Monday July 27, 2020
Hello Chamber Members and Partners,

Here are the latest updates and resources for businesses and employees during this uncertain time.

Send us any questions or updates you may have. We are here to help provide information, connect the dots and assure those in the North Country that we will get through this together.

Onward and Be Well!
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS CONTINUE MOVING DOWN IN OUR COUNTIES
Unemployment numbers statewide were up for June, reaching 15.6% compared with 14.5% in May. However, in our counties, unemployment continues to move downward from highs recorded for the month of April.

CLINTON COUNTY has moved from 15% in April to 11.1% in May to 10.3% for June, nearly one-third better than the state as a whole.

FRANKLIN COUNTY has gone from 14.3% in April to 11.1% in June; Essex County from 16.8% to 10.5%; Warren County from 17.1% to 11.6%; and Hamilton County from 14.1% to 7.7%.
SAVE THE DATE: Virtual Management Training Series
  • Dates: August 4th through September 15th (Full Class Schedule Below)
  • Time: All classes will run from 11:00AM – 12:30PM
  • Cost: Free; Registration Required

The  North Country Chamber of Commerce  is pleased to offer a free, virtual Management Training Series designed to help employees from small-to-mid-sized businesses obtain and develop the leadership skills and knowledge necessary to be effective managers in the workplace! Whether you're working toward a promotion, recently assumed a managerial role, or have been a manager for years - this training series is for you! 
 
Classes are free to attend, but registration is required .  Registration will be offered on a class-by-class basis. Interested parties can sign-up for 1 class, 2 classes, or the entire series - it's up to you!
 
The first class, “Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace”, will be held on August 4 th and the second class, “Selection, Interviewing, and Retention”, will be held on August 6 th – registration links for these classes are below.

Registration links for future classes are coming soon! Keep an eye out for e-blasts and on  northcountrychamber.com  for more information.
 
Management Training Series Class Schedule:
 
  • Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace (Tuesday, August 4th) - Dr. Cromwell, Vice-President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at SUNY Plattsburgh
  • Meeting will be held via Zoom – a webcam and microphone are highly recommended to obtain the full experience. - REGISTER HERE

 
  • Motivating, Coaching, and Mentoring for Performance (Tuesday, August 11th) - Sharon Van Auken, CITEC

  • Time Management to Boost Productivity (Tuesday, August 18th) - Scott McKenna, Catamount Consulting

  • Basics of Employment Law (Tuesday, August 25th) - Sharon Van Auken, CITEC


  • Reducing Conflict & Tension in the Workplace (Tuesday, September 8th) - Tom Bull, Tom J. Bull Consulting
 
  • Business Etiquette & Ethics (Tuesday, September 15th) - Sharon Van Auken, CITEC
 
*Dates/times and instructors are subject to change

Questions?  Contact Joel Wood today by phone at 518.563.1000 or by email below!
AuSable Chasm in the Era of COVID
Mountain Lake PBS' Jack LaDuke takes viewers to AuSable Chasm where the COVID outbreak has greatly impacted the nation's oldest outdoor natural attraction during a summer the Chasm was planning to celebrate a major milestone.
SCORE WEBINAR: "Cash Flow: What You Need To Know"
Trying to plan in the midst of a pandemic may seem daunting but it is possible! Understanding your cash flow will help you understand what changes may need to be made to get past the COVID hurdle.

Join  SCORE Vermont  &  Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE)  for a webinar that will cover the basics of cash flow, ways to improve cash flow, and help you understand its importance in your business. In this webinar, you will learn:

  • What is Cash Flow? Is it the same as Net Profit?
  • Why is cash flow so important?
  • Cash flow calculations
  • Some tips to improve your cash flow

Details:
  • Date: Tuesday July 28th
  • Time: 12pm
  • Speakers: Steve Greenfield and David Mount 
  • REGISTER HERE


In addition to being part of the  SCORE Vermont  team, they both have extensive finance backgrounds and will be able to explain the importance of cash flow in easy to understand terms and why it's so important. 

Did we mention that it's free?! All you need to do is register!
DID YOU KNOW?
The North Country Chamber of Commerce is the official headquarters for the local SCORE Chapter. If you are interested in learning more about the program, mentoring opportunities and small business resources, we encourage you to reach out to Ashlie Ross for details.
Famous Last Words | Mask Up America Ad Campaign
Last Week, Governor Cuomo launched an ad campaign aimed at young people to wear face masks. The Campaign called "Mask Up America", is geared to show younger NYers that they are just as susceptible to the virus and a mask helps keep they protected. This is in response to the fact that the weekly average COVID-19 rate among 21 to 30-year-olds has increased to 13.2 percent from 9.9 percent.
QUICK LINKS:

  • Forward NY: Official State Website for opening procedures and guidelines.

  • Looking for Supplies: If your business is looking for hard to find protective products, we have created a list of businesses offering hand sanitizer, gloves, wipes, masks and other items.


  • Now Hiring: Whether you are hiring or looking for work, we have a page dedicated to helping pair potential employees with employers.

  • Webinars: Did you miss one of our webinars, you can find them all here.

  • SCORE: Visit Scores Coronavirus page for webinars and useful articles for small businesses.
To help the North Country reopen safely and meet the state and local mandates, The North Country Chamber of Commerce has created a comprehensive list of resources to navigate state and local requirements. Check out the home page for details. There is also a series of webinars available for businesses to help educate and provide answers to common questions.
Have Questions? We're here to help!

North Country Chamber of Commerce
518.563.1000