Not all state cleanup programs are created equal, and the voluntary remediation program in Virginia is no different.
While other states employ programs that generate cleanup allocation funds with solvent taxes and annual membership fees, Virginia cleaners are taking a different approach.
On July 1, 1997, the General Assembly of Virginia passed House Bill 2141, which made it possible for environmental restoration sites to be exempt from administrative or civil penalties provided that they intentionally disclose any environmental statute violations. The law applies to all business in Virginia, not just drycleaners.
When a business voluntarily cleans up its own contamination, the DEQ issues a "certification of satisfactory completion of remediation," which provides assurance that the clean-up site will be excluded from DEQ enforcement action unless new issues are discovered.
The process entails several steps. First, those who wish to participate in the Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) must submit a "Request for Eligibility Determination" which consists of a letter stating the applicant's desire to participate in the program and why the site is eligible.
When eligibility is determined, the participant pays a registration fee (one percent of the total estimated remediation cost or $5,000 -- whichever is less) and is enrolled into the program.
Next, the participant submits a voluntary remediation report that includes a site characterization report, a remedial action work plan, documentation of public notice and a demonstration of completion.
After remediation goals in the VRP have been established and carried out, the DEQ determines whether the participant satisfactorily completed the objectives of the plan. If so, then a DEQ official issues a certificate and the VRP process is complete.
The VRP program offers many advantages. Since the program is not industry specific, any voluntary-based legislation affects all industries and does not single out drycleaners. For that matter, a voluntary program does not pit cleaning organizations against each other, as well.
Because many different types of contamination are considered, the program offers a more comprehensive approach that considers several factors, such as what kind of contamination exists, how much is there, and where is it located. By evaluating these aspects, a specific and logical clean-up approach can be determined.
As far as economic factors go, most voluntary remediations already conducted have cost cleaners approximately $35,000. That financial figure is all-inclusive, unlike many state programs that will be charging annual fees, solvent taxes and deductible payments for an indefinite amount of time.
In a recent press release, the MidAtlantic Association of Cleaners made some favorable comments on the program: "Voluntary assessment and voluntary remediation may not be the perfect solution in every circumstance, but, we think in Virginia it sure beats every alternative we have heard and read about everywhere else."
For more information on the Voluntary Remediation Program, go to Virginia's DEQ web site at www.deq.state.va.us/vrp or contact Kevin Greene at (804) 698-4236.
MAC also encourages its members to contact the association at (800) 235-8360 for information.
Due to the success of the Mid-America Fabricare Association's Kansas City ninth annual convention in Kansas City last August, International Fabricare Institute speaker Fran Sadler and marketing expert Pamela Yellen will both return to speak for the association at its seminar slated to take place on Feb. 3, 2001, in St. Louis, MO.
Yellen, who is CEO of the Prospecting and Marketing Institute, Inc., is a regular contributor to industry publications and an advertising expert. She is also the author of the "101 Marketing Secrets for Dry Cleaners."
Her marketing presentation is designed to help attendees increase the amount of money they take home from their business.
Some of the strategies she will reveal include: how to attract loyal customers who care about quality and are willing to pay for it; the secret for screening out pure cheap-price "mooches" and attract better customers; how to attract "big tunas" for $6 to $7 a piece; the ten words to add to any and every ad, Val-Pak mailer, flyer, etc., that will increase customer response by as much as 900%; how to keep your customers coming back rather than looking for other cleaners with a cheaper price; and how to stop wasting money on ads and quits being the pray of advertising representatives.
In addition to presenting for MAFA, Yellen will be giving another presentation at the Minnesota Cleaners Association's 2001 conference, which will take place from Feb. 23-25 at Mystic Lake, MN.
For more information on MCA's 2001 conference, contact the association at (651) 290-6267.
Joining Yellen at the MAFA convention will be IFI speaker Fran Sadler, who is a wedding gown expert in addition to being an IFI instructor.
Sadler will bring her experience in all areas of drycleaning to her "Problem Garment Fashion Show," which will focus on new and difficult garments that cleaners will be facing in the coming months.
For more information on MAFA's Feb. 3 show in St. Louis, contact the association at (314) 843-3458.
Every year, the International Fabricare Institute's Board of Directors needs to replace two departing members who represent a different area of the country.
In June of 2001, Lang Houston will be leaving his position in IFI District 3, which represents Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, in order to become the association's next president. Current IFI President Bob Shirley will move to Chairman of the Board.
Houston, who owns Crest Cleaners in Cocoa, FL, is currently acting as president-elect.
Additionally, IFI District 4 Director Debbie Barnett will be leaving her post, which represents Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan.
In order to fill those positions, IFI is undergoing a nomination process that began in October and will run until Feb. 15. Anyone who wishes to run for a district position or nominate a candidate must contact the district's nominating committee in that time frame. Lang Houston of District 3 can be contacted at (321) 632-1007 in Cocoa, FL, and Debbie Barnett of District 4 can be contacted at (317) 353-1286 in Indianapolis, IN.
As specified in the association's by-laws, a nominating committee is made up of the outgoing IFI director and the presidents of each state or regional association within that district.
The nominating committees will have until Feb. 15 to submit the name of at least one candidate per district.
Once the candidates are established, an election process will begin. Ballots will be mailed on March 25 to all IFI members in good standing in the states that are seeking new Board representation. Members must return the ballots postmarked no later than April 15.
The Michigan Institute of Laundering and Drycleaning, Inc. will be holding its 2001 Mid-Winter Conference on the island of Aruba this year.
The event, which will take place from January 21-28 at the Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort and Casino, is an opportunity for MILD members to mix business with pleasure.
A MILD board meeting is scheduled and all guests are invited to attend.
In addition to staying at a luxurious resort that boasts an ocean view, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a 12,500 square foot "Casablanca Casino" that houses 16 black jack tables, two craps tables, two baccarat tables, five roulette tables and four Caribbean stud tables. The Moroccan-style facility also has over 220 slot machines.
The MILD group price is $1,250, which includes airfare, hotel, hotel taxes and transfers. Guests can also purchase a $2,000 all-inclusive plan which includes all meals and domestic drinks, as well as airfare, hotel, hotel taxes and transfer costs.
Travel insurance is also available for the trip at the cost of $27 per person.
For more information on MILD's 2001 Mid-Winter Conference, contact the association at (517) 337-2909.
Though Bill Seitz recently passed along his duties as executive director of the Neighborhood Cleaners Association to Nora Nealis, he still plans to offer his services to the drycleaning industry in 2001.
After dedicating over 51 years of service to NCA, he recently assumed a new title of Executive Director Emeritus for the organization at its board meeting at the Marriott Hotel located at La Guardia Airport in New York City. It was Seitz who recommended that Nealis be approved by NCA-I's Board of Directors for the position of executive director.
Seitz, who first began working in the industry back in 1943, plans to stay busy next year by teaching spotting on location at various drycleaning plants. He will offer his services for counter training, business appraisals, and business consultations on operational controls, incentives and production.
He also is willing to share his years of experience on the speaker circuit, where he will offer up his view on where he believes the industry is going, as well as other topics such as alternative solvents and delivery routes.
Seitz will continue to offer his services as an instructor for NCA's school, the New York School of Drycleaning, as well as teaching classes on the road for the organization.
To contact Bill Seitz directly, call NCA at (212) 967-3002, ext. 231.
The Neighborhood Cleaners Association is gearing up for its third consecutive Albany Day, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 6 of next year.
Albany Day is a designated annual opportunity for New York drycleaners to join together in order to give the concerns of the industry a formidable voice.
This year's agenda from NCA will focus on issues that could greatly affect the future of the industry.
Some of the items on the list include: statewide financial assistance money for cleaners in New York; an extension of the third generation upgrade deadline; a paperwork reduction under Part 232 of the Department of Environmental Conservation's compliance requirements; the Johnson/Klein Lemon law bill for fourth generation drycleaning machines; and a proposed bill to ban perc in certain facilities (the "Brodsky Bill").
The program is scheduled to begin with a 9:15 a.m. meeting in Albany where all participating members will be informed of the day's agenda. Cleaners will then go to the pre-arranged meetings with New York State Assembly members and senators until approximately 4:15 p.m.
Transportation buses will be scheduled to depart from Manhattan and Long Island to Albany at 6 a.m.
In the meantime, NCA field representatives will be visiting with various New York cleaners to inform them in greater detail of the Albany Day agenda and explain how the meetings will be scheduled and what the issues of the day are.
For more information or to secure a reservation, contact Vincent Beazer at NCA at (212) 967-2002, ext. 224.
Details can also be found on NCA's newly-retooled web site at www.nca-i.com.
The South Eastern Fabricare Association's Member to Member (M2M) program has already been launched, but a few more volunteers are needed in order to cover all of the participating areas.
Three mentors are needed on the east side or central part of Florida. Additionally, two mentors for the states of Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia, are also being sought.
In all, the program will utilize 12 volunteers who will be trained by Everett Childers, the executive director of SEFA, in all aspects of proper plant procedure and in-plant consulting.
All prospective volunteers that are accepted into the program will undergo an intensive two-day training session that will cover a variety of technical points necessary to the consultation process.
It is important to note that mentors from a potentially competitive area will not be allowed to work with a cleaner from the same area.
Once trained, these mentors will be available to lend their services to various SEFA members, who will pay approximately $250 for one day of consultation provided by the M2M program.
In reward for their efforts, all mentors will be granted free access to any and all educational programs that SEFA offers.
So far, the M2M program has already successfully helped one drycleaner in Florida increase profits by recommending that all drop stores below a certain volume be closed, among other suggestions.
For more information on the M2M program, contact Everett Childers at SEFA, (770) 998-9900.
After 45 years with the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, Charlie Hacker is officially ready to retire.
This isn't Hacker's first retirement attempt. His first attempt in 1982 failed when he ended up coming back to work.
However, this time he will be honored with a special dinner planned in January by NCA's Gold Coast Chapter.
Hacker worked in the industry alongside industry legend Bill Seitz, often serving as a field representative or an instructor for the New York School of Drycleaning. His courses covered the topics of stain removal, cleaning and finishing.
He had often distinguished himself as an industry expert by being able to perform successful live stain removal demonstrations on consumers' garments brought in by students.
Additionally, he has worked as a consultant on textile and drycleaning litigation problems, as well as issues pertaining to management and production.
More recently, Hacker has spent approximately eight years serving as NCA's field liaison for the South Florida area, often working with legislators and regulators in Tallahassee.
Before he retires, he will be visiting cleaners throughout South Florida, introducing members to Pete Rocco, who will take over his territory. NCA plans to continue to use Hacker for consultation.
Industry friends and associates who wish to honor Charlie at his retirement dinner should contact Chapter President Angel Suarez at (305) 443-0839.
The Southwest Drycleaners Association will be pooling resources with the North East Fabricare Association to deliver a joint convention at the DoubleTree Resort in Sedona, AZ from March 29 to April 1.
Sedona, which is surrounded by a 25-square mile cluster of red rock formations, is located approximately 90 minutes north of Phoenix, about 30 minutes south of Flagstaff, and 2 1/2 hours away from the Grand Canyon.
The event will feature SDA's annual general membership meeting and its quarterly Board of Directors meeting. Educational seminars have also been tentatively planned.
The program will also give SDA members an opportunity to network with drycleaners from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York.
Attendees can enjoy hiking, riding horseback, jeep tours, or ride in a hot air balloon. The area boasts over 45 art galleries and one of Arizona's highest rated golf courses. A full service spa and access to a racquet club will also be made available.
Members can stay at the DoubleTree Sedona Resort for a rate of $129 per night, single or double occupancy.
For more information, contact SDA at (210) 826-4684.
Owners and operators of small drycleaning plants in Texas have a wide variety of upcoming educational opportunities thanks to the efforts of the Small Business Administration.
Free consultation services provided by the Small Business Development Center are available by appointment every month.
On the first and third Tuesday of every month, the SBDC will be assisting business owners from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce at 4749 Twin City Hwy, Suite 300.
Assistance will also be available from 1 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of every month at the Citizen's Bank of Kountze, located off of Hwy 69.
On the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, SBDC will be at the Silsbee Chamber of Commerce at 835 Hwy 96 South, from 1 to 4 p.m.
For more information, contact the SBDC at (409) 880-2367 or (800) 722-3443 or visit their web site at: www.lusbcd.org.
SBA will also host a finance workshop with the help of the SBDC. On the first Wednesday of each month, the workshop will be held at 1400 N. FM 1788, in Midland.
Workshops are also set to take place at 648 E. Hwy 80 in Abilene on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and at 2579 S. Loop 289 in Lubbock on the last Wednesday of every month.
For information on the finance workshops, contact Ruby Abarca or Scotty Arnold at (806) 472-7462.
SBA will also join forces with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) for a marketing presentation from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 7 at the SBA Houston District Office at 9301 Southwest Freeway.
There is a $10 fee and attendance is limited to 20 people. The seminar will feature four key points to marketing, four ways to increase sales, and four uses of the Internet, among other topics.
For reservations or more information, call (713) 773-6565 or (713) 773-6549.
The Western States Drycleaners and Launderers Association recently announced its newly-elected Board of Directors at its annual meeting at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce office in Phoenix, AZ.
A former member of the Southwest Drycleaners Association, Heath Bollin, was one of three new members elected to WSDLA's Board. Bollin works as a general manager of Sparkle Cleaners in Tucson, AZ.
Joining him will be Greg Tick of Windsor Cleaners in Phoenix, AZ, who is a long-time member of the association. Tick has always supported the interests of drycleaners, particularly on legislative issues.
Also joining WSDLA on the board of directors is Kenney Slatten of the Kenney Slatten Training Co. in San Diego, CA. Slatten is widely known in the industry for his consultation work and his writing published in Western Cleaner & Launderer. He is also nationally recognized as a speaker on a variety of industry topics, including business issues and production training.
WSDLA plans to hold its first 2001 Board meeting on Jan. 9 at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce office.
The association also recently announced a spotting seminar that will take on Jan. 20 at Charlie Collison's Sparkletown Cleaners plant located at 10953 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. in Scottsdale, AZ.
The seminar will be presented by WSDLA board member Kenney Slatten, who will bring over 30 years of industry experience to the event, which will include a live spotting demonstration.
The cost for the seminar is $15 for WSDLA members and $60 for non-members. However, any non-members who join IFI/ WSDLA at the educational session will be given a $45 refund, adjusting the cost of the seminar back down to the $15 member cost.
Space for the event is limited, so early registration is recommended. For more information or reservations, call WSDLA at (602) 253-9186 or (888) 466-9732.
The San Diego Dry Cleaners Association will be offering California drycleaners the California Air Resources Board required courses on the Air Toxic Control Measure in the next several months.
The Air Toxic Control Measure is part of a set of drycleaning regulations enacted by CARB in 1994, which stipulated that drycleaning machine operators be certified as having completed a course on safe environmental procedures.
Classes will be available on Jan. 27, Feb. 24 and March 24 at the Inn Suites Hotel, located at 2223 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego, CA.
The class will run from 9 a.m. to approximately 1 p.m. A book is provided for first-time certifiers, so re-certification applicants should bring their old book, certificate, and a picture ID.
Cost for the certification course is $100 for re-certification and $150 for first-time certification. Advanced registration is important because classes may be cancelled or moved unless an adequate number of people register.
For more information about the CARB certification courses, contact the SDDCA at (619) 267-5390.
Copyright © 2001, National Clothesline Maintained by: Hal Horning