By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

The excellent food served at the Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Tuesday went down a lot better than healthcare and government regulations. Businesses attending the annual event shared varied good news but there was one thing most of them agreed on: the biggest challenges they faced were healthcare and government regulations.

The Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual Economic Development Update and Business Forecast Breakfast Tuesday morning. The 11 speakers focused of major accomplishments they’ve achieved in the past year, new construction planned, expectations for 2014, and they biggest challenge their business is facing.

ADM Benefit Plans
Dawn Ratliff noted that the biggest challenge facing ADM Benefit Plans is helping people and employers with the Affordable Care Act rules.

“It’s a difficult climate right now,” Ratliff said, “for employers as well as individuals. Employers are trying to take care of their employees but it is difficult to do as they would like to keep them in jobs as well as give them benefits but financially that is a struggle.”

Ratliff said ADM Benefit Plans has now taken on a new role as consultant when they present options to customers. “We just try to help them maneuver and make the best decisions we can,” Ratliff said. “We’ll continue to fight the good fight and try to make everybody as educated as we can possibly make them.”

City of Galion
Mayor Tom O’Leary said that the transition from a charter form of government to a statutory one has mostly been completed. He highlighted the construction and new development projects that will be underway in 2014. There will be at least four major paving and highway projects.

O’Leary hopes to form a business advisory council 2014, which will look reliability and rates in the city. He plans on the council also being able to focus on marketing and site selection activities. Though Galion has a few nibbles, O’Leary said, their “tacklebox” is lure-less.

“We don’t have very many sites and we are looking to satisfy the inquires that have begun to come in to the city and we’re just running out of parcels,” O’Leary said.

O’Leary said the biggest challenge facing Galion right now is a need for a change of attitude.

“We really need to promote a can-do attitude,” said O’Leary.

O’Leary believed the leaders in Galion needed to stop thinking that they couldn’t do anything because of the fiscal emergency that hit the city.

“We still are in fiscal emergency,” O’Leary stipulated, “but we have resources and we need to start setting a very deliberative, very pro-growth policy on economic development, park and recreation, and all those others that you expect us to provide.”

Crestline Exempted Village School District
Crestline students were able to move into their new building during the 2013-2014 school year and Superintendent Noreen Mullens said they hope to be able to move into their new football field by the fall.

Mullens believed there was a need for increased communitcation between the district and the Crestline community. She invited community members to host a “Coffee Talk” for open conversation with her about the district.

Mullens believed the biggest challenge facing the Crestline School District would be the need for a levy in the near future.

Firelands Federal Credit Union
Steven Wasserman said 2013 had been a great year for Firelands Federal Credit Union. Firelands purchased property on SR 598. Ground will be broken soon for a 4,400 square foot facility on Portland Way.

Wasserman noted that cyber-attacks were one of the biggest challenges facing Firelands. Government regulations was another challenge.

Crawford County Education and Economic Development Partnership
A shortage of workers and skills were a big obstacle facing the area, Dave Williamson said. He believed, like O’Leary, that a change of attitude was needed.

“We need to focus on why we have those workforce and skill shortages and what we’re going to be able to do to find workers,” said Williamson. Training will be a big force behind those changes, he believed.

Nonetheless, Williamson said that there was some good news in the manufacturing sector. With 35 percent of the county’s workforce in manufacturing, local businesses were stepping up and moving forward.

Carter Machine Co., Inc.
Carter Machine remain steady throughout the economic hardships, Annie Carter said. The company reopened a facility in Galion, purchased a new machine and brought in new customers. According to Carter, the start of 2014 has been one of the best starts the business has ever had.

“Our expectations for 2014 are very positive,” said Carter. “Hopefully things will maintain, we’ll continue to get orders in and increase our customer base.”

Carter cited healthcare, the EPA, and utility costs as the biggest challenges facing Carter Machine.

“I think . . . we’ve had somewhat of a depressed mood, a sad mood, around these parts because we think things are failing us,” Carter said. She refused to let the challenges keep her or her business down.

“I think we have a very large number of positive things happening here . . . and we need to have everyone’s support.”

Burkhart Farm Center
Ron Burkhart reported that Burkhart Farm Center saw its customer base and market share increase over the past year. He saw a “good” forecast in store for Burkhart Farm Center. Burkhart also cited healthcare and government mandates and regulations as the biggest challenges in 2014.

Covert Mfg., Co., Inc.
Covert Manufacturing purchased the U.S. Fabrication Company and added 9,000 square feet and an additional five acres to its property. The business also purchased a building on South and Wood St. where they now house the Covert Training Center.

The Covert Training Center works with adult learning centers to help its employees work while obtaining a college degree. There are currently 28 students working on their associate’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Covert Manufacturing was inducted into the John Deere Hall of Fame and recently built a 12,000 square foot building to house the businesses recyclables. Two new robotic lines were also added to Covert Manufacturing’s main location.

Hiring skilled labor and employee retention were cited as Covert Manufacturing’s biggest challenges.

Galion Community Hospital—Avita Health System
Galion Community Hospital added a da Vinci robot that will assist surgeons in the operating rooms. The Avita Health System also added hospitalists to the Galion and Bucyrus locations. The Avita Pediatric Therapy Center was recently opened on Harding Way West and a Reflux and Heartburn clinic was started in Galion.

Avita Health System also recently purchased the former Lazarus store in the Richland Mall with the intent to install a specialty clinic with imaging. It has plans to expand into the Ontario and Mansfield areas as it grows into a regional health system.

Galion City Schools
Galion High School was awarded the Ohio Department of Education School of Promise Award and had a value-added grade of “A” on the Local Report Card in 2013. The school systems hopes to expand its repertoire of online learning opportunities in 2014 as well as work on continuous improvements in all aspects of the district.

Meeting state mandates and expectations and maintaining the district’s educational program while on a limited budget were listed as the biggest challenges facing the Galion City School District in 2014.