Saturdays Window Cleaning News

Little optimism goes long way: While Canadians, and particularly newsmakers, have always had a pessimistic habit of believing that when the United States economy catches a cold, Canada will also automatically suffer, this has not proven to be totally true during these past few years. The business service industry is also predicted to continue growing as it is now well known that the service sector has replaced the production of goods as our principal form of economic activity. Two additional service areas that support the day-to-day operation and management of businesses are also creating significant job opportunities. For instance, Statistics Canada predicts that by 2014, the building services field will represent 50 per cent of all service sector jobs. These jobs include janitorial, landscaping, carpet, window and chimney cleaning and will be found in both private homes as well as businesses.

City licenses, building permits drop during 2009: The good news: despite a year-long recession that gripped Mesquite, the number of new city business licenses increased slightly to 217 from 211 during 2008. The bad news: revoked and expired business licenses took a big leap in 2009. Revoked/expired city business licenses jumped from 277 in 2008 to 514 in 2009. Many of the business licenses erased from the city’s list over the past year were those belonging to mortgage companies, real estate brokers and out-of-town contractors. Most of the new city business licenses: real estate brokers and local/out-of-town contractors. “When I first started in licensing, we had about 2,100 active business licenses,” said Maria Trujillo, who handles business licenses for the city. “Now it’s down to about 1,600. But keep in mind that contractors used to have to have a license for each contracting service offered, but we have new regulations requiring contractors to have just one license. They’re able to combine all the licenses into one now.” Business licenses for services – everything from lawn mowing to house sitting to window cleaning – are among the most common.

Commitment from the top: How Lynn Elliott instills a service mindset at Columbus Window Cleaning Co. - It’d be nearly impossible for E-Wynn Inc., which does business as Columbus Window Cleaning Co., not to reflect the service mindset ingrained in its president and CEO, Lynn Elliott. Her commitment is obvious through her involvement on many local boards, which mean much more to her than just more titles on her resume. For example, as the board chair of the Columbus Housing Partnership, she met with board members individually over lunch to discuss the organization’s goals and to ensure that each member was comfortable with his or her role.
Then as the director of development and communications for Action for Children, a nonprofit focused on early learning initiatives, Elliott created a communitywide model for child care and education programs called Learning Begins Right from the Start by expanding strategic alliances between community organizations and securing corporate contributions. Elliott also coordinated the School Business Partnership Program at Upper Arlington City Schools, creating an outreach program that resulted in the support of 260 Columbus companies. Later, she turned those networking tactics into a graduate class at the OSU College of Education called Building School Community Partnerships, which was offered for five years.
When Elliott stepped into her role in 2000, she put a community giving plan in place. A committee reviews needs and decides where to donate an annual contribution — usually to an organization involved in housing, education or the arts. The company also offers gift certificates for free or reduced-cost window cleaning to local fund-raising events, while Elliott helps draft written fund-raising materials. She also encourages employees to get personally involved, noting the company’s hours — 7:00 to 3:30 in the summer and 8:00 to 4:30 in the winter — are convenient for coaching sports or participating in evening meetings. She considers supporting her employees’ participation, whether financially or through team sponsorship.

Grandad asked for I.D.! Trevor Butcher was told he could not buy six cans of beer and a bottle of sherry unless he produced some proof-of-age ID. The 60-year-old window cleaner with greying hair was given the ultimatum at his local newsagent’s and post office in Chelmsford, Essex. He said yesterday: “The man at the counter, aged about 40, said: ‘You know what I’m going to ask now?’ I was at a loss. Then he asked me if I was over 25 and said: ‘Have you any ID?’ “I couldn’t believe it. By this time I was a bit miffed and said they could keep their booze!”
Manager Kevin Lind said the shop had to ask for ID as part of licensing conditions after selling alcohol to a 15-year-old in 2008. He said: “We are determined to meet the terms and rigorously enforce the under-25 check, although we are embarrassed at having to ask older people.”

Missing man mystery: St. George » It's been nearly a month since Steven Koecher vanished, leaving his family alternating between hope and despair as they endlessly speculate. The 30-year-old St. George man was last seen Dec. 13 in a homeowner's surveillance video leaving his car in a residential area in Henderson, Nev. Inside the car were Christmas presents for his young cousins and snack food, according to his cousin, Jeff Bradshaw, of Las Vegas. A police investigation, searches of the surrounding desert by helicopter and all-terrain vehicles, and the efforts of family and friends has turned up nothing substantive. "We're taking things one day at a time," said Steven's mother, Deanne, who lives in Bountiful. "We go through different scenarios to try and get a handle on it, but none of it makes sense. I can't believe it's been this many days."
Greg Webb, a good friend of Koecher's in the LDS church, said he called Koecher the morning he disappeared. His cell phone has not been used since, nor his bank cards. Webb said he asked Koecher to attend a church meeting in his place that day at 11 a.m. "He said he was in Las Vegas, but would go back [to St. George] if I needed him to," said Webb. "I was also in Vegas so decided to go back myself. I told him just to do whatever it was he had to do and I'd see him later. That's it. I wish I would have asked him to go back to St. George." Webb, who did not know why Koecher was in the Las Vegas area, said his friend always told him if he was not planning to be at church. That Sunday, he never called. "It's one thing that sticks out in my mind," said Webb.
Webb said Koecher, who worked for The Salt Lake Tribune 's online edition from March 2007 until July 2008, had been actively looking for a full-time job and had sent out his résumé to a list of possible employers. The power company was threatening to disconnect electricity at the house where Koecher rented a room and lived alone, according to Webb. Deanne Koecher said she knew her son was having financial difficulty, but said the power bill was the landlord's responsibility. "We talked about [finances] in our last conversation and I felt he was in control of things and I offered to help with his rent, saying that's what families did for each other," she said. "I transferred some money into his account, but it was never used." She described her son as "a good young man" with a fondness for drawing, playing the guitar and singing.
"He didn't have issues or addictions or anything that could have led this to happen," said his mother. "He was devout to his church and liked water sports, always taking advantage of an opportunity to go boating." She said Koecher, who has three brothers and a sister, graduated from high school in Amarillo, Texas, and served a mission in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He studied at Ricks College (now Brigham Young University-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, and eventually graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in communications. Deanne Koecher said her son liked his job at the Tribune , except the overnight aspect. He also didn't like winter temperature inversions. "Last winter really got to him so he took the opportunity to move to St. George," said his mother. Once there, he initially had a job selling advertising for a publication and later worked part-time for a window-washing business.

Norwich, Conn. The back tax issue that reared its head in the 2009 elections has popped up in Mayor Peter Nystrom’s office. Bonnie Cuprak, who was appointed by Nystrom as secretary for him and the City Council, is making $50 weekly payments to the city out of her salary on $1,300 in back taxes and $1,700 in fines she owes the city. Cuprak is disputing the personal property taxes assessed against a window cleaning business she owned with her husband. According to the city budget, the annual salary for Cuprak’s part-time position is $22,113. She works 21 hours a week. She is the wife of Peter Cuprak, a Republican who served with Nystrom on the City Council and in the state Legislature in the 1980s. The Cupraks are long-time friends of the mayor.
Cuprak said she was held harmless for the debt by a Superior Court judge in 2008, but she does not have paperwork of the decision. “The lawyers stopped calling after that, and I went back to looking for a job,” she said. The Bulletin was made aware of the debt through a series of anonymous phone calls and letters.
Tax issue in campaign: During the city’s fall election, one mayoral candidate, three council candidates and two school board candidates were listed as having delinquent city taxes. One school board candidate disputed the bill’s accuracy. One council candidate from the Norwich For Change Party dropped out of the race because she was unemployed and could not afford to pay at the time. “I’m not paying this back because I thought it would be an issue, because I’m not a politician,” Cuprak said. “I’m not paying the bill to protect Peter Nystrom. I’m paying the bill now because now I have a job. And as soon as I got the job, I went to the city and made arrangements.”
Nystrom said he was made aware of Cuprak’s debt and payment arrangements after he asked her to take the job. He also said if anyone thought they could use the issue against him politically, they’re mistaken. “I would have offered her the job whether I knew or not,” he said. “I’ve known Bonnie for years. She’s very qualified to do the work. And I don’t need protecting. If she offers her resignation, I won’t accept it.” City Manager Alan Bergren and Comptroller Joseph Ruffo declined to comment.
Mayor stands by her: Nystrom said Cuprak is one of many people who have been out of work and have financial troubles. He said her payment arrangement settles the matter. “Anyone who thinks I would just throw someone aside because she lost her job and had money problems really ought to look at themselves in the mirror,” he said. Cuprak said her family’s financial difficulties date back to 1999, when her husband, a firefighter, was injured on a fire call. He underwent three surgeries in three years and couldn’t work. They lost ownership of their home nearly three years ago, and now pay rent to a landlord to live there. She then lost her job at the state Legislature after the 2008 term.
Cuprak said she intends to fight what she calls an unjust bill for equipment she said is worth about $380. “You fight after you pay it off,” she said. “You fight with clean hands.” She also believes the leaking of the information about her tax situation was a political vendetta. “Anyone who would use anonymous letters to go after a secretary to hurt the mayor or hurt my husband is a coward,” she said.