0 Comments
Champaign County employers and job seekers will have an easier experience posting and finding local jobs, thanks to a new Champaign County-exclusive job site, Community JobConnect.
In addition to simplifying local job posting and searching, the free-to-use site will help inform local schools and students about the range of local career opportunities – so students will be able to prepare for life after graduation. By connecting local employers, job seekers, schools and students, Community JobConnect will strengthen Champaign County’s economic development efforts, says Marcia Bailey, director of the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP). “Community JobConnect further emphasizes our message that Champaign County is open for business,” she said. She added that the job site is the product of efforts by local organizations – the CEP Board of Directors, the Champaign County Manufacturers Human Resources Council, local schools and other partners – to coordinate economic development and workforce development initiatives. “Community JobConnect makes the connection between economic and workforce development. Businesses choose to establish or expand in communities that have the available workforce to help them succeed and grow,” she said. “Community JobConnect is a clear sign that Champaign County is ready to help businesses find the employees they need.” Set to launch March 18th, Community JobConnect will be featured on the home page of the CEP website, CEPOhio.com. While Community JobConnect is for all types of businesses and jobs, the site was created in answer to concerns expressed in meetings of human resources managers and executives of Champaign County manufacturing companies. How Community JobConnect was Created “One of the chief concerns shared at these meetings is how to attract and retain local talent for manufacturing jobs, which are often difficult to fill,” explained Jill O’Neal, human resources manager at WEIDMANN Electrical Technology, Inc. in Urbana. O’Neal approached Ashlie Starkey, human resources information systems (HRIS) and compliance manager at WEIDMANN, about the need for a local job site. Starkey told her, “I think we can make this on our own,” and began developing Community JobConnect. Starkey and O’Neal created the site on their own time, which they donated. How to Use Community JobConnect Employers and job seekers can set up free accounts on Community JobConnect to access all the site’s interactive features, Bailey said. Employers can: Set up a profile for their business with logo Post part- and full-time job listings and descriptions Post internships, summer jobs and job shadowing opportunities to help students prepare for the workforce in Champaign County – and stay in Champaign County after graduation. Accept applications and resumes from registered job seekers who reply to job listings Search the job site database for uploaded resumes that match their needs Job seekers can: Set up a profile Search the site for jobs that meet their interests and qualifications Sign up to receive notifications of new jobs that meet their criteria Apply online for jobs posted on the site Upload their resume to submit with online applications Use Community JobConnect’s resume creation tool if they don’t already have a resume Bailey said that Community JobConnect will make finding local jobs much easier, as it will include only Champaign County job listings. “This gives job seekers immediate access to jobs available in our local community.” Jobs posted on Community JobConnect will also appear on the Community JobConnect Facebook page and on the site’s Twitter account, @CommunityJobCon. The CEP will host public meetings over the next few weeks to train employers and job seekers on how to use this new community job board. For more information, contact [email protected] or call the CEP office at (937) 653-7200. By Katherine Collins - Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
A $1.3 million project to upgrade a stretch of road on one of the major arteries in Champaign County should improve safety for pedestrians and prevent flooding, Urbana city leaders said. A contractor has been chosen to fill in sidewalk gaps, add streetlights, a crosswalk, storm drains, gutters and curbs on U.S. 36 East between Berwick Drive and South Dugan Road. The project will be funded with grant money from state and federal agencies, Urbana City Engineer Tyler Bumbalough said, as well as matching funds from the city and Urbana Twp. The road is the main east-west highway in Champaign County and gets a lot of commercial traffic, he said, with at least 10,000 cars passing through each day. “The speed limits are 35 out there and it is quick and it’s busy,” Bumbalough said. The stretch of road to be addressed has both the Champaign Family YMCA and Champaign County Public Library, he said — two locations people often want to walk to. Dirt trails have been worn along the road where people have frequently walked. “Pedestrians, I do see them crossing once in a while and they’re risking their lives doing so,” Bumbalough said. “We want to make it more walkable and safer for them.” The YMCA has taken safety precautions because of the lack of sidewalks, Champaign Family YMCA CEO Paul Waldsmith said. “We don’t have children enrolled in programs walking out onto 36 at this point in time,” he said. [Read the full article at SpringfieldNewsSun.com] ![]() By Joshua Keeran - Urbana Daily Citizen The Urbana Planning Commission on Monday granted final site plan approval for construction of a 355,319-square-foot warehousing facility in the Urbana Industrial Park on the city’s south side. Limited construction at the Phoenix Drive site began earlier this month after Planning Commission members approved Damewood Enterprises Limited’s preliminary site plan in January. While Damewood Enterprises will own the facility, it will be leased to Navistar to be used as a distribution center. Monday’s final site plan approval is contingent on Damewood Enterprises and Dublin Building Systems – the project’s building contractor – addressing the few remaining comments the city’s Technical Review Committee asked be revisited and incorporated into the final site plan drawings. [Read the full article on UrbanaCitizen.com] ![]() by Casey S. Elliott | Urbana Daily Citizen The 2017 Farmer of the Year is Ed Funderburgh. Funderburgh received the award alongside his family and wife, Terri, on Monday at the annual Urbana Rotary Rural Urban Night. The event was originally designed by the Urbana Rotary Club to foster understanding between farmers and city residents. The Farmer of the Year award began in 1972 to represent the entire farming community, Judge Roger Wilson said. “I’m very humbled to be here,” Funderburgh said while accepting the award. “We (farmers) provide food, and it’s a business, but at the same time, you know you are providing the livelihood for a lot of people. It’s good to know it’s appreciated. It’s enjoyable to do.” Wilson presented the award and background information on Funderburgh at the event. [Read the full article on UrbanaCitizen.com] ![]() The Board of Directors for the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau wishes to announce the selection of Lydia Hess as the new Executive Director, due to the recent resignation of Sandi Arnold after her 5 years of service in the position. Lydia was born and raised outside of St. Paris, Ohio and she has been with the chamber since May 2014. She understands the dynamics of our community, the strong bonds between families and neighbors, and the deeply instilled values that make Champaign County a great place to live, work and play. She has a deep commitment to our local communities. Lydia has held a variety of positions that have helped to develop her management style, organizational and project management skills. Over the years, Lydia has continued to build lasting relationships with community members, leaders and elected officials while building on the diversity of our community. The board has great confidence for Lydia continuing the positive business trends that have developed for Champaign County over the last 5 years, as a community let us continue this confidence. Additionally, we would encourage the local community to visit the Chamber’s new website, it has been updated to promote our locally owned businesses and tourism. Lydia has been instrumental in partnering with locally owned Berry Digital Solutions, LLC to help develop the content for the New Champaign County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Website www.champaignohio.com. Berry Digital Solutions, LLC focuses on building websites, social media management and digital advertising for local businesses. They currently service about 50 local small businesses across Champaign, Logan and Union Counties. Some of Berry digital’s other local successes include website development for CEPOhio.com, GloriaTheatre.com, and MyWestLiberty.com just to name a few. This year’s Chamber of Commerce Dinner scheduled for April 28. Our dinner this year will be a great time to congratulate Lydia, network, and view our new website created by Berry Digital. Owners of Berry Digital Solutions LLC, will be available to demo the website and provide education to local business on how they can better use the Chambers resource to grow their business. Lastly, if you are not a member of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, we would encourage you to take a look and consider joining. There are many exciting things happening locally that can help us all to build a stronger community. Please stop by the Chamber and join us in congratulating Lydia in her new role. By Jeff Kelley, WPKO/WBLL Radio (Bellefontaine, Ohio) The Champaign Economic Partnership has now been through its first full year. Several proposed building projects are set to bring additional jobs to Champaign County. Construction of a new 30,000 square foot Memorial Health Medical Building next to Wal-Mart on Urbana’s east side is on the horizon, and a proposed new Navistar Warehouse, with construction of an over 355,000 square foot facility at 915 Phoenix Drive just off State Route 55 near Damewood Enterprises. The Memorial Health of Union County/Hplex project will be construction of an outpatient facility, an approximately $9 million investment, adding 12 new employees ($1.4M) while retaining the current 16 employees ($1.16M) with a total payroll of $2.56 million. The Navistar/Damewood project will be new construction of a warehouse, around a $28 million investment, adding 13 new employees ($572,000), with 27 employees ($1.26M) being transferred here from Xenia, and retention of 114 employees ($4.95M) with a total payroll of nearly $6.8 million. Marcia Bailey is the CEP’s Economic Development Director. She said the CEP is the sole economic development agency for Champaign County. They bring together private businesses and local government to strengthen the local economy and quality of life for Champaign County residents.
![]() The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) recently provided local government officials a free workshop, Tools for Successful Economic Development, about the variety of tax incentives available in Ohio to promote business development. Chris Schmenk, of counsel for Bricker and Eckler, LLP, and former director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, led the training at the Urbana office of Pioneer Electric Cooperative. City, village, township, county and school district officials attended. The economic development tools covered provide temporary tax exemptions in return for investing in business creation or expansion and retaining or creating jobs. CEP Director Marcia Bailey explained, “Tax incentives vary, but they typically exempt a portion of taxes on business improvements for a specific time, after which the business pays the full amount of the tax to support local government services and infrastructure. Tax incentives are designed to encourage business and job growth, which benefits Champaign County and local citizens.” Schmenk covered the following economic development tools: –Enterprise Zones (EZ), areas designated by municipalities and counties, in which businesses can be offered exemptions on real and personal property taxes for establishing, expanding, renovating or occupying a facility and creating or retaining jobs. –Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA), also established by municipalities and counties, in which real estate tax abatements may be offered for revitalizing existing business or residential properties or developing new structures. –Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts, which can be established by municipalities, counties and townships. Property owners may make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) that go into a TIF fund that finances public and infrastructure improvements. –Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDD), special purpose districts created through a contract between a municipality and township to promote economic development and employment opportunities. JEDDs enable a district-wide income tax and provision of municipal services to unincorporated areas without annexation. –Downtown Redevelopment Districts, a new economic development tool for municipalities to promote redevelopment of designated areas that must include at least one historic building. These may include property tax exemptions related to redevelopment. ![]() The law firm of Wagner, Maurice & Davidson Co., LPA announces that Attorney Dana M. Zook has been made partner of the firm. Zook joined the firm as an associate in 2015. Zook earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s of Science degree in molecular biology from Bowling Green State University. After the completion of the Master’s program at Bowling Green, Zook received his Juris Doctor degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law where he was the Vice President of the Federalist Society and the Staff Editor of the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. During his time in law school, Zook also worked in Intellectual Property with the Ohio State University Technology Communication Office. His work focused on patents for pharmaceutical, agricultural and biochemical Technologies. Zook served an internship with the Glimcher Realty Trust of Columbus, now known as W.P. Glimcher, working in the areas of real estate and commercial transactions. Upon graduation from law school and admission to the Ohio State Bar, he was employed as a government contracts compliance attorney by Materion Brush Inc., a Toledo area defense contractor, and manufacturer of advanced aerospace components. Zook is a licensed Title Insurance Agent and is President of the Advocate Title Agency, Inc., the firm’s title company. Zook is a member of the Champaign County Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and is a Board member of the Champaign Economic Partnership. Information provided by Wagner, Maurice & Davidson Co., L.P.A |
Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
|