September 2016 Chamber Newsletter

Chamber Communicator

A publication of the Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce

SEPTEMBER 2016

TIME
CHANGE

Feds issue new overtime
rules for businesses.

employees has gone up, from $100,000 to the increase in wages.

TBy Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball $134,004. Employers generally have three choices
he Department of Labor released the
final rule regarding new regulations * Automatic updates to these thresholds for affected employees. They can reclassify
for the White Collar Exemption
which increases the salary level will be made every three years, beginning current exempt employees, who are paid at
required for exempt status.
January 1, 2020. The Department will a rate less than the new threshold, to non-
The new salary threshold means that
employers must re-evaluate their exempt post new salary levels 150 days in ad- exempt and pay time and one-half their
workforce. Many employees may not
qualify for exempt status at their current vance of the effective date beginning Au- regular hourly rate for all hours worked
pay rate. The Department of Labor esti-
mates that 4.2 million additional workers gust 1, 2019. over 40 hours per week. They can limit
may now qualify for overtime.
Employers must comply with these new * The Final worker's hours
regulations by Dec. 1, 2016.
“Rule is not Employers must comply to 40 hours per
Here are some key provisions of the week or they
final rule... changing any
of the existing can increase
* The new salary threshold for exempt job duty re- with these new regulations exempt employ-
status increases from $455 per week to
$913 per week ($47,476 annual). quirements to by December 1, 2016. ees' salaries
qualify for
* Non-exempt overtime pay rate is time above the
and one-half the regular hourly rate.
exemption. - Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball $47,476 thresh-
* The threshold for highly compensated According old to maintain

to the United exempt status.

States Department of Labor's Overtime For more information, check out the

for White Collar Workers Overview and Department of Labor's Overview and

Summary of Final Rule, these new regu- Summary of Final Rule and Fact Sheet at

lations aim to strengthen the middle class, www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/overtime-

which is first done by securing better sal- overview.pdf.

aries and overtime protections. Compa- If you have any questions, please con-

nies should act now to begin to plan for sult your tax professional.

BUSINESS Attending a Business After Five event is a great way to network. The
events are hosted by Chamber members, but they are open to the pub-
5AFTER lic. Thank you to the American Legion for hosting BAF in August.
Up next… Nex-Tech Wireless on September 29.

TheAmericanLegion hosted theBusinessAfter Five eventin August. Attendees enjoyeddrinksandhorsd’oeuvresat the event. UpcomingBAF events include Nex-Tech Wire-
less on Sept. 29 and Farm Credit of Western Kansas on Nov. 10. The October date and location is open. If your business would like to host our October BAF, please call the
Chamber office at (785) 460-3401.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF

PRESIDENT: Dr. Sam Funk, Funk Optometry Jeremy Quint, Farmers & Merchants Bank Tamara Clymer, Executive Director
PRES-ELECT: Michelle Ryan, ABBB Lottie McLemore, Administrative Assistant
PAST-PRESIDENT: Jim McLaughlin, Strutt Insurance Martha Brewer, Chance Management
Julie Sadler, CVB Executive Director
Dr. Tina Harris, Tina Harris Physical Therapy Melinda Cheney, Uptown Style Salon & Day Spa Vernon Hurd, Director, Thomas Co. Econ Development
Cade Carter, State Farm Insurance Brette Hankin, S&T Communications

Ken McCarty, McCarty Family Farms
Preston Krzycki, Taco Johns

MISSION STATEMENT: The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce, Inc., promotes Thomas County as an excellent place to live, work, shop and visit.

2 Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER NEWS

CHRISTMAS LIGHT PARADE KANSAS HOSPITALITY

The theme is all set. Now it’s up to you. How will your The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
float reflect this year’s theme - Colby Cowboy Christ- has a new education program to help improve guest expe-
mas? The light parade is on December 4th, and it starts riences. The Kansas At Your Service Program is a web-
at 5:45. American Legion will be hosting a soup supper based customer service certification training program. It
to benefit Santa City. Sunflower Bank will be serving is offered at no charge and can be taken by anyone wish-
free Hot dogs one half hour before the parade. College ing to improve customer service skills. For more infor-
Drive Assembly of God Church will be providing Hot mation visit TravelKS.com
Chocolate at several locations.
CONGRATULATIONS CCC!
FALL WORKSHOP SERIES
Colby Community College is now ranked 11th out of
Fort Hays State University’s Management Development 565 Community Colleges nationwide in the Best Com-
Center (MDC) is offering four classes this fall designed to munity Colleges of 2016 study by Smartasset, a finan-
help small businesses grow. cial advising company. To determine the best college
investments, four metrics are used: student to faculty
The classes include: Uncovering the Truth: Interview ratio, graduation and transfer rate, cost of in and out of
and Investigation Techniques (Oct. 11), Understand- state tuition, and the ratio of graduates’ median start-
ing a Basic Database: Intro to Microsoft Access (Oct ing salaries to the full cost of attendance.
26), and Absence Management: The Balance Act - Ad-
dress the Issues and Stay Legally Compliant (Nov. 15). If you would prefer to receive your copy of the Cham-
ber Communicator by email, just let us know. Contact
The MDC has agreed to allow Colby/Thomas County Tamara at [email protected]. cham-
Chamber of Commerce members to receive a 15% discount ber Communicator by email, just let us know. Contact
on the workshops... just enter the code 6298ztk at registration. Tamara at [email protected].
To register visit fhsu.edu/mdc. For more information contact
Conni Dreher at (785) 628-4121.

RIBBON
CUTTING

Colby Community College President, 3
Seth Carter and hisdaughter, Caysen cut
the ribbonon August12 to officially open
the north section of the newly-remodeled
Living Center North residence hall at the
college. Carter also presented a Hanson
Foundation representative with a plaque
to commemorate the grant the founda-
tion provided to help update the student
living facility.

August 2016 Chamber Communicator

A representative from Chi Alpha Campus Ministries meets with a Colby Community College student at the Welcome Back Block Party on August 16.

Colby and Thomas County businesses welcome
Colby Community College students to town.

4 Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce

August 2016 Chamber Communicator Colby CVB
Celebration Community Church

Citizens Medical Center Inc.
Colby Rotary Club

First Presbyterian Church
Farm & Ranch Realty

First Baptist Church, Colby
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Kansas Quick Lube
Kids Port

Thomas County Coalition
LDS Institute of Religion

Maurices
Mingo Bible Church
Nex-Tech Wireless
Pioneer Memorial Library
Prairie Museum of Art & History
S&T Communications
Sam R. Funk, O.D.
State Farm Insurance

Sunflower Bank
The Movement Connection
Tina Harris Physical Therapy

Trinity Lutheran Church
Tri-State Praise KGCR Radio

Uptown Style
Vanderbilt’s of Colby

5

Fall brings concerts, air show and food

September’s quote: Don’t call it a Truck Convoy to benefit Special Olym-

Dream, call it a plan. pics. It will start in Colby at 5 p.m. at the

Fall is on the way, kids are in school Oasis Travel Center. They will have sup-

and the sports calendar just got a lot bus- per, entertainment, a light parade thru

ier. Be sure and check the school calen- Colby and end with an Ice Cream Social

dar for all the different sports, times and and fireworks.

locations. On the Sept. 17

“We enjoyed wel- ...kids are in school and we have two
events, The Big
coming all the col-

lege students back at the sports calendar just Barn Bash BBQ
the CCC Block Party got a lot busier...” and Dance at the
on August 16. A Prairie Museum

good time was had - Julie Sadler, CVB Director to benefit up-
by all and four lucky keep and new

students won gift projects. Also

certificates from the college bookstore. that night is the Friends of NRA banquet

We know how busy September can be and auction to benefit and support shoot- Julie Saddler
CVB Executive Director
with the school year starting but mark ing sports.
LOOKING
your calendar for some upcoming events. On Sept. 30 we have the Kansas Avia- FORWARD
September 3rd is the American legion tion Fly in at the airport, sharing Avia-

“Cruise to the Past” with Drag Main tion Information with the kids as well as

Night and a dance. adults.

On Sept. 10 is the Northwest Kansas Happy Labor Day to All!

6 Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce

The inspiration for entrepreneurship, continued

I recently came across this article All of these attributes were embodied Vernon Hurd, Exec. Director,
about entrepreneurial inspiration by by the late Mary Kay Ash, founder of Thomas Co. Econ. Dev. Alliance
Sarah Pierce who was kind enough Mary Kay Cosmetics, a company that
to allow me to share it with you. We has helped more than half a million young housewife with no business
started off last month by talking women fulfill their dreams of owning a experience, but what she did have
about passion and positivity. This business. was a great chocolate chip cookie
month Sarah continues with adapta- recipe and a dream to share it with
bility, leadership and ambition. Ash's story began as a single the world.
mother, working in sales for a home
Adaptability - Having the ability to products company. Despite being Fields opened her first Mrs. Field's
adapt is one of the greatest strengths an one of the top sales directors for 25 store in 1977, despite being told she
entrepreneur can have. Business own- years, Ash was repeatedly refused was crazy to believe a business
ers must be willing to improve, refine the promotions and pay raises her could survive solely on selling cook-
and customize their services to give male co-workers received. Fed up, ies. Fields' headstrong determination
customers what they want. and ambition helped her grow her
Ash started Mary Kay Inc. in 1963 little cookie store into a $450 million
Google founders Sergey Brin and with $5,000. company with more than 600 loca-
Larry Page took this concept a step tions in the U.S. and 10 foreign na-
further by not just reacting to Ash was best known for being a pow- tions.
change, but leading the way. Google erful motivator and inspirational leader,
continually leads the internet with creating a company with a "You can do
innovative ideas that allow people to it!" attitude. Her sometimes over-the-
see and do things in ways they top incentives included the famous
couldn't before. Its no wonder pink Cadillacs she would give top sales
Google is one of the most powerful directors. Thanks to her powerful lead-
companies on the web. ership skills, Ash has been named one
of the 25 most influential business
Leadership - A good leader is some- leaders in the last 35 years, and her
one with charisma, a sense of ethics company has been recognized as one
and a desire to build integrity within an of the best companies to work for in
organization--someone who's enthusi- America.
astic, team oriented and a great teacher.
Ambition - At age 20, Debbi
Fields didn't have much. She was a

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
TOTAL DOLLAR TAXABLE SALES

SELECTED WESTERN KANSAS COUNTIES

County Month of Month of Per-cent Fiscal Year 2015 Fiscal Year 2016 Per-cent
THOMAS May2015 May2016 Change (July 14– May2015) (July 15-May 2016) Change
0.3%
Ellis 2015 2016 1.8% $10,127,842.85 $10,154,225.79 -5.0%
Finney $907,992.19 $924,417.60 -1.2% $37,100,105.05 $35,252,915.81 4.1%
$3,249,689.39 $3,211,392.39 5.1% $41,118,155.30 $42,796,559.82
Ford $3,669,395.08 $3,856,476.82 -0.1%
Logan 10.1% $29,248,161.06 $29,229,287.00 -8.3%
$2,476,750.73 $2,725,763.94 -14.6% $2,637,675.64 $2,418,194.58
Rawlins $206,563.93 $176,428.68 -21.8%
-16.7% $1,741,906.49 $1,362,760.14
Sheridan $136,302.10 $113,479.70 1.3%
Sherman 0.9% $1,762,016.35 $1,784,572.90 2.9%
$152,694.51 $154,047.31 4.1% $6,087,674.63 $6,261,728.35
$554,649.28 $577,535.24 5.9%

Statewide $211,854,513.94 $223,100,979.25 5.3% $2,338,910,664.40 $2,477,356,406.07 7
August 2016 Chamber Communicator

STD A COLBY/THOMAS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
U.S. POSTAGE
350 S. RANGE
PAID COLBY KS 67701
COLBY, KANSAS (785) 460-3401
[email protected]
67701 OasisOnThePlains.com
PERMIT NO. 76
Return Service Requested

September 2016

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

BAF - Business After Five 6 1 2 3
CVB - Convention & Visitors Bureau
LTC - Leadership Thomas County 78 9 10
RC - Ribbon Cutting

45

Ambassadors

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Diplomats Chamber Board Mtg.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

CVB Board Mtg. 4 p.m. - Flu Clinic,
Thomas County Fair-
grounds 4-H Building

25 26 27 28 29 30

Colby Promotion BAF - Nex-Tech Wireless

THE ENCLOSED FLYERS ARE NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE COLBY/THOMASCOUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THEY ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS BY CHAMBER MEMBERS.