August 28, 2015

Dear NJGCA Member:

Thank you for reading this week's NJGCA Road Warrior!

Here is what you will find in this edition:

JOIN NJGCA ON FACEBOOK -- CLICK HERE

TO SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL -- CLICK HERE

                                                                                                                                                            

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER SATISFACTION SURVEY
NJ ENERGY MASTER PLAN: THE FUTURE OF ALTERNATE FUELS
MARKETPLACE: FALLING PRICES SHOULD MEAN HIGHER PROFITS
FREE BREAKFAST MEETING IN FORKED RIVER ON SEPTEMBER 16th
GOOD NEWS FOR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES FROM ENGLAND
NO NEWS ON EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS OR RIGHT TO REPAIR

You may recall that last year NJGCA created a survey to measure our members' satisfaction with our Member Benefit Partners. You should have received this year's copy in the mail already.  The survey is also available online HERE.  Taking the survey online will SAVE YOU time and money!  You should know that we put a lot of effort into our MBP program, and we say no to more vendors than we say yes to.  We hold our MBPs to high standards.  We (and they) want to know if our members feel that there is room for improvement in any areas.  That information comes from YOU!  I'm sure that you all would want to know the same from your customers. Do they think you are great, or are they unhappy?  If they are unhappy, but not telling you, you run the risk of not making a simple adjustment which could resolve any misunderstandings and prevent similar issues in the future.  PLEASE take a few minutes to fill out our survey so that we can continue to make our MBP program the best it can be for YOU.
 
Last week I gave testimony to the BPU regarding the NJ Energy Master Plan.  You can read my testimony here. Since they specifically wanted to discuss Energy Resillience in case of future storms, I let them know that mandatory generators at gas stations will not solve future problems. I also discussed alternate-fuel vehicles. The media clamor surrounding alternates has died down over the past two years, due to fossil fuel prices being driven down so sharply. As long as prices are low, there is not much concern with finding other methods of fueling cars and heating homes. Low prices always stem from an abundance of supply.  When supply tightens, prices go up, and that is when people start talking about alternate energy. You may have heard me say this before, but I'll continue to say it.  You have to stop thinking that you're simply in the gasoline and diesel fuel business!  You must have the mentality of being in the transportation energy business.  The time will come when you will enthusiastically sell other products to fuel your customers' cars, because if you don't, somebody else will, and those are customers you will never be able to get back.  This thought has been in my head for the past 30 years, and the uncertainty of the fossil fuel market makes it clear to me that the day might be upon us sooner than we are prepared for, when the fuel choice of motorists might be something other than gasoline and diesel.  I will continue to participate in any discussions put forth by any government agency that is working to shape future energy policy.  My members (that's YOU) and your customers, demand that I continue to do so.
 
While we're on the subject of price and supply, it seems that recent predictions of a glut of crude oil and refined motor fuels has become a reality.  It is possible that street prices below $2.00 can be the norm throughout the rest of the summer, the fall, the winter, and into the early spring of next year! But as with every other cycle, this one will surely end, and prices will rise again.  You all know how your margins get squeezed even more when prices are on the rise, so I am begging you all to take advantage of the better-than-normal margins you experience as prices drop.  Let me state this very clearly: if you are in a race with competitors to be the lowest price on the street, then you are an idiot.  You are not in business to have a high volume.  You are in business to have a high profit.  I don't know what more to say.
 
I'd like to plant this seed in your head that we will be having another Diner Tour meeting on Sept. 16th in Forked River.  Members in Ocean, Burlington and Monmouth counties, as well as ALL others who are conveniently located, are welcome to attend!  Remember, you don't have to be from one of those counties, ALL members are ALWAYS welcome at any of our Diner Tour meetings. Our sponsors for this meeting (which so generously cover the cost of breakfast) are: Association Master Trust, Automotive Training Institute, Brennan Law Firm, Hough Petroleum, PPC Lubricants and Unifirst.  Please join us to participate in a roundtable discussion, and let us know how we are doing serving your needs!
 
This week I also saw an article of interest, which indicated that a study by Public Health England found that on the question of safety, e-cigarettes are "around 95% less harmful" than smoking. As such, England's National Health Service may consider prescribing electronic cigarettes in the future to help smokers quit.  This helps us make the case that governments (local, state, federal) SHOULD NOT be involved in encouraging (or worse, legislating) the deterrence or elimination of the use of electronic cigarettes, since it's been clear for years that traditional tobacco products ARE harmful to public health.  This is good news since I know that those of you that sell tobacco have a much better margin on electronic cigarettes than you do on other tobacco products.  We continue to take up this fight.
 
Finally, I know it's been a while since I've reported on any progress on motor vehicle emissions inspection or Right to Repair. However, no matter how hard I try, everything seems to be at a standstill and I am just running into brick walls.  I still, unfortunately, have nothing to report.

One final announcement is a UST Regulatory Training and Re-Certification course being offered by PECA on Sept. 25, 2015 at The Imperia in Somerset, NJ.  If your license is up for renewal anytime from now until September 2016, this course is adequate for your renewal credentials. Not only is it an excellent review of the entire tank systems, and will afford you the opportunity to ask questions, it also serves to prepare you for the upcoming Operator Training that is proposed in the New Regs. Please click HERE for the informational brochure.

That's all for now!  Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!

ETEP Re-Cert, Sections 8, 9 and 10 being offered in NORTH and SOUTH Jersey -- DAY and EVENING Classes Available!

For Class Informational Flyer, please click here.
For Class Registration Form, please click here.

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 732-256-9646 or DEBBIE@NJGCA.ORG TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING A SPECIFIC CLASS.  THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GAUGE YOUR NEEDS AND KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE!!

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS 

NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS!

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager

For more information about these positions, and to submit a resume for consideration, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

08/25/2015:
Judge approves Gov. Christie's $225 million settlement with Exxon over polluted sites
A NJ judge approved a $225 million deal between Gov. Christie's administration and ExxonMobil over dozens of polluted sites and nearly 2,000 retail gas stations. Superior Court Judge Michael Hogan ruled that while the deal is much less than the $8.9 billion the state originally sought, it is a "reasonable compromise" considering "substantial litigation risks" faced by the state in the 11-year-old case that spanned Democratic and Republican governors. The Christie administration has praised the deal as the nation's second-largest of its kind against a corporate polluter. The deal was criticized by environmental groups and Democrats who control the state Legislature.  They say the settlement is just a fraction of the billions of dollars NJ should have recovered.

08/24/2015:
N.J. gas prices fall below $2 in some places as slide continues
Remember March? That was the last time NJ saw gas at $2-a-gallon. Drivers woke up this week to find 10 stations are selling gas at, or below, the $2-a-gallon mark. Gas Buddy.com showed six stations selling regular for a cash price ranging between $1.95- and $1.97-a-gallon Monday morning. While the average price in the state is $2.27, more stations may be joining them. "I would expect to see retailers shed three to five cents and possibly more," said Jeff Pelton, Gas Buddy.com senior petroleum analyst. "The (commodities) markets are dropping again today which should again be seen at the pumps as the week progresses." What's causing the price slide? The stage was set last week when prices at the pump dropped 2.7 cents, Pelton said. In the last month, prices have tumbled by almost 25 cents per gallon. But the bigger factor was a 13 cent drop in the commodity cost of refined gasoline last week, to $1.54 at the close of commodity markets on Friday, he said. That price was down to $1.48 Monday morning, according to the NASDAQ.

08/19/2015:
E-cigarettes could be prescribed by the NHS to help smokers quit, report says
E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco and could be prescribed by the NHS in future to help smokers quit, a recent study has concluded. Experts who have compiled a report for Public Health England say "vaping" could be a "game changer" for persuading people to quit cigarettes. They also say there is no evidence that they give children a "gateway" into smoking.  Some health campaigners have welcomed the findings, but the British Medical Association has expressed caution. The Welsh government previously announced that it plans to ban the use of e-cigs in enclosed spaces. Now opposition parties have criticized the plans. E-cigs are increasingly popular and are now used by 2.6 million adults in Britain.  But public health experts have been divided over whether they should be seen as a much safer alternative to smoking, or a pathway to a deadly addiction.

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD:

TMP Energy Solutions
Another Way to Save on Your Energy Bills

We have had a number of NJGCA members successfully reduce their rate per kWh signing up through our energy saving program. We know it's difficult to collect 12 months worth of previous electric bills to get an "accurate" analysis when comparing a variable rate to a fixed rate, but we now have another option available. 

This new solution is a power purchase option; the other program is still in full force and has saved members thousands of dollars. If you sign up for the power purchase option, you will be grouped with other NJGCA members until the minimum KW demand is acquired. By pooling the member's usage together, you will be able to take advantage, as large energy users do, and receive a lower kWh rate.

Each member will receive their own contract. Each member is responsible to sign and return the agreement the day it is received in order to secure the price for their group.

Please do your due diligence, so when you receive the proposal and the agreement you will be able to make an intelligent decision.

If by chance, you still want us to assess you bills, to give you a price to compare, we will require 12 months of your most recent utility bills.

There are no bills required, but we would still like to have one bill per meter on file to check account #'s, meter #'s  service addresses and other pertinent information incase there is a problem.

The term of the agreement is for 12 months. During this term period, you will have price protection against any energy price increases along with a low fixed kWh rate.

If you are interested in becoming part of this power purchase option, please contact Greg Cannon at the NJGCA.

Remember when you sign up your energy through the NJGCA Energy Program, TMP makes a considerable donation to the NJGCA Scholarship Fund through their proceeds. This has no affect on your rate, and costs you nothing out of pocket.

We hope to help hundreds of NJGCA members reduce their utility costs by participating in this and our other cost reduction programs.  Our purpose, in the endeavor, is to help NJGCA members lower their energy costs while supporting the NJGCA Scholarship Fund. 

Contact GREG CANNON at 732-256-9646 or email Greg at greg@njgca.org. Mention that you are interested in saving money on your energy bills. NJGCA & TMP Energy Solutions will handle all the rest.