Growing Concern
The
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A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O H I O L A N D S C A P E A S S O C I AT I O N
23rd Annual Landscape Ohio! Awards Gala (Rescheduled) July 16, 2020 / Windows on the River / PAGE 7
20th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic August 6, 2020 / Bob-O-Link Golf Course / PAGES 20 & 21
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PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N
DOMENIC LAURIA Vizmeg Landscape, Inc.
DON’T OVERLOOK THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION While the value of possessing strong communication skills isn’t something that can be measured in numbers, the importance of these skills in our personal and professional lives cannot be overlooked. Effective communicators possess a certain skillset that helps them achieve what they want to with stunning efficiency. In this article, I want to discuss a few items I’ve found – through study and research – that have helped me to improve my abilities as a communicator. To begin, I’ve always looked at improving my communication skills as one of the many steps required to achieve the level of success that I strive for. I have found that by refining these skills I’ve improved myself as a leader, a manager, a husband, a father, and as a person. That being said, much of the research I’ve done – intentional and unintentional – I can relate back to the importance of communication. One recurring theme that I have come across is the importance of simplicity in communication. Personally, I struggled with this in the past as I prepared plans at work, sometimes making things more complex than they needed to be. In my head, being
overly-detailed with my plan seemed like a no-brainer. It would make things so simple that everything would just fall into place. Not necessarily. What I started to notice was that sometimes my guys truly didn’t understand my plan, even when they were telling me they did. At first, it was easy to put the blame on them. How could they not understand my plan? Why would they say they understood it, if they don’t? I worked diligently to think through every… single… variable. As it turns out, I realized the issue laid with me. I was making the plans too complex, and therefore harder to be communicated. And in the end, continued on page 6 The Growing Concern | June 2020 | 3
TAB LE OF CON TEN TS J U N E 2 0 2 0 W WW. OH I OLA N D SCA P E R S. OR G OH I O’ S P R OF E SSI ON A L G REEN I N D U ST R Y A SSOCI AT I O N OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION 9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 Phone: 440.717.0002, or 1.800.335.6521 Fax: 440.717.0004 Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com DESIGNER / EDITOR Rick Doll, Jr. REGULAR WRITERS Adam Capiccioni, Ohio CAT Michael J. Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Dr. Jim Funai, PhD., Cuyahoga Community College Shelley Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb COVER: 2019 Landscape Ohio! Awards entry from KGK Gardening & Design Corp., in the category of Garden Structures & Pavements.
FEATURES
3 5 8 12 16 22 26 30 31
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Don’t Overlook the Importance of Communication
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS PERENNIAL FOCUS
Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’: Sun King Spikenard
FISCAL FITNESS
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, 1.800.335.6521, or email Rick Doll Jr. at rick@ohiolandscapers.org. DISCLAIMER The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association. OFFICERS President Domenic Lauria
OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley
EEOC: Employers CAN Screen for COVID-19
President – Elect Dr. James Funai, PhD.
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Treasurer Brian Maurer, LIC
Communications & Events Manager Rick Doll, Jr.
The Fundamentals of Stock Investing
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Populus deltoides: Eastern Cottonwood
FEATURE ARTICLE
How to Track Payroll Protection Program Funds & Expenses
DIRECTIONS ADVERTISING INDEX
4 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Immediate Past President Adam Capiccioni DIRECTORS Keith Clapper Ryan Drake Stephanie Gray, LIC Cameron Maneri Rob Morel
C AL ENDAR OF EVENTS U P CO M I N G O L A MEETINGS , EDUC ATION SE MI N A R S, A ND O TH ER GREEN INDUS TR Y EVE N T S
JULY JULY 9, 2020 (NE OHIO) & JULY TBD (CENTRAL OHIO) PLANT I.D. CLINIC (TENTATIVE) This clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews covering the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Ohio. Many of the plants that will be covered are on the plant list for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test. (PLEASE NOTE: The OLA is still trying to determine an effective way to hold this year’s clinic while adhering to Covid-19 Safety Standards. Please visit www.ohiolandscapers.org for the most up-to-date information.)
JULY 16, 2020 (RESCHEDULED) 23rd ANNUAL AWARDS GALA (TENTATIVE) In the interest of the safety of our members, this year’s Landscape Ohio! Awards has been rescheduled for July 16, 2020. You can still sign up to join Ohio’s landscape community for an evening out as we reveal the 2019 winners, as space is available to those who did not entered awards. This is a great opportunity for those of you who have been contemplating entering, but want to know more about the program, or for those of you just looking to spend an elegant night out.
AUGUST AUGUST 6 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC Join us at Bob-O-Link Golf Club for the OLA Scholarship Golf Classic! Our golf outing was created to help generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green profession. Call the OLA at 800335-6521 for sponsorship opportunities. Registration opens in spring of 2020.
AUGUST 20 SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT CLINIC (NE Ohio) We will have more information coming in the near future, once our committee has an opportunity to convene.
O L A’s NEW MEMB ER S
The OLA is delighted to welcome the following member(s):
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Arborjet/Ecologel 9062 Milford Drive Northfield, OH 44067 216-337-4248 Kevin Lewis The Growing Concern | June 2020 | 5
PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N continued from page 3
we were all going out to jobsites on different pages, which led to all sorts of breakdowns. Simplicity is our friend, especially in an industry where many of us are communicating across language barriers. Of course I understood every part of my plan. I created it. But, my guys only understood part of it because I didn’t communicate it in a manner which they could comprehend. The way I saw it, I was giving them every detail of the job. The way they received it was ‘information overload.’ They were being asked to digest an enormous amount of information in a short period of time, comprehend it, process it, and then implement it. This style of communication was not working for our team and I’m thankful that I realized the need to simplify my message and deliver it in a manner that was easy to understand. Along with simplicity there needs to be clarity, because even the simplest plans fall apart when they are not clear. For example, I’ve found that I can walk around an entire jobsite with a crew leader and we can talk through everything that needs to be accomplished, yet sometimes I return at day’s end to find we didn’t complete what I needed to be finished.
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When I started to delve into why this was happening, one thing that became pretty apparent to me was that my ‘plan’ Reg Qtr.indd 1 3:00:29 PM strong recommendation, I purchased the book2/4/2015 Extreme was just a list of tasks and not really much of a plan at all.Three Z By Ownership, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Both Jocko and Although I walked through the entire job, listing everything Leif are former Navy Seals who led daring operations which that we needed to complete, it wasn’t clear to the crew leader required precise planning and strong communication. A how he/she was supposed to tackle all the tasks that we breakdown at the simplest level could cost an American their covered. The plan was simple: Get all of this done. It was not life. It placed things into the perspective of “what happens in clear though how to get it all done. your life happens because of the decisions YOU make,” while also touching on much of what I’ve discussed here today. It’s an Finally, one last lessons which I have learned regarding absolutely incredible book that I would highly recommend. communication is that when you are the one preparing the plan, you must have confidence in it. Think about this; if In closing, I was once listening to a podcast not too long ago you were listening to someone explain their plan and they and heard the line, “If you want to increase your value by 50%, lacked confidence in their presentation of it, how would you improve your communication.” It stuck with me because it has interpret that? You’re probably going to doubt it as much, proven itself true time-and-time again.. You can be the smartest if not more, than it seems they do. This again will lead to person in the room, but if no one understands what you are a breakdown in communication and you will probably find saying, what value do you have? My recommendation to all of yourself expecting one thing, yet receiving another, because you is to start with the end result and communicate how you your team doesn’t trust what you’ve communicated to them. envision your team getting there. Be open to feedback, and The plan can be simple. The plan can be clear. But, if it is communicate a simple, clear, and confident plan of attack to communicated without confidence, then it may as well be build your jobs as efficiently as possible. no plan at all.
6 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS GALA
LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENT AWARDS GALA EVENT INFO THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 WINDOWS ON THE RIVER 2000 SYCAMORE ST, CLEVELAND, OH 44113 AGENDA REGISTRATION/COCKTAILS 5:30PM - 6:45PM DINNER 6:45PM - 7:30PM PROGRAM 7:45PM - 10:00PM
The Landscape Ohio! Awards Program is an annual Landscape competition, created by the Ohio Landscape Association, in effort to increase awareness of quality landscaping and how it improves our environment. In conjunction with this program, the OLA hosts a prestigious Awards Gala to recognize our designers, installers, and property owners. The 2020 gala will be held in the breathtaking Bridge View Room, at Windows on the River, in the heart of Downtown Cleveland. It is a semi-formal event inclusive of a cocktail hour, dinner buffet and awards presentation. It is also an excellent chance for industry professionals to get dressed up and celebrate the work being done by their teams and their peers. This year, the OLA is happy to announce that we will be able to offer a limited amount of tickets to those who did not enter this year’s competition. This is a great opportunity for those of you who have been contemplating entering, but want to know more about the program, or for those of you just looking to spend an elegant night out with industry leaders and get inspired for spring.
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Cancellations made 14 days prior to the event date will be subject to a 30% cancellation fee. NO refunds will be issued for cancellations 13 or less prior to the event, no shows, or cancellations on the day of the event. If, for any reason, the event is cancelled, attendees will be notified, and fees refunded in full.
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PEREN N I AL FOCUS
BOBBIE SCHWARTZ, FAPLD Bobbie’s Green Thumb Aralia ‘Sun King’ sited between the cutleaf Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum ‘Viridis’and a Red-Leafed Banana, Ensete maurielii, for both color and textural contrast.
ARALIA CORDATA ‘SUN KING’ SUN KING SPIKENARD
The Perennial Plant of the Year 2020 is Aralia ‘Sun King’, a high-impact, low maintenance, Asian perennial that is hardy in zones 3-9. Unlike the French king Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, this sun king is the perfect anchor for the shade or part shade border, bringing a bold pop of glowing color and texture. “Discovered” by plantsman Barry Yinger in a Japanese garden center (atop a department store), this perennial has become a beloved shade garden staple across the country.
I’ve had this stunning perennial in my garden since 2016 in a northeast facing bed. The bright yellow shoots that emerge in spring on reddish brown stems (quickly hidden by the large leaves) grow at least three feet tall and wide but can grow as tall and wide as six feet. However, it takes well to pruning if you want to keep it shorter. This tropical-looking beauty, with its large compound leaves, is a special addition or focal point in a shaded bed where most continued on page 10
8 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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PEREN N I AL FOCUS
Although I grow ‘Sun King’ for its foliage, I also enjoy its flowers and berries in late summer and fall.
continued from page 8 foliage is green. If you can site this Aralia so that it receives a few hours of sun, the leaves will be yellow. Otherwise, the foliage will be more chartreuse. In late summer, the small, creamy-white umbels of flowers are attractive to humans and to bees and are followed by tiny dark purple, inedible berries. Unlike other spikenards, this one is very well behaved with little to no reseeding or suckering.
foliage woodies such as one of the Acer palmatum cultivars. It can also be used to stunning effect in large containers, much more interesting than the standard planting of shade annuals like Begonias and Impatiens. I know you will find many uses for this special perennial.
Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio, is a landscape designer, consultant, freelance writer, and lecturer whose specialties
Aralia ‘Sun King’ would prefer loamy, well-drained soil but will grow well in less than ideal conditions as long as it receives sufficient moisture. Like most herbaceous perennials, it will die back to the ground during the winter.
are perennial gardens and four season landscapes. In addition to being an Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) member, she is an active member of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) and Perennial Plant Association (PPA). Bobbie is a Past President of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). Bobbie’s new book, Garden Renovation: Transform Your Yard into the
‘Sun King’ makes a wonderful foil for the usual woodland perennials such as hosta, ferns, Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ and Brunnnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’. It also provides great color and textural contrast with red and purple
10 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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F I SCAL FI TN ESS
MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN King Financial, Inc.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF STOCK INVESTING This month I wanted to get back to the basics on a few of the important things investors should look for when analyzing a company’s stock. All publicly traded companies are required to disclose quarterly and annual reports, which give investors insight into a company’s operations. Here are the main items to look for when analyzing a company’s fundamentals… Revenues – The amount of money a company actually receives during a specific period. Examples of revenue accounts include: Sales, Service Revenues, Fees Earned, Interest Revenue and Interest Income. Gross Income – Total revenue minus the cost of goods sold. Costs of goods sold usually includes the material, labor and overhead that goes into producing the good or service.
Net Income – The profit remaining after selling expenses, taxes, interest expenses, etc., with the remainder being the profit or loss. You may hear this being referred to as the bottom line, because it is the last line of a company’s income statement. Earnings Per Share – The amount of net income divided by the number of common shares of stock of the company. A number that shows the profitability of each piece of the pie. Market Capitalization – The total value of a company that is traded on the stock market, calculated by multiplying the total number of shares by the current share price. continued on page 14
12 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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continued from page 12 Price/Earnings Ratio (P/E Ratio) – A valuation of the company’s share price compared to the per share earnings. Price/Earnings to Growth Ratio (PEG Ratio) – A valuation metric to compare the company’s Price/Earnings Ratio to its growth rate. Dividend – A sum of money paid regularly (typically quarterly) by a company to its shareholders out of its profits (or reserves). A cash dividend would be paid out in a dollar amount. The Dividend Yield is the amount of the dividend divided by the stock price (ex. $1.00 dividend divided by $25.00 stock price = 4.0% dividend yield). Let’s apply the above terms to a fictitious, blue-chip company. XYZ Inc., which has revenues of $33 billion, compared to $30 billion last year. That is revenue growth of 10%, which is pretty good growth for an established company which generally has more stability and let’s say, pays a 2.0% dividend.
Scenarios illustrated are hypothetical in nature, results may vary. Investing is subject to risk which may involve loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
14 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Last year, XYZ had $24.00 billion in cost of revenue, which resulted in $6 billion in Gross Income. After paying everything else XYZ had $3 billion remaining. That’s the Net Income. If we divide that by the number of shares outstanding, which were 300 million shares, that means each share earned $10 per share. This is called the Earnings Per Share and is the bottomline number an investor can use to compare the fundamentals to the stock price. The current stock price is $150 per share. Divide the stock price by the earnings ($150/$10) and you have a P/E Ratio of 15. Looking forward to the next year earnings of $11 you will arrive at a Forward P/E Ratio of 13.6 ($150 price divided by $11 in earnings). We already determined XYZ is growing revenues at an annual pace of approximately 10% last year and the estimates are for revenue growth of 10% this upcoming year. Earnings increased 10% last year and are expected to grow 10% this year. The PEG Ratio is 1.36. That means that XYZ might be a little expensive compared to their growth rate. The company is growing at 10% but you are paying a premium to own the stock. As an investor, you would be looking for the company to increase their revenues or profit margins above Wall Street expectations.
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F OR SAFETY SAK E
EEOC: EMPLOYERS CAN SCREEN FOR COVID-19 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance on April 23 on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and coronavirus, explaining that employers may screen employees for COVID-19. Any mandatory medical test must be job-related and consistent with business necessity, the EEOC explained. “Applying this standard to the current circumstances of the pandemic, employers may take steps to determine if employees entering the workplace have COVID-19 because an individual with the virus will pose a direct threat to the health of others,” the agency stated. Consequently, an employer may administer COVID-19 testing to employees before they enter the workplace.
present; a negative test does not mean the employee will not acquire the virus later.”
The tests should be accurate and reliable, the agency added, noting that employers should review guidance from the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and check updates.
Even before the April 23 update, Chai Feldblum and Sharon Masling, attorneys with Morgan Lewis in Washington, D.C., had said that testing an employee would follow the same logic as taking an employee’s temperature.
“Employers may wish to consider the incidence of false positives or false negatives with a particular test,” the EEOC added. “Note that accurate testing only reveals if the virus is currently
Questions about testing are “increasingly on the minds of employers,” said Christopher Durham, an attorney with Duane continued on page 18 Morris in Philadelphia.
16 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
The EEOC stated that employers still should require that employees engage in social distancing and regular handwashing to the greatest extent possible.
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CONSIDERATIONS FOR TESTING
DIAGNOSTIC AND SEROLOGY TESTING
Durham said some EEO parameters employers should have in mind when considering whether to screen employees are:
Diagnostic testing (for active COVID-19 infections) and serology testing (for antibodies to the virus) are a current focus of public health agencies and are undergoing rapid development and attempted deployment while a vaccine is in development, explained Jennifer Rubin, an attorney with Mintz in San Diego. Government regulators are also focused on contact tracing, which will be an important part of reopening the economy.
• Just as with temperature screening, screening/testing for COVID-19 must be conducted on a nondiscriminatory basis, which likely means that all employees entering the worksite must be tested. • Assuming the results of such testing are retained, they need to be retained as confidential medical records according to the ADA’s requirements. • Any screening, test or inquiry that is broader than necessary to address the potential direct threat is prohibited. • Although unlikely, it is possible that an employee could have a medical condition that could require the employer to determine whether it can provide the employee with an accommodation, such as making available an alternative testing method to the (likely nasal swab) method being used. • Employers will need to consider how to handle an employee’s refusal to submit to a test. For example, the employer could bar access to the worksite for an employee who refuses to cooperate. He said that other considerations for employers include: • Being aware that there may be an obligation under wage and hour laws to pay employees for time spent waiting to be tested, as well as time spent waiting for the results of the test, assuming the employee will not be admitted to the workplace until the employer has the results. • Requiring employees to consent in writing to the screening, including, but not limited to, acknowledging that the test is not a diagnostic test. • Exercising care in selecting a test to use, particularly in light of well-documented issues with test accuracy. • Determining when and under what conditions an employee who tests positive for COVID-19 will be able to return to the workplace. For example, is a subsequent negative test sufficient? Two subsequent negative tests? • Weighing the implications of a positive test result as it relates to addressing potential exposure in the workplace (e.g., if the employee was at work in the days leading up to the date of the positive test).
18 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
“It is too soon to tell whether diagnostic or serological testing will be mandated for all or nonessential employers, in part due to the lack of plentiful, reliable and accessible tests,” she said. “Most individuals currently lack access to diagnostic testing, and unlike diagnostic testing, existing scientific data has not proven the efficacy of serology testing,” she cautioned. “The EEOC might still be grappling with the more difficult issues around serology testing,” Feldblum and Masling said, noting that the agency has not yet addressed the legality of using serology tests.
This article was written by Allen Smith for SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, which creates better workplaces where employers and employees can thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces. For more information about SHRM visit https://www.shrm.org/.
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20th Annual OLA Scholarship Golf Classic 2020 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC / REGISTRATION CLOSES 07/23/2020
(Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147)
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NAME OF GOLFER (Correct Name is Mandatory or Forfeit Shall Occur)
COMPANY
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wName of Team Captain _____________________________
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PAYMENT INFORMATION
Register Today!
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On or Before July 16 - $100 per person After July 16 - $110 per person
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= $ ______
Don’t Golf? Join us for dinner!
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$30 each
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= $ ______
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$100
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GOLF SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 2019 LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC SPONSORS DINNER SPONSOR
TROPHIES SPONSOR
CLOSEST TO THE PIN SPONSOR
LUNCH SPONSOR
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Thank You
TO OUR MAJOR AND CONTEST SPONSORS Sponsorship Opportunities We are excited to be holding our 20th annual golf outing at Bob-O-Link Golf Course on August 6, 2020. But, we need your help to make it a success! This event helps to generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green industry. Call us to find out more about sponsorship features and benefits. Tee Sponsorships
(Your company name will appear on a sign at your designated tee)
Door Prize(s) Please Specify: Item(s) will be: shipped to OLA
$100
dropped off at OLA
Cash Donation $ Let us shop for you!
The OLA allows right of first refusal to those companies who sponsored the previous year’s event. We are currently contacting last year’s event sponsors concerning the 2020 event. Once their involvement has been confirmed, we will post an up-to-date list of available sponsorship opportunities in the June issue of the Growing Concern, and online at https://www.ohiolandscapers.org/olagolf.html. For more info, you can also call the OLA office at 440.717.0002.
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Billing Address + Zipcode for Card OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147 Register online, by mail, by phone, or by fax: Phone 440-717-0002 or 1-800-335-6521 • Fax 440-717-0004 • www.ohiolandscapers.org
PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
JIM FUNAI, LIC Cuyahoga Community College Populus deltoides, the Eastern Cottonwood or Necklace Poplar, is a Cottonwood poplar native to North America, growing throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States, the southernmost part of eastern Canada, and northeastern Mexico.
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
POPULUS DELTOIDES EASTERN COTTONWOOD
We were inspired to write about this month’s tree after a conversation with a fan of our articles mentioned that a client of his was seeking advice on what to do with it. If you’ve had a client with a Cottonwood, you’re likely in the same boat, as clients often believe they are either dangerous, or simply hate them for the mess they make. Truth be told, it is not too often that you’ll find someone who looks at a Cottonwood and goes on and on about how they admire it. Thus, you’ll be glad to hear that we do not intend to convince you otherwise; this is not a tree for the urban landscape. However, it is a native tree of significance, and as stewards of the environment, we need to understand the bigger picture when it comes to how designed landscapes fit in with the natural. Populus is a genus comprising around 30 species within the Willow family (Salicaceae), which are all fairly large trees, some with great cultural significance. The genus name comes from ancient Rome where it was common to plant Poplar trees for shade around public gathering places, thus being planted for the benefit of the “populus” (common
22 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
people). This particular species’ specific epithet deltoides refers to the deltoid (triangle) shape of the leaf. While it is difficult to confirm, lore in many European countries is it was commonplace for the Roman army to plant a columnar form of Populus nigra (Black Poplar) along their straight roads, between major cities, to indicate the road was Roman
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controlled. There certainly are a lot of roads in Europe lined with them, to this day. These days the name for the columnar form is P. nigra ‘Italica,’ or the Lombardy poplar, named for the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. While it is a weak wood – you won’t find it in furniture – it is commonly used in parts of string instruments for its acoustic properties and because it is rather lightweight. The wood is also a common pulp wood for wood products and paper. Many historical paintings were done on boards made of poplar trees, including the Mona Lisa, due to the plain white color of the wood. In the past, we’ve written an article on Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) which is a root-suckering, colonyforming tree, and holds the record of the oldest living thing on earth. “Pando” is a colony of Quaking Aspen in Utah which is around 80,000 years old and covers over 106 acre – pretty impressive! Like Quaking Aspen, Cottonwoods are dioecious (male/female flowers on separate plants). What this means is only the female trees will get the masses of “cotton” that most people despise the plant for.
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Spring flowers on females are plain-green pendulous, apetalous and unnoticed, while the male is a deep-red, pendulous catkin in late March to early April. Following the flowers on female plants, the catkins give way to what looks like a string of green pearls hanging all over the tree. In late May, the green pearls split open to give us all the joy of cottony poofballs floating all over the place, collecting along hardscape edges, in gutters, and catching in mulch like a giant bed of Velcro. There are three subspecies of Populus deltoides across the United States. P. deltoides subsp. deltoides is native to the eastern half of the US, including here in Ohio. Populus d. subsp. monilifera is more common in the central US and Canada, while P.d. subsp. wislizeni – called the Rio Grande Cottonwood – is a western species from Colorado to the southwest. All subspecies of Cottonwood are of similar habit in nature. Cottonwood is a large tree capable of reaching well into the 80 foot tall by 80 to 100 foot wide range, with age. These trees behave as a pioneer species, which means they have traits that we would often not seek for the urban landscape. continued on page 24 The Growing Concern | June 2020 | 23
PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
continued from page 23 Pioneer species are fast-growing, shorter-lived, and heavy seed producers. All of this makes sense when you consider they are designed to move into a disturbed habitat and re-establish plant life. The heavy seed production increases odds for plants to sprout and grow. These plants can thrive in poor soils found on disturbed sites and help establish a new soil ecosystem by adding organic material over the years. Eventually, conditions improve in the site and new plants establish themselves, outcompeting for resources against the pioneers. This is why you find our mature forests to have apex species like Maple, Beech, Oak and Hickory, not Black Locust and Cottonwood. Along with dropping branches and the mess of cotton each spring, these trees also have very aggressive root systems that will invade drainage lines, if given the chance, and have been known to destroy hardscapes. There really isn’t a redeeming quality to find with this plant when it comes to use in the urban landscape. However, remember, we are stewards of the overall environment and as such, we must realize that this tree serves a purpose. These trees are great for establishing habitat, soil erosion control, and streambank stabilization. If you have a client with a large property with some swampy/wet areas in the back (a lot of commercial properties), this can be a great tree to get habitat established and provide ecological benefit. The seeds are of high value to granivorous (seed eating) birds and are often used for nesting materials. The larvae of mourning cloak, red-spotted purple, viceroy, and tiger swallowtail butterflies also depend on these trees for forage.
24 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
There are a few cultivars available out there, but they can be hard to come by. ‘Siouxland’ is an all male cultivar which does not produce the cottony mess that people object to (which doesn’t do the birds much good) but is more common in the plain states than here in Ohio. Klyn Nursery has a very interesting cultivar named ‘Fuego’ which has deep red/ purple leaves, and in spring is reminiscent of ‘Crimson King’ Norway Maple. It will grow very columnar, as we’ve had one in our landscape at home for about 3 years now and it clearly has a columnar habit. Expect maybe 30 to 50 feet tall and a width between 10 to 20 feet. This tree could make a bold statement in the landscape in a low spot where drainage isn’t a solution and some attractive landscaping would help mop up the mess. Remember, just because a plant isn’t great for the urbanized landscapes we are all designing doesn’t mean it is a useless plant. Take care of the entire ecosystem and it will take care of us!
Jim Funai, PhD. is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program. He has a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care.
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F EATURE ARTI CLE
HOW TO TRACK PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM FUNDS AND EXPENSES It’s not easy to navigate the changing tides of information on coronavirus relief loans such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). But what do you do if you’ve received PPP funds? It’s essential to immediately start keeping detailed records of your expenses to avoid repaying the loan or any unused portions of it – even if the guidance around loan forgiveness is currently unclear. Keeping detailed track of expenses now will help you avoid future challenges. 26 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Following are some sound steps for recording Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and expenses in QuickBooks Online. If you use another accounting system you’ll need to alter these steps accordingly.
SETUP THE PPP LOAN ACCOUNT ON YOUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS • This loan is a liability until it is determined how much of the loan will be forgiven. • It’s recommended the account be a “Long Term Liability.” continued on page 28
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FEATURE ARTI CLE
continued from page 26
CREATE THE PPP BANK ACCOUNT • It might not be possible to open a new bank account in a timely manner at this time. However, it’s important to create a separate bank account on the books to capture the PPP Loan and Expenses activity. • Name the account “PPP Bank.”
• To obtain a spending report, you must create a custom report, but you might end up transposing this data to Excel for loan reporting purposes.
WHAT ARE ELIGIBLE PPP EXPENSES?
• Setup the Loan Vendor. If your lending institution is already a vendor, consider setting up the same vendor but with an extension such as “(Lending Institution) – PPP loan.” • Deposit the Loan Funds.
• Payroll costs, including benefits • Interest on mortgage obligations, incurred before February 15, 2020 • Rent, under lease agreements in force before February 15, 2020 • Utilities (electric, gas, water, telephone and internet) for which service began before February 15, 2020
RECORD EXPENSES
WHAT COUNTS AS PAYROLL COSTS?
• Use the regular Business Checking account to pay your expenses as normal. • After payment, reimburse the Business Checking from the PPP Bank Account via the “Write Check” function. • Do not combine payments and always include proper descriptions in the memo fields. • Add attachments when available.
• Salary, wages, commissions or tips (capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee) • Employee benefits including costs for vacation, parental, family, medical or sick leave, allowance for separation or dismissal, payments required for the provisions of group health care benefits including insurance premiums and payment of any retirement benefits • State and local taxes assessed on compensation • For a sole proprietor or independent contractor: wages, commissions, income or net earnings from selfemployment, capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee
RECORD THE PPP LOAN INCOME
CREATE REPORTS • This method keeps a clean trail of PPP Income & Expenses, but will not show spending for the new PPP Bank by expense type.
28 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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OTHER POINTS TO KNOW ABOUT PPP • Funds must be spent within eight weeks from the date received. • Once an application is submitted, the business cannot delay receiving funds and the term of spending. For example, if a business has a seasonal business and submitted an application too soon. • An application must be submitted for loan forgiveness. • Funds not spent are considered the unforgiven portion of the loan. This amount has to be repaid. • There is no federal tax liability on the forgiven loan. A determination is not known in regard to state tax liability. • Can a business rehire new employees instead of bringing back staff that has been laid off? This has not been determined. • Besides banks, there are other resources to apply for funding including Business2Credit, Fundera and Lendio. Even if you have not received a loan, it’s important to track the cost of coronavirus for your business. Set up a line item in your accounting system to track the cost of coronavirus. This would include supplies for cleaning/maintenance, time spent (such as planning for remote work), IT costs, etc. In the future, if you apply for a loan or sell your business, there is going to be a “blip” in your history. By having this breakout, the financials can be easily recast to reflect business as it would have been without the virus.
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D I RECTI ON S
H2B UPDATE I always hesitate when it comes to providing updates to the current status of the H2B visa program in The Growing Concern, because it changes in the blink of an eye. Additionally, I know that because not all of you use the program, it can be easy to dismiss – or become disinterested – in whether companies are getting their visas, or not. That being said, I would argue that it is important for everyone in the Green Industry to be aware of what is going on with the program for two reasons. First off, as we all know, there is a shortage of an available local workforce. You are all competing for the same few people that might be interested in landscape laborer positions. So, for every visa requested that it not fulfilled, that is one more employee that has to be found in an already too small local labor pool. Second, healthy, well-staffed landscape businesses create more business for all of our suppliers, from nurseries to equipment dealers, to material suppliers and more. With this said, I will point out that the need to use the program varies from region to region within our state, because some geographical areas don’t have as difficult of a time finding employees as others. This year has been extremely challenging for the H2B program. We started the year – economy booming – with requests for visas nearly tripling the number available. According to the Department of Labor (DOL), 5,677 H2B applications were received, requesting 99,362 workers (nationally) in just the first few days of 2020. At the time, only 33,000 visas were available. Legislative action in a spending bill passed towards the end of 2019 allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – working together with the DOL – to release (at their discretion) up to 35,000 more supplemental visas. After much feet dragging, they finally released 20,000 more visas for April 1, and 15,000 for May 15, with numerous restrictions. Then, COVID-19…. The border was open. The border was closed. Only returning workers could cross. Or, could they? You name it, it happened. At last count, while the first 33,000 visas were approved, not all of them have been used, and none of the supplemental visas have been released. To the best of my knowledge, companies that were approved within the original group of 33,000 were able to get their workers IF they still needed and wanted them. Note: Many H2B visas are used by the hospitality industry, which pretty much shut down, and is just starting to open in some states.
30 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
SANDY MUNLEY
Executive Director The Ohio Landscape Association
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any more convoluted… Now, many legislators and government officials are questioning the need for supplemental visas because the unemployment rate has skyrocketed due to the closings caused by COVID-19. What they fail to recognize is that those laid-off workers don’t necessarily want to work in the landscape field, and with the very generous unemployment benefits being given, many have been incentivized not to return to work. Currently, the President is being pressured to suspend most visa programs, including H2B. Representative Andy Harris, an H2B champion, has circulated a letter through Congress asking for signatures. This letter will be sent to President Trump. It points out why H2B visas are necessary to help our economy recover quickly. Additionally, Representative Dave Joyce, from Ohio’s fourteenth district, has introduced legislation that would exempt landscape workers from the cap of 66,000 H2B visas annually. (33,000 in the first half of the government’s fiscal year and 33,000 in the second half.) He is looking for co-sponsors now. We are very appreciative of Congressman Joyce’s efforts. He and his staff have been working very hard on behalf of our industry. We need to continue pushing to make H2B a reliable, usable program, while working on developing career paths and public awareness of the many career opportunities available in the Green Industry. #inthistogether
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BUYANSKYMATERIALS.COM UPCOMING WEBINARS As the OLA and its members continue to deal with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 virus we will continue to provide access to online content that may help you through these tough times. Because this content is ever changing – and many times last minute – we ask that you monitor email and our facebook page for updates, regularly. For those staff members of yours who don’t already receive our emails, they can sign up at https://www.ohiolandscapers.org/ to receive future notifications. Some of the topics the OLA is considering creating original content for include; Tracking PPP Funding, 30/60/90 Day Cash Flow during COVID-19, Marketing, Recruiting, Weather, Sales and Business Planning for the Future. If you, or a staff member, have ideas for topics you would like to see covered, please reach out to us via email at info@ohiolandscapers.org, or call the OLA office at 440.717.0002. Thank you!
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ENTER TODAY ENTER TODAY
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SAVE THE DATE 08.06.20 THE
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Encouraging Professional Standards and Promoting the Green Industry
