January 2007

News from the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association

Happy New Year! January 2007

In This Issue Final Thoughts From Your Retiring President Claire Anchick Greetings from President Scott McClure DEQ Advisory Committee Report by Kathey Butters Interesting Links From Around the Globe..... I did it.  I managed to put together my first ODCA newsletter as your new editor.  It is a great honor to be able to take over for Leslie and I thank her for all her help instructing me in the ways of html code.  So where is Leslie?  You know her as a drycleaner with her husband Bob and you know her as our webmaster.  Did you know she also manages rental properties in her home town of Florence at the coast?  As well, she designs and maintains websites for dozens of clients with her online business and is the rep for CleanSuite POS software.  In case you thought that was enough, she is also our new President Elect for this year. And she calls me “tireless”!  I am happy to help lighten her load even if just in this small way. So what’s in store for the newsletter in 2007?  The only big change is to move the publish date up to the first of each month.  Other than that, maybe a little “sense” of my own brand of fun.  Because lets face it, if I can’t have fun doing something, I really don't see any point in doing it! This month, Immediate Past President Claire Anchick gives us some things to ponder in her farewell article.  President Scott McClure tells us about his plans for 2007 and Kathey Butters fills us in on the DEQ Advisory Committee Meeting held December 7th in Portland. Plus, check out the link in the Around the Globe section.  Justice is so sweet! Until next month, each of us on the Board of the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association wishes you the very best in the New Year.  Health, Happiness and of course, Prosperity!. See you next month! Contact Brian at bolson@oregondrycleaners.org. Brian Olson, Director, District 1 - Newsletter Editor Final Thoughts From Your Retiring President Claire Anchick The holidays are now over and I know we are all busy at work.  Be sure to take the time to breathe deeply and remember how you and your business have grown this past year.  We all work at our businesses keeping our heads down and just plowing through day by day.  Sometimes we need to stop and think back on how it was at the beginning of this past year.  How have things changed?  Maybe you got some new equipment. Has it preformed as you expected?  Is it better than what you replaced?  Should you invest again this year?  Did you get and train a new employee that is working out well?  Or are you still looking for that new presser or key employee?  Have your needs changed?  What about your customers, are you still getting knew ones everyday and have you thanked your current customers lately with either a postcard or a small gift?  Remember it is easier to retain current customers than attract new ones.  What about “branding” your business?  That was the big buzz word this past year.  Are you going out and promoting your business through chamber greeters, leads groups and other civic organizations.  Do you have that 30 second commercial or catchy phrase?  Ours is “Got your Purple Bag?” and we use it on our laundry bags, business cards, all advertisement and commercials and on our delivery vans.  Last, and probably most important, how is that front counter customer service? ODCA along with NCA gave us a great workshop on customer service and wet cleaning this past year.  Have you implemented any of the new information you’re learned? Remember ODCA is there to help all the drycleaners in the state.  Your membership and input are important.  We are there to speak out when we need to and we listen to your concerns. At the convention this past October we elected a new all volunteer board. Scott McClure, Tip Top Cleaners in Portland is the new President.  Let him know what you would like to see ODCA do this coming year. Claire Anchick, Towne & Country Cleaners in White City, Past President.  I will be helping Scott whenever asked and will continue promoting ODCA. Leslie Kettenhoffen, Bob’s Dry Cleaners in Florence, is our President Elect.  She has been most effective in getting ODCA to embrace the internet with a web site and online newsletter.  Her enthusiasm for ODCA is catching. Tammy Thompson, Campbell’s Cleaners in Corvallis, is Secretary again this year.  Gary Campbell, retired, Campbell’s Cleaners in Corvallis, is serving for his third year as Treasurer. Barbara Peterson-Garbutt, Drycleaning Depot in Hubbard has rejoined the board after a long absence as Sergeant at Arms. District 1 Directors are:  Brian Olson, 45th Avenue Cleaners, Portland          Michael O’Connor, Continental Cleaners, Beaverton District 2 Director:  Bill Thomason, Forest Grove Cleaners, Forest Grove District 3 Director:  Laurie Eckstrom, The Cleanery, Salem District 4 Director:  Daniel Bittick, Martinizing Cleaners, Medford District 5 Directors:  Eric and Jodie Arbak, Central Oregon Dry Cleaners, Bend Remember these people are all volunteers and there are committees you can serve on to get involved. It has been my pleasure to be your President this past year and I am proud to say that for all the drycleaners here in Oregon, ODCA has done an outstanding job protecting you against potentially unfair regulation and paper work. We also provided you with educational opportunities through workshops and guest speakers. Remember to send in your dues.  Our organization grows stronger with each additional new member!  Contact Claire at canchick@oregondrycleaners.org. Greetings from President Scott McClure                  Greetings everyone.  Although I was unable to attend  the convention and particiapte, Mickie was able to step in and perform my duties and kept me informed of what was taking place. Thanks to Brian, Kathey, Leslie, Gary and Tammy and anyone that I have forgotten, for putting on another great convention. Also, thanks go out to all of our vendors for their continued support of ODCA and, of course, to all of our speakers. Thanks to Jack Ellison and Everett Childers for the media presence. Finally, special thanks go to our keynote speaker, Nora Nealis of NCA, who returned  for the 2nd year in a row with her informative talk and dynamic energy.                   I am ready to serve as your president for the next year and to represent ODCA. That got me to thinking about just what an “association” is. To me it is a group of individuals joined together to exchange ideas and to promote those ideas.  It is to educate its members and keep them advised on laws & regulation that are going to affect their businesses. This association does that!                  In the last year this association  represented all cleaners by providing information to the Air Quality Board that convinced them after review that further regulation was not needed on perc plants. Also voicing there opinion were NCA and the HSIA. This action saved all perc operators from having to get permits and pay additional fees .                 ODCA held educational seminars that were informative and helped you to grow your business.                   As president this year my priority’s are as follows:                                      1. A rewrite of our bylaws                                    2. Visit members & nonmembers                                    3. Promote and represent this association                                    4. Educational seminars for members                                    5. Convention          In the next year several things are being talked about that will affect your businesses which include Oregon’s universal health coverage plan that would be funded by payroll taxes and other sources. Also for all of us operating as a corporation or S-corp, we could see our corporation tax rates go up under current discussions.  For those of us doing pickup & delivery, our insurance rates will go up to fund state police. The list goes on.           I encourage everyone reading this newsletter, member or non member, to get involved in your industry and share your  ideas freely..  You help shape the direction of the laws and rules that affect us all.  As President, I am interested in what you have to say. You can reach me at 503-317-0125 or e-mail at jsm3pl@aol.com. DEQ Advisory Committee Report by Kathey Butters    On December 7, 2006 the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) held a Dry Cleaner Advisory Committee Meeting, the first in over a year. Kathey Butters, Gary Campbell, and Steve Young who are the ODCA advisory members were all in attendance along with several ODCA members including Scott McClure (incoming ODCA President), Michael O’Conner (alternate advisory committee member), Lesil Campbell (Campbell’s Cleaners, Corvallis), & Laurie Eckstrom (ODCA District 3 Director).  The Oregon Legislature in ORS 465.507 directed the DEQ to appoint an advisory group to meet periodically and advise the Department regarding the implementation of the Dry Cleaner Program. The committee was formed in October of 2001 consisting of Dry cleaning operators; Dry cleaning owners; Dry Cleaning industry members, other than owners and operators; Citizens; Environmental organizations; and local governments. ODCA has had representation at all of the advisory meetings. The Korean American Dry Cleaners Association (KADCA) has 3 seats on the committee but like this meeting is very seldom represented.  After the meeting was called to order and introductions, Dick De Zeeuw from DEQ gave an update on the Dry Cleaner Program. In 2005 there were 304 dry cleaners, 114 dry stores, 13 closures, 26 new ownership changes, 12 new locations, and 56 using alternative solvents (up from 30 in 2004). The 2006 fee collection process has gotten much more efficient. Nearly 99% collected, only 9 dry cleaners have a balance due – estimated to be $10,000 owed. Balances have been referred to the Department of Revenue for collection. DEQ stated that the success on the fee collection has been based on input from the Advisory Committee. Dick then went into the Dry Cleaner program revenue, breaking down how much money each fee generated. If you would like further information about that breakdown please contact an ODCA Advisory Committee member.    Dick then went into the status of remediation. 15 sites completed since program began. 15 sites actively being remediated. 16 sites in the queue. 12 – high priority and 3 medium priority sites nearing No Further Action. $555,000 allocated for 2006. $90,000 placed in contingency fund with clean-up expenses ranging from $2,500 to $160,000. A 2006 program budget and project budget breakdown was then presented. Not all the money spent is coming out of the dry cleaner program. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded two site screenings in Eastern Oregon with $45,000, a demonstration at an inactive site for $65,000, for insurance archeology $35,000, & $100,000 for perc reduction in ambient air. There are also vendors providing cost sharing at 5 remediation sites. Also the first insurance recovery clean up is under way. It is a heavily contaminated site according to DEQ. A large removal has been completed with additional work in the planning stages; insurance company has paid all costs.  Compliance was the last area of the dry cleaning program that Dick covered. Compliance continues to get better but there are a few areas where improvement is needed. So listen up Dry Cleaners – you need to monitor your condenser temperature, replace your filters on your wastewater treatment units, & do your leak inspections. From the 2005 annual reporting – 28 dry cleaners had Air Quality referrals for not submitting logs, not monitoring, or not performing leak detection on a weekly basis. Some were flagged for no perc purchases in 3 years. 10 dry cleaners were referred to hazardous waste for not reporting or suspicious reporting of generation of still bottoms, filters, wastewater, or not changing wastewater treatment filters. Some were flagged for non- compliant wastewater treatment units.  Rebecca Hillwig from Air Quality talked about the leak detector equipment give away. There were only a handful of dry cleaners left that were not in attendance at one of the training sessions put on by DEQ across the state, they are being contacted directly by DEQ to arrange the training. Oregon dry cleaners will be required to use the new detectors, no longer is sight and smell acceptable for leak detection.    The final topic discussed was the reporting of the 1% of gross revenue. DEQ is looking to the committee members for input on an auditing process. What should trigger an audit? Should it be no point of sale system (computer), perc purchases, waste generated, supplies purchased, etc? The Advisory Committee will be meeting again in the spring to continue this discussion. You can be guaranteed that ODCA will be there! Contact Kathey at kbutters@oregondrycleaners.org. Interesting Links From Around the Globe..... Sometimes funny, Sometimes informative, Always interesting. Check out this month's dry cleaning link from Australia... Dry Cleaner vs. Mechanic Thanks go to Leslie for this month's link! Do you have an interesting link? Share it with our readers! Send it to bolson@oregondrycleaners.org. Quick Links... Become a Member Last Month's Newsletter More About Us Allied Trades Additional Services Association Store

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