The Seascape
Newsletter of the CLCA
Central Coast Chapter
October 2020
Calendar of Events
October 1, Thursday
Central Coast Chapter Board Meeting
Time: 12:00 noon, will be held as a virtual meeting.
Contact Justin White for details at (831) 331-3476 or justin@kndlandscaping.com
October 1-31
Central Coast Chapter Nominations for Board Positions
Chapter Board of Directors nominations are OPEN to the membership. Elections close October 31. Positions open: President, Secretary, Events Director, Legislation Director. Please submit to Justin White justin@kndlandscaping.com
October 1-November 12
The Landscape Expo Academy
The Landscape Expo has been postponed until October 13-14, 2021. You can still access courses for credit in 2020 via webinars here.
November 5, Thursday
Central Coast Chapter Board Meeting
Time: 12:00 noon, will be held as a virtual meeting.
Contact Justin White for details at (831) 331-3476 or justin@kndlandscaping.com
** Our new Beautification Awards Banquet has been postponed until June 25, 2021 due to difficulty scheduling around the COVID virus**
** Our Suppliers Night Event has been postponed until March, 2021 due to difficulty scheduling around the COVID virus**
October 2020 President’s Message
by Justin White, Chapter President, K&D Landscaping Company
We lost a very special person in the landscape industry last month. Phil Reiker, founder of JetMulch, passed away peacefully on September 3rd surrounded by family. If you knew Phil, you know he always had a smile on his face and if you spent any time around him, you’d end up with a smile too. His positivity and grace were attributes that I admired and I always looked forward to seeing him at CLCA events. He was a huge supporter of the CLCA and he didn’t hesitate to get involved. Phil embodied the spirit of the landscape industry, always willing to help you out or rescue you on a job that you underbid. He was a true innovator; his big trucks spit out mulch like a fire engine spews water. His company JetMulch continues to thrive in his memory and if you haven’t looked into them before I encourage you to get a bid from them on your next large mulch install.
We held our 2020 Golf Tournament in September and the event went great, thank you to those who attended and spent your day with us. Congratulations to Scott Long and his scramble team on taking the big W and congratulations to our local legend and State President Regan Barry for getting closest to the pin on hole #9! We are hoping that COVID-19 guidelines will be updated in the near future so we can move forward with another event, but currently do not have any plans for this holiday season. As you will see our annual supplier's night has been officially canceled for 2020. We will keep everyone posted on the status, much of which will be dictated by our local county guidelines. We are hopeful an outdoor event will be organized next spring.
Wait a minute, what about that PPP loan? I know many of you received a PPP loan to cover payroll during the shutdown and almost everyone is wondering what to do now. Will it be forgiven? Will I pay taxes on the money? What’s the timeline for forgiveness and how does the application process work? Well, many of these answers can be found by talking with your bank. The bank that provided you with the PPP loan will be your main resource for information because every bank is going about forgiveness slightly differently. My advice is to be on a first-name basis with your bank and make sure you are aware of the due dates on turning in the forgiveness paperwork. As for the taxes, that has yet to be finalized by the SBA and the IRS, but you’ll want to meet with your CPA or a tax professional before the end of the year to make sure you are able to plan appropriately for your situation.
It feels like we’ve been dealing with this COVID-19 situation for years, not months, but here we are going into the cold and flu season and the coronavirus has become an everyday part of our lives. For a business owner it’s important you have documented protocols in place for “what if” situations. This will help make sure you are prepared for whatever is thrown at you. With the onset of the cold and flu season, it’s crucial to educate your employees on the difference between COVID-19 and other seasonal illnesses. I wish I had good news, but the reality is this winter is going to be the most challenging one yet, so the best way to have a successful off-season is to stay educated and stay in communication with your team.
Do you ever feel like there are just too many things going on? Do you find it hard to set aside blocks of time to get your most important tasks completed? Do you wonder where the hours, days, and weeks go? If you weren't feeling this way before, I can almost assure you that everyone is falling into the multi-task trap these days. With instant access to email, text, phone, news, internet, social media, etc., we find ourselves walking through life distracted. How can you expect to achieve your goals in business and life with so many people and things demanding your attention? Next time you catch your reflection in the mirror, ask yourself what you need to change in your life to achieve your goals... and don’t forget you can lean on your CLCA team to help.
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
There has never been a better 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
Katia Velasquez of Netafim
This month Katia Velasquez is featured in our “Partner’s Corner.” Read more here.
Central Coast event
Covid-19, fires and ash could not stop the Liar’s Cup!
The Central Coast CLCA proudly hosted the annual Liar’s Cup Golf Tournament on Thursday September 10th, 2020, at the Spring Hills Golf Course in the hills above Watsonville. Thank you to all who came and spent the day with us. We had 41 members golfing this strange orangy day, with masks and social distancing the rule. Everyone in attendance was honestly just happy to share a smile and a laugh with all of our golfing pals. The Spring Hills crew provided a beautiful and tough golf setting for the day, with the ending reward of a delicious meal outside of the clubhouse. “Come back again next Year” was the statement from the ProShop. Awards for the day went to Regan Berry for closest to the pin on Hole #9, Long Drive on Hole #17 went to Scott Long (Thinking of renaming this event the Scott Long-est Drive). And the winning foursome (who carded at 17 strokes under par!) went to Scott Long, Crispin Ditz, Bill Thompson, and Rick Rinaldi. Congratulations Guys!
On a more somber note, a donation was set up for fellow golfer Kurt Christiansen, who generally plays in the event. Kurt unfortunately lost his home and possessions in the recent CVU fires in Bonny Doon. We are thankful that he, his wife, and pets are safe and sound. Upon later presentation of cash, Kurt was truly moved and appreciative of the donation, stating “This will help lift my spirits during our emotion time of recovery. Please give my Heartfelt thanks to everyone.” Kurt, you and your family are in our hearts and prayers and we will make it through, because we are all CENTRAL COAST STRONG!
Thanks Chris Elliot, Matt Gomez, Justin White and everyone else who made this popular golf event a reality this year. It was reported to be a super fun day with great company. It was said that “it was really nice see everyone again and talk in person, not via Zoom!! It was also very nice to get a break from all the craziness and have a somewhat “normal” day, a much needed thing.”
Thank you to our sponsors!
OUR Oak Partners: A Tool Shed Equipment rentals • CLCA Insurance solutions • Ewing • Delta Bluegrass Co. • Hunter FXLuminaire • Paradise landscape * Site One landscape supply
OUR redwood Partners: European rolling shutters • graniterock • jet mulch • landscape contractors Insurance Services • netafim • VISION RECYCLING • rain bird
sponsors for Longest Drive: the Landscape Company • K&D landscaping
Hole sponsors: Oldcastle APG/Belgard * GraniteCrete • Netafim • Weathermatic
education corner
Webinars and Online Training
Did you know that many CLCA Associate Members offer free online training videos and webinars? Check out the links below and increase your knowledge and expertise. Or go to the CLCA state site and bookmark the on-line directory!
Alliance Outdoor Lighting for useful landscape lighting information, visit their training page here.
Arborjet offers educational opportunities on topics spanning the green industry. Over the next several months, Arborjet will be offering additional remote learning opportunities with webinars ranging from new product sessions to important regional pest and disease updates. View webinars here.
DIG Corporation founded in 1981, manufacturers a full line of Drip/Micro Irrigation Products and is the industry leader in Alternative Powered Irrigation controllers. Visit their professional videos here. Please contact Mike Merlesena at mikem@digcorp.com or (760) 613-8276 to inquire about an upcoming webinar, LEIT Controllers and Battery Operated.
Eagle Spec Sales Group has posted Weld-On Solvent welding guides on YouTube for small (English, Spanish) and large (English, Spanish) diameter pipes.
Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply classes are posted here for registration. If you or your customers missed the first webinars in the series, they’re available on that webpage too. Don’t forget to sign up and have your customers join too! View our Youtube channel here.
Hunter Industries’ online training program has been online for more than eight years and has worked with many professional organizations to refine their training to industry standards. Any user can take the training by signing up for a free Hunter account. All courses have to be completed with 80% or above to pass and grades are saved to the user’s profile. Visit their training page here. Learn about Hunter’s Irrigation Contractor Track here.
The Landscape Expo has been postponed until 2021, but you can still earn 2020 CEU, LA CES (HSW), IA, APLD, NALP, PGMS, QWEL credits at live and on-demand, through low cost webinars. Some upcoming topics include: Smart Control Irrigation Systems, Tree Management, Burrowing Rodents, Managing Trees, Art & Science of Meadow Making 2.0, Soil Management, and more.
LMN has outstanding resources to help CLCA members learn the software skills to grow their landscape business and career.
Free one-day workshops have gone virtual, join lmn for the intro to budgeting and estimating workshops to help you adjust your landscape business for the 2020 season.
New, free webinars each week that include tips from landscape industry experts and LMN’s CEO.
Rain Bird Knowledge Center has recently been updated with 23 training NEW videos. They are short, contain the top three selling features for each product, and star Rain Bird sales employees! Please feel free to forward a knowledge center link to your customers:
Distributors: https://info.rainbird.com/t/4HQY-9WSP-5B1H06REB6/cr.aspx?v=0
Contractors: https://info.rainbird.com/t/4HQY-9YQL-5B1H06REB6/cr.aspx?v=0
Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements is offering a free 45-minute webinar, Plant Growth Regulators. For scheduling or more information, email Brian Bruce, Western Territory Manager, or call (760) 450-5601. See their other education and training offerings here.
Trex Fencing is a publicly traded company with over a $4 billion dollar market cap and a high quality brand name the majority of your customers will recognize. Visit their website here to view tutorial videos for both horizontal and vertical Trex Fencing.
Central Coast community volunteer project
CLCA Contractors Come Together to Create a Memorial Garden Honoring Vai Campbell
In the dark, pre-dawn morning of September 2, 2019, the diving boat Conception burned into the sea off the coast of the Channel Islands. All divers on the boat lost their lives, including a beloved member of our community, inspirational leader, mother and friend, Vaidehi Campbell. As the Soquel Creek Water District’s communications specialist, Vai’s entire career was spent sharing her exuberance with the community about the importance of preserving and protecting our precious water resources. Vaidehi’s passion for water was experienced by countless community members at local, county, and even statewide educational and special events, working with teachers and presenting in local classrooms (from preschool to college), and wherever she had an opportunity, including at CLCA educational events.
On this one year anniversary of Vai’s passing, the CLCA Central Coast Chapter, Soquel Creek Water District, Ecology Action and the Water Conservation Coalition of Santa Cruz County are collaborating to revive a low-water use demonstration garden that Vai started 15 years ago on the corner of Soquel Dr. and Rosedale Ave. Vai always wished the Water’s District’s Soquel Drive landscape was a more beautiful demonstration of a Monterey Bay Friendly Garden. There is no group of landscape contractors better suited than our Central Coast CLCA members to step up and honor that wish.
On September 25, 2020, our members donated their time and crew labor to prepare the soil with sheet mulching for Vai’s Memorial Garden for planting in the spring. Morning crew volunteers included Terra Bella Landscaping, Aqua Green Landscape Irrigation, A Growing Concern, and California H2orticulture Services. The morning crew had the hard work of deconstructing an artificial turf installation, creating a clean hardscape edge and grading, spreading compost, and applying b-flute cardboard as a temporary, permeable weed barrier, all accomplished by 11am.
The afternoon volunteer crew made quick work of spreading 25 cubic yards of wonder mulch over the cardboard layer, deeply discounted for the project by Andrew Tuckman of Vision Recycling. Crew members from Marathon Landscape, Prime Landscape, Far West Landscaping, and Green and Growing Landscape had the 2,500 sq ft site covered with a 4" mulch layer in less than an hour.
Members of the community and Water District staff looked on in awe and appreciation at the professional way we quickly we got the job done. Contractors and crews alike had a chance to connect with physical distancing and ask one another how business and life were faring during the pandemic. CLCA community projects like Vai’s Memorial Garden build and strengthen our ties with one another, making our CLCA chapter stronger and more relevant in the communities we serve.
Vai’s Memorial garden will be planted in the spring by Vai’s family, friends and co-workers, and CLCA will continue to provide support with irrigation system installation and Netafim materials donations. Appreciation goes out to Katia from Netafim, who brought Ferrell’s donuts for the workers, and Shelley Flock of Soquel Creek Water District who kept us fed and hydrated with sandwiches and drinks from Erik’s Deli. Special thanks to Chris Elliot of Aqua Green who recruited volunteers for the project, and who donated two beautiful redwood slabs that will be used by Vai’s coworkers to construct a memorial bench for the garden. The bench and garden will remind us that “All that we deeply love becomes a part of us.”
—Sherry Lee Bryan
California H2orticulture Services/Ecology Action
special announcement
Landscape Maintenance Service Needed
The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea is soliciting bids from qualified contractors for landscape maintenance services.
Link is provided here. https://ci.carmel.ca.us/pod/city-invitations-bids-and-requests-proposals
especially for CLCA Members
Links for Current Covid-19 Information
Helpful county-specific links for Covid-19 updates here:
Alameda County information here.
Contra CostA County information here.
Marin county information here.
San Benito County information here.
San Francisco bay AREA Information here.
San Mateo County information here.
Santa Clara County information here.
Santa Cruz County information here.
Advertise in the Central Coast Seascape Newsletter!
THis is a great time to show your support for the central Coast CLCA and promote your business. Advertise in this 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 Board Meeting September 3, 2020
Justin White, Gregory Miller, Nicole Douglas, Katia Velasquez, Cathy Quinn, Ki Bowman, Sherry Bryant, Matt Gomez, Regan Berry, Andrew Tuckman, David Ventura, Phil Dundas secretary, Elise Huffman scribe for Phil. Zoom meeting started at 12:00
Introductions and quick good news (10 seconds each!)
Community Support
• Wildfire relief how can we help? Open discussion. We see the strength of the community, of teamwork, and how this crisis has brought us together.
• Kurt Christiansen lost his home in the fires, how can we support him? Donate to GoFundMe or use golf proceeds? Instead of raffle this year, have the proceeds go to Kurt to rebuild his business and home. We can use our database to direct people to efforts in Kurt's behalf. It was moved and passed to use golf proceeds and matching amounts to get $2,000 to Kurt. Regan will contact Kurt.
Vai Campbell Memorial Garden
Sherry Bryant spoke about the community garden to honor Vai, and of Vai’s work in conservation/water conservation. Justin suggests that Chris Elliot would be a good person to take the lead on this and that Sherry and Chris work together, other members can fill in as needed. Date of Sept 25 was decided as the work day for edging, mulching and spreading. Make sure to get before and after photos.
Education
• Watsonville Wetlands: Native Plant maintenance and planting advice (Zoom)
Discussion about the zoom education event in October, about how to care for your native plant. Cathy Quinn suggested that maybe Central Coast Wilds would be interested in participating.
• Can we provide additional webinars or learning opportunities to our membership? Discussion about how Cabrillo and CLCA are planning an event/zoom, on firescaping in October. Mountain Feed is a good venue for such an event, and the Arboretum at UCSC is also going to be doing and educational event on wildfire restorative work. Phil will look into that. Would be good to promote and integrate these events.
Events
• Golf event: Update on flow of tournament and number of registered players
• Pic you Pic competition. Make sure to send Maria Albero, at state, the results. Elise will do.
• Suppliers night currently scheduled for October. Can we move forward with
this? Discussion about having the event outdoors and socially distanced. There was interest in rescheduling the event, again, to be held this winter
• State CLCA Trophy award deadline 9/14
Treasurer Updates
• Not much updates for 2020
C-27 Membership Updates
• 8/31 due date of membership list – Katia working on calling everyone
• State says renewals are in pretty good shape
Meeting called to an end at 1:30