Monday – January 2, 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR – Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2007.

FLORIDA’S MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES JANUARY 1 - Florida's minimum wage will be $6.67 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2007 for all hours worked in Florida. This represents an hourly increase of 27 cents over the current state minimum wage of $6.40 per hour. The increase in the minimum wage this year represents a 4.2 percent change in the federal consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the South Region for the 12-month period prior to Sept. 1, 2006. Employers must pay their employees a wage not less than the amount of the hourly state minimum wage for all hours worked in Florida. For "tipped employees" meeting eligibility requirements for the tip credit under the FLSA, employers may count tips actually received as wages under the FLSA, but the employer must pay tipped employees a direct wage in an amount equal to the minimum wage of $6.67 minus $3.02 (which, as required by Florida's Constitution, is the 2003 tip credit existing under the FLSA), or a direct hourly wage of $3.65 on Jan. 1, 2007. More information concerning Florida’s Minimum Wage can be found at http://www.dol.gov/dol/compliance/comp-flsa.htm .

ANOTHER 100,000 SQUARE FEET NEEDED FOR POTENTIAL MANUFACTURER – The county’s economic development team is working with a New York-based automotive and communications component manufacturer as part of an initial inquiry as to the availability of existing production space. The company is seeking an existing 100,000-square-foot industrial production facility in the Daytona Beach and Port Orange area that may be available by the fourth quarter of 2007. If you have or know of an existing facility that meets these minimum requirements and you would like to have this information passed along to the client, contact John Kizer, Business Specialist, at 386/248-8048.

REMINDER: AIRTRAN BEGINS DAYTONA BEACH SERVICES ON JANUARY 11 – AirTran Airways will begin operations from the Daytona Beach International Airport beginning January 11. A service provider to more than 50 destinations nationwide, the low-cost carrier is currently offering $25 discount incentives for tickets booked prior to Jan. 31, 2007 for travel originating through April 30, 2007. More than $20,000 in AirTran travel coupons were issued last week by the county’s Department of Economic Development to the area’s manufacturing community to encourage local business travel. If you or your company would like to receive similar incentives, please contact Robbin Sebra at the county’s Department of Economic Development, at 386/248-8048. This offer is limited, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

SEEKING MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES – If your company or someone you know is a minority or woman-owned business specializing in the construction trades or building-related supplies or services, the county’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program wants to include your business in its “Volusia County DBE Construction Services Directory.” The directory is used as a resource guide for local government construction services and as a resource for contractors bidding on county, city and local education construction projects. If you or someone you know should be included the “Volusia County DBE Construction Services Directory,” contact Julio Holness, DBE Coordinator, at 386/274-3437.

JOB FAIR FOR PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS ANNOUNCED – The Center for Business Excellence will be conducting its third “Job Fair for Professionals” Jan. 25, 2007. The fair will be at Stetson University’s Hollis Center in DeLand, and will focus on professional positions paying $25,000 or more annually. Businesses and professional offices seeking new hires and wanting to participate in this event are encouraged to contact a CBE Business Services Representative at 386/323-7008. Only registered businesses may participate.

NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE A NEW BUSINESS PLAN? – The Central Florida Community Development Corporation (CFCDC) is inviting all persons interested in preparing a business plan to register for its Business Plan Development Class, “From Dream to Reality!” Classes will be held at the Daytona Beach Enterprise Center, 847 Orange Ave., Daytona Beach. The course is six weeks long and covers topics such as, goal-setting, marketing, team building, understanding financial statements, and financing your business. Classes begin Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 from 9 a.m. - noon. There is a small fee for course materials. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call Louis Halley at 386/258-7520.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.