** Member Spotlight **
Whritner Builders LLC
The Chamber shines this week's member spotlight on Whritner Builders LLC headquartered in Hobart.
Since 1995, Whritner Builders have taken their clients’ dreams and made them reality. From the most elaborate ground-up, full-home construction projects to the most intricately detailed kitchen and bathroom renovations in upstate New York, they’ve built it all. Modern estates, eco-friendly renovations, country cabins, farmhouse redesigns: no project is too large to tackle, no task too small to be executed with style & perfection.
One of the most respected general contractors and builders in Upstate New York, Whritner Builders operates out of Hobart, NY, and works in Delaware County as well as Otsego, Schoharie, and Ulster Counties. They build, renovate and restore homes and businesses with an unmatched eye for detail and unparalleled commitment to craft. Recently, they’ve expanded to the national stage, building and renovating houses on HGTV’s Cousins Undercover, Vacation House for Free, and America’s Most Desperate Kitchens. Now the country knows what Catskills’ home owners have known all along: from kitchen renovations to bathroom redesigns to new home construction, you’re in great hands working with Whritner Builders!
For more information about Whritner Builders LLC email john@whritnerbuilders.com , call 607.538.1655 or click here.
Please support the small businesses that support our communities! #strongertogether
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Chamber Urges Local Officials to Allow Retail Cannabis Sales |
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The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce urges towns and villages to not “opt-out” of the opportunity to allow cannabis-related businesses and capture much-needed tax revenue. The Chamber seeks opportunities to sustain and grow our economy. Beyond retail opportunities, cannabis sales will allow our distressed farmers to tap into this multi-billion dollar industry, through cultivation as well as sales.
The Chamber supports legal cannabis sales for the following reasons:
* The Chamber supports all legal businesses
* Total market demand for legal adult-use cannabis in New York is about $3.7 billion in the current fiscal year [Marijuana Legalization in New York State--A Fresh Look by James Parrott and Michele Mattingly], with demand rising to $3.9 billion by FY 2027. However, because legal sales would grow over time and gain market share at the expense of illicit sales, legal market sales would rise from $566 million in the first full fiscal year of implementation (FY 2023) to $2.6 billion four years later (FY 2027).
* Using these estimates, State excise tax revenue would be $159 million in FY 2023, rising to $765 million in FY 2027. Local share of the excise tax would generate $25 million, statewide, in FY 2023, rising to $114 million in FY 2027.
* The Parrott/Mattingly report used a model to reflect 100% in-state cultivation and processing of all cannabis to estimate that the $2.6 billion in retail sales projected for FY 2027 would generate 50,860 jobs, $2.2 billion in employee compensation, $4.7 billion in value added, and $6.1 billion in total economic output. In addition to the sales-related tax revenues projected above, the expansion of an entire economic sector in New York State will generate additional state and local tax revenue.
* Delaware County farmers, retail owners, residents, and visitors will lose if surrounding towns and counties allow cannabis businesses. Tourists will flock to cannabis-friendly communities and residents will simply buy products elsewhere, depriving Delaware County of those tax revenues.
The public policy question of whether cannabis should be legal is not relevant to the issue of allowing adult-use retail sales and cultivation facilities to operate in Delaware County communities. Adult-use cannabis legislation was passed by the NYS Legislature and signed by the Governor in March 2021. Disagreement with the law should be taken up with our state representatives and regulators, and not town supervisors and mayors. Instead, the Chamber urges local officials to support legal businesses and allow retail cannabis sales.
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK
The Chamber is always seeking your ideas regarding ways to strengthen and grow our regional economy, as well as ensuring our efforts continue to meet your expectations.
Each week, we'll ask you a question about your business, our local economy, ideas for growth, or a specific public policy topic. All responses received by 4 p.m. on Thursday of this week will be entered for a drawing of $25 in Chamber Bucks that you can apply toward the cost of membership renewal or Chamber events.
This week's question:
What is the most important issue or concern facing your community?
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** Member Event **
2021 Chip In Fore Hospice Golf Event August 28
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All proceeds make life easier for Helios Care patients and families!
$250 Per Player.
For more information and to register click here.
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Member Benefit!
Each week for the next several weeks, the Chamber will highlight one of its many exclusive member benefits. This information, and more, can be found in the Chamber's Guide to Membership, available at delawarecounty.org or at the Chamber office, 5 1/2 Main Street, Delhi.
Free business listing
Members automatically receive a free listing in the Chamber's business directory at DelawareCounty.org. The directory includes information taken from your company profile that you can update as often as you wish. Your directory listing includes company name, main contact person, company description, contact information, website, and social media channels.
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** Member Event **
Notary Public Course in Delhi August 5
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Teams Sought for 2021 Business Links Golf Tournament on September 15 in Stamford
Join us for a great day of golf fun!
WHERE: Stamford Golf Club
167 Taylor Road
Stamford, NY 12167
WHEN: September 15, 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. scramble start
COST: Team of Four $300
Tee-Box Sponsor $100
Contest Sponsor $300
Captain and Crew Format
Hole in One Contest!
Prizes!
Invaluable Networking!
To register a team or to become a sponsor click here.
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DelCo Business Owners Get Your Mandated Safety Plans in Place By August 5!
The New York Health and Essential Rights Act (“HERO Act”) was signed into law on May 5, 2021 and amended on June 14, 2021. The HERO Act added two new sections to the New York Labor Law:
Section 218-b, which requires employers to establish exposure prevention plans for airborne infectious diseases; and
Section 27-d, which requires employers to allow employees to form “workplace safety committees.”
Employers must adopt their exposure prevention plans within 30 days after the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) publishes the model plans. On July 6 NYSDOL published the model plans, along with an “airborne infectious disease exposure prevention standard,” available at https://dol.ny.gov/ny-hero-act. The models include a “general” template along with eleven industry-specific templates.
Employers should immediately begin reviewing the model(s) applicable to their worksites, as plans must be adopted by August 5, 2021. Employers may adopt either the applicable model(s) or an alternative plan that meets the requirements of NYSDOL’s standard – but, if the employer chooses to adopt an alternative plan, they must do so with “meaningful input” from employees on “all aspects” of the plan.
After the plan is adopted, employers have an additional 30 days to distribute the plan to all employees and independent contractors. Employers must also provide the plan to new employees and contractors upon hire. Employers must also include the plan in the employee handbook (if one exists), and post it in a visible and prominent location within each worksite.
Finally, employers are required to conduct a “verbal review” that covers the existence, location, and terms of the plan, the circumstances under which it can be activated, the infectious disease standard, and employee rights under the HERO Act. This verbal review must be provided to all employees.
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Chamber Check In
Chamber staff continue their efforts at business advocacy and promotion!
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Chamber Seeks Business Award Nominations
The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce seeks nominations of Delaware County businesses in varying categories for its Annual Awards Ceremony in October.
The categories are: Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Tourism Property of the Year, and Business Advocate of the Year.
Business of the Year nominees must demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the county’s business community. New Business of the Year will be presented to a business that has been in operation for less than three years and has made significant contributions to the business community. The Tourism Property of the Year Award will be presented to a business that has encouraged tourism growth in the county; and the Business Advocate of the Year will be awarded to a group, individual, or business that supports the spirit of entrepreneurism.
Nominations must be received by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce at 5 ½ Main Street, Delhi, NY 13753 or info@delawarecounty.org by Aug. 15.
Awards will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Gala in October.
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Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training |
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The Chamber has partnered with New Haven Consulting Group, Inc. to provide our members with an online “Preventing Sexual Harassment" workshop that meets the requirements of the new law.
This program is available at a Chamber-member reduced price of $20 per participant.
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The Delaware County Chamber is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit membership organization. We believe that healthy communities begin with healthy businesses. By focusing on key areas–community and economic development, advocacy, tourism promotion, and business engagement–we partner with municipal leaders, community organizations, and local companies to present a unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities. |
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5 1/2 Main Street
Delhi, New York 13753
Give Us A Call: 607.746.2281
DelawareCounty.org
GreatWesternCatskills.com
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