Minutes from:

• 04/06/05

NCABA Minutes - April 6, 2005

Please note: the minutes are unofficial until accepted at the next meeting.

Northern Cambria Area Business Alliance

The meeting was called to order by Chuck Contres, president. Those in attendance were: Barbara Kirby (First National Bank), John Weaver (John's Tools and Hardware), Tim Whited (Al's Tire), Sam Valenty (Valenty Bottled Water), Craig Tretinik (Slovak Club) and Fran Filkins (HealthSouth).

To begin the meeting, a thank you note was read by Barb from Resta Home Health for the welcoming bouquet that was sent. Resta Home Health is a new home health care agency that opened on Crawford Avenue in Northern Cambria and the NCABA has welcomed them to the community. Sam Valenty of Valenty Bottled Water is a new member of the NCABA. It was with great pleasure that we welcomed Sam to our organization.

The minutes were read. Tim Whited motioned to accept the minutes and Barb Kirby seconded the motion.

Barb Kirby submitted the treasurer's report: There is $983.66 in the account. This amount includes the following deductions: $150 for our non-profit application and $10 for a small games of chance license. The $10 small games of chance license has several limits to it. The members discussed and agreed that the NCABA apply for the $100 small games of chance license that is more practical. Fran Filkins made a motion to give Barb permission to spend $100 on the small games of chance license. John Weaver seconded the motion.

Our guest speaker was Eva Dolges of Pennsylvania Career Link/Cambria County Career Link. Ms. Dolges educated us on a youth work readiness program. She is seeking employers who would be willing to hire youth in this program. All wages and worker's compensation will be paid for by Career Link. The participating youth workers will be able to work 15 hours a week during the school program. A summer program will also be available and the youth will be able to work more hours. Any business owner or manager who is interested in establishing a jobsite is asked to call Ms. Dolges at 814-533-2493, ext.
274. There is no cost to the jobsite employer for this service. Ms. Dolges also reminded us that Career Link has a part-time satellite office open in the Norcam building.

Old Business

• The Texas Hold-Em event has been canceled.
• Cambria County Industrial Development Authority - Fran, Barb and Sam were present for the special meeting on Thursday, March 30. Sam is the present chairman of this organization. The meeting was held in regard to transportation/highway concerns in Cambria County. Barb and Fran noted that State Representative Gary Haluska was present at this meeting and had showed
  concern and hopefulness that the Rt. 219 North Study would be reinstated. This study began with a 1.8 million-dollar investment and was halted. Unless the study is reinstated in the near future, the amount of work that was done will most likely be useless and the 1.8 million dollars will be gone. All members present discussed supporting initiatives to get this study reinstated. Tim Whited, Membership Chairman and Fran Filkins, Fundraising Chairman asked to discuss this in further detail during the committee reports.

Committee Reports

• Marketing Committee - Jerry Brant, Chairman was not in attendance. Fran Filkins provided the attendees with a draft of the marketing brochure. The brochure will be used to market the northern region of Cambria County. The brochure includes photos and quotes from State Representative Gary Haluska, Dr. Weitz of the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, and from Mike Lauf of Miners Medical Center/Conemaugh. Fran proposed that we do not order the brochures in bulk but instead purchase printer cartridges and print them on an as-needed basis so changes can be made easily. All members in attendance agreed.
• Scholarship Committee - Tina Boland and Marian Zedack were not present. Barb reported that the letters were mailed out to the high schools but no one has applied as of yet. The Scholarship Committee plans to contact the school districts again.
• Membership Committee/Fundraising Committee - Tim Whited and Fran Filkins were present. They reported that a combined subcommittee meeting was held on Monday, April 4. John Rouse and Jeff Lantzy were also present.
• Tim Whited reported that the group discussed the membership activity in comparison with other organizations of the same caliber in other towns. Most of these organizations are only asking for a $50 donation per year. The Membership Committee would like to drop the membership donation from $100 to $50 a year.
• Tim and Fran then presented a collective plan for a membership drive, fundraising goal, and measures to support the initiative to reopen the Rt. 219 study. The two committees would like to sponsor another business mixer. However, one of the goals would be to hold the mixer in the very near future in order to express our support and other non-member support on re-opening the Rt. 219 study. Invitations would be extended not only to business owners/managers of the northern part of Cambria County but also to local, county, state and federal leaders. Late May is a tentative timeframe of when the mixer would need to be held to coordinate with the timing of the proposed transportation plan.
• In order to hold the mixer, funds will be needed. Due to concerns beyond our control, a Texas Hold'Em event was not feasible. The membership and fundraising committees proposed to hold a Comedy Club Night. The planned date for the event would be Sunday, May 29 during Memorial Day Weekend at the American Legion on Maple Ave., N. Cambria. More information will be needed. A gentleman who handles these shows is willing to come and speak to the fundraising committee members.
• Fran will address other organizations to determine if they are willing to assist with financing the mixer and/or fundraiser.
• Due to the complexity of coordinating both of these events, it was agreed that a special meeting be held next week in regard to the mixer/fundraiser agenda. Fran will contact all members with the final date and time. The fundraising committee and marketing committee will meet prior to the special meeting.

New Business

• Meeting Times - The rotating meeting times do not seem to be effective. There were only 7 members present for this meeting at 4:30. The noon meeting seems to work best. There was discussion that 8 a.m. may work better during the summer since children will not be in school. 4:30 may be a bad time during the summer due to outdoor activities. Although it will be discussed at the next meeting, it is likely that the 4:30 meeting will be dropped from the rotation for at least during the summer.
• New Officers - Present officers should consider if they would like to continue with their positions and members should consider if they would like to hold an office. This will be discussed at the next regular meeting. New offices will begin July 1.
• All members are encouraged to attend a meeting being held at the Patton Fire Hall next Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. The meeting is being conducted to provide information on the progress of Rock Run, a soon to be 6,000-acre outdoor park for motorized and non-motorized outdoor recreation. The NCABA is encouraging support for this meeting. If any member knows of someone who rides an ATV, please encourage him or her to attend.

With no further business the meeting was adjourned. It was motioned by John Weaver and seconded by Tim Whited.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held Wed., April 20, 11:45 a.m. at the Slovak Club, Maple Ave., Northern Cambria.

A special meeting will be held the week of 10. All members are encouraged to watch for the announcement.

Please note: minutes will be approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting.