​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 11 at 4:00 p.m., Toledo City Council is expected
to refer Ordinance 2-20 to committee for an extended period of time to allow for a process to be established for broader deliberation by stakeholders. The ordinance, opposed by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and a number of other local organizations, would require additional construction tradespersons to complete examinations and obtain a local license to perform work in the city. This action, recommended via a statement from Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and ordinance sponsor Council President Matt Cherry, would halt consideration of the ordinance while this process occurs. More details are likely following the council session.
 
Also at the session, Council is expected to vote on the following items:

• Ordinance 31-20 which would authorize the city to execute an agreement to establish a Lucas County 911 Regional Council of Governments for the organization and operation of a consolidated Public Safety Answering Point. Currently, 911 emergency calls are routed to six answering points throughout the county. In December, a planning committee established per Ohio law consisting of representatives of various jurisdictions in the county voted to consolidate services into a single answering point.
• Ordinance 37-20 which would approve $1,225,000 in capital improvement program funds for the second phase of improvements to Levis Square Park located downtown. The project includes updates to various infrastructure and landscape elements of the park.
• Ordinance 42-20 which would authorize agreements with The Toledo Edison Company for replacement of 28,000 streetlights throughout the city with LED bulbs. The total cost of the project would be $5,796,000 and is estimated to save $580,000 annually on energy costs. The project is expected to be completed December 2021.

Ordinance 39-20, which would approve an enterprise zone agreement with Niki Toledo for its planned construction of two retail buildings at the former site of Elder Beerman at 3311 Secor Road, is expected to be held for future action. The agreement includes a 50 percent property tax exemption for 15 years of assessed valuation prior to remediation of the site, and 100 percent exemption for the same period on the increase in valuation following remediation. The project will involve the creation of 23 new full time and 40 part time positions.
 
All Council meetings are held in Council Chambers on the first floor of One Government Center located on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Toledo.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) announced January 30 that private employers may receive a 13 percent rate reduction starting July 1. The proposal is under consideration by the BWC board of directors.
 
If approved at their February 28 meeting, private employers would pay nearly $132 million less in premiums for the year, and this would mark the third rate cut in three years for private employers and the 11th rate cut since 2008. It would also be the third-largest cut in 60 years and would follow a 20 percent cut in 2019.
 
According to BWC, premiums cover health care and lost wages for injured workers, as well as the BWC’s Safety and Hygiene Division for offering training, consultations and other services to help employers improve workplace safety. Employer participation in those services has grown by over 70 percent since 2010, while total annual claims have fallen 19 percent over that time to 84,364 in 2019.

Join members of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce this Friday, February 14 for Morning Access presented by AT&T, an opportunity to network and connect with elected officials about the issues that are important to you and your business. This dialogue is designed to foster economic growth and prosperity, making the region a preferred place for diverse talent and innovation.

​Your LAST CHANCE to register for the Legislative Breakfast is this Thursday, February 13 by 5:00 pm.  Those that will be in attendance will include state legislators, county commissioners, mayors, council members and other elected officials from Lucas, Fulton and Wood counties.

​As of February 11, 2020 – these elected officials will be in attendance: 

The Honorable Bob Latta | United States Representative, Ohio District 5

The Honorable Theresa Gavarone | Ohio State Senator, District 2
The Honorable Rob McColley | Ohio State Senator, District 1
 
The Honorable Haraz N. Ghanbari | Ohio Representative, District 3
The Honorable Paula Hicks-Hudson | Ohio Representative, District 44
The Honorable Jim Hoops | Ohio Representative, District 81
The Honorable Derek Merrin | Ohio Representative, District 47
 
The Honorable Cecelia Adams | Toledo City Council, At-Large
The Honorable Nick Komives | Toledo City Council, At-Large
The Honorable Rob Ludeman | Toledo City Council, At-Large
The Honorable Katie Moline | Toledo City Council, At-Large
 
The Honorable Theresa Gadus | Toledo City Council, District 3
The Honorable Yvonne Harper | Toledo City Council, District 4
The Honorable Sam Melden | Toledo City Council, District 5
 
The Honorable Kathy Huner | Mayor of Wauseon
The Honorable Tom Mackin | Mayor of Perrysburg
The Honorable Ed Schimmel | Mayor of Northwood
The Honorable Craig Stough | Mayor of Sylvania
The Honorable Tim Pedro | Mayor of Waterville
 
The Honorable Robert Mack | Perrysburg Township Trustee
 
The Honorable Gary Byers | Lucas County Commissioner
The Honorable Ted Bowlus | Wood County Commissioner
The Honorable Doris I. Herringshaw | Wood County Commissioner
The Honorable Jon Rupp | Fulton County Commissioner

Don’t miss your opportunity to connect directly with some of our regions elected officials. If you are interested in registering, visit here.

On Feb. 6, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Toledo Small Business Development Center held the first-ever Drivers Ed class. The series was designed specifically for young professionals entering C-suite and ownership-level positions in their businesses, and focuses on teaching them to not just sustain the business model of previous generations, but to grow. The series continues on March 5 at 8 a.m. with Accounting for Fuel Efficiency. Location TBD.

On Jan. 21, Predictive Index CEO Mike Zani discussed Talent: The New Frontier to a crowd of 600 at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Annual Meeting presented by Fifth Third Bank. Zani introduced a key idea: aligning talent and strategy. In other words, getting the right people in the right roles in order to unleash maximum productivity.

The first month of 2020 is over, and we can barely believe it. However, the start of February 2020 means it's time to celebrate all of our fantastic new members who joined in January 2020. Whether you're a brand new member or you've been a member since the beginning, by joining the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, you've chosen to make an investment in us and, by extension, your business. Don't forget to check out all of the events we offer to members and non-members alike.

On Feb. 6 at 8 a.m. at the Toledo Club, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, alongside the Toledo Small Business Development Center, will hold its first-ever Drivers Ed class. The class, part of a 10-course series, will challenge attendees to step into a new future in both their C-suite and ownership positions, as well as in their companies as a whole. Each class is built with one concept in mind: growth.

​On January 27 Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 7. This legislation requires state licensing agencies to issue licenses or certificates to military members and spouses who already hold a valid license to practice a trade or profession in another state. It also requires agencies to waive any fee otherwise charged for the same license or certificate. The bill will become law in 90 days.
 
The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce successfully advocated for the inclusion of active duty Guard and Reserve members in the bill. The Toledo Region is home to more than 2,700 Guard and Reserve personnel and it is not uncommon for members to relocate from another state. This bill will make it easier for their spouse to relocate with them and use their skills to contribute to the local economy. 

On Jan. 24, the graduating class of Export Success 2020 began its journey to create export plans, learn how to become masters in exporting abroad and/or fine tune their existing export process. The 10-session course, hosted by the Export Assistance Network at the Small Business Development Center at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Regional Growth Partnership, is characterized by dedicated student companies and seasoned mentors. Meet some of our mentors and learn how they can assist you in growing your business through exporting overseas:

​At its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 28 at 4:00 p.m., Toledo City Council is expected to hold until its February 11 voting session Ordinance 2-20 which would require additional construction tradespersons to complete examinations and obtain a local license to perform work in the city. A hearing on the ordinance, the second since being introduced, will be on Wednesday, January 29 at 2:00 p.m. The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes this ordinance due to its potential negative impact on business growth and jobs.