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Dear Chamber Member,
The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently reviewed Chamber operations and has voted to take the following actions as part of their fiduciary responsibility of maintaining a viable Chamber for our membership.
First, over the years, the Board has received feedback about the readability and print quality of our newsletter. As a result of this feedback, the Chamber is switching to an electronic newsletter starting in April. Every month, members will be emailed a link to the latest newsletter. Switching to an electronic format will enable us to produce a higher quality, more readable document at a significant cost savings over the prior method. In addition, the newsletter will be posted to the Chamber’s website. The general public will now have access to the newsletter meaning that newsletter advertising will reach a wider audience than before.
Secondly, we will be discontinuing the Chamber Gift Certificate Program effective April 1, 2007. We will continue redeeming gift certificates through May 15, 2008. A detailed financial analysis of the program has shown that it has a negative impact on the bottom line of the Chamber. This is forecasted to grow more severe in the future. When the program began, many of our members did not have access to their own gift certificates or gift cards. That has changed. The volume of gift certificates has decreased, yet many of the fixed cost and liabilities of maintaining the program remain. We have learned that the major purchaser of the Chamber’s gift certificates will no longer be participating in the program. The revenue derived from the program will not offset the expense incurred. Even a significant increase in the Chamber’s reimbursement will not cover the costs.
Finally, the Chamber will be reducing its office hours to 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Volunteers will continue to staff the Chamber office each Saturday and Sunday. Our research of other similarly sized Oregon Chambers has shown that we will still be more accessible to our membership and the public than our peers (typically open three days at week for four hours per day).
Changes are often difficult. The Board thoughtfully weighed these changes but believes they are necessary to insure that the Chamber operates with the money that it has available.
The Board greatly appreciates your understanding and welcomes your feedback. Please feel free to contact any of our board with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors |
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South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce |
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CHAMBER UPDATE |
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April 2007 |
Board of Directors |
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Chairman: Vice-Chairman: Treasurer: Secretary: Tourism Representative: Board Member: Board Member: Board Member: Board Member: Board Member: Board Member: |
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Advisory Members Staff Julie Beehler Jenny Hicks Anna Gatlin Betty Knod Mail Assistant |
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Sustainable Tourism Update by Julie Beehler
We have just completed our second Sustainable Tourism Meeting. It happened on March 3, 2007 and if you were there you would have been caught up in the enthusiasm of cataloging all of the assets in our town. The notes from that meeting are below.
You know, the beautiful waterfront, all of the outdoor activities, great events and the fascinating people that make Columbia County a great place to live and grow. At our next meeting on Thursday March 23, 2007 we will take the assets and ideas we have identified and develop and share itineraries. These meetings are a great venue for learning about our community and then being able to develop future tourism that will have a positive impact on our community.
In the Regional arena, Betsa Marsh, a travel writer, will be in our area this month. She will be paddling with Scappoose Bay Kayaking and taking in the sights as well as a little history of our town.
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TOURISIM South Columbia County Workshop #2 Meeting Minutes March 3, 2007
MEETING AGENDA 1 Helium stick icebreaker & debrief 2 Group check in, introduction of new 3 Community-based asset mapping activity 4 Review and prioritization of target markets 5 Sustainable Tourism strategies for the region 6 Organize into teams around target markets
TARGET MARKETS
From a debrief of the homework assignment from Workshop #1
· Our communities are quiet · Talented local artists living in the hills · Businesses in Rainier · Wildlife · Rural character · No traffic – easy to get around · Neighborly feel – nice! · History · Fresh air and green trees · Haunted places · River, forest and fishing · Great theater in St. Helens · Two art galleries & an antique store in |
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RJ Bob Brown of the Historical Society representing Henry Knighton, the Founder of the City of St. Helens |
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Sustainable Tourism Gathering |
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POTENTIAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM STRATEGIES FOR THE REGION Generated during small group discussions
Have a bicycle route to include an overnight on Sand Island with a possible link to Sauvie Island Offer historic tour / re-enactment of the old town area Put a ship or canoe on the Highway Have a local art/history day once a month Make Sand Island a “green island” Pull/Peddle/Paddle event – with the mill? (Pull – windsailing) Indian Festival on Sand Island (canoe building) Concerts on Sand Island (boaters would need transportation from land) County antique-ing guide Artisan mall Art and antique focus in downtown Art class in old town and/or Sand Island Cycling Events Stage at McCormick Park. Make camping more accessible Expand park and waterfront Signage on Hwy Beautification Build new cycling trails More County Offices Courthouse —> cultural center Offices —> restaurant/hotel Establish a ferry or river taxi to Sand Island New kiosk on dock Satellite Chamber down on the river front Maps with cycling loops (135/75/35) Tourism website Signage Awnings downtown New St. Helens sign on the water Reveal the history of Sand Island for visitors – why would they want to go there? How did it get its name? Weekend Cycle Oregon Ride Art walk / gallery tours like a 1st Thursday Event Arts & Eats Festival (to attract families) Chamber of Commerce effort to standardize business with the same retail hours, etc. Kayaking event Birding trail Mountain bike event Scenic Byway Lochness Monster Educational outreach to community about pride and knowledge, do some capacity building Media bus – Journalist Boot Camp Multi-use trails. Plan trails to connect with other regions. Offer a shuttle service Wildlife Interpretive Center Wildlife pamphlets & brochures Viewing platforms / fishing platforms and then form trails between them Develop amenities/commodities/infrastructure on Sand Island Post signage on Hwy 30 to get travelers in to downtown Increase advertising about the area Website with lots of linkages to local, city, county and outside List all the areas activities, particularly on Sand Island Create transportation to Sand Island. Think about who would use the transportation – private boaters? Tourists without a boat? Address the parking needs in downtown and around the waterfront park area Get buy-in from downtown businesses Communication/power to Sand Island Expand on all of the community events with additional activities. For example, a concert in the park combined with United Way Farmers Market expansion Community-wide calendar/county website for advertising these events Enhance transportation Enhance Sand Island Kiosk with activities, shops, touris, etc. Enhance downtown St. Helens core area Inlaid side walks Uniform decorative street lamps Uniform sidewalk benches for sitting Planters along the sidewalks Establish incentives for downtown business owners to partake in a downtown theme Street level Historical Center |
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2007 Board of Directors About the Chamber Update
Letter to Chamber Members Sustainable Tourism Report Board of Directors & Staff
Press Release—Rainy Day Fund Membership News That’s New Press Release—Columbia City School New Members Newsletter Ad Drawing
From Marna’s Desk Chamber Statistics April Events May Events Member to Member Discounts Ticor Title Ribbon Cutting
Education Survey Results Chamber Events Technology Article Spring Clean Up Day
Legislative Report Megga Easter Egg Hunt Kiwanis Raffle
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