Business News - Spring Issue

PAGE 4 BUSINESS NEWS « SPRING 2013

Contents

TURLOCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Business News

115 S. Golden State Blvd.

Turlock, CA 95380

209-632-2221

Fax 209-632-5289

Hours: Mon-Fri 10am – 4pm

Sharon Silva

President/CEO

[email protected]

Tasha Van Santen

Director Communications/Development

Ext. 104

[email protected]

Sharon Berry

Administrative Assistant

Ext. 100

[email protected]

Kassi Fortado

Membership/CVB Assistant

Ext. 101

[email protected]

TURLOCK CONVENTION

AND VISITORS BUREAU

Desa Cammack

Director

115 S. Golden State Blvd.

209-632-2221 Ext. 106

[email protected]

W.A.C.E. Award Winning Publication of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce

Page 7 Solar Energy - The Forecasts Is Looking Rather Sunny

Page 8 Alliance - 2013 Business Survey

Page 9 CEO Roundtable - Down To Two Core Services

Page 10 Best Of Turlock

Page 11 Chamber Breakfast Packed the Carngie Arts Center

Page 12 It’s A New World for the City of Turlock’s Finance Office

Page 12 The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

Page 13 Q1 2013 - City Council - A Running Start at Planning for the Future

Page 14 Sequester: So When is a Deal, Not a Deal?

Page 15 Tenent Buys Emanuel

Page 16 World Series Trophy Hits Turlock

Page 16 New Members

Page 17 Chamber Ribbon Cuttings and Mixers

Page 18 Turlock Rea Estate - Limited Inventory Translates to Higher Prices

Page 20 What Can We Look Forward To?

Page 21 12 Steps To a Great Email

Page 22 Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau Promotes Community Events

2013 has been and will continue to be abusy and exciting year for the TurlockChamber of Commerce. The new board

of directors is working diligently ensuring thechamber meets its commitment to be a valueadded resource to member businesses and thelocal community.

In January the Turlock Chamber hosted theirannual “Best of Turlock” event which was well attended and wheremany great people were honored and recognized. In February theSixth Annual State of the Chamber Membership Breakfast offeredimportant updates for our local and regional community. MayorJohn Lazar presented information on Turlock and CountySupervisor Vito Chiesa gave updates on our county. CSUStanislaus updates were given by Dr. Joseph Sheley and TurlockUnified School District updates by Dr. Sonny Da Marto. Everyonewho attended agreed on the value of the shared information.

As you are aware, we are experiencing major changes in thehealthcare delivery system in the Central Valley. Tenet HealthcareCorporation has entered into an agreement to acquire EmanuelMedical Center. Upon completion of the deal, Emanuel MedicalCenter will become a part of Tenet Healthcare which includesDoctors Medical Center of Modesto and Doctors Hospital ofManteca. The goal will be to provide patient-centered care in theregion. These hospitals will combine efforts to work towardsimproving the efficiency and coordination of healthcare delivery incommunities where they provide their services.

Locally developed wellness programs are another importantemployee-centered care change in the Central Valley. TheTurlock Chamber is actively involved with local groups in thedevelopment of a cost effective employee wellness program. Suchprograms have been shown to lower employer healthcare costsand improve employee productivity and overall wellness. If we asthe Chamber are as successful as we hope to be, there will be asmuch as a 30% savings per year for each family who commit towellness and disease prevention. Being a family physician, I amexcited about this initiative and the benefits it can offer to ourmembers. More information will become available on thisunique opportunity as the year progresses.

The Turlock Chamber continues to actively promote its businessmembers and assist with the development of a business friendlycommunity. As the chairman of the board I look forward toworking with the individual businesses and to a very productiveand exciting 2013.

Mike Romeo, MDRomeo Medical Clinic

The Turlock Chamber of Commercewill continue to play a positive rolein making Turlock a business

friendly community in 2013.

Specifically, the Chamber will continue itsstrong legislative advocacy on local, stateand federal levels. We work closely andpartner with our state local and federal

representatives on behalf of Turlock and its business community.The Chamber will champion legislators’ efforts to help our areaand call attention to their hard work. We will continue to assistlocal businesses that may have issues with governmental agencies.The Chamber of Commerce will maintain a dynamicrelationship with regional and valley groups and associationsbecause there is greater strength in numbers and the Valley hasmore that binds us together than divides us. We will keepreaching out to new businesses in Turlock to offer our menu ofservices and aggressively assist existing Turlock businesses innetworking and expanding their contacts.

The Chamber has several committees engaged in a diverse rangeof issues including education, economic development, businessresources, governmental affairs and special activities, as well asother areas of interest. As the voice of business in Turlock, theChamber’s goal is to advocate for our members’ best interests andfor those of our community.

The Turlock Chamber offers many services to our members. Calland see how we can help!

• Networking • Referrals• Publicity, Exposure and Marketing Opportunities• Discounts & Services • Education / Training• Business Advocacy• Community Involvement

Sharon Silva, President/CEOand the City of Turlock. TheChamber ended the year with a 10% increase in membership. Theyear began with the privilege of receiving three outstanding awards:

one fromWesternAssociationof ChamberExecutives;one for theExecutive ofthe Year; and

the First Place Award for our Business News publication, as well asreceiving the CalChambers President’s Award for the fourth year inBUSINESS NEWS « SPRING 2013 PAGE 5

A Long Year . . . . . But a Good YearFrom the President/CEO

WelcomeOf The Board - Mike Romeo

ChairmanExciting and Busy Year Ahead


Mike LynchMike Lynch Consulting

Paul Porter (Past Chair)Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green

Marty Jakosa (Ex-officio Member)

Foster Farms

Mike AllenAllen Mortuary

Dean DoerksenCentral Ag Products

Steve Gemperle (Treasurer)Gemperle Enterprises

Julio HallackDBA Concrete by Hallack

Chris KiriakouCornerstone Consulting

Linda NowakCSU Stanislaus

Mike Romeo (Chair)Romeo Medical Clinic

Mike RoseB & B Manufacturing

Andrew Wigglesworth(Chair Elect)

MedicAlert Foundation

Bill Bassitt(Ex-officio Member)

Alliance

2013 Chamber Board of Directors

Chamber ChampionsAllen Mortuary • B&B Fluid Power

Emanuel Medical Center • Gemperle EnterprisesJKB Energy / Living • Kirkes Electric

Lancaster PaintingMedicAlert FoundationRomeo Medical Clinic

Turlock JournalTurlock Scavenger/Turlock Recycling

Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency

Upcoming Events:

Golf TournamentApril 5th

Mixer MedicAlert FoundationApril 30th

Ashour BadalCSU Stanislaus

Fred BrendaValley Tool & Manufacturing

Kyle KirkesKirkes Electric

Sharon SilvaCEO/President

IOM, Institute forOrganization Management,

University of ArizonaBachelor ArtsOrganizationalCommunication

Tasha Van SantenDirector Communications/

DevelopmentBachelor Science -

BusinessCSU Stanislaus

Sharon BerryAdministrative

AssistantBachelor Science -

EducationPacific University

Desa CammackDirector Turlock Convention

and Visitors BureauWestern Association ofChamber ExecutivesAcademy Graduate

Kassi FortadoMembership /

CVB AssistantMerced College

2013 TURLOCKCHAMBER

OFCOMMERCE

STAFF

Dianna BettencourtOak Valley

Community Bank

Steven PadillaSunopta

Jeff SegarsFoster Farms

James BrendaJKB Energy

BUSINESS NEWS « SPRING 2013 PAGE 7

James Brenda, President of JKB Developmentlocated in Turlock, CA has successfully navigatedthe perils and pitfalls of the business

environment for 31 years. In 2007, James wasbuilding homes that met high-energy efficiencystandards by incorporating solar energy todramatically reduce homeowner’s utility costs.Recognizing the housing market was due for acorrection, Brenda saw the potential with anunfulfilled need of farmers and businesses that wereeager to reduce their rising energy costs bygenerating their own energy with solar power. It wasthen that JKB Energy was born.

In 2008, with market research and productdevelopment completed, JKB Energy began sellingturnkey solar projects. Because agriculture was lessaffected by the recession and was still doing well,JKB Energy focused their efforts on cost-saving solarsolutions for this market. The declining cost of solarpanels fueled JKB’s business. The company hasexperienced steady growth, with sales volumedoubling approximately every thirteen months.Brenda stated, “Installation costs today are down75% from just four years ago. California businesseshave never been more interested in solar.”

JKB Energy feels that being involved in theindustries it serves, such as proudly sponsoring theAlmond Board of California, Almond Hullers &Processors Association, and California CitrusMutual, is an important foundation for thecompany. In 2009, JKB Energy partnered withValley Tool & Manufacturing in Hughson, CA tomanufacture panel mounting and racking hardwarethat reduces lead times and improves quality, whilelowering the cost. Brenda explains, “This localpartnership provides us a huge advantage. We canintroduce new innovations to the marketplace in amatter of weeks versus months. It’s a good feelingknowing we are helping create local manufacturingjobs.” JKB Energy has grown from a handful ofpeople in one office to four locations, and continuesto expand.

In 2012, seeing renewed demand for new homes inthe area, JKB started building single familyresidences at its Sterling Ranch development inDenair, CA. New projects are already in the worksfor 2013, and Brenda is optimistic for the housingindustry’s future. He rebranded JKB Homes as JKBLiving to better convey a twenty-first century visionof sustainable and modern living, which familiesdesire today.

When asked about the future, Brenda quips, “Thepast few years have been challenging at times, butalso a period of opportunity. Looking back, it’srewarding to see all we have achieved during thattime. There have been a few cloudy days, but theforecast is looking rather sunny.”

SOLARENERGYThe forecast is looking rather sunny


2013Early each year, the Alliance conducts a countywide

survey of the business community. One thing standsout since starting this process in 2005 – every year

brings new challenges that owners and managers mustsurmount. This time around, the issue that rose to the forewas insurance, particularly health insurance. Coveragemandates for firms with 50 or more employees loom largeras 2014 approaches. Nearly two-thirds of surveyrespondents expressed uncertainty about having enoughinformation to support their decision-making processrelating to health insurance.

Among other topics, the survey showed that youngconsumers remain a challenging market, with over halfreporting weak demand from those aged 24 and under. Onthe other hand, about four in ten businesses experiencedstrong purchasing by the 50 to 64 year old cohort.

To view more findings from the survey, visithttp://www.stanalliance.com/dbm/demoind/_2013-Stanislaus-Economic-Outlook-Survey-Results.pdf

Thanks are in order to the Turlock Chamber for helping promote the business survey, and to its members for participating.

BUSINESS SURVEY SAYS . . .


The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department has been cutto the bone but remains dedicated to serving thecommunity, Sheriff Adam Christianson told Turlock

Chamber of Commerce members at the February ChamberCEO Roundtable lunch.

“When cutting, we got down to two core services: answeringemergency calls, and keeping bad guys locked up,” Christiansonsaid.

The poor economy wiped out 25 percent of the department'sbudget since 2008. The department is now hiring for first timein four years, but only a couple of deputies – not the 80Christianson said he needs to answer 80,000 calls for serviceeach year. At times Christianson has just 7 deputies to patrolthe entire county, he said.

Other monumental challenges like realignment only make thedepartment's job more difficult. That program releasedhundreds of less-violent state prisoners into county care lastyear, increasing crowding at local facilities. Many of the least-serious offenders end up back on the streets after minimalsentences now, where a life of crime often awaits.

Some relief is around the corner, as the county will soon opennew jail facilities with nearly 600 beds, adding day reportingand mental health care facilities. A new coroner's facility willsoon open too, in a repurposed Downtown Modesto countybuilding.

But it's going to take the entire community working together tosolve the region's crime problem, Christianson said, withcitizens policing themselves. Neighborhood watches can changethe character of a community, he said, and make more impactthan deputies ever could.

“You will never be able to arrest your way out of some of thepublic safety challenges we face,” Christianson said.

The bimonthly CEO Roundtable lunches bring togethernotable speakers with local business and government leaders fora discussion about the most important issues facing Turlock andthe region.

CEO RoundtableDown To Two Core Services


AMBASSADOR OF THE YEARJoy Biddle

Biddle was not present to receive her award.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEARJerry Powell

Powell was honored mainly for his decade of work with the Salvation Army, where he sits on the advisory board and helped

build the organization's facility.

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONJanice Virgo

Virgo spearheaded the creation of the Turlock Community Theater, at a time when the former Turlock High

School auditorium may have been lost.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEARWoods Furniture

The family owned and operated furniture has been in operation since 1950, adapting to the times through

three generations of ownership.

CORPORATION OF THE YEARThe Tower Health and Wellness Center,

Owned by the Romeo familyThe visionary development combines medical services with restaurants, event hosting, florists, a salon, and a pharmacy.

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT OF THE YEARKathy Sanders

A poultry and dairy leader for Chatom 4H, Sanders has helped countless children over the years.

EDUCATOR OF THE YEARGlenn Blackley

Blackley has taught students ranging from gifted to severely at-risk,and was instrumental in developing the Turlock

Unified School District charter school, the eCademy.

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR – HIGHER EDUCATIONJulie Fox

Fox heads the CSU Stanislaus Office of Service Learning, which helpsstudents earn real-world experience while giving back more than 48,000

hours of service to the community each year.

HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEARSylvia Cox

Cox founded Turlock's Off-Center Thrift and Gift, an all-volunteer thrift shop which has donated more than

$400,000 to the community since opening.

AGRICULTURAL LEADER OF THE YEARRon Macedo

Macedo has served on the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau board, the California Farm Bureau board, and now serves

on the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors while growing almonds, corn, and pumpkins.

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEARDr. Antone Varani and Anokeen Varani,

owners of Turlock Dental SpaThe Varanis' dual dental business and day spa offers relaxing

massage chairs, hand wax, and aromatherapy during dental work, as well as an array of spa treatments.

YOUTH CITIZENS OF THE YEARPitman High – Kelsee Derr

Derr is is a state-level track athlete, a standout student, student body president, and recently spent 13 days tiling

bathrooms at an orphanage in Mexico.

Turlock High – Katelyn McGinnisMcGinnis is a member of the Turlock High Speech and Debate Team,

the Key Club, and the Drama Club, has raised $7,000 for chemotherapy patients, and was recently chosen to be part of the

prestigious Gallo Leadership program.

CITIZEN OF THE YEARShirley Pok

Pok has led Emanual Medical Center's fundraising program since 2000, raising more than $22 million, while serving on numerous

community boards and helping to organize the Turlock Mayor's Prayer Breakfast.

Best of TurlockTurlock is a city filled with kind-hearted people, who do whatever it takes to make the city a

better place.

But the work is usually thankless, as those people who make Turlock great often work unnoticed.

On one night a year, the city's finest are recognized at the annual Best of Turlock awards, hostedby the Turlock Chamber of Commerce.

Awardees are brought to the ceremony under false pretenses, with no clue they are about to behonored until their names are called. Winners are selected by a panel of past winners who knowwhat it means to truly be the Best of Turlock.

The 2013 event was held on Jan. 25 at the Assyrian American Civic Club, and was sponsored byCalifornia State University, Stanislaus and the Emanuel Medical Center.

BEST OF TURLOCK WINNERS, 2013


Business and community leaders packed theCarnegie Arts Center on Feb. 20, waiting withrapt attention to hear about the state of the

city, county, university, school district and, of course,the Turlock Chamber of Commerce.

The Turlock Chamber of Commerce's AnnualMembership Breakfast is a Turlock tradition, offeringan invaluable, inside look at the region.

“Long before Modesto started doing theirs, we weredoing it,” said Sharon Silva, Turlock Chamber CEO.

The annual breakfast, catered by Latif's this year,kicked off with an update on the Chamber'sactivities over the past year. Members met the boardand ambassadors, heard about events, and learnedabout initiatives like Leadership Turlock, theBusiness Leadership Summit, and the Chamber'sgovernment relations efforts.

But major speakers from the community were alsoinvited, highlighted by Turlock Mayor John Lazar.Lazar's annual speech at the breakfast is generallyreferred to as the State of the City address.

Last year, Lazar announced new businesses peggedfor Turlock – Old Navy and Ulta. This year, themayor turned his speech toward Turlock's shoddyroads, urging passage of a new transportation tax.

“For too long we have waited for some county, stateor federal initiative to improve our transportationsystems,” Lazar said “... I would like to explore theidea of placing some type of special roadmaintenance measure on the Turlock ballot forresidents to give us the tools to fix our streets.”

Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa alsoprovided an update on the county, offering his visionto reduce crime, create jobs, and improve education.

And this year, new Interim President of CaliforniaState University, Stanislaus Joseph Sheley shared hisvision for the university for the first time, mostlydiscussing the potentially hazardous effects of statebudget cuts. Turlock Unified School DistrictSuperintendent Sonny Da Marto closed the event,speaking about the challenges facing and thesuccesses of the district.

Chamber Breakfast . . .offers invaluable inside look at the region

“”

... I would like toexplore the idea of placingsome type of special roadmaintenance measure onthe Turlock ballot forresidents to give us the toolsto fix our streets.


In March 2010, our office went live on the utility module ofNew World Systems. With this implementation came anumber of changes, one of those changes being a new billing

form. This billing form allows for important messages to beprinted on both the billing stub and bottom portion of the bill. InJanuary 2010, the City converted from flat to metered water, whichis now reflective on utility bills as well, allowing customers to seetheir water consumption (in gallons) for each billing cycle.

Some helpful tips are for our customers to be sure to bring theirCity of Turlock utility bill with them when visiting our office topay their bill. This allows for accuracy with crediting the correctutility account. Occasionally, inserts are included with utility bills.These inserts contain important and useful information to ourcustomers, such as leaf pick up schedules, holiday events inTurlock, Take Pride in Turlock, etc…

For the convenience of our customers, there are a number ofpayment options available: mail, drop boxes (near TID and at CityHall), City of Turlock’s website (http://www.cityofturlock.org) phone

(668-5570), walk-in payments at City Hall, and electronicallythrough banking websites. Customers are also given the optionof managing their utility account from our website. This featureallows for customers to view their utility bill, make payments,and customize their account settings as desired (i.e. sign up forpaperless billing, enroll in auto bill payment, etc…).

The utility module is a part of the Financial SoftwareApplication of New World Systems and is near completion. InJanuary 2012, the Finance Office went live with the businesslicense module, which is a part of the Community DevelopmentApplication. In an effort to streamline processes and improveelectronic communication among City departments,Development Services, Municipal Services, NeighborhoodServices, Human Resources, and our Payroll Department havealso partnered with New World Systems. This is an ongoingconversion and the City of Turlock is looking forward to theenhancements that New World Systems has to offer ourcustomers and daily processes.

It’s a New World

The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) iscurrently weighing a proposal that, if passed, wouldnegatively impact our region’s water supply, agriculture

operations and economy. This proposal, which disregards historicwater rights of local irrigation districts, would force these districtsto dedicate 35 percent of unimpaired flows along the Merced,Tuolumne and Stanislaus Rivers from February 1 to June 30annually for fish and wildlife beneficial uses.

According to the SWRCB’s Substitute Environmental Document,if this proposal passes, in dry years, approximately 210,000 acres offarmland could be fallowed, Ag income loss could total $187million each year, job losses would exceed 1,200, and Modesto andTurlock Irrigation Districts will combine to sacrifice 300,000 acre-feet of water annually. Additionally, hydropower generation wouldtake a hit, groundwater supplies would be impacted, and water andpower rates would likely rise.

What makes matters worse is that this proposal does not possessany scientific evidence that increased flows will actually benefit fishand wildlife. Nor does the proposal address other factors that havebeen scientifically proven to be affecting fish populations such aspredation by non-native fish. The state’s proposal represents a low-probability gamble based solely on a whim in a high-stakes game tobenefit fisheries. Except the only stakes in play are family farms,jobs and the welfare of our region. Learn more at www.tid.com

The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)

FOR THE CITY OF TURLOCK’S FINANCE OFFICE!by Fallon Martin


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By Chris Kiriakou

December of 2012 and the first two months of 2013 was a quarter of lookingforward for the City Council. Among the major business items that the Counciltook action on was the Master Plan development in Southeast Turlock, FulkerthRoad improvements, a reliable supply of drinking water and the fees associatedwith future growth. Council items and votes are as follows;;

Q1 2013 – CITY COUNCIL -A Running Start at Planning for the Future

1. 1/8/13 Master Plan Public Improvements Y Y Y Y Y2. 1/8/13 Plan Check Services Y Y Y Y Y3. 1/8/13 Downtown Property Owner’s Association Y Y Y Y Y4. 1/8/13 Water Rate Study N Y Y Y Y5. 1/8/13 Turlock Partnership Incentive Program Y Y Y Y Y6. 1/22/13 Approval of membership in Bay Area Recycled Y Y Y Y Y

Water Coalition7. 1/22/13 Approval of City Labor Agreements Y Y Y Y Y8. 2/12/13 Approval an Amendment to the East Stanislaus Y Y Y Y Y

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan9. 2/26/13 South East Turlock Morgan Ranch Master Plan Y Y Y Y Y10. 2/26/13 Fulkerth Road Rehabilitation Y Y Y Y Y11. 2/26/13 Updates to the Northwest Triangle and Westside Y Y Y Y Y

Industrial Specific Plan Fee Study

Following is a brief summary of each of the 2012 business related items.1. Master Plan Improvements – City staff reported that new home construction in the NE Master Plan Area has been brisker than

anticipated. Developers advance funds for public improvements and the council voted unanimously to reimburse the developers.The City will then be reimbursed through new home construction fees.

2. Plan Check Services – Another indicator of improving new project construction. Rather than staff up in uncertain times, theCity is contracting out the plan check services.

3. Downtown Property Owner’s Association – Reimbursement of administrative funds to the DPOA. Council providesadministrative support to the Association until it becomes more self-sufficient.

4. Water Rate Study – Council approved hiring a consultant to assist with the preparation of a study of water rates. A No vote byBlublak reflected her desire to do the study internally and use the money spent on a consultant for other purposes such as roads.

5. Partnership Incentive Program – Unanimous Council approval to continue funding of a $1,000 economic incentive to newbusiness locating in existing construction.

6. Membership in the Bay Area Recycled Water Coalition – Approved of membership in advocacy group for the purpose offurthering the North Valley Recycled Water Program where the City could sell recycled water to the Westside.

7. City Labor Agreements - Completion of the City negotiations with the labor unions for the current budget year.

8. Regional Water Management Plan – Approved an amended cost sharing agreement for the study of long-term water resources forthe cities of Turlock, Ceres, Hughson and the South area of Modesto. Turlock’s share is 20%.

9. Morgan Ranch Master Plan – Continued development of the Golf Links Road, east of Highway 99 area pursuant with the City’smaster plan for southeast Turlock.

10. Fulkerth Road Rehabilitation – Council approval of needed improvements to Fulkerth Road between 99 and Golden Statepartially using Gas Tax funds.

11. Northwest Triangle and WISP Fee Study – Approval of consulting services to update fees associated with development in the twoareas (Monte Vista Crossings area and the Industrial Park).

The first quarter of the City’s year covered a lot of different areas but from a business standpoint it appears to focus on advanceplanning and the fees associated with it. Growth brings jobs, opportunity and revenues to the City. These are all good things ifeffectively planned, consistent with the citizen’s desires. The City staff has certainly done its share of advanced planning this quarter.

There are plenty of newspaper articleson the Sequester pointing fingers atone party or another. The national

debt is increasing substantially with no endin sight. But that’s not what this article isabout. This article is about how we got hereand a lot about when a deal is not a deal.

If you think back to the start of thisdiscussion it takes place in 2011 when thenation was approaching the Debt Ceiling,the maximum the nation could borrow. Thedebt ceiling has increased over time as shownin the US Public debt ceiling Since 1981graph (Wikipedia, Jeanne Sahadi,CNNMoney May 18, 2011). The differencethis time was the historically high increasesin debt over the past ten years. As of 3/11/13it is $16.7 trillion. In summary, the dealinvolved a tax increase through theexpiration of the Bush era tax cuts, thepayroll tax cuts and tax increases on thewealthy in exchange for $1.5 trillion in budget cuts over ten years.The deal did not specify how the budget cuts would beaccomplished but left it to a “Super Committee” made up ofrepresentatives from both Houses of Congress and political parties,which failed. In the event of a failure the $1.5 trillion would be cutevenly from both defense and domestic programs: “Sequestration”.The deal was for a $617 billion tax increase (Center for AmericanProgress, 1/3/13) and for $1.5 trillion in budget cuts to reduce thedeficit spending.

The tax increase took effect on January 1, 2013 and the Sequestercuts took effect March 1, 2013. Ok so just how much will thegovernment have to reduce its spending? There have been varyingestimates but the Washington Examiner (2/27/13) reported that its2.5% over the next ten years. But the January 1 payroll SocialSecurity tax increase was 2% on employees and another 2% onemployers in addition to increases on “wealthy Americans”. Recallthe deal was for a tax increase in exchange for budget cuts. Congresswas able to agree on a series of tax increases but when it came tocutting the budget what happened?? The Sequester is about a failureto complete a deal. A deal that may have a tax impact on each andevery one of us and a failure of our elected representatives to live upto what was negotiated. Sure they can agree on taxes, but budgetcuts, never! James Madison said, “Wherever the real power in aGovernment lies, there is the danger of oppression.” (Letter toThomas Jefferson (1788-10-17). The test of “real power” for ourelected representatives will be if they can live up to their “balanced”deals!


Sequester: So When is a Deal, Not a Deal?


The landscape of Turlock healthcare will undergo aseismic shift in the coming months, as EmanuelMedical Center will be sold to Tenet Healthcare.

Tenet Healthcare is already a major player in the CentralCalifornia healthcare industry, owning and operatingModesto's Doctors Medical Center and Manterca's DoctorsHospital. The purchase of Emanuel, at an undisclosed price,will allow Tenet to improve both the efficiency and thedelivery of healthcare locally, Tenet said.

“The combination of Emanuel Medical Center with Tenet’sexisting hospitals represents the alignment of leadinghealthcare organizations with a long history of providinghigh-quality patient care in the Central Valley region,” saidJeff Koury, senior vice president for Tenet’s California region.

The sale makes good sense for Emanuel, too, hospital leaderssaid. As local healthcare professionals struggle to adapt to theincreased demands of the Affordable Care Act, also known asObamacare, the power and resources of a national companylike Tenet will allow Emanuel to continue to thrive.

“This is a way we can ensure we have healthcare in ourcommunity,” Emanuel Board Chair Jennifer Larson said.

Turlockers will likely see little change in the day-to-dayoperations of the hospital, which will continue all previousservices and its affiliation with the Evangelical CovenantChurch. Other current Emanuel assets – the Brandel Manornursing facility and Cypress of Emanuel assisted living – willcontinue to be operated by the Covenant Church, and willnot be sold to Tenet.

TENET BUYS

Emanuel


It's tradition for the WorldSeries-winning baseballteam to embark on a trophy

tour, showing off the fruit oftheir labor to an adoring fanbase spread across a region.

But it's certainly not normal for a World Series trophy to endup in Turlock.

After the San Francisco Giants won the 2012 World Series,sweeping the Detroit Tigers in the process, the team planned atypical trophy tour. Stops were planned across the CentralValley, in cities like Modesto, Atwater, and Merced – but notTurlock.

But then on Feb. 20, by happenstance, Giants personneltransporting the trophy got a little hungry while driving fromModesto to Atwater. The Giants employees decided to stop forlunch at the former Wellington Station, bringing the 2012 and2010 World Series trophies inside for fans to see while theyate.

The unexpected, approximately one-hour Turlock stop tookeven Wellington's owners by surprise.

Just shortly after the World Series trophy left, WellingtonStation too left Turlock. The longtime bar and eatery closedforever in mid-March, with owners reopening 10 days later as10 East Kitchen and Tap House, a new restaurant and barfocused on craft beer and upscale casual food.

. . . hits Turlock

Cindy Fraze Realtor

DAC Remodeling Inc.

First California Mortgage Company

Fresno Pacific University, Merced Center

H&R Block

IBEW Local 684

Jacobs, Wes, D.V.M.

Quilts of Honor

Stanislaus Council of Governments

Tom Michael Insurance Agency

Turlock Gospel Mission

Turlock Monument Co.

Valley Care Medical Group

Valley Vein Health Center

New Members

World Series Trophy


STOP-N-SHOP

Mixers

H & R BLOCK

CARNEGIE PET AVENUE

Ribbon Cuttings

BRENDAATHLETICCLUB


By Jim L. Theis, Broker

What a difference a year makes! Last March we werestill talking about the “foreclosure tsunami” and theswelling “phantom inventories” of bank owned

properties that were being held by the large banks, both of whichhave failed to materialize. As we start the 2nd Quarter of 2013,there are 53 available properties for sale in Turlock (all prices, allareas) and approximately 10% are bank owned and another 10%are short sales. Last year there were 192 homes for sale with 73%being distressed sales. The market is transitioning from a marketdominated by distressed sales to one that is predominatelytraditional sales with “real” buyers and sellers on each side of thetransaction.

Going back to 2nd Quarter of 2007, inventories of unsoldproperties had ballooned to 481, 30-year mortgage rates were6.25%, and the median price per square foot was $221 afterdropping from the previous all-time high in 2006 of $257/sf.Turlock median home prices bottomed last year at $93/sf andhave gradually been moving up to the current $111/sf. Mortgagerates bottomed at 3.38% and are currently in the 3.75% range –

still very favorable when compared to the 40-yr historical averagein the 8% range. With the current low inventory levels, there isstrong upward pressure on prices as buyers over-bid asking prices,with multiple offers the norm on most sales.

Today’s $111/sf median market value is significantly below thepeak of $257/sf, however it is up 19.4% from the bottom lastyear. This positive trend is encouraging news for home ownerslooking to move back to a positive equity position in their homevalues. Low inventory of available homes will continue to be thestory for 2013 as only 19 building permits were issued for newhomes in all of 2012 – down from the peak of 873 issued in2003.

Opportunities are still available for both first-time home buyersand investors. With the limited inventory, buyers must bepatient, however must be in a position to move quickly when theperfect home becomes available. It is still a great time to buy orsell a home!

TURLOCK REAL ESTATE –

Limited Inventory Translates To Higher Prices…

CALIFORNIA DISTRESSED SALES

SOURCE: California Association of REALTORS®

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0%

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It looks like the Greek government will not go into default onnearly $1.3 trillion Euros. Oh, by the way 1 Euro = $1.3256today so that’s really $1.72 trillion give or take a few bucks.

Come on, what does a default in a country the size ofConnecticut mean to me here in Turlock on the other side of theworld?? Well it really could mean a lot because guess who holdssome of that debt??

A Greek Tragedy The Greek government has issued about $1.72 trillion in bailoutbonds to keep the country alive, more or less. A payment on thedebt is coming due March 20 and the Greeks don’t have the cash.(No wonder, in December unemployment was 21%.) The Greekgovernment has asked the private bond holders to take a 53.5%cut in the current value or a near 70% loss in the full value of thebonds, as well as, seeking a $172 billion loan. Well here’s theconnection between Turlock and Greece, guess who holds Greekbonds and related derivatives, several large US banks!! Rememberthose pesky derivatives from four years ago, Mortgage BackedSecurities (MBS) that we’re still trying to recover from.

Local BanksIn June last year CNN reported that JP Morgan Chase,CitiGroup, and Bank of America held around $185 billion inGreek related derivatives. These are some of our local banks thatwe rely on for credit and services. But you say that’s a drop in thebucket compared to the $878 billion the US government bailoutthat the banks received under the Toxic Asset Relief Program(TARP). Guess what, Greece is just the leading edge of the stormwith Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland not far behind. If Greece


While 2013 is not a presidential election year we willnot be spared either political issues or campaigns.Many very consequential discussions and decisions

will be undertaken which will shape our community state andnation for years to come.

Locally, foremost is water and power. Agencies like theCalifornia Water Quality Control board are intent onincreasing substantially the flows from the reservoirs on theTuolumne, the Merced and the Stanislaus. This could meanloss of water and power to TID and MID customers andratepayers. It is particularly important to TID, where the longstanding plans to provide safer and cleaner surface drinkingwater to its area (Turlock, Ceres, Hughson etc) could beimpacted by the decision. TID electric customers, whoalready pay much of the cost of bringing TID water to TIDirrigators, could see even larger power bills, since the waterwould be released at a time when power generation revenuesare low. The threat to the water supply doesn’t stop there. TheFederal Energy Regulatory commission has to relicense DonPedro. More outside demands for increased or water use areexpected at that level.

It is ironic that TID and MID, which have invested in waterstorage, are now expected to supply water at no cost towealthier areas of California who have made no suchinvestments. This kind of disparity continues to keep the

valley well behind other parts of California in economic,employment and opportunity success indicators.Roads and police will also be on the minds of localgovernment. Some cities are considering a sales tax for policeservices or road improvements. Stanislaus county is looking ata county wide road improvement plan. If the jurisdictionsproceed with these plans some may be on the local ballot thisNovember.

Our state and federal legislators will have to constantly be onguard to forestall threats not just in water, but in land use, andfunding formulas, so that our area is treated equally withothers.

What can we look . . . forward to?forward to?

So we will have an interesting year. Getready for political posturing as variouspotential candidates for office in 2014 testthe waters. More importantly however,watch closely the policy developments thatcan have enormous impact on oureconomy and quality of life in Turlock.

by Mike Lynch


Predictions have a funny way of coming true…or not. A fewyears ago, email as a way of reaching existing customers andpotential new customers was said to be going the way of

newspapers, Top 40 radio, and door hangers,. “Not the best wayto target customers”. “No one reads emails anymore” “There’s abetter way”.

There is a better way, and that better way is a better email!Great restaurants, hotels, even great athletes pay attention to thedetails and frequently find success for their efforts. Great emailmarketing comes from the right content, an attractivepresentation, and a strategy for understanding how yourrecipient reacts and how to follow up. Here are 12 steps to betteremail marketing.

Step #1 – Have Clear, Attention-Getting Email Subject Line: Ifit’s hokey it gets passed by, if it’s blank it gets ignored. If you takea minute and really think of what you want them to look for, notjust what your message is about, the chances of it being openedare increased. Avoid spam triggers.

Step #2 – A Real Person as the Sender: I don’t care what yourcompany has to say, much less a 3rd party sending email on yourbehalf. I want to know it’s you, and why you feel you should besending me an email. All this should come across in the From:line.

Step #3 – Company Logo – I may not care as much aboutcompanies as I do about people but I want to be reassured in it isyou behind a company. In a split second people identify andassociate a logo, to a brand, to a company, to you; a good logo,makes us think, makes us feel, calls us to action and puts us atease all in the same split-second. A great email always featuresyour logo, prominently. At the beginning, at the end, or both.

Step #4 – Personalized Content – Add the recipient’s first nameto your email. Personalized email increases the click through rate(the rate your recipient actually opens your email). Think howyour offer affects them personally, and adjust the offer to fitdifferent demogrpahics, pyschographics or personas.

Step #5 – Create Groups or Segments within your Email List.Different circumstances, different reactions, different message.Who are they?, Where are they?, What have they bought in thepast?

Step #6 –State Your Case Early – Your “case” is the valueproposition, or context of your offer. Tell the reader as quickly aspossible, why they clicked open your email. Getting someone toopen an email is hard; getting them to stay through the show ismore difficult. Tell them why you have sent it to themparticularly. This reduces the big brother effect; “why are you

sending me an email? Who told you to email me?”

Step #7 – Call to Action – What do you want me to do? Have abutton(hyper link) they can click on to purchase what you’reselling, or learn more about what you’re saying.

Step #8 – Pictures say a thousand words Emails are like showand tell in 2nd grade, people want to see pretty pictures ratherthan read words.

#9- Sharing buttons/additional links: Facebook, Google+,Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Reddit. Putting socialmedia buttons on your emails allows the reader to share theirthoughts immediately if they like what they read.

#10 – Access to the Deep End – If you got a prospect to notice,open, realize, and understand what your email is about, givethem a bonus link at the bottom which offers more. Kind of likea complimentary dessert after a great meal. This increasescredibility even if they have not chosen to purchase or takenadvantage of your offer. More detailed information may makethem a buyer.

#11 – Respect Privacy – Be very clear on how you respect therecipient’s privacy. Have a privacy policy that the recipient caneasily click. Assure those that read your email, and/or clickthrough for more information, or to make a purchase, that theirinformation will be protected and respected.

#12 – Allow Them off the Bandwagon – All emails of a non-personal nature require an Unsubscribe link. Nothing damagesyour credibility more than incessant, unwanted emails fromsellers or providers. It’s the law! Do not send an email without anUnsubscribe link.

I realize there is much more to marketing, email or other than Ican provide in such a short article but the keys to successful emailmarketing are: be clear, be concise, be relevant, call for an action,show respect, and provide an unsubscribe link.

Email allows companies of all sizes and types to market theirgoods or services, but if you don’t do it right, you may causemore harm than good.

Special thanks to Meghan Lockwood of Hubspot Marketing, forher inspiration.

Alan Seaton is a small business consultant for the SBDC for localstart ups and business owners that have a issue about theirbusiness. SBDC assistance is provided free of charge. Sign up forservices at alliancesbdc.com. Contact Al at 209-585-9508, oremail @ [email protected]

12 Steps ...TO A GREAT EMAIL

Alan W. Seaton

B U S I N E S S C O N S U LT A N T A L L I A N C E S B D C T U R L O C K


2013 Distinguished Artist Retrospective3/14/2013‐4/14/2013 More Info: 209‐632‐5761www.carnegieartsturlock.org

3rd Annual Haywire Car & Truck Show5/11/2013 8:30:00 AM More Info: 209‐613‐2654

6th Annual Rib Cook‐off4/19/2013 11:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐668‐5098

Artist Open Studio4/6/2013‐4/7/2013 12:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐222‐TOURwww.facebook.com/StanislausAOS

Bounders United Kanga Roos Chapter4/2/2013 7:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐823‐5688

CCAA Track & Field Conference5/2/2013‐5/4/2013 12:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐667‐3016www.warriorathletics.com

Central California Bluegrass Assn. ‐ RV Rally & Campout4/15/2013‐4/21/2013 12:00:00 AM More Info: 916‐ 989‐0993www.cbaontheweb.org

CSUS Student Shows (Titles & Directors TBA)3/15/2013‐3/19/2013 8:00:00 PM More Info: 209‐667‐3166www.csustan.edu/SOA/theatretickets.html

David Sedaris5/7/2013 7:30:00 PM More Info: 209‐668‐1169turlocktheatre.org

E‐Waste Collection4/6/2013 9:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐668‐1738

Gold and Treasure Expo3/23/2013‐3/24/2013 10:00:00 AM More Info: 951‐850‐1582www.goldprospectors.org

Intuition And Holistic Expo4/13/2013 10:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐604‐5413www.intuitionandholisticexpo.com

MACBETH ‐ Shakespeare Under The Stars4/30/2013‐5/5/2013 6:00:00 PM More Info: 209‐667‐3166www.csustan.edu

Pitman High School Annual Jazz Band Dinner3/15/2013 7:00:00 PM More Info: 209‐277‐3706www.pitmanhighbands.com

San Joaquin Labrador Retrievers Dog Show3/15/2013 8:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐402‐4488www.shadowbrooklabs.com

St. Paddy's Day Celebration3/17/2013 12:00:00 PM More Info: 209‐668‐8729http://www.facebook.com/events/366434063391373/

St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl3/16/2013 11:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐815‐3731

Turlock Chamber 14th Annual Golf Tournament4/5/2012 11:00 AMMore Info: 209‐632‐2221www.turlockchamber.com

Tournament of Champions ‐ Cal State Stanislaus WarriorsSoftball Tournament4/5/2013‐4/7/2013 12:00:00 AM More Info: 209‐667‐3016www.warriorathletics.com

TYPA presents Once on this Island, Jr.4/19/2013‐4/21/2013 7:00:00 PM More Info: 209.537.5227

Vines, Signature Dishes, Wine & Brews3/14/2013 7:00:00 PM More Info: 209‐667‐3836http://www.csustan.edu/stanbyme/vines/

WGAS Motorsports‐ Monster Truck Spring Nationals5/11/2013‐5/12/2013 6:00:00 PM More Info: 530‐745‐0100www.wgasmotorsports.com

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