KLA Celebrates the Holidays, Begins Board Elections

Members of KLA with CD Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela (fifth from right) Louisville, Ky. — On December 5, the Kentucky Limousine Association (KLA) capped off 2017 with its annual holiday party, as well as formally electing the president and 1st vice president who’ll see the southern association through the next three years. CD Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela was among those who attended the festive, intimate gathering.

The business portion of the event started with a brief meeting. President Kent Sparks of Lake Cumberland Limousine introduced Jagiela, who spoke of national trends and discussed how Chauffeur Driven aims to benefit the industry.

Members then zeroed in on local concerns, starting with the sales taxes imposed on chauffeured ground transportation services and legislation being considered for implementation. Jagiela offered insight into the Limousine Association of New Jersey’s (LANJ’s) battle on similar grounds, which ended in success this past January when its members saw a bill passed into law that removed the state’s seven-percent sales tax on transportation services. Jagiela emphasized that the grassroots efforts of KLA’s industry peers to the north were the key to LANJ’s success in seeing the passage of a beneficial, common-sense law, and advised the assemblage of Kentucky operators to follow that boots-on-the-ground, legislatively active model.

Jagiela (left) with 2018 CD Show pass winner, outgoing KLA President Kent Sparks of Lake Cumberland Limousine While TNCs remain a hot issue throughout the industry, KLA members have, for the most part, not felt too much of a sting from the newcomers’ continued encroachment on their transportation turf. The lack of a significant impact is twofold: TNCs are providing services not typically performed by members’ companies (like so-called late-night “drunk runs”) while struggling to find qualified drivers.

Several board positions will be announced in January, but the December meeting saw the installment of two officers, President BJ Burton of Limos By Knight and 1st Vice President NeVelle Skaggs of Skaggs Limousine & Transportation.

Before adjourning the meeting, Sparks thanked all in attendance for their support during his three years on the KLA board, especially during his tenure as president. Spark was also the winner of the 2018 CD Show pass that Jagiela raffled off before the meeting headed to the nearby Bristol Bar & Grille for KLA’s yearly holiday celebration.

The next KLA meeting will be January 9.

Visit kylimo.org for more information.

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