Beth n Rod

It might be wise to do a test spot.... better safe, than sorry. Beth :groovy3:

Happy New Year everyone!!!! Beth :cup:

Thinking of planning an event? It is that time of year!!! Here are a few suggestions.... 1. pick a date - allow yourself a good 30 days in advance of the meeting, and watch out for holidays and sporting events (been there done that!) 2. find a location - a quiet restaurant works well, one with a meeting room. talk to them ans secure the room. 3. call everyone in the phone book, anyone you have fliers or ads for, anyone you see who advertises in the paper. Also post the info on all the BBS's you can. 4. invite a vendor to come in and demo equipment. Invite guys to drive in their rigs. Put together an agenda of things to discuss. 5. do follow up and reminder calls with those you invite and also email and fax them info. People like to have something in their hands - everyone is so busy it will often be forgotten otherwise, very innocently. See this thread: http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2839 There are some wonderful suggestions here as well as sample agendas from people who have successfully held these meetings before. We suggest you read, make a list of questins, write or call them for more in formation. Historically the best time of year for round table events is from January to March, and from September to early December, as these are slower months. Have a great event! Beth

If you are planning to hold a round table you might also find this tool helpful. Popular Designs Invitations from Evite -- Free & Easy You can send invitations to those who express an interest, track RSVP's, collect entry fees, and get an idea of how many are going to attend - and it is FREE! Beth :cup:

Your welcome Jeff. TGS wouldn't be possible without people like yourself and others who become part of the community and network. Happy New year Carlos and to all a most prosperous year yet! Rod!~

Are you holding a round table or other training event? Would you like it to go to print and be distributed to thousands of readers for free? Heck yeah you say? Send the following info to garyw@adpub.com to have your event run in Cleaner Times Magazine! Product Area: What's Offered: Offered by: (include a means of contact such as phone, email or web address) What's covered: Where and when: Offered to: Beth :groovy3:

If you are planning far enough out - this is a great way to promote your event! This is also a great way to manage it: Popular Designs Invitations from Evite -- Free & Easy Beth

Ok, I have breezed through this one and feel the only point not covered (unless I missed it) is the consideration of supply flow. Unless you are tapping a hydrant 100% of the time, you will encounter water supply issues. Not all commercial hose bibs deliver 4+gpm's which can affect your ability to continually work while on large projects. Many here have 300 - 500 gallon tanks to help buffer this but eventually the tank can run dry especially if you run low on a previous job before heading to the next as a result of low flow on one or more job sites. I didn't see a tank size specified in the original question of 4 vs 5 gpm units so I am mentioning this for the basis of consideration of your final decision. For the benefit from our experience, we have an 8gpm unit (2-gun capable) which helps to get a job done quicker due to the faster rinsing capabilities of a higher flow unit. We have a 180 gallon tank for our unit to draw from. The size is due to constraints of space inside the Sprinter van. If you are intending to mount all of this on a trailer, you may need to consider the load bearing capabilities of it to hold the tank when full (8 lbs/gallon). 300 gallons = 2400 lbs not including the tank weight itself which is about 3/4 lbs/gallon = 225 lbs + 2400lbs = 2625 lbs The pw'er unit you buy will then determine the overall weight of the load. Then pick your trailer accordingly. Also, can your vehicle haul this load? Need a transmission cooler installed? For comparison, we are residential service providers for the most part and in using smaller gpm units vs higher ones like a 4.6 gpm unit, we still run into supply problems where we are caught waiting for the tank to fill because of supply water not being sufficient to meet the demand of the unit. Having a large tank does help, but since we can have 2 or more houses in a day lacking in sufficient flow, it slows things down due to waiting for the tank to fill. Yeah yeah, I hear you guys, get a smaller unit to keep working, but then the pressure to flow ratio drops as well and we cannot wash 3 story houses from the ground as effectively. Overall, the differences between a 4gpm unit vs a 5gpm unit for commercial service are marginal in my opinion, but considering you are doing commercial primarily, I would recommend the 5gpm unit anyway. The cost is not much more considering in a short time, the higher gpm unit will pay for itself in time saved and more work completed vs a 4gpm unit. Tank size is a better question for you to consider at this point. Food for thought. Rod!~

If you can go with the 5 now, I would say do it. It's a huge difference. GPM's are important. Beth

Have you read any good books that have helped your business that you would recommend others read as well? Post the titles and author here. Let's see if we can get a must read list going! Beth

I love his books. Have you read his other books? Beth

Merry Christmas everyone.... And for those who celebrate... Happy Festivus! Festivus Beth:lghohoho:

Merry Christmas everyone! And Happy New Year too! Beth

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Beth

Northwest Herald - Local News and Video for McHenry County, Illinois - Custodial contract reviewed Custodial contract reviewed By TOM MUSICK - tmusick@nwherald.com HUNTLEY – District 158 officials will do more homework before deciding whether to renew a $2 million custodial contract or seek a lower bidder. Board President Shawn Green also asked administrators to research whether the contract could require some or all custodians to be proficient in English. The district signed a three-year contract with GCA Services in 2005, with options for one-year extensions in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Administrators asked school board members to renew the contract, which would cost the district about $168,000 a month. “We wouldn’t bring them to you and recommend them if we didn’t think they were good to keep,” Chief Operations Officer Glen Stewart said. Board member Aileen Seedorf said she wanted to open the custodial contract to competitive bidding. Others agreed that they needed more information regarding the difference in bids when the district last signed on with GCA. Board member Kevin Gentry said he would be interested in a bidding process only if it could save the district significant money. “If the upside is immaterial, I wouldn’t be interested in bidding,” Gentry said. Stewart questioned whether any potential savings from a bidding process would be worth the time and resources that it would require from administrators. He also said the district benefited from renewing with GCA because it would not have to train new workers or risk being saddled with a lower bidder that lacked GCA’s proven reliability. Meanwhile, Green asked Stewart to determine whether the district had or could add an English proficiency requirement in the contract. Green said he had heard complaints from teachers whose “Do not clean” notes on dry-erase boards went ignored or who found instructions written in other languages. Stewart said he believed that the lead custodian for each day and night was required to be proficient in English. Gentry questioned whether the language issue made a tangible difference in the district’s custodial services. “If it’s really impacting the quality and execution of work, then it’s something to think about,” Gentry said. Board members plan to revisit the custodial contract discussions at their next building committee meeting Jan. 10.

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Wausau Daily Herald - Housekeeping class gives immigrants chance to earn Posted December 21, 2007 Housekeeping class gives immigrants chance to earn By Charles Menchaca Wausau Daily Herald cmenchac@wdhprint.com Most people would think it overkill to take a six-week class to learn how to clean a house or hotel, though new immigrants here did exactly that to improve their employability. Twenty-five students, mostly Hmong, learned basic English, how to clean and how to remain safe doing so through a first-ever course offered at Northcentral Technical College. Members of the Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association approached NTC in October about collaborating on the course, which concluded Thursday. Most new arrivals have little education, said Jean Miller, the course's English Language Learning instructor. Housekeeping is one of few jobs that does not require at least a high school-level education, she said. With the training, the students can find housekeeping jobs to help support their families while they earn a high school equivalency degree, Miller said. Area hotels typically hire in winter because of the increase in seasonal tourism due in part to hockey games and downhill skiing. "They're really looking for some staff that's going to stay around for awhile," Miller said. The six-week course was divided into two sessions a week. Students spent half their time in the classroom and the other half working at hotels. Pahua Yang, 19, received training at the Hampton Inn in Wausau and the Lodge at Cedar Creek. She arrived in the United States in July 2004. If she becomes a housekeeper, Yang said the money will help her and her six younger siblings continue their education. Yang will graduate from Wausau West High School next year and hopes to attend college. Some hotels have committed to recognizing the student's course work, said Bethany O'Day, associate dean responsible for ELL at NTC. If hired, the students will be paid at a higher rate than untrained applicants.

Norad Tracks Santa This is fun! Beth

http://www.starterupsteve.com/flash/html/jingle_bells_reversed.shtml Listen to the words when you play jingle bells backwards! Beth :cup:

Did you ever see Pulp Fiction? Beth

I agree Ron, it is a warm, funny, easy going video. Beth

I love their video. Losing the tip is a classic. Beth

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/FormI9Reminder112307.pdf New I-9 Notice http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf New I-9 in English http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-9Spanish.pdf New I-9 in Spanish Beth :cup:

40* But it got warmer in the day. Rod!~

I have the unit that Russ mentioned and have been using it steadily for the past 4 years. Only problem I have had is due to my error and not checking the oil in the engine often. The unloader is still holding up just great and the pump has had its packing and seals replaced beginning of this last season. Your dealers comment on 2-guns pw'ers is one of a novice. Check with your local hydrotek dealer. According to Tom from ACR Products up in Pa, there is one down in Florida who was the nations top seller. If I get a chance, I will talk to him and ask him where he is located or maybe talk him into posting about it here... I have always been happy with the Hydrotek skids I bought and still use to this day. The first one is 6 years old and still bringing in the $$$$$. Rod!~