National Clothesline

July 1 is the deadline to notify the Missouri Department of Natural Resources of abandoned drycleaning facilities in order for the site to receive benefits under the state Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund (DERT).

The fund was established in 2000 to help revitalize and reuse contaminated drycleaning properties.

It is not necessary to be the past operator or owner of the drycleaning facility to advise the department and get the site eligible for clean-up money. Anyone can fill out a notification form and inform the department of a former drycleaning facility.

The DNR said abandoned drycleaner sites exist in many places throughout the state and many are idle due to soil or groundwater contamination. Banks and lending institutions are wary of extending loans on these properties and associated environmental clean-ups can be costly, even exceeding $1 million.

For an abandoned drycleaning facility to qualify for eligibility to the DERT Fund, a notification form must be postmarked and sent to the DERT Fund Unit by July 1. The abandoned site notification form can be obtained by calling (573) 526-8913 or it can be downloaded from www.dnr.mo.gov/alpd/hwp/hwpvcp-dryclean.htm.

The form must be accompanied by any available evidence to show that the site once contained a drycleaning plant. Title records, local government records, local historical records, business receipts, and copies of old phone book listings are examples of evidence.

Under the Missouri law, operators of active drycleaning facilities are required to submit surcharges for solvent used at the facility. Solvent suppliers are also required to submit surcharges to the department for gallons of solvents provided to a drycleaning facility. The money is then used for the investigation, assessment and remediation of releases of solvents from drycleaning facilities.

If the department is not informed of a former drycleaning site by July 1, the site can't receive benefits for clean-up under the DERT fund. However, notification does not guarantee benefits.

The notification forms should be mailed to the Department of Natural Resources, hazardous Waste Program, DERT Fund Unit, PO Box 176, Jefferson City, MO, 65102-0176.

Questions about the program can be directed to Ken Koon, chief of the Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund, at the above phone number or address.

A DERT Fund seminar is being planned for September 22 in St. Louis, MO, held in conjunction with the National Brownfields conference. This seminar will include presentations on how the program will work, including the process of conducting investigations and corrective actions at a drycleaning facility and the application, claim, and reimbursement procedures for the DERT Fund. A question and answer period will follow the presentations and staff will be available to allow individuals to discuss their particular facility.

Other seminars are planned for October and November at various locations throughout the state.

Information on the seminars will be posted on the web site listed above as the dates approach.

On Thursday, June 24, the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute will host the first of a three-part series designed for plant managers and supervisors.

The seminar, entitled “Motivating & Communicating With Your Employees,” will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. at Room 355 at the Waukesha County Administration Center.

The educational program will cover the following topics: knowledge is motivation and it begins at the beginning; searching for potential employee and orienting new hires; continuous training; raises and recognition; and bonus programs.

It will be presented by Dan Martino II, a third generation drycleaner affiliated with Martino’s Master Dry Cleaners out of Kenosha, WI. He first began working at his father’s plant at the age of nine. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Carthage College, receiving degrees in English and business administration.

There will be no cost to WFI members or their employees thanks to money raised by the association’s annual auctions. However, the class is limited to only 30 participants so early registration is highly recommended.

WFI has already planned the second program in the series — “Employment Law 101” — which will focus on hiring and firing employees, as well as discrimination and harassment issues. It has been scheduled for October.

The third and final segment of WFI’s Management Series will examine the subjects of goal setting, time management and organization. It will be in March of 2005.

Also on WFI’s upcoming agenda is the Fitzgerald Scholarship Golf Classic, which will be held on Wednesday, June 23 at the Silver Spring Country Club in Menomonee Falls.

The outing will begin at 12:20 p.m. and follow a two-man, best fall format with teams of four teeing off. The cost is $100 per golfer, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart rental, a box lunch, a sleeve of commemorative golf balls and a buffet dinner in the evening.

Registration must be submitted prior to June 11.

The money raised will be channeled into the Fitzgerald Scholarship Fund, formed over 10 years ago when Jim Fitzgerald, Leo Rausch and Betty Fitzgerald retired from the Herb Fitzgerald Company. The foundation was started by friends who donated funds in lieu of giving retirement gifts.

Each year, WFI’s Scholarship Committee awards a scholarship from the fund to a WFI member so that he or she can attend an IFI training seminar.

For more information or to register for either event, contact WFI by calling (414) 529-4707 or visit www.wiscleaners.com.

Fewer than 13% of family businesses succeed through three generations. For the drycleaning industry, that is a particularly terrifying statistic because of the sheer number of plants that are family-owned.

Family-owned cleaners in the midwest may want to mark their calendars this July for the Ohio Cleaners Association’s summer meeting. The event will be hosted at the Kings Island Resort & Conference Center in Ohio from July 22-24.

OCA has obtained the services of guest speaker Roger J. Warrum, president of the National Center for Family Business. He has consulted family businesses for over 25 years and will reveal some of the most common mistakes that lead to the downfall of family-owned companies.

Warrum will deliver a seminar on Friday morning from 9 to 11 a.m. entitled “Flying by the Seat of Your Pants.” The program will take a closer look at proper planning with an emphasis on the top ten most common planning mistakes that plague plant owners. How to spot the need to change a business and the motivators and deterrents of change will also be examined in-depth.

On Saturday morning, Warrum will look at why so many family businesses fail. Topics to be covered include: avoiding conflict and miscommunication; the importance of holding family members and employees accountable; the problem of secrecy; and the mistakes made during the succession process.

OCA’s summer meeting will initially kick off on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. when registration opens. Later that day, attendees can relax by participating in a golf tournament at the Grizzly golf course created by Jack Nicklaus. The cost is $50 per player, which includes green fees, lunch, a cart and prizes.

At 6 p.m. that evening, there will be a special program for children of attendees. For two hours, they can enjoy pizza and participate in supervised activities at the hotel.

Meanwhile, the adults will have be able to attend a cocktail reception and a semi-formal awards dinner and annual meeting by the association. Afterward, a President’s Hospitality Suite is scheduled from 9 p.m. until midnight.

On Friday evening, OCA will host a cook-out at Kings Island Park between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. A board meeting has been planned to take place at 10:45 on Saturday morning before the conclusion of the annual summer meeting.

Attendees can receive “Early Bird” complete discount registration fees if they sign up prior to June 21. The cost is $150 for each adult OCA/IFI member or spouse. Non-members must pay $200. The full registration package for teenagers is $70 per person; children between the ages of 3 and 12 are $25 a piece.

After June 21, the cost for the same package rises to $175 per member or spouse, $225 per non-member, $85 per teenager and $40 per child between the ages of 3 and 12. Children two and under are free.

Those who do not have enough time to attend the three-day event may still sign up individually for either Roger Warrum seminar. The cost is $50 each.

Hotel reservations are available at a rate of $113 nightly for single or double occupancy. Attendees should call the hotel at (800) 727-3050 and mention OCA’s summer meeting by June 30 to secure that rate.

The King’s Island Resort and Conference Center is at 5691 Kings Island Dr. near Cincinnati OH.

For more information, contact OCA by calling (614) 221-1900.

Leading equipment manufacturers will be on hand on Friday, June 25, to deliver tips on machinery maintenance at Laundry City Warehouse in Indianapolis. The company is located at 6320 S. Harding.

Drycleaners with questions about how to keep their equipment running well will have between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to ask questions.

A light lunch will be served. The cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.

The Indiana Drycleaning and Laundry Association is planning the event. Afterward, cleaners can spend the evening at a ball game featuring the Indianapolis Indians at 7 p.m.

Box seats have been reserved with drinks and dinner available starting at 5:30 p.m. The game will be at Victory Field, 501 W. Maryland St. in Indianapolis. The cost is $35 for members and $45 for non-members.

IDLA members who wish to attend the maintenance seminar in conjunction with the game pay $50 each. Non-members pay $60. For more information, call (800) 401-0703.