Newsletter Archives

In October the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce’s new website hit its three month anniversary, and we shared the overwhelming success of the member web-advertising program. I am pleased to report the Chamber members who advertise on our site have continued to see the benefits of increased business visibility and the web traffic they receive.

This month I will highlight the referrals from our website’s Business Directory / Membership Directory, review the online calendar, outline the changes to our advocacy, newsletter, and the new Vote for Business sections of our website found at GoletaValleyChamber.com.

Chamber Calendar of Events and Online Registration
Out of the numerous upgrades and one of my favorites is the Chamber’s new Calendar of Events. This scrolling calendar on the top right of our homepage will alert you to all the important Chamber events over the next month. With one click of the mouse you can view relevant event information, location, driving directions, and even the forecasted weather. The individual event listing has a form to submit event-specific questions or comments, and there is even a place to sign your email up for an auto-reminder of the event. Best of all, our secure registration and check out allows you to RSVP and pay at any time.

Membership Directory – Your Business Seen Around the World
The data was collected over a three-month period, from the beginning of August through the end of October. Numbers fluctuate each month, however current trends show an increase of unique visitors each month.
The number of website visitors has increased by roughly 20 percent in the last three months. This is attributed to the useful content, improved layout, and robust resources offered. Nearly 15,000 listings are brought up each day of Goleta Valley Chamber member businesses through our newly renovated Business/Membership Directory. Visitors to our website aren’t just local, each day our site is viewed by national and international visitors. As a Chamber member your company name, address, phone number, website link, and a map to your business are all listed for free on this directory.

With the introduction of our new website in June of this year, we began offering many new enhancements and tools for utilization by our members and community. One of the most successful features is the Enhanced Business Listing (EBL). With an EBL, your business listing is enriched within the Business Directory by your company logo, a brief description you write about your business, and a priority placement above the normal alpha-numeric membership listing.

Vote for Goleta Business
The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the US Chamber of Commerce to help the Goleta Valley business community: 1) stay informed and up to date on all the issues important to you; and 2) advocate for, or against, the policies and legislation you care about most.
This seamless Vote for Business (VFB) tool will help you send letters, emails, and faxes to elected officials at all levels of government. We will update the list of alerts continually to ensure that you are informed and able to participate in the democratic process as effectively and efficiently as possible. Now, taking action on an important issue is as simple as one click on the Goleta VFB website.

Advocacy and Archives
The Goleta Chamber is fighting for the rights and prosperity of your business each and every day. We write letters to legislators on behalf of our business community, and attend meetings pertinent to the well-being of our City. Often we will alert you through email or the website on how you can become involved. Even though our new Vote for Business tool will help us better inform you to our actions, the Chamber is often working on more than we are able to inform you of all at once. Due to that, we now offer records of these actions, past newsletters, e-newsletters, business journals, and letters in a convenient online archive. Be sure to visit our Politics & Government section of the website for more information on our advocacy and these archives.

To learn how to maximize your GoletaValleyChamber.com benefits, or for more information on the quantifiable marketing program available to members only, or about the remaining opportunities, contact Grayson Peters at the Chamber office at 967-2500 or grayson@goletavalley.com.

11 Ways the Chamber Worked for You in 2007

Your Chamber at Work

Opinion Leader Update
In the past month, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce submitted position letters to local and state lawmakers on the following topics (Partial list):

• In support of the City Council’s initiative to amend Goleta’s General Plan
• Against the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s acceptance of Santa Barbara County’s Housing Element
• Urging the California Transportation Commission not to delay Prop 1B funding to widen US 101 in Santa Barbara County.

Disaster Preparedness Headlines Luncheon
By Tom Blabey

If a major disaster were to strike during the workday, would you and your business be prepared? That question, among many others, was posed at the Chamber’s quarterly membership luncheon, held November 14, 2007, at the Holiday Inn. The main focus was the Goleta Partnership for Preparedness (GPP).

Panel speakers included Janet Stanley, CEO of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross, Vyto Adomaitis, Director of Redevelopment and Neighborhood Services for the City of Goleta, Craig Fry from Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER), and Mark Ingalls, Co-Chair of the Chamber’s GPP subcommittee.
Stanley focused on the basics of disaster preparedness, specifically as they relate to large and small businesses. She outlined four steps to take: 1) Establish a planning team; 2) Assess your current capabilities; 3) Develop a plan; 4) Implement the plan.
Most importantly, Stanley emphasized that companies run periodic drills. Practicing is critical to an effective plan.

Adomaitis recounted his recent personal close encounter with the Buckweed Fire that threatened his home in Ventura. His story dramatically reinforced the importance of being alert, having a plan, and acting on it before a disaster occurs. He elaborated on the County’s reverse 911 system, 211 information service, and the emergency trailers the GPP hopes to purchase as steps toward being ready for the unexpected. “The City is taking steps, and we want you to be prepared, too,” Mr. Adomaitis stated. “If you had 30 minutes, could you evacuate?”

CAER’s goal is to improve the dissemination of information and facilitate communication between private industry and the government prior to and during an emergency. Fry emphasized the importance of business resumption plans and the need for businesses to work with insurance companies on those plans before a disaster strikes.

Ingalls rounded out the discussion with an overview of the goals of the GPP. “As business leaders, we have a responsibility to provide the best resources we can to respond to a disaster at the workplace,” he stated. The GPP intends to be an educational center and clearinghouse to sort through all the information available to the community regarding disaster preparedness.

Ingalls shared some of the ideas being discussed by the Chamber’s GPP subcommittee such as disaster prep workshops, certification for participating businesses, and producing a start-up kit to help businesses formulate their disaster preparation plans.

Overall, the speakers agreed that disaster preparedness planning can be an uncomfortable, but necessary exercise. As Stanley warned, “It is not a question of if, but when.” However, with the helpful information shared at the luncheon and the collaborative work of the Goleta Partnership for Preparedness, when the next earthquake, flood, tsunami, or fire hits the Goleta Valley, you and your business will be ready.

Chairman's Journal - Honoring a Community Treasure
By William MacFayden

On December 12, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce will proudly dedicate its conference facility as the Jean Blois Community Room. There is no more deserving honoree.

Few civic leaders have done more for Goleta — as a city and as a community — than Jean. Just as important, few people have done more for the Goleta Valley chamber — and for business in this area — than Jean.

Everyone knows her as Goleta’s mayor and a charter city councilwoman, but we at the chamber will always think of Jean Blois first as one of our own. She’s a past chamber president, and she served us with the same class, distinction, attention to detail, and common sense that she’s brought to the Goleta City Council.
But her civic engagement isn’t bookended by the gavels she’s wielded for us and from City Hall. She spent 10 sometimes contentious years on the Goleta Water Board and 13 as a Goleta Union School District trustee before that.

In the private sector, Jean and her late husband, Bob, founded Blois Construction Inc., which they nurtured into a leading underground pipeline construction operation. Today the company is run by three of her five sons. Jean also had her own business consulting company called, appropriately, Jean to the Rescue. She was a founding board member of Goleta National Bank and still serves as a director of the since-renamed Community West Bank. Catching her at a rare moment of inaction, the chamber honored her as Goleta Woman of the Year in 1997.

Now we’re going to take the opportunity to lavish more praise on her. Jean Blois embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community that the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce holds as its core values. It is her inspiration that helped us become the effective advocate for business that we are today. It is only fitting that she have a room at the chamber that she can call “her own.”
Join us on December 12th from 5-7:00 p.m. to honor Jean.

President's Journal
By Kristen Amyx

As usual, I can hardly believe we are coming to the end of another year! Weren’t we just celebrating the Chamber’s 60th birthday in July? This is an important time of year for us. With membership renewals for 2008 in the mail, there is no better time than the present to consider the impressive effect the Chamber has on your community.

Recently I attended the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual conference in San Francisco. I had an interesting conversation at dinner with a young woman who has been a transportation lobbyist with the U.S. Chamber for about a year. She was gushing about how great it was to be working for the Chamber. Prior to starting there, she had lobbied in Washington with a private firm, but the 800 lb. gorilla at the negotiation table was always the U.S. Chamber. They were the powerhouse voice in town with the most influence. She was so energized now to be on that team and not in the shadows with everyone else.

As a Chamber executive, that was great to hear. The business community can often feel like a quiet voice on the sidelines of public debate. The issues we care about, and those the Chamber gets involved in, are often not flashy, front-page stories. However, we are diligently working behind the scenes on sometimes dry, but vital, transportation, energy, workforce, land use, and healthcare policy issues. Check out our accomplishments in 2007 on page 1 of this newsletter. I’m proud of such an impressive list.

The Chamber serves to amplify the voice of the business community on the big stage as we advocate in the interest of your business’s prosperity and your cherished hometown quality of life. We are your Chamber, whether you regularly attend our meetings and functions or periodically read the flurry of emails from us. We’ve been a reliable and outspoken voice for business for six decades and are looking forward to an exciting and productive 61st year.

Council Approves Landmark Workforce Housing
By Tom Blabey

The Goleta City Council voted to approve the development of 200 rental units of workforce and affordable housing in a joint session with the Planning Agency and the Redevelopment Agency on November 5th. Councilmembers voted 4-1 to allow the Sumida Gardens project to move forward pending final approval of Redevelopment Agency funds at a public hearing on November 19th.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Council that ultimately approved this project. It’s been a long time coming,” stated Mayor Pro-Tempore, Michael Bennett. “The City needs good quality rental housing, so we’re going to get some real benefit [from Sumida Gardens].”

The Sumida Gardens project has languished in the pipeline with various designs and developers since at least 1994. The current proposal from the Towbes Group includes 200 rental units, 34 of which will be designated as affordable and reserved for very low, low, and moderate income residents. The City has negotiated a 55-year moratorium on conversion of the units to condominiums so as to preserve their affordability.

The lone dissenting vote on the Council came from Jonny Wallis, who lamented the fact that a higher percentage of the project was not designated as affordable. However, City Manager Dan Singer and others explained that earlier proposals for the project had failed primarily because their higher ratio of affordable units was financially impractical. Construction costs alone on the South Coast rendered those projects unfeasible.

The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce spoke strongly in support of Sumida Gardens at the public hearing. “The immediate value to the Goleta Valley is undeniable,” stated Chamber President and CEO, Kristen Amyx. “There are roughly 2,000 jobs within one mile of Sumida Gardens. The 200 rental units in the project will house workers close to those jobs – reducing commuting time and freeway traffic. As a result, the entire community stands to benefit from better air quality, less congestion on US 101, and a resident workforce with more time to spend in the neighborhood.”

The public in attendance at the meeting overwhelmingly supported the project. Numerous speakers urged the Council to approve Sumida Gardens, including representatives from Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, future neighbor St. Raphael Church, and the Page Youth Center. The new apartments will be located at 5505—5585 Overpass Road.

End of the Legislative Year; RLA's Fifth Year Representing Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
By Lisa Rivas

The legislative year ended with some positive actions by the Governor in mid-October. As the final wrap up to the 2007 legislative session, the following are bills from the action list created by the Regional Legislative Alliance of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties that reached the Governor’s desk.

AB 8 (Nunez) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Creates the Cooperative Health Insurance Purchasing Program as a statewide purchasing pool for health care coverage by employers. Requires employers to make health care expenditures equivalent to 7.5% at a minimum of the employer’s total social security wages or, to elect to pay an employer fee of that equivalent amount.

AB 448 (Arambula) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Permits employees to recover liquidated damages in complaints brought before the Labor Commission alleging payment of less than the state minimum wage.

AB 812 (Hernandez) - RLA Oppose*
Signed
Amends existing law that workers’ compensation insurers generally perform a payroll verification audit to compare the actual premium to the estimated premium. Provides that if an employer fails to provide for access by the insurer or its authorized representative to its records, to enable the insurer to perform an audit, the employer shall be liable to pay to the carrier a total premium for the policy equal to 3 times the insurer’s then-current estimate of the annual premium and for other costs.
* This bill was significantly amended to become a more practical measure.

AB 1073 (Nava) - RLA Oppose *
Signed
Relates to workers’ compensation system. Prohibits the limit on the number of chiropractic, occupational therapy, and physical therapy visits from applying to visits for post-surgical physical medicine and post-surgical rehabilitative services.
* This bill was significantly amended.

SB 120 (Padilla) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Relates to the state Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law. Requires each food facility that meet specified criteria to provide nutritional information that includes, per standard menu item the total number calories, grams of saturated fat, grams of trans fat, and milligrams of sodium on standard menus. Provides a facility that violates these provisions is guilty of an infraction and not a misdemeanor.

SB 210 (Kehoe) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt, implement, and enforce, a low-carbon fuel standard by regulation that achieves the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in carbon intensity of transportation fuels, and at least a 10% reduction in, the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. Provides the standard would apply to refiners, blenders, producers, and importers of such fuels. Requires the development of related environmental reports requirements.

SB 717 (Perata) - RLA Watch
Signed
Continues the Transportation Investment Fund in existence and specifies the use of revenues deposited in that fund from gasoline sales tax revenues subject to a specified article of the State Constitution, beginning in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

SB 990 (Kuehl) - RLA Oppose
Signed
Provides that a violation of the hazardous waste control laws is a crime. Authorizes the Department of Toxic Substances to compel a responsible party or parties to take or pay for appropriate removal or remediation action, as prescribed, necessary to protect public health and safety and the environment at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory site in Ventura County. Prohibits sale, lease, sublease or transfer until certification the land has undergone complete remediation to specified protective standards.

SB 1002 (Perata) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Appropriates funds for emergency preparedness, storm water flood management projects. and grants for community drinking water systems and infrastructure improvements, groundwater contamination reduction and cleanup, the replacement of groundwater intact facilities, the State water plan.

SB 180(Migden) - RLA Oppose
Vetoed
Permits agricultural employees, as an alternative procedure, to select their labor representatives by submitting a petition to the Labor Board. Extends the existing prohibitions and penalties to employers who engage in unfair labor practices with regard to a majority sign up election.

Alliance News
The Regional Legislative Alliance wraps up its fifth year with news of our incorporation and three new Capitol Circle Affiliates. The RLA is now officially a 501(c)6 organization. To most of our readers and friends this change won’t be noticeable, as we will continue to advocate for business in the region and at the State Capitol and bring the news of our successes home.
This year we introduced our Capitol Circle Affiliates. The program allows businesses and associations in the region to have a non-voting seat at the table. We welcome The Boeing Company, Calleguas Municipal Water District and the Municipal Water District of Southern California to our Capitol Circle Affiliates program.

Member Spotlight - Going High-Tech at Goleta Valley Paint
By Valerie Kushnerov

Goleta Valley Paint is one of the oldest stores in Goleta, having been established in 1959, but their technology would make you think otherwise. I sat down with Steve Ozab, co-owner of Goleta Valley Paint (GVP), to learn more about his store and the industry.

Ozab has been working at GVP since 1977 and became the co-owner with his wife, Colleen, in 1979. Since then, he has learned a lot about keeping a paint store thriving.
Ozab said, “We learned that independent paint stores have to be innovative, using advanced technology. As a result, to survive, the friendly mom and pop store has become technologically advanced.”

Independent paint stores banded together for stronger buying power and pooled their resources and technology to stand apart from the larger chains.
For GVP, the technology comes in the form of a microblend paint maker which looks something like a giant soft serve dispenser. It’s the cutting edge technology that can create various grades, shades, and sizes of paint colors—and GVP has had it for four years.

This is one of the major changes in the paint industry because it allows the paint to be fully customized without storing gallons upon gallons of paint in the store.
With thousands of color swatches and several different quality levels, you can create just about anything.

“We can really serve everyone with the levels of paint we carry,” said Ozab who keeps meticulous notes on each customers paints for future reference. They will even take your order over the phone and have it ready for you when you come in.
“We’re a paint store and not just a paint department,” said Ozab whose staff is trained and is certified as part of the Paint and Decorators Retail Association program.

One of the biggest challenges is training staff so that they have the knowledge to pass onto the customers. The staff can help you pick the right color and type by asking questions about the location, furniture, sun exposure and more.
In addition to paint, GVP has one of the largest wallpaper libraries around. With 300 books which each have hundreds of patterns, they can serve every style.
GVP has made an impression in the community as well with the thousands of gallons of paint it has donated to graffiti removal. A group of dedicated individuals does the work and the Ozabs provide the paint.

Other unique services GVP offers are custom spray paint and custom colored caulking.

Visit their store at 325 Rutherford or go online to www.GoletaValleyPaint.com.

Issue & Policy Roundtable - Goleta Beach Park
By Grayson Peters

The Issue & Policy Roundtable gathered on Tuesday, October 9th, to hear from guest speaker Daniel Hernandez, Director, Santa Barbara County Parks. Hernandez detailed the development of a 20-year Goleta Beach County Park project, which is aimed at providing and protecting recreational opportunities at the park and along the beach.

Goleta Beach Park is a community treasure that must be preserved and protected for the residents of Santa Barbara County. It is a valuable recreational resource enjoyed each and every day by young and old, families and singles, sunbathers and surfers. Perhaps most importantly, the Park serves as a critical shield protecting the Santa Barbara Airport, Goleta Sanitary District facilities, and vital underground gas and electric conduits and pipelines from catastrophic flooding and erosion.

There are currently two projects up for review that will affect the future of the beach: managed retreat, to allow natural erosion to occur; and the Chamber supported method, a permeable groin, to protect the beach. Currently the main concern is over funding, but SB County Parks is working diligently to find sustainable funding sources.

The Chamber strongly supports the “permeable groin” as the most responsible option and wants you to know about this upcoming decision by the County.
Many questions and concerns were voiced at the meeting. One pressing concern seemed to be fairly unknown to our participants; if we let the park wash away, our ground-water well will no longer be protected from seawater intrusion.

New Member Profile

The Santa Barbara/Goleta Chapter of SCORE was just welcomed as a Member of the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce by Kristen Amyx, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber and Bill Macfadyen, its Chairman.
SCORE provides free, individual and confidential counseling to help small businesses grow bigger and more profitable, and also to assist new entrepreneurs in getting started. The local chapter includes some twenty-five volunteers who owned or managed a variety of companies before retiring. Hundreds of clients are counseled each year.

Counseling is provided at 402 East Guterriez on Wednesdays 8.30-11.30 a.m. and at other times by appointment. Goleta residents are invited to call 563-008 or to register at www.santabarbarascore.org to set up a convenient time for a visit.

SCORE counselors include volunteers with extensive and successful experience in manufacturing, importing, retailing and government contracting. In addition, one of the counselors owned an employment/executive recruiting service. Another was president of an advertising agency. Others provided engineering, marketing and legal services.

Domino’s Pizza Supports MDA
From now through December 15, the 12 Domino’s stores owned by Hishmeh Enterprises, Inc. will be asking customers to add two dollars to their orders to raise funds for the Mid-State Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association - MDA.
This fundraising drive will be offered at the following stores: 1808 Cliff Drive,564-4303; 3006 State Street, 898-0606; 617 N. Milpas, 966-6163 and 185 S. Patterson, 683-1155.

Non-Profit Support Center Hosts
On December 12 from 2-4 p.m., the Non-Profit Support Center will offer an opportunity to hear from the voices of philanthropy and leadership in our community about the state of the nonprofit sector in Santa Barbara County, and where we are going in the next 10 years.
Moderated by Lynn Karlson, NSC Board President, this annual panel serves to convene key players—funding organizations, board members, and executives—in our sector for a lively discussion about our future. For more information, contact the Non-Profit Support Center at 681-1040.

Save the Date - Engineering Insights
The UCSB College of Engineering is currently planning for the 2008 Engineering Insights on February 28 & 29, 2008.
Engineering Insights 2008, is a symposium dedicated to moving research from the bench to boardroom. This is not a typical academic “Research Review.” It’s designed to present research and discoveries that are truly right around the bend, ripe for industry input and application.
For more information, go to www.engr.ucsb.edu/insights2008.

Coal Oil Point Tours
Coal Oil Point Reserve, in conjunction with the local nonprofit Shorelines & Watersheds, has initiated a guided tour program at COPR.
Tours are two hours, and occur monthly on the first or second Saturday from 9am -11pm, and the third Sunday from 3pm - 5pm (times of this tour may be shifted depending on time of sunset). Groups tours are available by appointment Monday - Sunday 8am - 5pm.
For more information, contact Nicole Cerra, Tour Program Coordinator, Shorelines & Watersheds, at 284-8579 or visit www.shorelinesandwatersheds.org.

If you are a Chamber member and have a Business Brief to share, please email Valerie at newsletter@goletavalley.com or call 967-2500.

News from the Ambassadors
By Christine LeBon

When I think of October at the Goleta Valley Chamber, one thing comes to mind, and one thing only—our annual “California Lemon Festival in Goleta.” Yes, October is the month in which we chamber members celebrate Lemons. Our ambassadors worked at many of the booths and I’d like to recognize them for their time.

Charlotte Valentine, for example, runs our Novelty Booth, where T-shirts, aprons, mason jars, and scrubbies are just a few of the novelties you will find available. The T-shirts and aprons have the annual festival logo on them for the particular year.
When I think of the Lemon pie and bar booth, two Ambassadors come to mind: Joanne Uhl and Kathy Gleason. They are the queens of the pie booth.

Joanne started out with volunteering several years ago, when the Festival was held at the Stow House. Joanne volunteered to work the Lemon Bar booth. She also worked selling tickets and at other booths in the intervening years, but eventually got back to the Lemon Pie and Bar booth.

Joanne is very instrumental in making sure we pass the Health Department’s inspection every year. She had to learn on her own the amount of bleach needed in the sanitizing solution get the job done correctly. When the Festival moved over to Girsh Park, Joanne’s dear friend and fellow Ambassador, Kathy Gleason, joined in.

Charlotte, Joanne, and Kathy, you make us proud! Thanks for all your hard work year-after-year. I also want to thank Ambassador Del Hegland (and his fiancée Sharon), Kevin Young and Adlean Harris for their hard work. What would we do without all our wonderful Ambassadors?

Jean Blois Community Room Dedication

Jean Blois Community Room Dedication
Wednesday, December 12th
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce Office