diagnosis.
- A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- The individual is providing care for a family member or member of the household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 emergency, and the school or care is required for the individual to work.
- The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because a healthcare professional has advised him or her to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns.
- The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of COVID-19.
- The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19.
- The individual has quit his/her job as a direct result of COVID-19.
- The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of COVID-19.
Over the last seven weeks, ODJFS has received
more than 1 million initial regular unemployment claims, more than the previous three years combined. More than 89% of those applications have been approved, and fewer than 11% are pending
.
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SCORE and Constant Contact present the new Real-Time Mentoring platform to connect small business owners with SCORE mentors LIVE.
Navigating this unprecedented crisis is new for small business owners, so it helps to have trusted mentors who can provide guidance along the way. And we know you need advice quickly. This new method of mentoring shortens the time a client connects with a SCORE mentor from days to minutes.
Mentors will be available:
Tuesdays and Thursdays
2 to 5 p.m. ET
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City of Galion Council Calendar
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