February 2017 Texas Propane magazine

TexasPropane February 2017

Volume 73 No. 2

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

5 Tips to Help Prospective Customers Find You on the Web What to Do if Bad Online Reviews Are Killing Your Business

CETP Helping Texans Meet RRC Continuing Education Requirements

You’re in Good Hands Staying Local is Your Priority and Ours Have you considered selling your propane business but concerns for your customers and employees are holding you back?

At Pinnacle Propane, our values of Customer Service, Integrity, and Safety emphasize providing the best possible experience for our customers and employees.

As a Texas-based company, we focus on providing local service to our customers in the communities we do business and empowering our employees via competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package.

Matt Terry Acquisitions and Strategic Development 210-560-5418

As you think about next steps, let us work with you to develop a fair purchase plan and a seamless transition so that you can relax and enjoy the results of your efforts.

For more information and a confidential assessment of your business, please call us today.

www.pinnpropane.com

Pinnacle Propane is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

TexasPropane February 2017

8408 North IH 35 Austin, TX 78753 (512) 836-8620 or (800) 325-7427 (512) 834-0758 fax E-mail: info@txpropane.com www.txpropane.com

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

TPGA staff Bill Van Hoy Executive Director bvanhoy@txpropane.com Jackie Mason Education & Marketing Regulatory & Legislative Affairs jmason@txpropane.com Debbie Simpson Executive Assistant Membership Meeting Planner Publication Coordinator dsimpson@txpropane.com Propane Service Corporation

Debbie Simpson (800) 392-0023 dsimpson@txpropane.com Publisher

Kim Scheberle Account Manager/Managing Editor Sail House Publishing (512) 346-0892 kscheberle@austin.rr.com Joanne Pantaze Advertising Sales 512-273-2639 jpantaze@pvco.net Kiki Pantaze Art Director (512) 924-7566 kpantaze@pvco.net

CETP Helping Texans Meet RRC Continuing Education Requirements

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Features Safety Talk: Bulk Propane Delivery Safety Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Are Bad Online Reviews Killing Your Small Business? Here’s What to Do. . . 12 5 Tips to Help Prospective Customers Find You on the Web. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 TPGA Winter Board & Related Committee Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Departments Highlights from Headquarters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 TPGA Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Legal Beat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 People in Propane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Inside the Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Tell Us Something Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Where in the World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ProCOT Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Say Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classified Advertising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Index to Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Propane with Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Highlights from Headquarters

Digital Age Surrounds Us

2017 CONVENTION Sponsors Golf Tournament Targa Resources

Bill Van Hoy

Lanyards Keyera Energy

TPGA Executive Director In this issue we discuss CETP and how Texas propane marketers can use the system for continuing education. The program has expanded significantly and includes textbooks and self-paced e-learning. You can become your company’s CETP trainer, and it does not require certification. Read all about it.

In the digital age we live in now it only takes one customer posting a bad review to make an impact on your business.

The article starting on page 12 will give

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you some guidance on how to deal with negative reviewers – what to do and what not to do.

If you participated in ProCOT’s Duty to Warn program you will want to take a look at the ProCOT Corner. There is more to do now that the notices have gone out.

Members, we have a board meeting and committee meetings coming up at the end of the month. Important information will be discussed throughout the meetings. See you there!

Welcome Reception Westmor Industries Midstream Transportation President’s Cocktails Quality Steel Bishop Energy

AFFINITY PARTNERS BASYS • Lone Star Energy Group

2016-2017 TPGA Board of Directors President: Ben Wood, Northwest Propane, 972-247-6121 President-Elect: John Walter, Schneider Distributing, 800-901-9109 Secretary: Harris Baker, Pinnacle Propane, 512-306-0073 Treasurer/Finance Chair: Sam Fox, McCraw Propane, 461-261-1148 District 1 Director: Jim Vines, Cooper Propane, 903-785-5242 District 1 Alternate: April Welch, WelchGas, 903-577-1446 District 2 Director: Josh McAdams, McAdams Propane, 936-598-7444 District 2 Alternate: Open District 3 Director: Jeremy Gentile, Hill Butane, 409-296-2001 District 3 Alternate: Keith Stone, Alford LP Gas, 214-801-2000 District 4 Director: Mark Peterson, Buster Brown Propane, 281-689-3946 District 4 Alternate: Allen Wells, Baygas, 281-332-2660 District 5 Director: Open District 5 Alternate: Open District 6 Director: Omar Garcia, Mr. G Propane, 956-581-1063 District 6 Alternate: Open District 7 Director: Steve Smith, Smith Gas, 830-393-2533 District 7 Alternate: Sharon Seal, Bell Hydrogas, 210-533-7103 District 8 Director: Jack Walzel, Tri-Co Propane, 254-642-3885 District 8 Alternate: Rodney Sladek, Fayetteville Propane, 979-836-7044 District 9 Director: Bill McCullough, Butane Gas, 800-242-69010 District 9 Alternate: Brad Quisenberry, Gene Harris Petroleum, 888-336-4474 District 10 Director: Josh Nowlin, McCraw Propane, 9003-583-7481 District 10 Alternate: Sam Fox, McCraw Oil, 469-261-1148 District 11 Director: Steve Adams, Hardwick LPG, 254-647-3402 District 11 Alternate: Lane Worthington, Sunoco, 325-835-3031 District 12 Director: John Gordon, Bob’s Fuels, 325-647-3619 District 12 Alternate: Laci Jo Walter, Schneider Distributing, 800-901-9109

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

District 13 Director: Trini Hernandez, Fuel Mark, Inc., 432-381-4277 District 13 Alternate: Open District 14 Director: Open District 14 Alternate: Open District 15 Director: Don Heinrich, Slaton Gas, 806-828-6501 District 15 Alternate: Open District 16 Director: Open District 16 Alternate: Open Past President: John Kelly, Kelly Propane, 940-586-1208 Past President: Todd Dorris, Roadrunner Energy, 830-278-5317 Past President: Hobie Sibley, 281-455-3673 Past President: Doug Maclay, Huffhines Propane, 972-225-2347 1st Vice President: Jeremy Gentile, Hill Butane, 409-296-2001 2nd Vice President: Josh McAdams, McAdams Propane, 936-598-7444 3rd Vice President: Allen Wells, Baygas, 281-332-2630 Sr. Vice President: Joe Green, Green’s Blue Flame Gas, 713-462-5414 Sr. Vice President: Wes Welch, WelchGas, 903-577-1446 Sr. Vice President: Jack Walzel, Tri-Co Propane, 254-642-3885 Assoc. Service Director: Anna May Etheredge, 940-665-4672 Assoc. Service Alternate: Jeff Severson, BAM Propane, 817-738-8224 Assoc. Producer Director: Jimmie Grant, Martin Gas Sales, 713-851-6155 Assoc. Producer Alternate: John Becraft, Targa Resources, 817-416-7757 Assoc. Manufacturer/Distributor Director: Mike Armstrong, Gas Equipment Company, 214-733-6328 Assoc. Manufacturer/Distributor Alternate: Mark Smith, Leran, 512-318-1840 Assoc. At Large Director: Jim Diehl, Squibb Taylor, 214-357-4591 Assoc. At Large Alternate: Tracy Wells, Gas Equipment Company, 214-638-8018 Nominating Committee Chair: Chad Gray, Dixie LP Gas, 254-582-2261 NPGA Director: Jim Bishop, Bishop Energy, 940-665-3457

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Featured

CETP Helping Texans Meet RRC Continuing Education Requirements

By Laura Mohammad & Jackie Mason

Since 1987, the national Certified Employee Training Program (CETP, pronounced SEE-TEP) has assisted propane professional across the country in workforce training, even here in great state of Texas.

Both the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) play an integral role in the nationally-recognized training. PERC develops, publishes, and distributes CETP training materials while NPGA develops and manages the CETP Certification Program (exams and skills assessments) through their test vendor, Industrial Training Services (ITS Training).

With the assistance of industry volunteers, adult educators, instructional designers, and subject matter experts, the CETP suite

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

of materials has grown tremendously and includes comprehensive textbooks as well as self-paced E-Learning available through PERC. “CETP is such a good wellrounded program, created by people in the industry, many of whom are from Texas,” said Texas-based Jacque McCracken, Certification & Technical Services Program Manager for the National Propane Gas Association.

While many states use CETP as their core curriculum, Texas has state required and sponsored training through the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC). Although CETP is not a primary component of the training in Texas, it is approved by the Railroad Commission of Texas to assist propane professional in meeting their continuing education requirement. The CETP option allows Texas marketers the flexibility if RRC classes are full or they do not want to have employees travel.

NPGA CETP Certification areas include: 1.0 Basic Principles & Practices of Propane (BP&P) 2.2 Bobtail Delivery Operations (BDO) 2.4 Cylinder Delivery Operations 2.2/2.4 Delivery Combo: Bobtail and Cylinder Delivery Certification 3.0 Basic Plant Operations 3.6 Performing Railcar Product Transfers

Featured 4.1 Designing and Installing Exterior Vapor Distribution Systems 4.2 Placing Vapor Distribution Systems and Appliances into Operation 4.3 Installing Appliances and Interior Vapor Distribution Systems 4.4 Basic Electricity for Propane Appliance Service 4.5 Basic Propane Appliance Service and Troubleshooting 4.6 Advanced Propane Appliance Service and Troubleshooting 5.1 Designing and Installing Dispenser Transfer Systems 8.0 Large Industrial/Commercial Gas-Fired Equipment Of those certification areas, PERC has several CETP E-Learning courses including: 1.0 Basic Principles & Practices of Propane, 2.2 Bobtail Delivery Operations, 2.4 Cylinder Delivery Operations, 3 Basic Plant Operations, 4.1 Designing and Installing Exterior Vapor Distribution Systems, as well as 4.2 Placing Vapor Distribution Systems and Appliances into Operation.

A CETP E-learning course can take 6-20 hours, depending on the course, to complete and each is broken into modules with short understanding exercises after each module. CETP textbooks and E-

CETP Roles for You

Learning DVDs can be purchased through PERC’s Propane Catalog at www.propanecouncil.org.

However, PERC and ITS are working together to make the training more readily available for the propane industry. Starting in the second quarter of 2017, ITS will host the PERC E-Learning programs online at no cost.

Douglass Distributing, which operates in Oklahoma and Texas, has used CETP in-house training for years and has recently introduced E-Learning for their employees.

“It’s a good program. They use it because it has a lot handson training and scenarios. There is a lot of good information in it,” says Sean Caney, Douglass Distributing’s Propane Operations Manager.

1) Become Your Company’s CETP Trainer CETP allows for companies to have their own in-house trainer. CETP does not require certification for their instructors. Registration and training is only required for proctors and skills evaluators under the NPGA CETP Program. Instructor tools are free and can be found online at www.propanecouncil.org.

2) Become a CETP Proctor NPGA registered Proctors are responsible for the security and administration of NPGA CETP Certification exams. NPGA Registered Proctors must complete the following: • Pay a fee of $75, which is good for three years • Review all training modules prior to accessing Proctor exam • Pass the Proctor exam Upon successful completion of the Proctor exam, a Proctor ID and password will be issued. Your Proctor ID and password will allow you to order exams and administer NPGA CETP Certification exams.

3) Become a CETP Skills Evaluator A manager or supervisor can be a skills evaluator and sign off on the required Skills Affidavit. They, too, will need to register with NPGA. • Pay a fee of $75, which is good for three years.

• Go through a short online training, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

• An exam is built into short online training.

To register as proctor or skills evaluator, please visit www.cetpcertification.org.

How Can Texas Marketers Use CETP?

In Texas, a person interested in having a completed CETP course fulfill their RRC continuing education requirement needs to submit the class certificate along with their personal information directly to Alternative Fuels Safety of the RRC. AFS will review it and if accepted, confirm the acceptance by email and enter it into the system.

1) The CETP course that qualifies for your level of RRC certification can be found in the CETP-specific tables outlined in LP-Gas Safety Rule §9.52.

February 2017 •

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Featured

CETP training can be received from an in-house trainer within your company, a for-hire trainer, online training, PERC E-learning or blended learning.

2) If the employee would like to receive credit, he/she will need to take a proctored exam either online or paper based. CETP ELearning links directly to the online CETP exams. Online exams can be taken through ITS for $85 per exam. You can have a company representative register as a proctor. Paper exams are also available at $85 plus shipping through ITS. 3) Within 12 months of taking the CETP exam, the employee

will need to complete a handson skills assessment (on-job tasks) under a Skills Evaluator’s supervision.

The skills evaluator can be a manager, supervisor, or third party consultant.

“The assessments are in depth, not something you do in one day. You can put the employee in different situations through the course of the work week or longer,” said Caney.

4) Once the exam and skills assessment is received, the student will receive a certificate in the mail.

5) To receive Continuing Education from the Railroad Commission, the student must submit a CETP certificate along with the information outlined in LP Gas Safety Rule § 9.52.

PERC states that there are over 700 independent propane trainers in its internal database, but there are other options than just hiring an instructor.

For instance, insurance provider Crum & Forster just launched a new Learning Management System (LMS) that offers complimentary CETP courses online to their insured.

In addition, companies like Silverback Consulting have developed online training with their Propane University Online LPG Training Services. Propane University Online LPG Training Services is a virtual classroom that uses the computers webcam so the instructor and student can engage each other.

CETP Through the Years u1987 The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) launches the CETP Certification Program — a comprehensive, nationwide training program for employees in the propane industry. u2002 In an effort to make CETP accessible

to a greater number of industry members, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) purchases the program from NPGA. The ongoing partnership between PERC and NPGA continues to provide the necessary resources to maintain, update, develop and widely distribute training and certification materials to those who work in our industry.

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u2004 CETP is revised in 2004 into a more flexible “modular” format that can be used in a variety of settings. As a performance criterion-based employee training and skills certification program, CETP allows propane professionals to accomplish several business objectives at once. u2006 NPGA partners with a new test

processing vendor in 2006 to bring an testing system option online to the CETP Certification Program.

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Featured What’s Next for CETP?

Blended Learning In 2017, PERC will continue to move training forward and introduce a full blended learning program. Blended learning utilizes access to CETP ELearning online and classroom training. A student receives access to E-Learning online prior to going to a one-day classroom training. They have the ability to take the training at his/her own pace, but also a chance to review the program prior to taking the NPGA CETP Certification exam. During the pilot program of blended learning, PERC saw a 100% pass rate of the NPGA CETP Certification exam.

NFPA Refresher Courses Unlike Texas’ requirement for continuing education, until now there has not been a continuing education requirement for CETP. However, in 2017 PERC is adopting a continuing education component in response to the NFPA 58 requirement for refresher training every three years. The refresher training is being developed for all courses that currently have a CETP certification area. All CETP courses that currently have E-Learning will have E-Learning refresher courses.

These E-learning refresher courses will solely be available online through ITS at no cost. No exam will be required for refresher

training. An affidavit will need to be completed by a registered proctor or skills evaluator that the employee completed the course.

Evidence of the training will be reflected on the training transcript maintained by ITS. For more information on CETP, please contact NPGA at (202) 466-7200 or Industrial Training Services (ITS) at (270) 753-2150 or visit www.cetpcertification.org.

u2008 CETP E-Learning is released to the

u2012 NPGA’s CETP Certification Pro-

propane industry. The E-Learning DVDs include: Basic Principles and Practices, Propane Delivery Operations & Cylinder Delivery and Bobtail Delivery Operations.

The E-Learning programs link directly to the online CETP Certification exam.

gram needs, including administration of paper and online exams and database management, move exclusively to Industrial Training Services (ITS). u2017 PERC introduces blended learning

and refresher training. u2010 The CETP Certification Newsletter

is introduced as an industry publication designed for topical information used for notifications, education, and to prepare Candidates, Proctors and Stakeholders about future events, changes or updates in the CETP Certification Program.

February 2017 •

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Safety Talk

Bulk Propane Delivery Safety Meeting TO SAFELY DELIVER BULK PROPANE: 3 Use three points of contact – Park and position the bobtail and

exit using three points of contact. Make sure you are facing the truck cab when doing so.

3 Set the wheel stops* – To avoid unnecessary back strain, support your upper body with one hand on your knee as you position the wheel stops. *The 2014 edition of NFPA 58 has replaced the term “wheel chocks” with “wheel stops.”

3 Check your path of travel for obstacles or issues – The area from the truck to the tank may have easy-to-spot obstacles such as toys or a bicycle. But there could be other hazards hid-den in the grass or under snow or ice. Always walk the path fi rst to make sure it’s clear before pulling out the hose.

3 Ensure the hose and reel are in good working condition – Before you set out, check the propane hose and components, and make any necessary repairs or adjustments. If the reel needs lubrication or the hose is binding, moving the hose on the job will be more difficult.

3 Put the hose over your shoulder and hold it with both hands – Be careful to avoid strain to your shoulders and lower back.

Carrying the hose under your arm or pulling the hose with your arm extended behind you can cause serious injury.

3 Avoid pointing the nozzle at any part of your body – Always take measures to ensure you do not come into contact with liquid propane or vapors.

3 Keep your body facing forward with your shoulders over your hips – Twisting your back while walking can result in injury.

3 Switch shoulders to balance the work across muscle groups and reduce overall stress on your body – While you do your initial walk, plan your most effi cient route. For longer paths, switch shoulders or move the hose in two stages.

Each month, Texas Propane magazine provides its readership with a safety meeting guide. This month’s safety meeting is excerpted from the Propane Education & Research Council’s Safety Talk series. PERC has developed a set of 45 Safety Talks to help companies create an environment to discuss specific or timely safety topics, identify potential problems, or highlight specific safety concerns. Safety Talks are designed to be much briefer than full-scale training sources. Each Safety Talk can be presented in 10 to 15 minutes. Safety Talks will help companies keep employees engaged and actively thinking about safety. In addition to the Safety Talks, an attendance form and trainer tip sheet are available online to help enhance and document the safety meeting.

Delivering bulk propane to a customer location is a common task, but conditions and equipment can pose some challenges. The following guidelines will help you avoid personal injury and ensure safe, effi cient bulk propane delivery.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Discussion Topics 1. Why is it important to walk the path to the tank before pulling out the hose?

2. As you prepare to fill your customer’s tank, you find the hose is not unreeling properly. How should you proceed?

LEARNING ACTIVITY Set up a bobtail at your site and have participants practice moving the hose from truck to “tank” then back again, using these guidelines. Discuss body mechanics that could reduce the potential for injury.

For more information about bulk propane delivery, visit propanesafety.com. To download all 45 Safety Talks, please visit the propane catalog at www.propanecouncil.org.

Source: Propane Personal Safety (PERC)

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Business Beat

Are Bad Online Reviews Killing Your Small Business? Here’s What to Do

By Solomon Thimothy

How to Deal With Negative Reviewers Your first option is to contact the person who left the review. Although it’s not always possible to get in touch with this person, it’s always worth the effort. For them to remove the review, all they have to do is log back into the site and delete it.

The tips below will help you foster a relationship that hopefully leads to them taking down the review.

1. Get in Touch Offline Try to find the person’s contact information and get in touch with them offline. By talking to them in person or over the phone, it’ll be easier to make an emotional connection with them.

Yelp and other review sites like it can be responsible for sending a flood of traffic through the doors of your local business.

Conversely, a single negative review can do great harm to your business. Even if you have a ton of positive reviews, all it takes is a single negative review to lower your fivestar rating and deter potential customers. If you’re a small business owner who relies on Yelp and other such sites for a few more leads every month, keep reading to learn what to do about those pesky negative reviews.

The Three Types of Negative Reviews Negative reviews can crop up for a variety of reasons and circumstances.

Sometimes, you’ll receive a poor review that’s obviously fake. These can be very frustrating, not to mention damaging to your business.

Another form of poor review comes from a customer who had a bad experience at your place of business. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but for some reason the

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customer wasn’t satisfied and felt compelled to tell the entire world about it. Luckily, there’s a remedy for this situation.

Lastly, you might see a negative review come up from a disgruntled ex-employee.

These can be easier to spot, as they’ll tend to get posted right after the employee was fired, and reference more in-depth company information. These reviews can often be removed due to violating Terms of Service, which we’ll go into below.

What You Must Avoid Doing When you first spot a negative review it can be tempting to retaliate immediately. Be careful – your reputation is on the line, and getting into a flame war over the Internet isn’t going to help your business at all.

Some companies have also made the mistake of attacking Yelp for allowing the review to be posted in the first place. This isn’t a good strategy, as they’re a large company with deep pockets and a large legal staff. Ultimately, you’ll want to have them on your side; don’t make them an enemy.

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

2. Put Your Best Foot Forward When speaking, try to be polite, pleasant and well-meaning. It’s hard for someone to combat with anger when someone is speaking with nothing but kindness. After all, anger can only lead to more anger.

3. Understand Their Situation Tell them that you can understand why they were frustrated. Make them feel like they’re heard. Lashing out in a review came from them not having their needs met, so demonstrate that you’re willing to hear them out fully.

4. Explain the Impact of Their Review When you bring up the review, make sure to frame it as something larger than yourself. A negative review doesn’t just hurt you; it hurts your entire company, which affects your employees and their families.

5. Offer Something in Exchange Although you’re not allowed to incentivize customers to leave a positive review, you can offer something in good faith to the disgruntled customer. For example, you could offer them a free coffee, or a free home inspection, so they can see if their concerns

Business Beat were properly addressed.

Getting in touch with a customer or exemployee won’t work under every circumstance, but any added effort you put in to get the bad review removed from the website will be well worth it.

How to Handle Reviews That Are in Breach of Terms of Service Yelp and other sites like it all have Terms of Service statements and often Content Guidelines that everyone has to agree to in order to use the site.

In some cases, you can use this to your advantage by reporting a bad review if it’s in violation of the terms. For example, if the review is a personal attack on an employee, or is derogatory, or defamatory in any way, you can ask to have the review removed.

To report the review simply flag the review, and add a comment disclosing why the review is flagged for removal. Make sure to include terms like “Terms of Service” and “Content Guidelines” in your comment, so it will get picked up by the automatic ticketing system most review sites use.

By citing the portion of the Terms of Service or Content Guidelines that the negative

Yelp’s General Guidelines Yelp allows users to contribute different kinds of content, including reviews, photos, videos, events, votes, tips, private messages, and more. Playing nice isn’t rocket science, but just in case, we’ve put together these general guidelines. Please also read the guidelines below for specific types of content that you might contribute to the site.

Inappropriate content: Colorful language and imagery is fine, but there’s no need for threats, harassment, lewdness, hate speech, and other displays of bigotry.

Conflicts of interest: Your contributions should be unbiased and objective. For example, you shouldn’t write reviews on your own business or employer, your friends’ or relatives’ business, your peers or competitors in your industry, or businesses inyour networking group. Business owners should not ask customers to write reviews.

Promotional content: Unless you’re using your Business Owners Account to add content to your business’s profile page, we generally frown upon promotional content. Let’s keep the site useful for consumers and not overrun with commercial noise from every user.

review violates, you’ll increase your chances of the review being taken down.

Once you’ve requested the review to be removed, reply to the review stating that

it’s been flagged for removal. This will show potential customers that the review is fake or misleading, and is not a representation of your company.

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February 2017 •

Texas Propane

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Business Beat Reply to the Review Publicly If all else fails, you can downvote the review and offer a structured and well-reasoned reply objecting to the points made in the review: If you know the review is a spam review and makes false claims about your company, then simply reply with an objection to those claims. It’s hard to refute cold hard facts.

However, it’s not always the best course of action to reply to a review. For example, if the reviewer seems to be picking a fight, the best decision would be to not engage or provoke the reviewer. People will be able to notice that this reviewer is unreasonable, and shouldn’t take their review seriously.

How to Build a Foundation of Positive Reviews The best offense is a good defense. To ensure a negative review doesn’t dismantle your entire operation, it’s important to build up as many positive reviews as possible.

However, you have to build reviews the right way, otherwise you run the risk of violating Terms of Service. Below you’ll find our recommended course of action for building up your positive reviews.

1. Ask Your Regulars Satisfied customers you see on a consistent basis are the perfect candidates to leave a review. You know they love your business and would be happy to help you out.

Often, all it takes is a simple request from you for them to leave a review online. However, it’s important not to pester your customers to leave a review, as this could backfire, and the customer’s annoyance will come through in their review.

2. Turn Compliments into Reviews Do you tend to get a lot of compliments

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from your customers?

You can turn these compliments into reviews by asking your customer if they wouldn’t mind leaving that compliment in the form of a review. You’ll be surprised at how many people say yes.

It’s also important to space out your requests for reviews, so you don’t get flooded with a bunch of new reviews on the same day.

3. What Not to Do You’ll also need to be sure that all of your reviews aren’t coming from inside of your storefront. This is a red flag to the likes of Yelp and those reviews could end up being flagged for removal. You’ll want the reviews posted to seem as organic as possible.

To Conclude Dealing with negative online reviews can be a stressful experience. However, by taking a calm and structured approach, you’ll be able to avoid having that review negatively impact your business.

To avoid the potential impact from a negative review, make sure you’re taking the time to build up positive reviews on a regular basis.

Solomon Thimothy is the Co-founder of Clickx.

With clients internationally, Clickx helps businesses gain better visibility online by focusing on more exposure, more traffic and more leads. http://www.clickx.io.

Legal Beat

Summary Judgment Denied in Propane Explosion Lawsuit on Independent Contractor and Alleged Inherently Dangerous Activity Issues

By Kathryn Regier tino and asked for someone to come back to the house, presumably due to the gas odor. In response, Anthony Fratino came to the house bringing his minor son with him. Wilkinson and Anthony Fratino went into the basement and Wilkinson “exited” the basement soon afterwards. The house then exploded, seriously injuring Mr. Fratino’s son – the plaintiff. The trial court referenced the underlying causation issue as the existence of an open valve on the uncapped line in the basement.

A Superior Court of Connecticut judge recently denied summary judgment in a serious personal injury case arising out of a residential propane explosion involving an uncapped gas line. At the time of the explosion, the minor plaintiff was at the residence with his father, who was responding to a call about a gas odor. The plaintiff asserted negligence claims against the company that owned and serviced the propane tank, the company hired to install a propane-fueled water heater and the homeowners. In the Fratino v. Norbert E. Mitchell Co, Inc. case discussed below, the trial court analyzed the duty element of a negligence claim arising out of a propane explosion in the context of independent contractor and inherently dangerous activity claims but ultimately denied the defendant homeowners’ summary judgment motion.

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The Incident John and Alice Wilkinson owned a house in New Milford, Connecticut. In the fall of 2010, the Norbert E. Mitchell Company replaced the Wilkinson’s propane tank and the connection to the home. At that time, the homeowners used propane to fuel a gas range in their kitchen. However, a separate line ran from the propane tank to the basement. The line had fueled a dryer, which was no longer in the home. Unfortunately, the unused gas line in the basement was not capped.

In August 2012, about two years after the new tank was set, the Fratino Plumbing and Heating Company (Fratino) installed a propane-fueled water heater in the basement of the Wilkinson’s home. On August 29, 2012, Mr. Wilkinson came home around 5:30 p.m. and smelled gas in the house. He called Fra-

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

The Lawsuit The plaintiff alleged negligence counts against all the defendants and an additional negligence count against the propane supplier under the Connecticut statute governing the sale of a dangerous and defective product.

The plaintiff claimed his injuries were caused by the defendants’ negligent conduct as follows: (1) failure to inspect the lines running from the propane tank into the house to confirm the lines supplied only “active” appliances; (2) failure to inspect the propane system overall “to ensure any unused lines were capped;” (3) failure to cap the unused line; (4) leaving an open valve in the basement where there was an unused, uncapped gas line; and (5) continuing to deliver propane to the house when defendants knew, or should have known, that there was an unused, uncapped line in the basement. Plaintiff also specifically alleged as to the homeowners that Mr. Wilkinson failed to contact the fire department or the propane supplier when he smelled gas but instead, called the water heater installation company.

Summary Judgment Motion The homeowners filed a summary judgment motion asking the judge to rule in their favor on the negligence claims against

Legal Beat them as a matter of law and asserting there were no disputed issues of material fact for a jury to resolve. As is well-known, the elements of a negligence cause of action come into play when negligence is asserted and a summary judgment motion is at issue; the elements are duty, breach of duty, causation and damages. Keep in mind that the little word “and” in the list of negligence elements is highly significant because a plaintiff must prove each and every element in order to prevail on a negligence claim. Conversely, if a defendant can disprove one of the four elements, then the plaintiff cannot win on a negligence claim.

Here, the homeowners asserted in their summary judgment motion that they did not owe a duty to the plaintiff. Specifically, they argued that Fratino was an independent contractor who was in control of that part of the premises where the explosion occurred.

Additionally, the homeowners asserted that they were not the cause of the explosion or plaintiff ’s injuries because they did not work on the propane system and did not invite the plaintiff onto the premises.

Plaintiff responded to the homeowners’ summary judgment motion stating, among other things, that the homeowners could be responsible for Fratino’s negligence because installing a propane-fueled water heater is an “inherently dangerous activity” and that calls into issue an exception to the general rule that an employer is not liable for the negligence of an independent contractor.

The plaintiff also asserted that a genuine issue of fact existed as to whether his injuries were caused by the homeowner’s failure to call either the fire department or the propane supplier when he smelled gas in the house, rather than calling the company who installed the water heater.

Trial Court’s Decision The trial court analyzed the independent contractor issue in detail and noted that Connecticut courts have not ruled on whether activities related to propane are inherently dangerous as a matter of law.

The trial court also noted that to establish they did not have a duty to the plaintiff, the homeowners would need to prove they were not in control of the premises at the time of the explosion and that the installation of the propane-fueled water heater was not inherently dangerous. The homeowners asserted in their motion that they entrusted the water heater installation to Fratino and

that they had no experience with installing propane-fueled appliances. However, the homeowners did not submit any evidence on the inherently dangerous activity issue.

The court noted that in opposition to the summary judgment motion, the plaintiff submitted the affidavit of a fire and explosion expert who stated that based on his review of the evidence, the level of propane in the basement was well above the lower explosion limit for propane in air, the smell of propane would have been obvious to the homeowner, and the smell clearly indicated

that a risk of fire and explosion existed at that time. The court also noted that the homeowner testified in his deposition that he smelled gas when he got home as soon as he entered the kitchen on the first floor of the house.

The court determined that the plaintiff ’s evidence was sufficient to create material fact issues on whether installing the water heater was an inherently dangerous activity and also whether the homeowner “was aware of the danger posed by a propane gas leak when he called Fratino to have him

A re Y ou

GAMBLING W ith your insurance?

Other propane owners have come to our agency to cover their insurance bets: 1) Most tell us they have no idea what companies insure their industry and are surprised to learn there are multiple options available; 2) Many have discovered a gap in coverage after meeting with us; 3) Some have grown frustrated with the lack of timely response and personal service from their current agent.

“When we were with our other carrier, we did not have any personal conversations, just formal letters in the mail and we did not receive updates on our policies etc.

When we met with Rusty, he gave us personal attention, came to our business and has shown us different coverage options available”.

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Legal Beat return to the premises.” Therefore, the trial court was unable to find that the homeowners did not owe plaintiff a duty as a matter of law. The court also stated that based on the evidence submitted on the causation element of the negligence claim, it was “unclear whether, had John Wilkinson immediately contacted the fire department or (the propane supplier), such action would have prevented the propane gas explosion that

injured the plaintiff.” Accordingly, the trial court denied the homeowners’ summary judgment motion.

If this matter goes to trial, the judge will instruct the jury not only on the law underlying the independent contractor and ultrahazardous activity issues, but also on the duty of a propane supplier. The jury may or may not find issue(s) with one or more of the parties’ conduct after assessing the evidence, includ-

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ing the credibility of the witnesses.

The opinion reviewed above outlines the negligence claims against the propane supplier which centered on multiple allegations related to the failure to adequately inspect the propane system. However, because the decision was based on the homeowners’ summary judgment motion alone, allegations as to the propane supplier were not discussed in detail. Certainly though, the facts surrounding the propane supplier’s service work at the residence with respect to setting the tank, and inspecting and testing the propane system would be closely examined during the discovery process and at trial, including testimony from the employees, service work procedures and documentation, training records and other related issues. Therefore, this decision is clearly another reminder for propane suppliers as to the importance of safety and risk management efforts at all times on a daily basis.

Good risk management fosters vigilance in times of calm and instills discipline in times of crisis. --Dr. Michael K. Ong Kathryn A. (“Katy”) Regier is a shareholder in the law firm of Schlee, McMullen, McCarthy & Hansen, P.C., in Kansas City, Missouri.

She can be contacted through her email address: kregier@schleelaw.com.

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Inside the Industry PERC Oldest Water Heater Contest

People in Propane Roger “Chipper” Brown passed away on December 17, 2016 in Madisonville, TX. He had been employed by Southern Butane for 27 years, D&L Butane for 5 years, and was working at Leon Gas where he had been for 6 years. His love of the outdoors led to many wondrous hunting and fishing adventures.

He had won many fishing tournaments with his many friends.

Those who knew him will miss his charm, smile and wonderful sense of humor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Barry Del Meissner, 57, of Canyon Lake, TX, passed away unexpectedly on January 2, 2017. Mr. Meissner enjoyed watching football, hunting, fishing, woodworking and barbecuing in mass quantities. He spent most of his years in data processing, but later was a driver in the LP Gas industry. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time.

Albert P. Stennett, Jr. 91, of Crockett, TX went to be with his lord and savior on Thursday January 12, 2017. Stennett, very well known in the propane community, was the grandfather of President and Co-Owner Joel Sopchak, of Texas Star Propane. After serving in the Army during WWII, Mr. Stennett founded AAA Butane with his fatherin-law A.B. Frank and Arthur Kleb.

In 1985 he became the sole owner of the company, where he operated the business with three generations of his family for 60 years until his retirement in 2000. He was also the president of the Texas LP Gas Association 1975-76. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Neil Hallmark of Gas Equipment Company, A.B. Frank of AAA Butane and Al Stennett of AAA Butane circa 1960.

James Russell “Rusty” Mitchell passed away on January 15, 2017 in Arlington, TX, one week before his 59th birthday. He was born in Dallas and grew up on a cotton and grain farm in south Arlington. Mr. Mitchell was a retired executive with Mitchell Propane, founded by his father, uncle and grandfather in Arlington, and AmeriGas after the company was purchased.

He retired from the propane industry in 2008.

SAVE THE DATE March 8, 2017, 1 pm CST Creating a Facebook Business Page Webinar hosted by PERC for Texas Marketers Take part in a FREE live webinar on how to set-up a Facebook (FB) business page.

If you haven’t set up a FB business page yet, you are missing out on a powerful tool that could help you grow more gallons. For more information, email ryan.dutcher@propane.com.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is giving plumbers the chance to win a $250 gift card, just for sharing a picture of the dirtiest, oldest, most inefficient, or just plain strange water heater they’ve ever replaced. It’s PERC’s Oldest Water Heater Contest, and PERC wants you to help spread the word.

Entering the contest is easy. Plumbers simply: 1. Take a photo of the oldest, nastiest water heater they’ve seen or replaced.

2. Submit the photo on Facebook through Oldest Water Heater Contest form found on https://www.facebook.com/ BuildWithPropane.

OR Share the photo with PERC in a public post on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #OldestWaterHeaterContest.

3. Once entries are in, we’ll select two lucky winners of $250 gift cards; the first will be chosen in March, and the second in July.

Here’s how you can make the contest a success: use the PERC social media post found on the Propane Catalog at www.propanecouncil.org on your website and social media pages to encourage plumbers to enter the contest. Reach out to your plumbing contacts, and invite them to submit pictures of those old water heaters. It’s a great way for them to have some fun and possibly turn that trash into cash.

It’s an opportunity for you, too. By promoting the contest and the tools available at KnowYourWaterHeater.com, you can educate your construction professional network and customers about propane’s comfort and performance, and help put more propane water heaters in homes. Start spreading the word about the contest today, and make sure you follow along by liking the Build with Propane Facebook page.

Questions? Bridget Kidd, Director, PERC Residential & Commercial Business Development, 202-452-8975.

Inside the Industry Proudly Propane™ Warm & Cozy Selfie Contest

A Look Back…1946 Who’s Afraid of the REA?

The Rural Electrification Authority’s (REA) objective was extending cheap power to many outlying communities. But LP gas dealers need not fear the competition because LP gas provides flexibility, reliability of service and better cost of energy.

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is hosting a contest for propane consumers across the nation as part of their national marketing campaign.

Your customers can submit a selfie while enjoying the warm and cozy benefits of propane for a chance to win one of 15 propane patio heaters!

Contest ends on February 22, 2017.

Winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries.

Find full contest details are available at http://contest.proudlypropane.com/.

Interesting Tidbits

The National Butane Propane Association held its 1st Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Chicago.

Due to the tremendous demand for butane, for commercial as well as domestic uses, dealers were warned of an impending shortage.

Pedestrian deaths begin to rise in October as hours of darkness increase, says the National Safety Council.

500 firemen participated at the Annual Firemen’s Training School in College Station conducted by the US Bureau of Mines and the Firemen’s Training School.

New pipelines placed in service in the U.S. in 1945 totaled 3,211 miles, about half the wartime average.

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Texas Propane

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Inside the Industry LPG Charity Fund Texas Hold’em TournamentEvent Date: February 9, 2017

Event Address: 6010 Richmond Houston, TX 77057 Registration begins: 11:30 AM Pay begins promptly at 1:00 PM Over the last 10 years, the Texas Hold’em continues to grow in popularity and last year’s event was a huge success. You don’t want to miss this year’s event with proceeds benefiting the LPG Charity Fund.The LPG Charity Fund’s main goal is to assist members of the LPG and Gas Processing industry during a time of catastrophic medical expenses and/or financial need.

Please complete the registration form at www.lpgfund.com to participate in the card tournament.

Builders Get A Close Look at Propane Home Appliances

Tell Us Something Good

LL Bean Continues Fiscal Support for Acadia National Park Propane Bus System L.L. Bean, the family based ecommerce giant, has approved over $2 million in charitable giving for their fiscal year. $200,000 of that $2 million will go to support Acadia National Park’s propane bus system, a free bus network that serves the national park and surrounding local communities.

Since 2002, L.L. Bean has contributed more than $3.25 million to help protect Acadia by supporting the Island Explorer bus system, a fleet of over 30 clean, propane-powered buses.

Given the company’s rich outdoor heritage, they focus giving on national and local outdoor conservation and recreation organizations. To this end, L.L.Bean has given more than $14 million to local, state, regional and national conservation organizations in the last decade.

80,000 building industry professionals attended the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders Show on January 7-12, 2017 in Orlando, Fla. Several visited the 55+ Home constructed by modular builder, Nationwide Custom Homes. The home featured propane appliances, including a tankless water heater, home standby generator, fireplace,

and cooking and drying appliances, to make the home stand out to baby-boomer buyers. The company told PERC that using propane in their homes is essential to keeping up with the competition.

Attendees also had the opportunity to stop by the National Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)’s booth to learn about outdoor propane amenities and

Stay in-touch with Texas Propane Gas Association!

Click Like on the Texas Propane Gas Association Page

Follow Us with TPGA’s twitter @txpropane1

builder incentives.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the National Association of Home Builders.

 Regulatory Alerts & Guidance  Representation on local, state & federal level  Emergency Response Number Discount  Monthly Newsletter  Weekly Monday Messenger Updates  PSC Discounts  Discounted programs through NPGA

Texas Propane Gas Association 8408 North IH 35 ꞁ Austin, TX 78753 800.325.7427 ꞁ 512.834.0758 fax info@txpropane.com www.txpropane.com @txpropane1 Texas Propane Gas Association

22

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Where in the World

GE Plans LPG-Fueled Ferry in Korea

General Electric (GE) Aviation’s marine gas turbine business has signed an agreement with Korean partners to co-develop the world’s first LPG propulsion ferry line with a Combined Gas Turbine, Electric and Steam (COGES) system for all the ship’s power.

Ferry ships equipped with GE’s gas turbine-based COGES system contribute to

improving the safety and efficiency of ships by using LPG as a fuel. It is expected to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, meet the international maritime organization’s (IMO) regulatory standards, and reduce the operating costs of ferries by about 35%, which is expected to provide the economics and eco-

friendliness required in the global market.

“We are delighted to be part of this development project as LPG is becoming increasingly popular as a fuel for ships around the world,” said Brian Bolsinger, CEO of GE Aerospace Marine. “The COGES system will reduce the life cycle costs of ship owners, operators, designers and shipbuilders. “ GE’s gas turbines are already actively used in the shipbuilding industry. GE’s COGES does not require new technology to introduce the system and it needs to reconfigure and integrate the existing ship structure. GE gas turbines, including eight with the COGES system, are now on the cruise lines. GE’s gas turbines can also be deployed on other merchant vessels, including high-speed cargo ships, high-speed yachts, offshore structures, floating oil production and handling facilities, and military applications in 34 nations worldwide. Commercial vessels are able to enjoy the advantages of propulsion systems based on gas turbines.

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February 2017 •

Mike Armstrong South Texas

Texas Propane

23

The Marketing Minute

5 Tips to Help Prospective Customers Find You on the Web in 2017

Search engine optimization, also known as SEO, should be a top priority for any business as we enter the new year. Beautiful website design is one way to attract customers, but if they can’t find your website to begin with, then you’re out of luck. SEO, the most important aspect of any website, helps others find you on search engines and can really improve your online exposure.

Here are a few tips for better SEO in 2017: Revise existing content. Look through your existing content and freshen it up. Get rid of anything that your business no longer offers, and make sure you have at least 300 words per web page. Those 300 words should have at least three mentions of your focus keyword (what Internet users type into search engines).

Focus on your keywords. When you

D.L.Morrison Welding & Construction L.P. MC 330 & 331 Transport & Bobtail Testing & Inspecting MC 330 & 331 Transport & Bobtail Repair & Re-furbish Storage Installation Compressor Repair 217 Morrison Hill Lane • Gainesville,Tx. 76240 Ricky Taylor 940-727-8608 • Mason Day 940-727-1355 Fax 940-612-2055 E-mail ricky_taylor62@yahoo.com 24

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

choose the right keyword, you increase your chances of being found on search engines.

Ideally, you should have one focus keyword that is used one to six times per 300 words of content and use language your customers would use to search for you.

Create a company blog and an editorial calendar. If your website continually pushes out quality information related to your industry, your SEO will improve. Creating a blog will also build a knowledge base for your employees, and those searching for information about your industry. They’ll spend more time on your website if the information you provide is relevant and updated. Make sure you create an editorial calendar to start the year. It’s easy to start off strong with a blog, but if you don’t hold yourself accountable, you’ll quickly fall behind.

Make your website mobile-friendly. For better SEO in 2017, look no further than the phone in your pocket. “Every year people spend more and more time on their mobile devices and tablets, but many websites still aren’t designed to account for different screen sizes and load times. Mobile optimization takes a look at site design, site structure, page speed, and more to make sure you’re not inadvertently turning mobile visitors away,” Moz reports.

Analyze site structure. Your site structure is critical for SEO. If users are having a hard time navigating your website, it will reflect poorly on your page rank. Make sure that each page is no more than three clicks away from your home page. Avoid hidden menus that disappear from page to page, and always think before you set a site to open in a new window, as this often confuses users when they cannot click the back button. The key here is to make your site user friendly, so be sure to have an outsidein approach when analyzing the structure of your website — view your website as if you were a visitor for the first time.

By following these five easy steps, you may achieve better SEO in 2017!

Copyright © 2016, The Maine Edge. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission

ProCOT Corner

ProCOT Duty to Warn Program: Documentation is Paramount is more. It’s more than just educating your customers on the safe practices of fueling their homes with clean, American propane.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) Duty to Warn Safety Mailing Program. We mailed over 165,000 brochures to your Texas customers in 2016. The first step, the mailing, is complete. Now what? Well, there

Documentation is key If you do not document it, it did not happen.

If you participated in the ProCOT Duty to Warn Safety Mailing Program, you received a branded copy of the brochure in the mail at the same time your customers did. Keep that copy with your name on it. You also received (25) complimentary unbranded English and Spanish brochures as extras. The unbranded copies are yours to use as you like, but the branded copy goes in your Duty to Warn files.

By now, you also received a Duty to Warn confirmation digital package. In this package, you will find: • A postage statement with your com-

pany name.

• A notarized affidavit stating the date of your mailing.

• A tabbed mailing list in a spreadsheet (with deliverables and undeliverables).

Keep all the above mentioned from your digital confirmation package in your Duty to Warn files.

Also, the undeliverables are records in which either they were automatically omitted from the list, because the post office did not have the address in their database or were returned in the mail. Please follow up with these customers to get their corrected address and get them one of your extra brochures.

If you missed the 2016 Duty to Warn Safety Mailing, no worries, the Propane Council of Texas will be administering the program again in 2017. Watch for more information in Texas Propane magazine.

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Texas Propane

25

Say

Cheese

Jackie Mason, Propane Council of Texas; Harris Baker, Pinnacle Propane; and Brooke McWhirter, CleanFuelUSA, join Executive Director Stacy Neef of Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance, a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program, for the Central Texas region for their first board meeting of the year.

TPGA President Ben Wood, Northwest Propane, and Past Presidents: Richard Gilbert; Wes Welch, Welchgas; Hobie Sibley; and Curtis Renfrow, Gulf Coast LP Gas, serve on the Long Range Planning Committee, which met in late January to help update the TPGA Constitution and By-Laws.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN TEXAS PROPANE Magazine?

Members of the Long-Range Planning Committee, Lon Holloway, Northwest Propane, Bill Clinkscale, Henderson Oil & Propane/Propane Bottle Service, and Lynn Gray, Dixie LP Gas, meet to revamp the TPGA Constitution and By-Laws. Gray is the Chairman of the Long-Range Planning Committee, a committee made up of TPGA Past Presidents.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

For Advertising, contact: Joanne Pantaze at 512-273-2639 or by email at jpantaze@pvco.net

TPGA WINTER BOARD & RELATED COMMITTEE MEETINGS February 27

FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 1, 2017

1:00p Executive Committee (constitution & by-law review) Dinner on your own

February 28

8:30a – 10:30a 10:45a – 12: 45p 1:00p – 3:00p 3:15p – 5:15p 5:30p – 7:30p 8:00p

March 1 9:00a

Finance Committee (year end financials) Membership Committee (TBD) Convention Planning (TBD) Legislative Affairs (TBD) T&S Committee (TBD) TPGA Board Dinner – Location TBD TPGA Board Meeting (TBD)

Host Hotel

Intercontinental Stephen F Austin Hotel 701 Congress Ave ▪ Austin, TX The hotel is offering a rate of $249/night + tax for single/double occupancy. Parking and valet parking are available for a fee. Check-in is 3:00pm and check-out is 12:00pm.

Participants are responsible for reserving their own accom-modations. Use link to make your hotel reservations. Call Reservations directly at _____ and use group code ___ The cut-off to receive the discount is February 10, 2017.

We encourage participants to reserve hotel accommodations as soon as possible to secure the best availability. If you have issues making your reservation, please contact the TPGA office immediately at 800.325.7427 for resolution.

February 2017 •

Texas Propane

27

Classifieds

Thinking of selling out?

Thinking of buying a competitor?

Thinking of opening a new location?

PetroStar Equipment Resources Purchase & Sale Pre-Owned Propane Tanks 5,000 gallons to 120,000 gallons FOR SALE (2) 60,000 gallons, 250 psi, Riley Beaird (2) 30,000 gallon, 250 psi, Miss Tank Contact: Jim Oliver (936) 755-6108 petrostar@pdq.net

We have the resources and experience to make your thoughts a reality.

817-615-8393 • 800-267-9311 • www.alamocorporategroup.com For Sale 2 Bobtail trucks. Both equipped with a 2400 gallon LPG tank, plumbing, meter, hose, and hose reel.

Ford ’94 F700 Series truck.

International ’85 S1900 Series truck.

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RAILROAD COMMISSION APPROVED TRAINING 1.1 Introduction to Propane 2.1 Dispenser Operations— DOT/ASME Refueling 2.3 Bobtail Operations and Delivery Your place or mine.Call for pricing.

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Showcase model $125,000.

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For Sale 3 – 6,000 Gallon Tanks, 250 WP. In Use. Call: 936-676-9983 lyonslpgas@consolidated.net

Prent@longhornpropane.com or Latisha@longhornpropane.com, 830-964-2525

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Calendar February

9 PERC Council Meeting Dallas, TX 9 LPG Charity Fund Texas Hold’em Tournament Houston, TX 15 NPGA Scholarship Deadline 16 TPGA Scholarship Applications Open

Index to Advertisers 27-Mar 1 TPGA Board Meeting & Committee Meetings Austin, TX

American Standard Mfg. 25

March

Cunningham Gas Products 11

6-10 Texas A&M University’s Engineering Extension 40 hr. Propane Emergencies Course College Station, TX 8 PERC Facebook Business Webinar

Bergquist 14 BLT Tanks 19

D. L. Morrison Welding 24 Enterprise Products 18 Gas Equipment Company 23 Insurors of Texas 18 Lone Star Energy Group 13 Longhorn Propane 28 Lumbermen’s Insurance Agency 21 Marshall Young Insurance 17 Meeder Equipment Co. 15 Metsa Inc. 5 Pinnacle Propane Inside Front Cover White River Distributors 11

The fUeL Manager Comprehensive Computer Software for the Small to Medium Range Propane Dealer • A/R Billing • Management Reports • Inventory • Also Available: Accounts Payable, Payroll, General Ledger, C-Store • Customized Programming • Can Convert your Records to Run on our System • Tank Control Texas Owned and Operated • 888/FUEL-MGR • Routing C&P Associates, P.O. Box 6984 • Bryan, Texas 77805

COMING Next Issue National Media Campaign Spring Launch February 2017 •

Texas Propane

29

Propane With Purpose

Railway, Railroad Switch Heaters

Railway line switches are crucial mechanisms that guide trains between tracks. They are vulnerable to snow and ice, which can jam up the works and bring the railroad to a halt. Railway line switch heaters can be devices that use heated air to warm the area between moving and fixed components, or can use direct flame the generates uniform heat over the entire length of the switch. The heaters operate on LPG/propane and they provide controlled heat for any snow condition at low cost. The optional heat retaining shields increase efficiency in areas of high winds and/or very cold temperature.

Propane is usually stored in multiple cylinders or in small tanks. In some cases, particularly in yards located in major metropolitan areas, the switch heaters may be supplied via buried fixed piping in a local area grid. A typical switch heater arrangement installed in the rail operating environment usually consists of a propane tank, a feed line to the heater and the heater assembly with an automatic ignition system.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Switch heaters using a direct flame apply heat where needed most, regardless of weather or humidity and they confine the open flames with no chance of damage to rails, ties, track equipment or insulation. Snow sensing systems installed on the devices automatically start heaters as soon as the snow falls. The heaters can also be manually controlled by dispatchers at a central control point. These heaters are also built to last with minimum maintenance in the toughest weather or heavy traffic.

BE SAFE. BE PREPARED.

BE PROFITABLE. DOWNLOAD SAFETY AND MARKETING MATERIALS TODAY. PROPANECOUNCIL.ORG

CHOOSE FROM THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF INDUSTRY MATERIALS. The Propane Education & Research Council has developed a variety of best-in-class safety, training, and market-development materials to help make your business shine. Discover new ways to grow gallons in no time.

Get started at propanecouncil.org.

TEXAS PROPANE GAS ASSOCIATION PROPANE EXPO & CONFERENCE August 4 -6, 2017

OF

WAVES OPPORTUNITY

Strengthen your connections at the 2017 TPGA Propane Expo & Conference