Daily Business Report-Oct. 16, 2020
San Diego International Airport sign
Airport Authority hosts 2020 ‘Meet the Primes’
virtual event to connect businesses
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority will host the annual “Meet the Primes” event for the first time in a virtual format on Oct. 27-29 and Nov. 3-4, 2020. Offered in two sessions, this opportunity will introduce small and disadvantaged businesses to representatives of the Airport Authority, multiple other public agencies, and construction and concessionaire primes.
In the virtual format, attendees will log on through Zoom to scheduled presentations and hear from participating exhibitors to gain valuable information on successful business strategies, obtain resources and receive points of contact to follow up on opportunities.
Participants will learn about doing business with the Airport Authority, how to apply for the Authority’s Local Business Enterprise certification, future projects and available small business opportunities. In addition, participants will hear about regional contracting opportunities from San Diego County agencies and obtain available resources provided by support services centers and organizations within Southern California.
First introduced in 2015, participation in “Meet the Primes” has grown significantly to holding more than 400 one-on-one business matchmaking meetings between small businesses, prime contractors, the Airport Authority, other public agencies and support service centers annually.
To view all sessions of the virtual “Meet the Primes,” visit the Airport Authority’s registration page here. For more information on the Airport Authority’s Small Business Development program, please click here.
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City of San Diego hourly minimum wage
will increase to $14 effective Jan. 1, 2021
Effective Jan. 1, 2021, employees who perform at least two hours of work in one or more calendar weeks of the year within the geographic boundaries of the city will receive a minimum wage rate increase from $13 to $14 an hour. The change is in accordance with the city’s Earned Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Ordinance, approved in 2016. The ordinance applies to all industries and businesses and there are no exceptions. Tips and gratuities do not count toward payment of minimum wage.
Updated notices for posting at the workplace are available on the city’s Minimum Wage Program webpage. Every employer must post these notices in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site.
Employees will continue to earn sick leave, either by the accrual or “front load” method, in accordance with the ordinance. Employees may use earned sick leave for all reasons described in the ordinance, which includes, but is not limited to, time for their own medical care or for the medical care of a family member. Employers may limit an employee’s use of earned sick leave to 40 hours in a benefit year.
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Planning Commission sends short-term
rental proposal back to committee
By Dave Schwab | sdnews.com
Following lengthy testimony, the City Planning Commission Oct. 8 voted 4-3 to send a short-term rental compromise proposal by District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell back for further review.
In carrying the matter over, the seven-member commission presented a long list of questions to be answered. Those included a request for more details of the council member’s plan including information on fees and a lottery to include short-term rental operators under a proposed unit cap, as well as specifics on how a new ordinance would be enforced.
If successful in passing muster with both the Planning Commission and the City Council, Campbell’s proposal would take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
Campbell’s plan has stirred strong emotions on both sides since it was first proposed three months ago. As outlined in a memorandum of understanding, her proposal claims to reduce the volume of whole-home short-term rentals, while creating legal inventory for short-term rentals platforms and local operators that comply with the new rules.
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City of San Diego offers virtual appointments
with Development Services staff
In an effort to make information and resources more readily available to residents and businesses owners, the City of San Diego has launched a new Virtual Counter Appointment system for customers to meet with Development Services Department (DSD) planners, reviewers and records staff. These virtual appointments allow residents and business and property owners to ask questions and receive immediate assistance on City building and development requirements.
The new online booking system resumes customer meetings previously available at the downtown Development Services Center before COVID-19 safety measures closed public access to city facilities in March. Virtual Counter is facilitated by the recent transition to an online permitting system.
Available by visiting the Most Requested Services section atsandiego.gov/DSDand clicking on the Schedule an Appointment icon, the new online booking system currently offers customers the ability to book six different appointment types.
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Legal fight looming over GOP’s
‘ballot harvesting’ practice
The political stakes of the ongoing face-off between the California Republican Party and some of the state’s top Democratic elected officials over “ballot harvesting” practices just got a lot higher. The California GOP said it would not stop collecting voter ballots in unofficial drop boxes in a Wednesday letter to Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who on Monday sent the party a cease-and-desist letter demanding it remove the boxes.
Unless Padilla and Becerra accept the GOP’s legal argument — which could cause them to lose political face amid a contentious election — the two parties seem primed to go to court. Hector Barajas, spokesperson for the California GOP: “If we have to go to court, we’ll go to court.” Padilla on Monday: “If they refuse to comply, then of course we will entertain all of our legal options to do whatever it takes to protect voters and the integrity of this election.”
More than 1.5 million voters had returned mail-in ballots as of Wednesday morning, compared to 150,000 at the same point in 2016, according to the secretary of state’s office.
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No mail ballot yet?
Contact the Registrar’s office
The Registrar’s office sent out over 1.9 million mail ballots to registered voters last week for the Nov. 3 Presidential General Election. If you did not receive yours, you may need to call the Registrar of Voters office. First, you can see whether your mail ballot was sent by checking at sdvote.com. If it wasn’t, there may be a number of reasons. If you moved, you need to re-register to get a mail ballot. The Registrar recommends registering online now so there’s time to send you a mail ballot before the election.
The mail ballots sent out last week should have arrived by Oct. 10. If your voter information is up to date and your mail ballot hasn’t arrived, call the Registrar’s office at 858-565-5800.
If you did get your ballot, don’t wait. Act now and vote from the comfort of your own home. Sign and date your envelope, seal your completed ballot inside and return it to a trusted source. Your marked ballot can be returned in the pre-paid postage envelope to any U.S. Postal Service office or collection box.
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‘Walk Your Way’ is theme for ALS
Association’s virtual 2020 walk
The ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter will present its 2020 Walk to Defeat ALS, the nonprofit’s 20th annual fundraising walk, on Sunday, Oct. 18 as a virtual fundraiser due to Covid-19 restrictions. The fundraiser is free and open to the public. Information is available at www.alsasd.org.
Proceeds will benefit the chapter’s programs, services and services provided to local families living with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and the spinal cord. The theme for the 2020 Walk to Defeat ALS 2020 is “Walk Your Way,” which refers to the many different ways supporters can participate virtually while maintaining physical distance and still raising money for a cure, according to Steve Becvar, executive director, ALS Association Greater San Diego chapter. The 2020 fundraising goal is $300,000, and a minimum donation of $90 is requested to qualify for a walk t-shirt.
Sponsors encourage participants to choose their own way to walk, whether it’s a stroll in their neighborhoods, at a park or beach or mountain hike, or even on a treadmill.
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New course trains workforce for positions
serving San Diego’s homeless
A first-of-its kind collaboration between the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and San Diego City College will provide specialized education, training and job placement assistance to develop the workforce needed for programs and services that help San Diegans experiencing homelessness.
The first “Homelessness Program for Engaged Educational Resources” (PEER) course started this week on Oct. 13 through San Diego City College. Forty students enrolled in the first course, which will involve in-person learning by live video conference because of safety precautions due to COVID-19.
“The PEER program was developed in response to two issues identified as challenges by the commission. The first is the desire to fill the increasing number of job openings being created by the unprecedented amount of grant funds coming into the region to serve the homeless population. Second, is to prepare workers for these jobs through educational preparation and training, said Matilda “Tillie” Chavez, San Diego City College’s vice president of instruction.
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Sundt promotes Ryan Nessen
to lead California District
Ryan Nessen has been selected to lead the California District for Sundt Construction’s Building Group. As senior vice president and California District manager, Nessen will provide direction to the district’s leadership team and is responsible for the district’s overall performance, including acquiring and executing work.
Nessen brings over 25 years of construction experience to his new role, including 17 years at Sundt. He has overseen numerous high-profile projects for Sundt, including three at the San Diego International Airport: the Terminal Two Landside expansion, the Rental Car Center and the Air Support Facility, currently in progress.
Nessen has diverse project experience, having managed Sundt’s San Diego State University Aztec Student Union and the South Campus Plaza/Student Housing project, as well as San Diego Community College District’s City College Math and Social Sciences building and parking structure. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors for the Sundt Foundation, which awards grants to nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping the disadvantaged and responding to natural disasters.
Nessen started his career in the field as a U.S. Navy Seabee Builder 1st Class.
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CBO: Navy’s future frigate fleet
would cost $12.3 billion in 2020
ExecutiveGov
A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report says that the cost of the U.S. Navy’s future fleet of 10 frigates could total $12.3 billion or $1.2 billion per ship in 2020. That amount represents a 40 percent increase from the service branch’s estimate of $8.7 billion or $870 million per ship.
According to the report, the total direct cost of operations and sustainment for 20 vessels could reach $40 billion throughout the 2026 to 2060 period. The Navy previously selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build the next-generation frigates, which are slated for delivery until 2025.
CBO predicts that the subsequent ships would cost $1.1 billion each or $10.9 billion in total if Fincantieri remains as the contractor.
The frigates would also be the Navy’s least expensive surface combatant program over the past half-century if the service’s estimates turn out accurate, the report states.
CBO noted that it studied other surface combatant programs to establish cost estimates for procurement as well as operations and support for the frigate throughout its 25-year service life.
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More women join corporate boards
under law signed by Jerry Brown
CalMatters
Women have claimed 669 seats on the boards of California’s publicly-held companies since 2018, the year then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law mandating women in corporate boardrooms, according to a report from the California Partners Project. The nonprofit cofounded by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom commissioned the report, which also found that the number of all-male corporate boards fell from 29 percent to 2.3 percent.
The report found that at least 665 more women need to join California corporate boards to comply with state law, which requires five-member boards have at least two female directors and boards with six-plus members have at least three female directors by the end of 2021.
Siebel Newsom: “We are the fifth-largest economy in the world. If we can get this right, we have an opportunity to inspire the rest of the country and other countries.”
Last month, Siebel Newsom’s husband signed a law mandating corporate boards have at least one member from an underrepresented community.
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Flock Freight CEO selected
as Entrepreneur of the Year
Oren Zaslansky, CEO of Flock Freight in San Diego, has been selected as the Entrepreneur of The Year 2020 Pacific Southwest-San Diego award winner by Ernst & Young LLP.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program is one of the competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies.
An independent panel of judges determines the award winners and recognizes entrepreneurial leaders who are excelling in overcoming adversity, financial performance, societal impact and commitment to building a values-based company, innovation, and talent management.
Zaslansky is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 National Awards on Nov. 19.
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Biocom calls for nominations
for Life Science Catalyst Awards
Biocom, the association representing the California life science industry, today announced a call for entries for the fifth annual Life Science Catalyst Awards from the Bay Area, San Diego and Los Angeles regions. Each of the three regions will have its own separate nomination and judging process. The awards are designed to identify accomplished and up-and-coming academics, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and business advisers who are making their mark on the life science industry before reaching their 40th birthday.
Nominations for the award will be accepted until Nov. 5, 2020. Honorees will be highlighted in the cover feature of the Biocom LifeLines magazine and celebrated at the virtual Biocom Annual Dinner.
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Downtown Works offers
co-working space for a fee
Downtown Works, known for its contemporary, hospitality-inspired coworking spaces in Downtown San Diego’s Little Italy and Carlsbad, now offers flexible virtual memberships. For entrepreneurs, small businesses and corporations that need a physical address in a thriving business community, as well as amenities such as mail/package handling, conference room access, meeting spaces and more, virtual memberships are an affordable way to have an office home base away from home.
Downtown Works virtual memberships start as low as $95 a month. For additional information, click here.
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Lowe and Atlas Hotels unveil
Town and Country Resort renovations
Lowe and Atlas Hotels announced the completion of the team’s multi-million-dollar renovation and repositioning of the 675-room Town and Country resort in San Diego. The 40-acre urban resort hotel and conference center is located on Hotel Circle North in Mission Valley.
Lowe created a mixed-use program for the property that included reducing the number of hotel rooms from 954 to 675 in order to add to the outdoor recreation and gathering places as well as bringing residences to the site. Lowe’s plan has been realized with the reopening of the resort and the 2018 sale of approximately 10 acres to Holland Partner Group for apartment development, the first phase of which is currently under construction.
The resort features 675 renovated guest rooms and suites, a mix of one- and two-bedrooms with private balconies, and five top-floor Skyline suites of approximately 1,100 square feet with expansive views. Guests will enjoy the property’s two swimming pools with poolside cabanas, one children’s pool and a new waterslide. A penthouse fitness center offers the latest equipment, exercise and yoga classes, with a wall of windows for abundant natural light and valley views.
