Delaware County Chamber of Commerce 
Membership Monday 

Join us for  Breakfast on October 4, 2019

Friday,  October 4, 2019
8:30 to 10:00 am

The Sidney Golf & Country Club
1987 County Route 4
Sidney, NY 13838


Cost: $10 per person. 

Start your day with a little productive and profitable networking!

Our monthly first friday eat & meet breakfast is a terrific opportunity to network before your workday begins. Make new business connections, brush-up your existing contacts, meet new and old friends, and keep current on what's happening in our region. 

The featured speaker for this event is New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

Elected in 2007 and again in  2010, 2014 and 2018, the  Comptroller is the state's chief fiscal officer who ensures that state and local governments use taxpayer money effectively and 
efficiently to promote the common good.

The Comptroller's responsibilities include:
  • Serving as trustee of the $210.5 billion NYS Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest institutional investors in the world.
  • Administering the state and local  retirement system for public employees, with more than one million members, retirees and beneficiaries and more than 3,000 employers.
  • Maintaining the state's accounting system and administering its $16.7 billion payroll.
  • Reporting on state finances.
  • Reviewing state contracts and auditing payments.
  • Conducting audits of state agencies and public benefit corporations.
  • Overseeing the fiscal affairs of local governments, including New York City.
  • Serving as custodian of more than $15 billion in unclaimed funds, restoring lost accounts to their rightful owners.
  • Conducting training and providing technical assistance to improve government operations at all levels, and more.
This event is sponsored by Delhi Telephone Company.
  
The Delhi Telephone Company is a family of services offering Internet, Cable TV, Telephone services, Home Automation and Security services.
This newsletter is sponsored by: 



NBT Bank works with businesses of all sizes to develop individualized plans that help foster their success.


Congressman Delgado Talks Workforce, Broadband, Housing

Congressional Representative Antonia Delgado was the Chamber's featured speaker at its first friday eat & meet business networking breakfast held on September 6 at Kirkside Park in Roxbury.


Chamber President Ray Pucci , left, presents Congressman Antonio Delgado with honorary membership plaque.


More than 80 people attended the Chamber's business networking breakfast on September 6.


From left, New York State Comptroller's staff Matthew Martini, Chamber President Ray Pucci, Congressman Antonio Delgado, Asssemblyman Chris Tague and Roxbury Supervisor Thomas Hynes.
Chamber Week in Delaware County

The Delaware County Board of Supervisors proclaimed Sept. 9 - 13, 2019 Chamber Week in Delaware County and in addition to profiling our local Chambers of Commerce, we hosted several Business Check-Ins and Sync Ups - Better Business Brainstorming Sessions around the county.


The Business Check-In and Sync Up session held in Walton at Feather & Stone Restaurant.

Business owners shared their challenges and brainstormed solutions in addition to sharing ideas for community connection and prioritizing growth. 

We are compiling data from the sessions and will soon share what we've learned. Remember, we're stronger together!
** Member Spotlight ** Delaware County Historical Association

Visit the Delaware County Historical Association located on State Route 10, 3 miles north of the village of Delhi. Upcoming events include a quilt show on Sept. 21, 22, 28 & 29 and Haunted Lantern Tours of the Gideon Frisbee House on Oct. 19. For more information cal 607.746.3849 or visit them online at DCHA-ny.org

Member Spotlight - Delaware County Historical Association
Member Spotlight - Delaware County Historical Association


For more information cal 607.746.3849 or visit them online at DCHA-ny.org.
Looking for a Hero

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations of Chamber business members who are heroes in their communities and have contributed in meaningful ways to improve the visual aesthetics, fiscal health, economic strength, quality of life, or other aspect of our region.

The Chamber knows that successful businesses support successful communities, and is interested in hearing stories of civic success.

To nominate a community hero, describe how that individual and business has improved the community and the attributes that make them Community Heroes. Email nominations to info@delawarecounty.org or mail to 5 ½ Main Street, Delhi, NY 13753.

Awards will be presented at a luncheon in mid-November.

Deadline for NYS Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training is Fast Approaching! 

The October 2019 deadline for employees to complete New York's mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training is fast approaching!

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is offering a reduced fee of $10 per employee for a mandatory New York State Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training.

The normal fee of $20 has been reduced by 50% with a Workforce Development Institute of New York grant awarded to the Chamber to offset the cost of taking this mandatory training.
This online training workshop is an interactive, self-paced learning system in which participants are assessed and led through customized content modules.

The grant to offset the cost of the training was obtained with the assistance of New York State Assemblyman Brian Miller who represents the 101st Assembly District of New York and includes a portion of Delaware County.

To enroll  your staff in the mandatory online training at the reduced cost, CLICK HERE .  

For more information about the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and exclusive member benefits call 607.746.2281, visit us online at  delawarecounty.org or stop in the Delhi office, located at 5 ½ Main Street.

The cost for not complying is huge!

Potential Fines: 
 
Example: NYS Business with 10 Employees:
  • Maximum Fine First Offense - $1,000.00
  • Maximum Fine Second Offense - $5,000.00
THE COMPLIANT ALTERNATIVE: 
 
Cost of Online Training for 10 employees = $200.00
** Member Event ** Delhi Telephone Co. Benefits Trout Creek Fire Department, September 21


Chamber Partners with County Departments to Honor Veterans

The Commerce is working with the Delaware County Veteran Services Agency, County Clerk, and business owners to thank our veterans for their service by offering discounts at participating local businesses.
The Honoring Our Heroes Veteran Discount P
rogram will launch in November.

According to Chamber President Ray Pucci, veterans' commitment to upholding and defending the principles upon which our nation is founded deserves the highest degree of respect and gratitude. This is a way for the community to honor and show recognition for our active service members and veterans.

Business owners who wish to partner with the Chamber to honor and show their appreciation to veterans by participating in the program, must complete  this form or call the Chamber at 607.746.2281. The Chamber and Veteran Services will promote participating businesses to local veterans and provide a poster that may be displayed in businesses showing their support

Employers, Are You Looking for Employees?

Participate in the Margaretville Job Fair being held on Wednesday, September 18 from 3 - 6 p.m. at Margaretville Telephone Company, 61 Academy Street, Margaretville.

There is NO FEE to participate. Tables and chairs will be provided.

For more information and to register for the fair contact Deb Bender at the New York State Department of Labor at debra.bender@labor.ny.gov.


* Registration due by Sept. 13
Chamber Check-In

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce staff were busy working for their members last week! Take a look at what we have planned in the coming weeks:

Chamber Check In, September 13, 2019
Chamber Check In, September 13, 2019



For more information visit delawarecounty.org or call us at 607.746.2281.
** Member Event ** Water, Water Everywhere Conference in Hancock, October 8 & 9 


There have been many exciting developments  in the Upper Delaware River region this year that impact the river and our local communities.

Attend Friends of the Upper Delaware River's annual "Water, Water, Everywhere" conference on October 7 & 8 where you will receive the latest information about what's going on in the watershed!

For more information contact  Sherri Resti Thomas  at  570-575-7803  or  sherri@fudr.org  .

To register for one or both days of the conference CLICK HERE.

Disaster Relief Available for Delaware County Farmers

Agricultural producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, including Hurricane Dorian, can apply for assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Signup for this U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will begin Sept. 11, 2019 .

More than $3 billion is available through the disaster relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in early June. In addition, the relief package includes new programs to cover losses for milk dumped or removed from the commercial market and losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to eligible disaster events in 2018 and 2019. 

Because grazing and livestock losses, other than milk losses, are covered by other disaster recovery programs offered through USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), those losses are not eligible for WHIP+.

Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or NAP coverage is available, excluding crops intended for grazing. 

WHIP+ benefits will be subject to a payment limitation of either $125,000 or $250,000 per crop year, depending upon their verified average adjusted gross income.

For information regarding the payment limitation that applies to WHIP+, please contact your local  USDA service center  or visit  farmers.gov/recover .

When major disasters strike, USDA has an  emergency loan program   that provides eligible farmers low-interest loans to help them recover from production and physical losses.

Livestock owners and contract growers who experience above normal livestock deaths because of specific weather events, as well as from disease or animal attacks, may qualify for assistance under USDA's  Livestock Indemnity Program . Producers who suffer losses to or are prevented from planting agricultural commodities not covered by  federal crop insurance  may be eligible for assistance under  USDA's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program  if the losses were from natural disasters.

For more information on FSA disaster assistance programs, please contact your local  USDA service center  or visit  farmers.gov/recover
*** Member Event *** United Way Community Matters Mixer in Sidney on September 19 



Congratulations to Frank Canavan & Joyce St. George for winning the 2019 John Murray Eberhard Award.


Frank and Joyce were chosen for this award for their hard work and dedication to the Delaware County. They worked with FEMA after the flooding in Delaware County, established the Middletown Community Pantry where residents receive free meals and they helped in creating a coalition on addiction to help with the opioid epidemic.

Thank you, Frank & Joyce, for all you do!

The award presentation will be at United Way's Community Matters Mixer on September 19th at Awestruck Ciders 5:30-7:30pm.
Your Business Featured Here (FREE)!

In our effort to help all businesses succeed, we want to feature YOUR business here and on our social media channels! If you've received a "Business Feature" email request  from our office with a short questionnaire, please answer the questions and submit a jpeg logo or photo that you think best depicts your business, and send to Lillian at info@delawarecounty.org.

If you have not received an email yet, please feel free to copy and paste the below-listed questions into an email, along with a logo or photo, and we will be happy to help promote your business!

Business Name:
Location:
Contact info including mailing address, website address, email and social media information:
Hours of operation:
Number of Years in Business/Year Business Opened:
What types of services or products does your business provide?:
How many employees do you have?:
Recent or Planned Changes in Operation:
What you want your (potential) customers or clients to know:
Tell others why they should join the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce:


Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
607.746.2281