April 2020 Calendar of Events

April 15, Wednesday

Free Webinar on Electrical Troubleshooting

Time: 3:00-3:45 pm
Location: online through Zoom

Mike Blair, Field Service Manager and Jeremy Yearton, Bay Area Sales Manager both from Hunter-FXLuminaire will be hosting a webinar for the Central Coast CLCA on Electrical Troubleshooting. We’ll be covering topics such as: how to use a volt ohm meter, how to test for voltage, and how to test resistance.

This webinar is intended to be for general knowledge and not a Hunter Specific training. We at Hunter are committed to supporting the CLCA. During these difficult times we want to be available however we can to help.

This will be a live webinar and we will be open to answering any questions you may have as well.

For further information please contact Jeremy Yearton at: jeremy.yearton@hunterindustries.com

Link for registration here.

Hopefully we can get enough interest to make this a series of webinars!

May 7, Thursday
Central Coast Chapter Board Meeting

will be held as a virtual meeting.

Contact Justin White for details at (831) 331-3476 or justin@kndlandscaping.com

October 8, Thursday
Suppliers/New Members Night—New Date!

Time: 4:30-8:00 pm
Location: seascape golf club

You can learn more and sign up online to reserve your space. Contact Justin White at (831) 331-3476 or justin@kndlandscaping.com

Beautification Awards Banquet Postponed until June 25, 2021

due to difficulty scheduling around the CoVID virus.

April 2020 President’s Message

by Justin White, Chapter President, K&D Landscaping Company

working in changing times

Times have changed. Within two months we went from the worst labor shortage in recent history to massive lay-offs. I don’t want to give you a lot of fluff in this address, as I know attention is your most valuable recourse right now. Let’s jump right into the most important information you need to know as a landscape professional on the central coast. (Note all the links provided below.)

1. Santa Cruz and Monterey County have both issued new stay-at-home orders that will remain in effect until May 3rd. The verbiage is clear that landscape contractors can continue to operate but only for essential tasks that serve the sanitation, habitability, and safety of residents and essential businesses. This is a big win for our industry but interpretation can still lead to conflicts with law enforcement, clients and the general public. The determination of how you proceed as a company ultimately resides with the ownership and your employees' willingness to follow the current safety protocols. Whenever an industry can come together in a time of crisis it is a beautiful thing, thank you to all of those who have communicated with me over the last few days and assisted in the development of this sample letter. Review it, change it, add to it and make it your own but make sure your employees have documentation when they are out there performing essential services. Letter attached and also follow this link. You can download the document here.
   

2. CARES Act. It has dominated the news, a $2 trillion stimulus bill to provide financial assistance for businesses and individuals. There is a lot to unpack in the bill, we recommend you visit the State CLCA website here to learn more about the opportunity for your business to get a forgivable loan.
   

3. FFCRA and FMLA - if you are not aware as of April 1st, you are required to post posters in your workplace explaining the paid sick leave and expanded family leave options your employees have. Please click here to download the poster.
   

4. There is a CLCA webinar that helps explain many of these changes and covers other vital information that you need to know in regards tot he Covid-19 pandemic. Please click here to view the webinar.
   

5. Central Coast is going to online learning! We are planning to provide monthly online interactive webinars to help keep you and your team sharp. Our first online webinar will be held on April 15. The topic is Electrical Troubleshooting and it will be free to all members, please sign up here.
   

6. Weekly conference call for central coast landscapers. We are holding a weekly conference call every Wednesday at 2:00pm. The call is a chance for us to come together and discuss new updates and challenges facing our companies. The information is: +1 240-903-4077‬ PIN: 898 t506 641 #

7. I’ve set up a survey to see how much the COVID-19 situation has impacted our membership. Please take a few minutes to let us know what Central Coast’s CLCA can do to help you most right now. www.surveymonkey.com/r/BYLNBS9

In times of crisis, it’s easy to lose your sense of drive and motivation. You may find yourself reacting and not planning ahead. Spend time reflecting on why you got into this industry in the first place and what you can do to ensure your business can stay alive in a down economy. Fall back on your core values and your purpose, what drives you to do what you do? Remember there is a network here to support you. This is the time to utilize the CLCA as a resource, the state website is constantly being updated with new information to help you make the best decisions possible. Lastly, go after the PPP loan that is provided as part of the CARES act, this is going to be the best option for 95% of landscape companies. Stay informed and stay in touch. 

To your success,
Justin White
CEO, K&D Landscaping Inc.
justin@kndkandscaping.com

C: (831) 331-3476 │  O: (831) 728-4018

2020 Central Coast Chapter Partners for Success Program

This is a good time to support Central Coast’s Partners for Success Program. Joining provides an opportunity to increase your visibility in the community, to be seen as a leader in the green industry by helping sustain the many educational and enrichment offerings of our association. For more information, contact Justin White justin@kndkandscaping.com. Or, better still, go directly to our online registration! Join us!

PaRTNERS CORNER

The Team at Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery

This month Devil Mountain is featured in our “Partner’s Corner.” Read more here.

education corner

COVID-19 Suggested Reading:
A Gentleman in Moscow

I wasn’t sure whether my new favorite book would be appropriate to suggest to Central Coast CLCA readers, but oddly enough, it actually may be perfect. This is not a book about trees, plants, or California, but a novel titled A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

This book was an absolute delight to read. There was just something about it that made you want to pick it up, and made you look forward to the next time you could sit down with it. There was nothing lacking in the book and it kept my interest throughout to a satisfying ending. What more could anyone want from a book?!

The basic story takes place in Moscow in 1922 when the Bolshaviks took over the Russian government from the Tzar. Of course this was when all the aristocracy was run out of their palatial estates and everyone became equal. Somehow the main character of the story was always a cut above the others simply because of his attitude and good manners.

The reason this book may be appropriate for this time in our world is that our protagonist was sentenced to house arrest in the biggest and most glamorous hotel in Moscow. If he were to ever leave he would be shot on the spot. So, he stays and makes the most of it.

Sound familiar somehow? I suggest this book because it is such a delight (as a bonus there are great descriptions of food and wine) and because it mirrors what we are going through at this moment in time. Albeit in a much smaller way for us. It certainly offers a bit of perspective.

Could any of us act so well were we sequestered for life in a hotel? This is my recommendation for a good read, a story of isolation while in isolation.

“He can’t leave the hotel. You won’t want to.”—Viking Books

—Jerry Allison

Advertise in the Central Coast Seascape Newsletter!

Advertising is now available for 2020 in our newsletter! Reach your target audience monthly. Sign up for large, medium, or small ads. For specs and pricing contact: clcaccc.editor@gmail.com. OR sign up online here.

Board Meeting Minutes

Central Coast Chapter CLCA March Board Meeting

By Phil Dundas, Secretary
March 5, 2020, present: Justin White, Craig Stenehjem, Phil Dundas, Gregory Miller, John Kern

Call to order
by Justin White 12:04 p.m.

Discussion topics

1.     A brief introduction and good news was provided by all in attendance.

2.     It was discussed that the newsletter and Website updates are proceeding well.

3.     Membership was discussed and it was agreed that Gregory Miller would be the membership committee chair.

4.     Sponsors are being contacted for the Golf Tournament.

5.     It was discussed that recurring payments to subcontractors will be processed through auto pay.

6.     The first Education Event of the year will be rolled into the Cleanup Day at the UCSC Arboretum on March 20th. Topics to include plant care and pruning, fertilizer and irrigation. A walk-through was scheduled for March 16th.

Adjournment 
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.