Legislature
Adjourns Supplemental Session “Test-Drive” of
Oregon Annual Sessions
by Tracy Rutten, Western Advocates
The Oregon Legislature’s special “supplemental”
session adjourned sine die at 9:39pm on Friday,
Feb. 22, 2008. After just 19-days, lawmakers
passed 73 out of 109 bills introduced. The
session was able to wrap-up quickly following
the release of the final budget priorities on
Wednesday. Feb. 13. With the revenue forecast
down from the end of the 2007 session and from
recent projections in December of 2007, the
budget included a scaled-down list of
legislative spending priorities including:
-
Strengthening
senior programs with an investment of $12.2
million for adult foster care, relative
foster care, assisted living centers and
stabilizing Oregon Project Independence;
-
Confronting the
foster care crisis in Oregon by allocating
$7.3 million for additional child welfare
workers;
Read
full article here.
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Hutchinson
Hired in McMinnville
After a three-month national
search, the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce
has hired Oregonian Philip K. Hutchinson to take
over the presidency, vacated by Celia Wheeler in
early December.
Hutchinson is a past Chair of the Oregon State
Chamber of Commerce, a past recipient of the
William R. Haas Executive of the Year and served as executive director of the Greater
Newport Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. Sherl
Hill, who chairs the local chamber board, was
pleased with the hire. "Celia left such big
shoes to fill and we have missed her leadership
tremendously," she said. "We feel very fortunate
to have found Phil. We're excited about the
future and confidant that he will do a great job
for us and our members."
Hill said the board evaluated
more than 30 resumes from across the country,
including several from the McMinnville area.
After narrowing the field through progressive
rounds of interviewing, the selection committee
recommended Hutchinson to the board. He won
unanimous approval in a special session and
accepted the job.
OSCC Regional
Outreach Meetings Scheduled
The Oregon State Chamber of Commerce is holding a
series of regional meetings around the state with
chamber executives and leadership. The first hour of
the meeting will be devoted to a session with
chamber executives from the region to provide a
general update and orientation regarding the support
and services Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC)
is providing chambers in Oregon. It will also be an
opportunity for you to communicate with the OSCC
leadership and staff on how it can better assist you
in meeting your objectives.
During the second two hours of the meeting we would
like to include chamber executives and 2 or 3 of
your volunteer leadership in a broader policy
discussion that will feature a review of the key
legislative issues that our Salem team believes will
be in play during the 2009 legislative session. This
session would be a good opportunity for your board
chair and government relations or public policy
chair to discuss legislative issues that will be
front and center come January 2009. Mark your
calendars for these regional meetings:
-
Northern Oregon Coast Chambers - Friday, April 4,
2008 at Holiday Inn Expess, 204 N. Marine Dr., Astoria
-
East Metro Chambers - Friday, May 2, 2008 at
North Clackamas Chamber of Commerce office (7740
SE Harmony Road, Milwaukie)
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Chambers Rate
Economic Development A High Priority……Effectiveness
in Question
A recent poll of Oregon Chamber of Commerce members
on the topic of economic development revealed the
following:
-
100% of the Chambers
responding indicated economic development has a
priority for their community/region, with 54%
rating it as a high priority and 46% as somewhat
high.
-
Chambers were most
frequently playing a prominent role in local
economic development efforts related to
workforce development, business retention and
entrepreneurial development.
-
31% of the Chamber
responding indicated that their community/region
sponsored and enterprise zone and in each case
indicated that the zone played an important role
in economic development success.
-
69% of responding
Chambers rated the effectiveness of their
community’s economic development efforts over
the past five years as poor or fair.
Click here for complete results of the OSCC Member
Pulse on economic development.
2008 OSCC
Conference Dates and Location Set
The 2008 OSCC Fall Conference
is set for October 29-31 at the Salem Convention
Center. More details to follow. Other
professional development opportunities for Chamber
professionals include:
Invested Leaders, April 10-12, 2008, Memphis,
TN
2008 Institute dates:
-
Midwest: June 8-12, 2008
-
Southeast: June 22-26, 2008
-
West: July 13-17, 2008
-
Northeast: July 27-31, 2008
Regional Government Affairs
Conference, June 4-6, Las Vegas
ACCE Annual Conference, July 30-August 2,
Pittsburg
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Prineville-Crook
County Chamber names Executive Director
After
several weeks of interviewing many well-qualified
candidates, the Board of Directors of the
Prineville-Crook County Chamber has named Brandi
Hereford as their new Executive Director.
Born
and raised in Prineville, Brandi received a Bachelor
of Science degree from Oregon State University where
she majored in General Agriculture with minors in
Agriculture Business Management, Animal Science, and
Communications. She also worked for over five years
as the Event and Exhibit Coordinator with the Benton
County Fairgrounds and was the Membership Account
Executive for the Oregon Festival & Events
Association. Brandi has served as the Chamber’s
Administrator since June of 2007.
The
official start date for Hereford’s new position is
April 1st, although she will be
transitioning into the new role immediately.
Chambers in the
News
Check out Oregon Chambers of Commerce in the news:
Lots to be proud of in Salem
Public safety center ready for construction
Casino hearing draws large crowd
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