The Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Carnation City Food Truck Rally in conjunction with the Annual ArtFest hosted by the University of Mount Union. This year’s event will be held on Saturday September 21, 2024.
The Carnation City Food Truck Rally will take place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Simpson Street west of Union Avenue. The 60th Annual ArtFest, located at the Mount Union Campus Lakes, will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will feature an artisan village of original works by area artists in addition to a new merchant market of retail vendors. Musical entertainment will be featured as well
Mount Union has a home football game against John Carroll that same Saturday, so plan to stop by before the game and have lunch!
For a list of food trucks, art and merchant vendors, and performers, visit mountunion.edu/artfest.
ALLI A NCE
A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Hello, I’m Lisa Trummer, Chairman of the Alliance Chamber of Commerce.
With my father, Jim Tanner, I am Co-owner and Broker of Tanner Real Estate. My father started the business in 1972, and I have been with him since 1988 as a young 18 year old, 37 years ago! Wow how time flies.
Now my daughter, Gracie Trummer, has started with our company, and I’m so proud of her and her journey as it starts with a third generation company owner for her future. Our company, and our community of companies, show what a great place Alliance is and that it has so much to offer!
In Alliance, we have such a high rate of companies with second, third, and even fourt generations of families thriving here! As I think about that, I realize that so many generational family businesses exist here; families with names like Mastroianni, Robertson, Armour, Grove, Christian, Pauli, Skivolocke, White, Favazzo, Ney, Polinori, Fagan, and Sarchione, just to name a few! Our widely loved city of Alliance has to be doing something right with the retention of generational families and companies staying and thriving here for sure! I feel extremely blessed and thankful to be able to call it my home.
The Alliance Chamber of Commerce has so many opportunities to help your business as it has helped ours! It has tip clubs to join to become friends with other employees of businesses to keep in touch with what’s going on and what you can do to help each other, seminars and educational programs to get involved with, business after hours events to promote your companies and to offer a tour and explanation of your business, and so much more. Please reach out to the Chamber today and see what they can do to better help promote and support your business. They are always willing to help. I cannot conclude without mentioning our wonderful Women’s Division! Another added bonus to being a
Chamber member business is the ability to have your female employees work with other businesses and nonprofits in the community by way of fundraisers, ongoing charitable drives and donations, and simply having fun and getting to know your fellow community business members. Our next event is at Alliance County Club on September 4 at 5:15 pm. RSVP to attend directly to Nicole at edwardna_44601@yahoo.com.
Check out other upcoming events throughout this the Chamber News newsletter. I look forward to seeing you at one of them.
Thank you for reading!
Lisa Trummer
Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chair
AREA CHAMBER OF C OMMERCE
Tree Giveaway
SATURDAY OCT 5, 2024 9:00 AM
ALLIANCE FARMERS’ MARKET
(CORNER OF STATE ST & UNION AVE)
Trees will be given on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. 1 tree per household.
Must show proof of Alliance residency, (ID, utility bill, or statement). Trees will be native species.
Giveaway provided by Alliance Shade Tree Commission & Green Alliance. Get a FREE tree for your yard!
8:00 AM 9:00 AM
faye@allianceohiochamber.org
Sponsorships
YWCA ALLIANCE’S 4TH ANNUAL UNITY WALK
We are pleased to announce that YWCA Alliance’s 4th Annual Unity Walk will be on Friday, August 30 beginning at 5 PM. We will be meeting on the corner of S Arch Ave and E Main St in the Camelot Pocket Park.
This highly anticipated event is more than just a walkit’s a powerful gathering that celebrates community, inclusivity, and the strength that comes from coming together as one.
This year’s Unity Walk is in collaboration with Main Street Alliances Final Friday event. Before and after the walk, we encourage everyone to enjoy the Final Friday festivities that will include food vendors, music, art, and more!
CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK SEEKING SPONSORSHIPS FOR 2024 EVENT
As we embark on another year of planning and striving to create a positive community event, we are reaching out to request your support through a donation to support the various components of Christmas in the Park. This year’s event will take place on December 7 from 5-8p.m. at Silver Park.
Local contributions have played a pivotal role in helping us achieve our mission in the past, and we are immensely grateful for continued support across the community. In the past few years, we have expanded Christmas in the Park to an event that has more than 8 free interactive stations for families and increased the number of displays at Silver Park.
This year we are looking to expand the activities offered while investing in new light displays that will last for years to come. However, we cannot achieve these goals without the financial support of compassionate individuals and businesses like yours.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Friends of the Park. Your contribution, no matter the amount, will make a significant difference in the lives of those we serve. Here are some ways your donation can impact our organization:
• $250 – sponsorship of activity for children and families at the event
• $500 – partial sponsorship of ice sculptor or new light display
• $750 – sponsorship of small light display
• $1,250 – sponsorship of large light display
To make a donation, please mail a check to the Friends of the Parks at 2930 S Union Avenue, Alliance, Ohio 44601. If you have any questions or require additional information, please reach out to committee chair Andrea Lee at alee@ymcastark.org or (330)823-1930.
Your generosity can help our committee create a great event this year while having a lasting impact on what the parks department can offer each year for the holidays. Thank you for considering our request, and for your continued support of our community.
Sincerely,
Andrea Lee, Christmas in the Park Committee Chair
Kim Cox, Director, City of Alliance Parks and Recreation
Niki McIlvain, Chelsea Venables, Beth Miles, Rick Baxter, Faye Roller, Abby Schroeder
Christmas at the Park Planning Committee
RIBBON CUTTING Kava Culture
INDUSTRIAL AIR MONITORING IN THE WORKPLACE
Monitoring for indoor air contaminants at work is crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive environment. Poor air quality can lead to various health issues, including respiratory problems, headaches, fatigue as well as affect morale and productivity. Many areas in a facility, such as production, warehouses, chemical storage and offices have the potential for air contaminants. You may need to do some investigating at your facility to determine which process(es) may be contributing to employee exposure. Areas that are smoky, dusty, misty, have strong chemical odors or areas where employees are exposed to open containers of chemicals, such as bins, vats or mixing tanks may be a place to start.
Once you have identified areas to test, you must decide what air contaminant to test for. The challenge is identifying the air contaminants that could cause health problems among employees. You may need to evaluate the SDS’s to identify the ingredients and their percentages of the overall makeup of the chemical. This should give you some guidance on what to test for. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established employee exposure limits on over 500 chemicals. These exposure limits are known as PEL’s or permissible exposure limits. The PEL of a chemical is based on the average concentration of a chemical to which workers can be exposed over an 8-hour workday, 5 days per week, for a lifetime without receiving damaging effects. The list of PEL’s can be found at: (https://www.osha.gov/lawsregs/regulations/ standardnumber/1910/1910.1000TABLEZ1). As you review the list, you will see that exposure limits vary depending on the chemical. Those with lower exposure limits signify a more hazardous effect on employees.
Once you’ve devised a monitoring plan, you need to have the monitoring completed. Typically, this can be done by a consulting group or the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC). The monitoring devices are pumps that must be calibrated to collect the air contaminant on specific collection media. For example, charcoal media is used to collect various types of solvent vapors, and filters are used to collect different types of dust. The pumps are placed on the employee during the monitoring period, and the air sample is collected near the employee’s breathing zone.
After testing, the media is submitted to a laboratory for analysis. Once the results are received, they are compared to the PEL’s from OSHA’s list. Results below PEL’s generally require no action, but results above the PEL’s would require the employer to look at ways to reduce employee exposure. A good way to do this is by using the Hierarchy of Controls, which identifies a preferred order of actions to best control hazardous workplace exposures. The actions are arranged in order of the most effective to the least effective ways to prevent exposure: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment.
Once corrective measures have been implemented, it is recommended that a follow-up test be conducted to confirm that target air contaminants have been eliminated or reduced below the applicable limits. It is important to note that although legally enforceable, many PEL’s were developed years ago and many are only infrequently updated, meaning that they may not be reflective of current information and technology. However, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed their own exposure limits known as Recommended Exposure Limits (REL’s) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has established Threshold Limit Values (TLV’s). The REL’s and TLV’s are not enforceable limits, but they may offer greater employee protections because these two organizations update their exposure recommendations based on more recent research and studies.
There are many benefits to investigating the need for air monitoring at your facility. Of course, the number one concern is the safety of employees, but remember compliance with regulations, increased morale, efficiency, productivity and an overall good safety culture. By systematically monitoring and managing indoor air quality, workplaces can create a healthier, more comfortable environment for employees.
If you need help identifying potential hazards in your workplace, please contact Andy Sawan, Risk Services Specialist at Sedgwick at andrew.sawan@sedgwick. com or 330-819-4728.
ATHENA AWARD NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
The ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARD program celebrates the potential of all women as valued members and leaders of the community and recognizes those who support them. The Athena Leadership Award honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment. . . women who excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and who also open paths so that others may follow.
THE CRITERIA
Athena recipients must meet each of the three specific criteria. They must:
• Demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession.
• Provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.
• Assist women in reaching their full leadership potential.
COMPLETING THE FORM
• Nominations for the Athena Leadership Award must be submitted by using this nomination form (or a photocopy). Form must be typed or printed clearly.
• A computerized version may be submitted provided the format is identical.
• One additional sheet may be added to this form and a resume’ may be submitted. “Scrapbooks” or other separate supporting documents should not accompany the form. These materials will not be considered during the selection committee deliberations.
• Please review the nomination form carefully to ensure that comprehensive, quantitative information is supplied, which demonstrates the involvement, achievement, and leadership accomplishments of your nominee. The more complete the information provided, the more useful this form will be for those who judge this important award.
THE PROCESS
• A selection committee of prominent community leaders will review all nomination forms and select the ATHENA LEADERSHIP award recipient.
• The ATHENA LEADERSHIP award recipient will be announced at the Awards Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on October 18, 2024.
RETURN THE COMPLETED FORM TO:
ATTN: Dottie Callender
Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce
210 E. Main Street Alliance, OH 44601
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024.
PAST ATHENA AWARD RECIPIENTS
1988 Bryde Addams *
Thelma Geiger *
Harriet Clem
Barbara Graf
Dolly Rovder
Debra Abel
Joanna Pietrocola *
Helen Hartzell *
Sally Reed, M.D.
Judy Carr *
Judy Tolerton
Dottie Callender
Missy Miller
Theresa Lattanzi
Gloria WhiteleyMagrath
Carol Barnett *
Connie Pyers 2006 Award Not Presented
Gloria Malone, PhD *
Suzan Goris
Ruth Winner *
Patti Schaefer
Debra Lehrer, M.D.
Karen Perone
Angela Zumbar, PhD
Patricia Stone 2015 Gloria Giordano *
Susan Grove 2017 Nancy Castellucci 2018 Kim Stanley 2019 Pat Gates 2020 Barbara Armitage 2022 Lisa Trummer 2023 Elayne Dunlap * Denotes deceased.
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
featuring Mellow Villains, 52nd Street and Captain Fantastic, and Vocal Fusion
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
featuring Mellow Villains, 52nd Street and Captain Fantastic, and Vocal Fusion
ALLIANCE JULY 4TH FIREWORKS A GREAT SUCCESS
The city’s annual Independence Day Fireworks Celebration, held in Silver Park on July 4, featured another grand display in addition to food trucks, live music with the John Hampu Band, and a military history display courtesy of the Marlboro Volunteers Inc. Mobile Military History Museum. The event was hosted by the Independence Day Fireworks Council and the City of Alliance Department of Parks and Recreation.
This community celebration brings thousands of people to the park each year, including those who live in the city and others from surrounding communities. It is a great opportunity to display all that the City of Alliance has to offer.
This year’s display was made possible by the generosity of several supporters. Our sincere thanks go out to those individuals who made it all possible. Without your help, we would not have had such a successful Fourth of July fireworks display. This year’s sponsors included:
SILVER SPONSORS
University of Mount Union
BRONZE SPONSORS
Alliance Community Hospital
Alliance Elks Charities Inc.
Roy’s Car Wash and Lube Shop Inc.
Rotary Club of Alliance
RED SPONSORS
Kiwanis Club of Alliance
DeHoff’s FGL Inc.
WHITE SPONSORS
Goris Properties LLC
Heritage Union Title Co. Ltd.
Robertson Heating Supply Co.
BLUE SPONSORS
Richard and Sue Campbell
White Physical Therapy Service
JEM Graphics
WJ Egli & Co
AA Hammersmith Insurance Inc.
It’s never too early to begin considering your Alliance Independence Day Fireworks Celebration sponsorship for 2025. As expenses continue to rise, your support is more critical than ever. As you plan your sponsorship budgets for the year, please consider sponsoring this year’s event at one of the following levels so that we can meet – or better yet, exceed – our recent success to ensure a fireworks display of which we can all be proud.
Your sponsorship payment can be made to the Greater Alliance Foundation and mailed to: Greater Alliance Foundation, 960 W. State St., Suite 220, Alliance, OH 44601. If you have any questions about this sponsorship opportunity, please reach out to Melissa Gardner at (330) 823-6092 or gardnemf@mountunion.edu.
Cheers
TO THESE CHAMBER MEMBERS
BLUECOATS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS
Congratulations to the Bluecoats on their first Drum Corps International World Championship in nearly 10 years! With a record-breaking score of 98.75, the group had an undefeated season and secured their 8th medal in just nine seasons. We were fortunate to have the Bluecoats join us in Alliance in May and June for their Spring Training on Mount Union’s campus, a partnership that will continue for the next four years. We could not be more pleased by the opportunity to continue sharing our city with this nationally known, top-notch organization. We can’t wait to see them back on campus in May 2025 as they start preparation to defend the World Champion title.
BLUECOATS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS
The University of Mount Union has been recognized as a top 10 college in Ohio by MONEY! The institution’s awarding of over $34 million in grants and scholarships each year, granting 99% of students some form of financial aid, further illustrates its commitment to providing an education that is accessible to students of all backgrounds. The University’s graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries, and more landed it among the institutions noted in this prestigious ranking. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor.
TANNER REAL ESTATE HONORED WITH PINNACLE OF PERFORMANCE AWARD
Lisa Trummer and her Tanner Real Estate Team have again been honored with the Pinnacle of Performance Award! This award is presented in reconition of oustanding sales achievement. To be eligible, Tanner Real Estate had to comply with all of the requirements of the Ohio Realtors 2024 President’s Sales Club Award Program. Congratulations to Lisa and her team on this great honor!
in your communitybecause you matter. here for
Aultman is proud to be the area’s first and only independent health system.
We are one team, joined together and committed to one mission — to lead our community to improved health.
And we’ve always been here, dedicated to providing YOU with the very best in care, wellness, education, insurance, and more.
For your community, for your family … we are always here for you.
NAVIGATING OHIO’S WORKERS’ COMP SYSTEM
For most employers, workers’ compensation is one of a thousand items that require their attention daily. Most workers’ compensation professionals will tell you that the best injury is one that never happens. The reality is that there are 257,000 private and public Ohio employers incurring approximately 67,432 allowable injuries in 2023. (Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation 2023 Annual Report).
Managing a workers’ compensation program can be simplified by implementing a few standardized processes that will make it easier for you to minimize lost days, control your costs and maintain productivity in your business.
EARLY CLAIM INTERVENTION
Having a standardized injury reporting process and claim investigation mandate in place before an injury happens means that you will have tools at your disposal to quickly analyze what happened, is it work related and are there any red flags that will lead you to contest the claim.
Your Managed Care Organization (MCO) can provide your company with guidance on any questions related to injury reporting and seeking BWC (Bureau of Workers Compensation) authorized provider medical treatment. The injured worker will need to complete a First Report of Injury (FROI), which is the BWC form required for filing a claim application. It is also a good best practice to have your employee complete a supplemental accident report that is specific to your work environment and expands on some of the important questions that arise during an injury investigation, such as – were there any witnesses? Did you immediately notify your supervisor?
MINIMIZING CLAIM COSTS
Once a claim application is filed with the BWC, things begin to move quickly and your window of opportunity to minimize the impact is small. The most common type of compensation is Temporary Total (TT). This is when the BWC pays the injured worker a portion of their regular pay to cover their lost wages while recovering from an allowed injury.
If you are not contesting the claim or its compensability, your focus should move to helping your injured workers get the necessary treatment they need to quickly return to full duty employment.
If you can accommodate a return to light duty while the treatment moves forward, then making a light duty job offer will prevent the claim from flipping from “medical only” to “lost time”. It will also keep your injured worker from getting used to being off work because of the injury. If light duty is not an option, then another path is to pay the claimant their regular wages – also known as salary continuation - while they are off work.
OTHER COST CONTAINMENT OPTIONS
When a claim is allowed the BWC attaches a reserve to estimate and cover future costs. There are several ways to minimize the impact a reserve has on your annual premiums:
Settlement – the most effective way to close a claim and prevent future costs from being applied is to negotiate a full and final settlement with the injured worker. The settlement amount is paid out of the claim by the BWC, the cost is added to the overall claim cost and the injured worker receives monies in lieu of future treatment and compensation.
Disability Relief – The BWC currently has a program in place to recognize pre-existing conditions that negatively impact the allowed conditions or the injured worker’s recovery from the allowed condition. The BWC will hold an informal conference with the employer/Third Party Administrator (TPA) to review the application and the medical that supports the request and then will determine an impact percentage between 0% and 100%. This percentage relates to the amount of “relief” the employer will receive due to filing a successful application.
Subrogation/No Fault MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) – When a third-party is the cause of a workplace injury there may be relief that can be pursued to offset the cost of the claim. The most common example is an employee’s claim that is the result of a non-at-fault vehicle accident involving a third party.
Navigating the workers’ compensation system can feel frustrating and at times complicated, but with your MCO and TPA partners you have access to subject matter experts that can make your job easier and keep your premiums down.
Find Your Friends at Copeland Oaks
Staying socially engaged is essential to maintaining physical and mental wellbeing.
Ways our residents stay social:
Interest groups and clubs
Volunteer opportunities
Community planned events
Indoor and outdoor recreation
Personal training and fitness classes
Spiritual groups
Gathering with friends
COMEDY SHOW AT JUST ONE MORE featuring Canton Comedy Boom
ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY AND EQUITY
SUMMIT
STRONGER TOGETHER FOSTERING A COMMUNITY OF INCLUSIVITY
University of Mount Union campus February 1, 2025
SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
SESSION PROPOSALS NOW BEING ACCEPTED
Proposals may be designed for any of the following audiences: faculty, students, administrators, Board members, and/or community members. We invite proposals on a variety of topics that explore the work of building inclusive communities. Proposals for engaging and interactive sessions may include individual presentations, panels, roundtable discussions, and workshops on pedagogy, skills- and capacity-building, or practices of inclusion.
Proposals are due by October 1, 2024.
SUPPORT THE 2024 ACE SUMMIT
Thanks to the generous support of several contributors, last year’s Inaugural ACE Summit was offered free of charge. We are currently seeking sponsors and supporters for the 2025 ACE Summit. If you are interested, please visit our sponsorship form.
LEARN MORE AT: MOUNTUNION.EDU/ACE-SUMMIT
MARKETING LUNCHEON SERIES
THE KARCHER GROUP (TKG)
September 20, 2024, 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rodman Public Library
Cost: $15 (lunch included)
TKG is the digital partner for market leaders, focused on web, marketing and IT solutions to drive your business forward. TKG is committed to supporting its partners with real, measurable results while providing meaningful lives for the people around us.
Seating is limited to 40. Reservations are required. Reserve by Monday, June 17 at (330) 823-6260 or faye@allianceohiochamber. org.
24-hour cancellation notice required. No shows will be billed. Please
