PLEASE NOTE: In compliance with the statewide order, our office is currently closed to the public. For a Certificate of Origin or other service, please call (805-983-6118) or email (info@oxnardchamber.org) with at least 24 hours' notice. To our valued Chamber members and supporters: By the time you read this, there will likely be multiple updates and developments in the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic we are confronted with. We have canceled all in-person Chamber meetings and events until further notice, but we are conducting business as usual virtually whenever possible Please know we are by your side to help our business community address the exceptional challenges we face today. There are multiple resources on our website to help our business community through these unprecedented times. We are fortunate to partner with other organizations in Ventura County that are focused on saving and rebuilding our local economy, as so many businesses struggle to survive. Hopefully, you will find some answers and recommendations here. Please don't hesitate to call on us for anything. We are here to help! By Chamber CEO Nancy Lindholm Transparency in government is paramount. The more the citizenry believes its best interests are a top priority of elected officials, the more confidence it has in local government. The City of Oxnard placed Measure B on the March 3, 2020, ballot to assure the utmost transparency. The measure will limit the mayor and council members to three four-year terms and impose strict campaign contribution limits. Measure B also will prohibit elected officials from accepting gifts from lobbyists and city contractors. It also requires the city to post monthly financial reports on its website, as well as information on high-ticket city contracts. The Chamber's Board of Directors reviewed Measure B prior to the city council placing it on the March ballot and voted to support it. For more information and the official ballot language for Measure B, visit www.oxnard.org/measureb. A Message From Chamber CEO Nancy Lindholm The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released its quarterly Small Business Index, which reached a record high of 71.3, up 0.6 points from the third quarter of 2019. It's the highest score since the survey launched in 2017. The high score for 2019 Q4 is the result of two elements: small businesses' strong outlook on their local economy and optimism about their own business health. Key findings of the Q4 results are:
Other highlights of 2019 Q4 findings are:
On the downside, manufacturers are growing pessimistic. Small manufacturers have become more pessimistic about the national economy over the last two quarters with an 11% decline (from 69% in Q2 to 58% in Q4). To read the entire Small Business Index, go to www.uschamber.com/sbindex
A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm There is bad blood between the City of Oxnard and the County of Ventura. Both sides have dug in and are not budging. Oxnard's denial of a local coastal plan amendment on November 7 was the latest episode in an ongoing battle. The victim was the redevelopment of Fisherman's Wharf, which the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce has supported for more than three years. The fight is over control. The County owns all of the property adjacent to the water of Channel Islands Harbor south of Channel Islands Boulevard. However, they need Oxnard to amend its local coastal plan to allow residential, mixed-use development at the old Fisherman's Wharf site. If Oxnard issues that amendment, it loses control over the project. So, we have a stalemate. The fight over control has not only stalled, if not destroyed, the Fisherman's Wharf project, but it has delayed the rebuild of the Casa Sirena Marina Hotel on the Peninsula in the Harbor. There is also fighting over park maintenance and harbor patrol services. This has gone on long enough! It's like watching a very nasty divorce unfold. The City and County should call in an arbitrator to seek compromises from both sides. This fight has been going on for three-and-a-half years. The Chamber urges both parties to work toward reconciliation of who has approval and permitting authority in and around Channel Islands Harbor. The maintenance issues also need to be addressed. It is likely one of the current Oxnard City Council members will be elected to District 5 of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in 2020. How will that person deal with this conflict in their new role? A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm The Oxnard Chamber's Board of Directors and Political Action Committee have both voted to oppose five local measures currently being circulated for signature gathering in our community. The Board believes each and every measure will have a negative impact on city operations, should voters pass them. Here are summaries and excerpts from the proposed initiatives. This is not the exact language of each initiative. Term Limits for the Mayor and Councilmembers; Extension of the Mayor's Term This initiative would impose term limits on the Mayor and members of the City Council. The proposed initiative states that once a person has served as the Mayor and/or as a member of the City Council for two consecutive terms or a combination of full and partial terms totaling seven consecutive years, that person could not be elected or appointed to be the Mayor or a member of the City Council. That prohibition would remain in effect for two consecutive years before becoming eligible again. This initiative would also change the length of time of the Mayor's term from two years to four years starting on November 8, 2022. Early Termination of Measure O Sales Tax; Extension of Measure O Sales Tax This initiative ties the condition of the city's streets and alleys to the Measure O Sales tax. It uses the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to measure pavement. The proposal states:
Expansion of Duties of Elected City Treasurer By Appointing the City Treasurer as Director of Finance and Giving the City Treasurer Additional Duties City regulations currently provide for a Director of Finance to be responsible for city financial reporting, fiscal and accounting duties, budget management, grants, and risk management. The elected City Treasurer performs statutory duties assigned under state law and duties assigned by the City Manager. Under this proposed initiative, the City Treasurer's existing duties would continue and be expanded to include:
New Requirements Regarding the Way in Which City Council Meetings, Council Committees and Other City Legislative Bodies Are Run City meetings are subject to the Brown Act. This initiative would impose specific new local regulations regarding the way in which the meetings of the city legislative bodies are run.
Expedited Processing of Certain City-Issued Development Permits This initiative would add a new chapter to the Oxnard City Code that would set up a streamlined permit review and approval process for certain projects that meet specific criteria. The initiative calls for the city to develop a training program for specified licensed professionals (architects and civil engineers) in order to file project plans with the city.
The five ballot initiatives were drafted and brought forth by Aaron Starr, an unsuccessful candidate for city council and mayor. Mr. Starr was also the proponent of the attempted recall of the mayor and city council members that triggered a special election for Oxnard voters in 2018. The Chamber will continue to follow the progress of these measures as they are filed with voter signatures, the signatures are verified, and (if applicable) which ballot they will appear on. A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm Over the 100+ years the Oxnard Chamber has been serving the business community, we have addressed countless challenges for our members. Many times, these are run-of-the-mill issues such as business license fees, water rates and code compliance, but sometimes major issues surface. One that comes to mind is the 2008 Oxnard Traffic Initiative ballot measure that would have stymied economic development for decades. This particular measure would have prohibited development of more than 10,000 square feet that was located within a five-mile radius of an intersection that performed poorly at peak traffic flow times. The Chamber realized the long-term impact of such restriction, partnered with real estate and labor interests, and waged a strong campaign to successfully defeat the measure. Problem solved! Businesses approach the Chamber all the time with challenges they are experiencing. We are currently working with a handful of companies that are being asked to eliminate boron from their wastewater, and we understand there will also be new limits for TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in wastewater. The new mandates are coming from the California State Water Quality Control Board. There is currently no restriction on the amount of boron that can be discharged into the ocean, but since Oxnard recycles its wastewater, new rules come into play. This is an ongoing issue we hope to have resolved soon. The Chamber started working with a couple of craft breweries in Oxnard about six months ago. We discovered that Oxnard restricted anyone under age 21 from being in a brewery that did not have its own kitchen to serve food. We checked with other cities in Ventura County and no one else had that provision (maybe that's why Oxnard only has two breweries!). Chamber staff worked with the Community Development department of the city and found that ABC regulations do not allow cities to impose an age restriction for this alcohol license type. City staff reached out to both breweries and have administratively modified their permits and removed the condition with the age restriction. Problem solved! Over the 15+ years I have worked for the Oxnard Chamber, we have addressed scores of problems challenging the business community. Some of them just take a bit of common sense; others require a coalition to fight. This is what we are here for and why we exist. If you run across a problem, please don't hesitate to let us know about it. We just might be able to resolve it! Sexual harassment in the workplace can be very expensive!A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm Sexual harassment prevention training is not an option – it's the law. Employers must take reasonable steps to prevent harassment. Every California employer with five or more employees is required to provide every worker with prevention training. A work culture that tolerates harassment not only incurs legal risks (along with legal fees and costs), but also creates other problems including:
Take this quick quiz (from the California Chamber of Commerce) to test your understanding of your responsibilities for providing sexual harassment prevention training.
How did you do?
Harassment prevention training for all supervisors and employees is required in California (for companies with five or more employees). Training is an essential component of any harassment prevention program – especially when combined with company leadership on these issues. Those at the top level of company management must not only set the proper tone, but also dedicate the necessary time and resources to meet their prevention obligation and ensure their efforts are effective. Training must be completed by January 1, 2020 or within six months of hiring a new employee. However, there is no need to wait! Harassment prevention training now can help avoid a potential claim. The Oxnard Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the California Chamber to provide easy, affordable training for workers and supervisors. Order your online training today! You will receive a 20% discount when you purchase through this link. You will have to create a CalChamber store account, but you are not required to become a preferred member. The Oxnard Chamber 20% discount will be applied during checkout. A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm Could you carve one hour per month out of your schedule to positively impact an Oxnard student's future? If so, Channel Islands High School has the perfect program for you. It's called Upward Bound. Upward Bound Channel Islands (UBCI) is a year-round comprehensive pre-college preparatory program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The program is designed to assist students from Channel Islands High School with college readiness and planning, career exploration, social and cultural enrichment and motivation necessary to complete high school and pursue a college education. Program services and activities are free to qualifying students. Students can even earn a monthly stipend for their active participation. The majority of the students in UBCI will be first generation college attendees in their families. Employers are consistently experiencing challenges finding qualified workers, so this is a great opportunity to be part of a solution. Mentors are needed for the UBCI students. The commitment is as little as one hour per month, and that one hour can have a remarkable impact on a student's future. Upward Bound students are exploring careers in all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields, healthcare, computer science, and agriculture. Mentors are not limited to those fields, though. Any professional willing to mentor a student is welcome to volunteer. Mentors are asked to invest one hour per month – a very small price to pay for a student's future and the future of our workforce! To sign up, contact Upward Bound Director Dr. Maria Elena Cruz or her assistant, Diana Magana. Along with the U.S. Department of Education, UBCI is an initiative of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) National Educational Service Centers. There are 16 centers in the United States and Puerto Rico. Two of those are in California – San Diego and Oxnard. "CRC employees took a special interest in this mentoring program to be a catalyst for increasing workforce opportunities for students, and also to show how the oil and natural gas industry has improved the lives of people from their communities. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a mentor to three Channel Islands High School students. We discuss core academic subject areas, college preparation, STEM career exploration, and cultural events. I have seen enormous increases in their levels of confidence and leadership development and hope that sharing my work and school experiences have helped them navigate some of the roads to higher education."
- Amy Fonzo, California Resources Corporation and past chair of the Oxnard Chamber These are wise words from the US Chamber of Commerce. Remember the foundation of our country – the Free Enterprise system. Recent threats from President Trump to impose tariffs on our neighbor and leading trade partner were not in the best interest of commerce. I, along with countless others, breathed a huge sigh of relief when Trump indefinitely postponed the 5% tariff slated to be imposed on Mexican imports June 10.
I followed research the US Chamber complied on the proposed Mexican tariffs. Assuming the lowest rate of 5%, California alone would experience a $2.2 trillion impact. Those costs would be passed on to consumers. With the price of goods escalated, sales taxes would also increase sharply. For instance, if you assume that $1 trillion of the $2.2 trillion in tariffs was on taxable goods (such as autos) and you apply a modest average sales tax rate of 8%, that would generate an additional $800 million in tax revenue paid by consumers!! Since most of us won't be getting pay increases to cover the cost of tariffs, the end result would be consumers purchasing fewer goods. Even though we have currently averted the tariffs on Mexico's goods, the trade wars with China and the EU are ongoing. The US Chamber has gathered the impact numbers for those trading "partners" as well. These numbers are projected impacts to California only, not the entire US. Total Exports to China Threatened by New Tariffs: $13,088,228,667
Total Exports to EU Threatened by New Tariffs: $383,406,339
In addition, California has 4,869,200 jobs supported by trade. The Great Recession a decade ago clearly defined our world being globally connected and intertwined. We should be supporting the prosperity of our trading partners, not trying conquer them. By Nancy Lindholm, President & CEO of the Oxnard Chamber Governor Gavin Newsom addressed California's business leaders on May 23 at the 94th annual Sacramento Host Breakfast. It is a tradition that the governor is the keynote speaker for the long-standing event. This year was no different. Governor Newsom began his remarks by explaining his entrepreneurial background. When he was fresh out of college, he lined up some investors and started a small business - a wine store in San Francisco. With its success, he turned that into 23 businesses and, at its peak, employed 1,000 people. Newsom went on to outline his top state issues for 2019 and the coming decade: Debt and Demographics California is poised to pay down $34.7 million in debt that Jerry Brown inherited. This is thanks to a bustling economy and growth in the state's GDP. However, we have an aging population and that comes with many challenges to our workforce and medical services. Energy and Climate Change California had 16,600 wildfires in the past two years. Those fires caused the bankruptcy of PG&E. However, Newsom outlined what he called progressive and aggressive goals. "We are radically changing the way we produce and consume energy," he said. Goals include achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045 and increasing the number of electric vehicles to 4.5 million by 2030. IT Globalization Governor Newsom said we are no longer an interconnected world, but an interdependent world. The future of "work" will be very different. Additional Remarks Newsom also commented on California's fiscal health. We have a $21.5 billion surplus this year. Unfunded pensions of $9 billion will be paid off from the general fund this year. Regarding the threat of a coming recession, the Governor remarked, "This sate is in much better fiscal shape that it has ever been." He admitted that California is not the cheapest place to do business, but said it is the best place to do business. In the last five years, California has seen a 3.8% growth in GDP, 109 consecutive months of net job growth, and a $3 trillion annual economy. However, Governor Newsom expressed his concern about the fact that we have become a society of "haves" and "have nots." There are more people living in poverty in California that any other state. Housing is one of the state's greatest challenges. The homeless population in California exceeds 130,000. Newsom stressed, "Homelessness happened on our watch. We own it. It can be solved. I don't think that, I know it!" He also said we have the political will to address housing affordability. I certainly wish Governor Newsom well in accomplishing his goals. And I hope we still have a surplus when he's done! A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm If your "to-do" list is anything like mine, it seems as though there are always critical things rising to top priority status. Life is dictated by time management and "keeping all the balls in the air." I guess this is why I have to scratch my head when I read about senseless legislation being introduced in our state capitol. Don't our legislators have any common sense? Don't they have important matters to attend to? I'm referring to AB 161 authored by Assembly member Phil Ting of San Francisco. If the bill survives, it would prohibit large businesses (those with gross annual sales of $1 million or more) from issuing paper receipts to customers, unless the customer requests one. AB 161 requires businesses to provide electronic receipts as the default method. So, if a business is going to give me a receipt, they need to have my email address or phone number. That also means that I am going to start getting solicitations via email or text messages. I DON'T WANT THAT! What will all those retailers be doing with all that information? It seems like every day we hear about another data breach. I don't want to be part of that, either! If there is a problem with receipts from retailers, perhaps the government should offer some incentives to develop an environmentally-friendly type of receipt paper. Speaking of recycling, the last count I heard on the number of bills introduced in Sacramento this year was 2,576. Assuming those bills will be amended numerous times as they make their way through the legislative process, I can't possibly calculate how many pieces of paper that must add up to. Perhaps we should limit the number of bills each legislator can introduce each year instead of worrying about me getting a receipt with my Starbucks order. A Message From Our CEO Nancy Lindholm Could you carve out one hour per month in your schedule to positively impact an Oxnard student's future? If so, Channel Islands High School has the perfect program for you: Upward Bound. Upward Bound Channel Islands (UBCI) is a year-round, comprehensive, pre-college preparatory program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The program is designed to assist students from Channel Islands High School with college readiness and planning, career exploration, social and cultural enrichment, and the motivation necessary to complete high school and pursue a college education. Employers are consistently experiencing challenges finding qualified workers, so this is a great opportunity to be part of a solution. Upward Bound students are exploring careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields, healthcare, computer science and agriculture, but mentors are not limited to those fields. Any professional willing to mentor a student is welcome to volunteer. Mentors are asked to invest one hour per month – a very small price to pay for a student's future and the future of our workforce! To sign up, contact Upward Bound Director Dr. Maria Elena Cruz or her assistant, Diana Magana. Program services and activities are free to qualifying students, some of who are able to earn a monthly stipend for their active participation. The majority of the students in UBCI will be first-generation college attendees in their families. Along with the U.S. Department of Education, UBCI is an initiative of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) National Educational Service Centers. There are 16 centers in the United States and Puerto Rico, with two in California: Oxnard and San Diego. “CRC employees took a special interest in this mentoring program to be a catalyst for increasing workforce opportunities for students, and also to show how the oil and natural gas industry has improved the lives of people from their communities. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a mentor to three Channel Islands High School students. We discuss core academic subject areas, college preparation, STEM career exploration, and cultural events. I have seen enormous increases in their levels of confidence and leadership development and hope that sharing my work and school experiences have helped them navigate some of the roads to higher education.” – Amy Fonzo, California Resources Corporation and past chair of the Oxnard Chamber A message from the President and CEO
On February 2, 2004 I reported for my first day of work at the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce. I actually reported to the office of the Economic Development Corporation of Oxnard, commonly known as EDCO. The Chamber was being housed in their office after losing their lease in Downtown Oxnard. Without office space, all of the Chamber's belongings had been moved to a self-storage facility. In addition, everyone who worked for the Chamber had quit prior to my arrival. Those days were pretty challenging! Thanks to Steve Kinney, President of EDCO, and some very dedicated volunteers on the Chamber Board (including the Chair, Tom Waddell), we began to rebuild the organization. About a year and a half after I took the helm as the CEO some office space opened up right down the hall from EDCO. It was a bit more than we currently needed, but growth was in our sights and we made the commitment to lease. It was a happy day when we were able to empty the self-storage unit and begin to furnish our new office. The Chamber is still housed there in the Topa Financial Plaza. From 2004 through most of 2008 the Chamber was growing rapidly. In fact, the membership nearly doubled – then the Great Recession settled in. 2009 was a very lean year but we figured out how to cut expenses enough to get by. Growth was very slow during the Recession. Businesses were struggling, but we still had to address issues that challenged our members. During the last 15 years the Oxnard Chamber has built a solid reputation as being a strong advocate for business. We have taken and communicated positions on hundreds of pieces of state legislation, regional issues, and local proposals ranging from air quality to water, labor laws to pension plans, transportation to taxation, land use to energy, and everything in between. Our Board, with help from its working committees, has been unwavering in its dedication to supporting our free enterprise system. It is certainly a distinct pleasure and honor to serve the Oxnard business community. I know we have made an impact on countless local issues. Defeating the 2008 Oxnard Traffic Initiative was probably our greatest victory. That measure would have stifled economic prosperity in Oxnard for decades. We certainly haven't won all the battles, but have never given up. Thanks for having me as your President and CEO for the past 15 years. I look forward to what is still ahead for the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce! The Oxnard Chamber established a Business Visits program for Oxnard's city manager to connect with the businesses that generate revenue the city operates with. The visits and tours provide an opportunity for government to understand the challenges of private industry.
Some of the places we visited in years past were Diversified Minerals, Scosche Industries, Agromin, Gills Onions, Boskovich Farms, Pinnpack Packaging, Zev Technologies, Wiggins Lift, Aspen Helicopters (which included an aerial tour!), Spatz Laboratories (ColourPop), Gibbs Truck Centers, Haas Automation, the BMW processing plant, KeVita – Pepsi Co., and SunOpta. The list certainly shows the diversity of industries we have in Oxnard! Please contact the Chamber office if you would like to host a Business Visit. Message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm NOTE: We ran this article in the Business Voice last month, but many businesspeople are still not aware of the change coming in electricity suppliers and costs, so we are publishing it again in December. Business people are normally very busy operating their companies, not watching city council meetings to find out how much electricity is going to cost them next year. The city of Oxnard has joined the Clean Power Alliance (CPA), which is a community choice aggregation program. It basically means the city has opted to purchase electricity through the CPA versus investor-owned utilities (such a Southern California Edison). Although Edison will still be delivering power through its grid and billing customers, the power rates will be established by the CPA. In addition to joining the CPA, the Oxnard city council also opted to purchase 100% renewable sources of energy. This is the most expensive type of electricity. The higher rates will be applied to all Oxnard customers – residential and commercial – UNLESS THEY OPT OUT of the 100% renewable rate tier. The city council received a presentation on October 23 covering three different rate tiers to choose from – 36% renewable, 50% renewable, or 100% renewable. Although city staff recommended they select the 50% renewable tier, the council voted for the pricier 100% option. It is estimated the increase in rates will be 7% to 9% higher. Again, customers can OPT OUT of these higher rates. The CPA will be mailing two notifications to customers. If the customers do not respond, they will be paying the 100% renewable rate. Customers can not only OPT OUT of the higher tier rate, but they can OPT OUT of the entire CPA and stay with Edison. However, they must act or they are automatically in the program the city selected. The target implementation dates are February 1, 2019 for residential customers (who will also receive two notifications) and May 1, 2019 for nonresidential customers. So, watch your mail at home and at work to make sure you know what you will be paying for! A message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm NOTE: We ran this article in November 2018, but there are still many unaware so we wanted to republish. Business people are normally very busy operating their companies, not watching city council meetings to find out how much electricity is going to cost them next year. The city of Oxnard has joined the Clean Power Alliance (CPA), which is a community choice aggregation program. It basically means the city has opted to purchase electricity through the CPA versus investor-owned utilities (such as Southern California Edison). Although Edison will still be delivering power through its grid and billing customers, the power rates will be established by the CPA. In addition to joining the CPA, the Oxnard city council also opted to purchase 100% renewable sources of energy. This is the most expensive type of electricity. The higher rates will be applied to all Oxnard customers – residential and commercial – UNLESS THEY OPT OUT of the 100% renewable rate tier. The city council received a presentation on October 23 covering three different rate tiers to choose from – 36% renewable, 50% renewable, or 100% renewable. Although city staff recommended they select the 50% renewable tier, the council voted for the pricier 100% option. It is estimated the increase in rates will be 7% to 9% higher. Again, customers can OPT OUT of these higher rates. The CPA will be mailing two notifications to customers. If the customers do not respond, they will be paying the 100% renewable rate. Customers can not only OPT OUT of the higher tier rate, but they can OPT OUT of the entire CPA and stay with Edison. However, they must act or they are automatically in the program the city selected. The target implementation dates are February 1, 2019 for residential customers (who will also receive two notifications) and May 1, 2019 for nonresidential customers. So, watch your mail at home and at work to make sure you know what you will be paying for! A message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm You know that pending state legislation, a proposed regulation or a ballot measure will have a huge impact on your business, either directly because it affects your company/industry, or indirectly because of its impact on the jobs climate and economy. You’d like to let your employees know about your concerns — but can you? The answer is yes — IF you keep in mind and follow some “dos and don’ts” outlined in state law or regulations. Following is a quick overview from the HR specialists at the California Chamber of Commerce, including actions to avoid. You CAN: Communicate with your employees, stockholders and their families about the company’s support of or opposition to state legislation, regulations or ballot measures. Encourage your employees, stockholders and their families to support or oppose state legislation, regulations or ballot measures. Communicate your political messages to your own employees (and their families) through such means as:
You CANNOT: Control or direct the political activities of your employees “through or by means of threat of discharge or loss of employment.” Coerce your employees to support or oppose a ballot measure. Reward or punish employees for their political activities or beliefs (or threaten to do so). Put any political messages in or on employees’ payroll envelopes. NO PAYCHECK STUFFERS. A message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm The city of Oxnard is stuck between a rock and a hard place, or perhaps more appropriate, stuck between a California regulatory agency and industrial businesses in Oxnard. The situation is that the city has not updated its wastewater discharge limits in nearly 20 years. The Regional Water Quality Control Board (a state agency) says they have to clean up their wastewater before it is recycled and pumped back into the ground to recharge our aquifers for water storage. Oxnard is building a water recharge facility at the old Oxnard High School campus. When the Chamber first learned about the impending discharge limits changes, the city was on a fast-track timeline to implement the new restrictions. We negotiated a six-month extension to work with our industrial businesses, which the city got approved from the Regional Board. However, those six months are flying by and we have not seen a lot of outreach to those impacted. I have personally met with the city and two different businesses with boron discharge challenges. As I understand it, there is no concern discharging boron into the ocean, but only a trace of it can be discharged through recycled water, which is headed for the aquifer for future use. It's a very expensive undertaking to remove boron from water. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) new limits in wastewater will be impacting many more businesses in Oxnard. The city's proposed limits (which need to be approved by city council) are listed as, "Site-specific 'baseline' concentration limits for current industrial users; 1,850 mg/L for future industrial users." We applaud the city for consideration of our existing businesses. The limit of 1,850 mg/L is actually more lenient than our neighboring cities to the east, where the limits are currently around 1,000 mg/L. I'm also happy to report that we have heard from one large manufacturing business in Oxnard that has determined they will be able to comply with the new discharge limits. The Oxnard Chamber will continue to work with city and our business community to assure we can respect the environment and assure our businesses can continue to provide jobs for our residents. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the proposed wastewater discharge limits. A message from our CEO, Nancy Lindholm: Things are looking pretty nice at the Oxnard Chamber office. After 13 years in our location on Esplanade Drive in the Topa Financial Plaza, we've updated our look with new paint and carpet. While it's been a bit hectic going through the process, the end result will be a welcoming place for members and guests. Considering we are tucked up on the third floor of a low-rise building in the center, we get an amazing number of visitors every month. Between our committee meetings, the Board of Directors, SCORE counselors, members utilizing our conference rooms, and people inquiring about various services, we log close to 150 visits per month. We are happy to greet all those visitors with new carpet and fresh paint! We will also have a new face greeting our visitors. Michael Lee is the new Operations Manager for the Oxnard Chamber. Michael come to us with an extensive background database management, special events management, and excellent customer service skills. Michael is a native of North Dakota and is looking forward to his first California "winter." Please help us welcome Michael when you are in the Chamber office or at an event. Tom Carrese joined the Chamber team on June 1 and has jumped in with both feet. Tom is our new Business Development Manager. The number of new members we had last month more than doubled from our average prior to his arrival. Not only does Tom recruit new members, but he works with all members on helping them increase their exposure in the community. I would like to very much thank our veteran team members, Sharen Strong and Janet Pozos, for taking on extra work while we filled our staff openings. Not only did they cover a vacant position, they got to do most of the packing and unpacking for the paint and carpet project! They are the best!! If you're in the neighborhood, please stop by to see our new look and meet our new team members! On July 2, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released an analysis showing the state-by-state impact of retaliatory tariffs from China, the European Union, Mexico, and Canada, which have been imposed in response to new U.S. tariffs on imported goods. Raising tariffs will have adverse consequences and fails to consider the impact on our allies and trading partners. At the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, we are hearing more and more stories of the substantial impacts the tariffs are having on our local businesses. The analysis was compiled using data on state exports from the U.S. Department of Commerce and data on U.S. exports subject to foreign tariffs from the official government sources of China, the EU, Mexico, and Canada. Although trade is a nationally determined policy issue, its impact on California is immense. California exports to more than 225 foreign markets. Raising tariffs can result in higher prices to the consumer for the specific product protected and in limited choices of products for consumers. Further, it can cause a net loss of jobs in related industries, retaliation by U.S. and California trading partners, and violates the spirit of our trade agreements. The U.S. Chamber analysis found that:
According to a California state government international trade and investment study, “International trade and investment is a major economic engine for the state of California that broadly benefits businesses, communities, consumers and state government… California’s economy is more diversified than ever before, and the state’s prosperity is tied to exports and imports of both goods and services by California-based companies, to exports and imports through California’s transportation gateways, and to inflows and outflows of human and capital resources.” Trade offers the opportunity to expand the role of California’s exports. In its broadest terms, trade can literally feed the world and raise the living standards of those around us. The analysis is available online at www.thewrongapproach.com. State-specific fact sheets are available for download, as is the full U.S. data set. The Oxnard Chamber of Commerce was one of 200 local chambers of commerce from across the United States signing on to a letter supporting Senator Corker's bill that would limit the President's powers to impose or raise tariffs. Message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm A couple of issues have surfaced in the last month or so that have left businesses scrambling to comply with new guidelines, regulations and procedures. Unfortunately, these have been presented with some very unreasonable implementation timeframes. The first issue was brought to my attention when I received an email from a member (large Oxnard business) asking me who their city councilmember was. That set off an alarm in my mind, so I immediate called and asked what the problem was. It seems the city needs to comply with some new discharge regulations set forth by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, a state agency. In order for Oxnard to achieve the revised wastewater ocean discharge limits, the water they take in must be less contaminated. Hence, the new local limits on wastewater discharge from industrial users. I sincerely believe our businesses are willing to comply with the new limits. The problem was that the city notified the users in May and had plans to implement in September. For some of our manufacturers or food processors, that is not much time to retrofit or actually install wastewater treatment equipment. The Oxnard Chamber leadership met with representatives from the wastewater division of the Public Works Department of the city and they agree to push the implementation back four to six months. The other issue brought to my attention was the city's Groundwater Replenishment Reuse Project. This, again, involves wastewater and the city's recycled water. What I received was a Notice of Public Hearing, which was set for June 14. The problem here was that the public hearing notice stated that public comments on the project were due no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 21. The Chamber objected to the one week – or five business days – time limit to respond to a very complicated issue. The city responded and changed the deadline for public comments to August 13. Your business may not have a direct impact from modified wastewater discharge limits, and you may not care about the groundwater replenishment project. However, when an issue comes up that could have a negative impact on your particular industry, please know the Oxnard Chamber is ready to stand with you and help with an implementation timeline issue or a dispute resolution. We are a catalyst for business growth, a convener of leaders and influencers, and a champion for a stronger community! Congratulations to Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin on the unanimous vote of support for her legislation to help employers curb sexual harassment cases. AB 2770 passed out of the Assembly with full support of both Democrats and Republicans on May 7. The bill will enable businesses to avoid hiring repeat sexual harassment offenders, ending the cycle of harassment in industries across California. The bill also protects employees from defamation lawsuits for reporting sexual harassment allegations to employers or official agencies. Alleged harassers are not only suing victims, but also filing suit against employers for defamation. Such lawsuits put employers in an impossible position as they have an affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct harassment. Worse, if the alleged harasser’s employment is then terminated, or the alleged harasser resigns, employers are put in an even more difficult position. The company has knowledge of the harassing activity and yet its hands are tied. If the company tells a potential employer that the employee was accused of harassing conduct, the company is on the hook for a defamation claim. If the company stays silent, the harassers are then free to victimize more individuals at their next job without anyone at the new company ever knowing about the unacceptable behavior. By addressing this situation, AB 2770 will reduce frivolous lawsuits and allow an employer to use the financial resources that would have been diverted to litigation to grow its workforce instead. AB 2770 will be heard in the Senate before (hopefully!) becoming law. The bill was sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce and supported by employer groups and local chambers of commerce throughout the state. Thank you, Assemblymember Irwin!! A delegation of business leaders will be headed to Sacramento May 22-24 to voice concerns over pending legislation deemed harmful to the economy and the ability for business to prosper and create jobs. The Capitol visit will be in conjunction with the members of the Chambers of Commerce Alliance of Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties. The Alliance's Sacramento-based lobbyist will coordinate a series of meetings with our legislators and their staff, as well as key committee chairs. In addition to the meetings in the Capitol, the California Chamber of Commerce will be delivering a legislative briefing and hosting keynote speakers. CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg will also render remarks. On Thursday morning the Governor will address the business group, as has been the tradition for more than 100 years. This will be Governor Brown's final appearance at this annual event. Oxnard Chamber members are invited to join the delegation. Our schedule will be:
The Oxnard Chamber's voice in Sacramento is critical to make sure our elected officials understand the impact of their votes on local businesses. Message from our CEO The trends in the Oxnard tourism industry are quite sunny! I’m fortunate to serve on the board of directors for the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau. The experience affords me the opportunity to keep up with how our hoteliers are doing and what the trends are in the tourism sector of our local economy. I’m happy to report we have started 2018 on a high note! Granted there are a lot of factors that affect hotel statistics, and certainly the Thomas fire and Montecito mudslides had a big impact on our region. But for the month of January Oxnard was on top of the occupancy rate and in second place for average daily rate. Here is the data: Occupancy rates for January 2018 Oxnard 74.0 Camarillo 73.3 Ventura 68.7 Thousand Oaks 64.7 Ventura County 69.0 Santa Barbara County 64.7 Los Angeles 67.5 Average daily rates for January 2018 Oxnard 136.7 Camarillo 108.0 Ventura 103.0 Thousand Oaks 116.1 Ventura County 126.2 Santa Barbara County 152.7 Los Angeles 127.9 All of this hotel activity certainly impacts other businesses in Oxnard. Our restaurants, entertainment, and retail all benefit from increased hotel business. But let’s not forget about local government. The transit occupancy tax every hotel guest pays generates more than $5 million annually for the city’s coffers. That’s a substantial number and it doesn’t take into account what our hotels pay in property tax each and every year. So next time you have out of town guests or you are planning a corporate meeting, utilize the great selection of hotels in Oxnard and generate some revenue for other local businesses and the city. In 2016-17 the Oxnard Chamber was fortunate to participate in a statewide grant for the development of youth employment and to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs. We added a part-time staff member and developed some exciting programs. Working with the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) and the Ventura County Civic Alliance, we partnered to hold Intern Boot Camps, a Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer, and Math) day, and an “Entre to Employment” dinner to highlight careers in the hospitality industry. Unfortunately, that grant ended June 30, 2017. However, we are continuing our efforts in 2018 with an intern-ready certification program. Working with the OUHSD, we are developing criteria for students to qualify to earn a certificate acknowledging they have completed coursework, workplace tours, job shadowing, and career exploration. Once a student has obtained the intern-ready certification, employers can be certain they will benefit from providing internships. We are looking for businesses who will embrace this program and guarantee interviews for certified students. Not only is this a great way to look for prospective workers, but it is a great way to invest in our future workforce. If you are interested in this new program, please give me a call (805-983-6118 x 4) or email me. Thanks!! |