State reps to help chamber launch panel
Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce will kick off its 2011 AT&T Public Policy series with a panel discussion on tax reform featuring several state representatives and subject experts from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 29 at the Danville Country Club.
State House Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville; State House Rep. Bill Farmer, R-Lexington; Sheila Schuster of the Mental Health and Healthcare Coalition; and Andy Hightower of the Richmond Club for Tax Growth are the panelists for the informative, conversational session.
Attendees are invited to bring questions for the panelists. The event will contain valuable information to help businesses. There will be several opportunities for attendees to network with the elected officials and experts.
“We hope people will join us June 29 for the tax reform panel to learn about the many proposals and how they will affect people’s businesses, as well as their personal taxes,” said Paula Fowler, executive director of the Danville-Boyle Chamber of Commerce.
Fowler added this kick-off of the 2011 series is the first of several exciting events to help business owners and the interested public.
“We are also working on an education reform panel, an analysis of the gubernatorial race and a possible gubernatorial debate with Centre College Please stay tuned to http://www.danvilleboylechamber.com as they develop,” said Fowler.
Reservations for the Tax Reform Panel are $15 with lunch included and $10 without lunch, and can be made by calling the Chamber at (859) 236-2361.
Chamber holds 2011 Teacher
Academy to develop workforce
More than 20 educators from six different school systems participated June 8-10 in the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Committee 2011 Teacher Academy, a program designed to identify the factors that enable and inhibit an adequately skilled labor force to support economic growth in Danville and Boyle County and to identify strategies to address those factors starting among students at the middle and high school levels.
“This was the fourth edition of the Teacher Academy program. The participants have been different each year, but the feedback from them has been very consistent,” said Steve Rinehart, co-chairman of Workforce Development. “It is both revelation and reinforcement for the teachers to hear how importantly businesses value and need their employees to demonstrate punctuality, dependability, teamwork, communications skills, basic math, reading and reading comprehension and problem solving skills.
“These are the skills needed for success in any job, whether in manufacturing, health care, retail/commercial or professional careers. The Teacher Academy experience also reinforces the need for the business community and education to work together to ensure that students are able to make a successful transition from high school to post-secondary education or the workplace.”
Academy attendees split into groups for site visits. The idea behind the visits was to identify and experience first-hand the career/job opportunities, the necessary job skills and behaviors, and examples of real world application of academics within one Boyle County business.
Each group rotated between participating business partners
Program participants include: Michelle Thompson (Casey County High School); Marvetta Overstreet (CCHS); Janette Beard (CCHS); Sharon Price (CCHS); Kacey King (CCHS); Patricia Preston (Harrodsburg ATC); Maggie Brewer (Boyle County High School); Rebekah Bolakoro (BCHS); Lynnwood Parsons (BCHS) Roger Hartner (Danville High School); Sarah Brock (Boyle County Middle School); Will Carlton (BCMS); Paula Meckes (KSD Middle School); Ann Arnold (KSD Middle School); Cristal Collins (Lincoln County High School); Beckey Miller (LCHS); Ann Weise (Boyle County High School); Tim Lair (LCHS); Kelly Mullins (LCHS); Susan Michael (BCHS); Dudley Spoonamore (BCHS); Beverly Drummond (CCHS); and Vicki Long (Harrodsburg ATC).
