Annual Dinner 

I’m very pleased to announce that for the first time ever, instead of just providing a gift to everyone who attended our recent Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony, we asked our guests to check off a charity they would like the Chamber to contribute to. And as a result, we will be sending out checks to Responsible Pet Care, Christmas for Kids and Food Pantries of the Oxford Hills. Finally, we couldn’t have done it without the sponsorship of Maine Machine Products. Thanks so much.

BOM

And speaking of donations, every month the Chamber names a business from our membership as The Business of the Month. I’m thrilled to announce that our Business of the Month for April is Paris Farmers Union. This is an iconic business that is synonymous with the Oxford Hills, and you may have noticed that the front of the building just got a very nice “Facelift.” Every time we name a Business of the Month, the Chamber writes a check to a local charity on behalf of the business.

Legislative 

We continue to watch the frenetic activity in Augusta, including a bill that has passed both the House and Senate and would raise the minimum teacher salaries across the state; bills that would assist students who have incurred debt through loans; and bills that would give electricity customers more information. The legislature is looking at a study to determine what, if any, impact the CMP corridor project would have on the climate.

Finally, the Judiciary Committee has defeated a bill (LD1423) that would have required companies that receive business equipment tax exemptions or participate in tax increment financing to report charitable donations to the Secretary of State. The bill also attacked the corporate governance structure that governs how corporations, (both nonprofit and for–profit) and their directors do business internally and their fiduciary responsibilities to their shareholders. The Maine State Chamber testified in opposition to this bill; if you have any questions, call Linda Caprara at the state Chamber at 623-4568, Extension 106.

A quick reminder that we have another great workshop lined up, through the Central Maine Human Resources Association and Skelton, Tainter & Abbott law firm, on Wednesday June 12, at the Oxford Casino Hotel & Event Center, on Worker’s Comp. Our previous workshop on “Family Medical Leave” was attended by more than 30 businesses, so don’t miss it. You can register by calling the Chamber at 743-2281 or go online at www.oxfordhillschamber.com.

See you next week.

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