Magnetic Ballast Phase Out Imminent
Manufacturing of magnetic-type ballasts for fluorescent signs will be phased out on November 14, 2014.
This is the effective date previously established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to implement its new metric for efficacy testing applicable to these products. As of November 14, 2014 all High Output Ferromagnetic Sign Ballast will no longer be produced by any ballast manufacturers. DOE had previously investigated the sign ballast product category and found that very few sign ballasts do not have the capability to operate 8-foot HO lamps either in single- or multiple-lamp combinations. Thus, the only ballasts not covered by the DOE rulemaking are those which cannot operate F96T12HO lamps in any combination. This phase-out is applicable to a majority of the commonly-used, fluorescent sign ballasts.
The rulemaking creates a new metric for measuring ballast efficiency and establishes a higher standard of efficiency that will impact many of today’s fluorescent T5, T8 and T12 ballasts.
The DOE rulemaking, however, does not prohibit sales or use of existing inventory of magnetic sign ballasts after the November compliance date and until inventories are depleted.
CSA First Board Meeting
CSA’s first board meeting of the new fiscal year will be hosted at Harveys Hotel in Lake Tahoe. The Executive Committee will meet the night prior. The 2014-2014 final board meeting will take place on Thursday, September 18th, and the new 2014-2015 Board will meet on Friday the 19th. Featured speaker will be Teresa M. Young, who regularly presents on the subject of Dynamic Digital Signage. She has served as CSA’s President and sits on the Board of Directors of the Association. In addition, she serves on the Advisory Board of the Digital Signage Experts Group.
Reservations: To make reservations, call 800-455-4770 and identify yourself as part of the California Sign Association (Group Code S09CSA4), in order to receive the group rate. Reservations must be made between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight)
Group Name: California Sign Association
Group Rate: $99 (Wednesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 18); $149 (Friday, September 19); $149 (Saturday, September 20)
Group Rate Deadline: August 24. Reservations made after that date will be on a space-available basis and will not be eligible for the group rate.
Exhibitors: Please download your copy of the Exhibitor Guide here.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
4:00 – 7:00 p.m. 2013-14 — CSA Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, September 18, 2014
8:00 – 10:15 a.m. 2013-14 — CSA Board of Directors Meeting
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. 2014 — CSA Annual Meeting
State of the Association and Board Elections
11:45 – 1:15 p.m. — Annual Lunch
Lake Tahoe Then & Now; McAvoy Layne
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. — Dynamic Digital Signage and the New CSA Website
Teresa Young, Sign Biz® Inc.
3:15 – 4:45 p.m. — Vendor Showcase – Tabletop Exhibits
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. — President’s Reception
7:00 – 10:00 p.m. — California Sign Industry Summit Banquet Awards Installation of Officers
Silent Auction Closeout Live Auction
$10,000 Drawing
Friday, September 19, 2014
8:00 – 11:15 a.m. 2014-15 — CSA Board of Directors Meeting
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. — Special Event Thunderbird Lodge Tour
New Member Profile: Clear Sign & Design, Inc.
It has been quite the journey from small start-up in 1981, when owner Steve Weddell started Clear Communications, as a small design and marketing firm compared to what the company is capable of today. In the years since, Clear Sign & Design has systematically built on Weddell’s original vision of what a custom sign company should be, creating a dynamic, “client-centric” culture based on collaboration and integrity. Continue Reading
American Planning Association Conference
The APA California Orange Section will host the 2014 APA California Annual Conference, California’s Adventures in Planning. In attendance at this important event will be representatives from CSA (Executive Director, Roy Flahive) and ISA (James Carpentier, Manager State & Local Government Affairs). The conference will be held September 13 -16, 2014, at the Disneyland® Hotel.
Progress on Bill for Tax Extenders
U.S. House of Representatives recently passed d H.R. 4457, the “America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014”. This bill would make permanent Section 179 expensing at the levels that had expired at the end of 2013, i.e., a $500,000 expensing allowance and a $2,000,000 investment cap. Continue Reading
Annual Fishing Trip
CSA’s Twelfth Annual Deep-Sea Fishing Trip!
Reserve Now for Saturday, August 2, 2014 and Reel in the fun off the coast of Dana Point! Back for a twelfth voyage off the coast of Dana Point, Captain Gary Quiel and 44 lucky fishermen, women and children will set sail early, early Saturday, August 2, 2014 . This is an all-day cruise launching at 5:00 am (please check-in by 4:30 am) out of Dana Point Harbor and returning around 5:00 pm that afternoon.
Captain Gary Quiel invites you to join him for the twelfth voyage off the coast of Dana Point on Saturday, August 2nd! This all-day cruise is one of CSA’s most popular events and will sell out quickly! Don’t delay! Get your tickets today!
- $110 per person (License, equipment, food, drink or fish cleaning is NOT included in your registration fee.)
- Departs from Dana Wharf Sportfishing in Dana Point Harbor.
- Limited reservations accepted – although the boat holds 60, we limit the number to 45.
- Registration is open, reserve now! Our fishing trip has sold out by early June in recent years.
- Payment is required to hold reservations. Your registration is not complete until payment is received.
- Registration form and payment are due by Wednesday, July 23, 2014. After this date, no refunds will be given for cancellations.
Additional fishing details and information (parking instructions, licensing, equipment, food, etc) to follow at a later date via email notification. Please make sure to have at least one email address listed for your party in order to be included in our follow-up notices. For more information about the fishing, call Gary Quiel at (909) 885-4476. For information about registration, call CSA at (916) 932-0021 or email info@calsign.org.
Saturday, August 2, 2014 – Sailing on the Clemente
Check-in at 4:30 am, boat departs at 5:00 am sharp!
Dana Wharf Sportfishing in Dana Point Harbor
34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA
Federal Highway Study Confirms Digital Billboard Safety
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration has released a landmark study declaring that digital billboards do not pose a safety risk to passing motorists. Within the sign industry, the results of this study come as no surprise. Numerous traffic studies and analyses performed in the last couple of decades have reached similar conclusions.
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Construction Enforcement Coalition Meeting
The upcoming Construction Enforcement Coalition Meeting, set for Tuesday, July 22, will focus on the new Public Works Contractor Registration Program and how the Public Works unit of the Division of Labor and Standards Enforcement is working with the Department of Insurance and local DA offices. CSA is a participant with Coalition. For more information, contact Jeff Aran via email or by phone at 916-395-6000.
Membership Meeting
Dinner Meeting –
No Host Cocktails: 5:00pm – 6:00pm + Dinner & Presentation: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Meet Bill Dundas (ISA) on July 24th, as he presents a summary of the ISA Sign Structures research project which was conducted at UCSD (2008-2011). This research provides broad guidance enabling sign companies (Designers, Fabricators, Installers, etc.) and their clients, to enhance the safety of sign structures with multi-section, “telescoping” poles. In addition, a brief overview of findings from ISA’s Sign Luminance Research project, conducted principally during the period 2012-2013, will also be addressed. Information from this research should be a useful tool for you to proactively address the advent of sign brightness regulations in certain U.S. jurisdictions, throughout the State of California.
Cold Beer, Gas Pumps, and a Washing Machine
On April 10, 2014, the California Sign Association held its fourth membership meeting of the year at Reiff’s Gas Station in Woodland. This Northern California meeting venue, however, is something other than it sounds. Our friendly host, Mark Reiff, has established an antique gas station and automotive museum that is full of memorabilia that has been lovingly displayed from front to back, inside and out. It seems that there is something interesting to look at no matter where you turn; a long garage with both walls lined with vintage gas pumps, an authentic soda fountain, signs of all shapes and manner, and many interesting automotive themed products from the distant past scattered everywhere. There’s a fully restored 1955 Chevy tow truck parked in front next to gas pumps as they might have appeared mid-century.
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