Chamber calendar

Tuesday, October 23: Executive Committee, 8:30, chamber.

Tuesday, October 23: Board Development Committee, 4 p.m., chamber.

Thursday, November 1: Quad County Business After Business, Deer Creek Resort and Conference Center, with Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, 5-7 p.m.

Monday, November 5: Chamber on The Sounding Board radio show on WBEX, 1490 AM, 8:35 a.m.

Thursday, November 8: Ross County Safety Council luncheon, preventing back injuries, 11:30 a.m., Chillicothe Country Club; Registration.

Wednesday, November 14: Annual combined Business Expo and Business After Business, Shoemaker Convocation Center, Ohio University-Chillicothe, 5-8 p.m., click here to reserve space for your exhibit: Expo registration.

What's happening this weekend? Check out the community events calendar.

Click above to go to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site for small business

Check out photos from chamber events at any time by going to www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com.

For previous newsletter editions, click here

You are receiving this newsletter as a benefit of your membership in the chamber. If you wish not to receive it, please reply to mjones@chillicotheohio.com and write "Unsubscribe" in the subject.

Copyright 2007

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722

Carlisle Building’s future starting

to look a lot brighter

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

Finally, what appears to be good news emerged this week on the future of the Carlisle Building. While it’s too early to go into detail on the proposed plans for confidentiality reasons, there’s every indication to be optimistic the city’s architectural crown jewel will be restored to its former grandeur.

Getting the building out of the hands of KG&R and Carlisle Building LLC and into the hands of a competent, well-financed group is the number one catalyst for downtown revitalization cited in the HyettPalma Economic Development Strategic Plan. While the hope is for the Carlisle future to be in the hands of local people, there’s every indication local people will be intimately involved in the Carlisle’s future, but maybe not its initial financing.

Once the prospective new owner meets all of the requirements to satisfy the current owner and the city’s requirements outlined in the foreclosure action, and then the physical work needed to restore the Carlisle can begin.

Maybe by this time next year, the community can point with great pride to the corner of Paint and Main streets as the downtown revitalization effort moves into even higher gear.

BWC could derail business expansions

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s proposal to trim discounts for businesses in group rating programs could mean a huge increase in premiums next year for many members of the chamber. You might want to have a chat with our state legislators.

The bureau proposes reducing the maximum discount from 90 percent to 80 percent for companies in group rated programs, such as the chamber’s partnership administered by Compensation Consultants Inc. According to CCI, about 72,000 group-rated employers in Ohio could see a 65 percent increase in premiums next year. Overall premium increases for Ohio’s 95,000 employers in programs is estimated at 21-24 percent.

By reducing the discount, BWC wants to correct what it considers to be an imbalance between what group and non-group rated employers pay to cover the cost of claims. BWC eventually wants to get to a discount of only 60 percent. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce has been working with BWC to close the gap, but apparently BWC wants to do it quicker.

If you’d like to voice your opinion to your legislator, click the link below to take you to a special website of the Ohio chamber:

http://votervoice.net/target.aspx?id=ohcc:18849478

State to unveil plan soon for economic development

A strategic plan for the Ohio Department of Development should be ready for implementation in January, according to Mark Barbash, assistant director of the department. He also said the plan will take input from as many people as possible.

Barbash spoke to about 50 at the Insider Outlook Luncheon of the Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio Thursday at the Chillicothe Country Club. He said the state department was there to help support the work of the Alliance.

Other highlights from the event:

• Ronda Kinnamon, the district representative for the state department based in Chillicothe, said the entire process to help land Glatfelter a $1.6 million grant for training and education took only two months, demonstrating that the bureaucracy can work quickly.
• Jon Kugler, training manager for Glatfelter, said the grant will help bring together management and the three unions representing employees there. He said the plan is for the company to grow revenue in a high-niche market, noting the local plant helped produce paper for the latest Harry Potter book and those of author David McCullough.
• Rick Harper of YSK Corporation said the latest expansion took the plant to 220,000 square feet and allowed for the addition of about 25 associates. About 75,000 pieces leave the plant each day for not only Honda, but also for plants in Japan and the United Kingdom. He mentioned that YSK officials were extremely impressed by the visit of Alliance CEO Christopher Manegold when he was in Japan about a month ago, noting it demonstrated once again this region’s commitment to YSK.
• Manegold said the footers are about to be poured for the new spec building of the Community Improvement Corporation in Gateway Interchange Industrial Park off Ohio 104. The 50,000 square foot structure will be a shell that can be finished to the tenant’s specifications. It should be ready for occupancy in the first quarter of 2008.

EXPO/BAB RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER: This year’s Business Expo/Business After Business promises to be the best with plenty of space in the Shoemaker Convocation Center at Ohio University-Chillicothe. Exhibitors will have a chance to spread out and visitors will have plenty of space to roam about the displays while enjoying refreshments and pizza. The cost of display space was lowered to $150, making it more affordable for all chamber members. Click here to learn details and to register for your space: Expo registration.

COLLEGE PUTS OUT SPREAD FOR BAB: Those who attended Wednesday’s Business After Business at Samuel Stephen College were treated to a great variety of appetizers, desserts and other goodies. About 100 attended the event in the industrial park. If your business is considering hosting a BAB, you might want to call the chamber right away as all dates for 2008 have been taken and only six months remain available for 2009. Check out all the photos from Wednesday’s BAB at the chamber’s photo website: www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com.

LEAGUE CONJURES UP GHOSTS: The ghosts of Chillicothe will be exposed Sunday, Oct. 28 by the local League of Women Voters on its History and Mystery Ghost Walk. The tours will feature haunted homes and businesses. Tours start, rain or shine, at 3 from either the Majestic Theatre on East Second Street or the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library on South Paint Street. A new trou group leaves every 20 minutes until 6. Tickets are $10 and can be picked up at the Welcome Center here at 45 E. Main St. Call 800-413-4118 if you want to reserve your tickets.

WORKSHOP ON THE DISABLED WORKFORCE: The Ohio Rehabilitation Services, in coordination with the chamber’s Workforce Development Department, will conduct its “Windmills Training,” Wednesday, November 7 from 8:30 – noon at the Chillicothe Country Club. Attendees will learn important concepts on the Americans with Disabilities Act and techniques that can be applied working with anyone, not just those with disabilities. It promises to be an informative and interactive session, lending imperative information for maintaining our areas HR and Management standards. Cost is $10 per person; breakfast & session materials provided. CLICK HERE to register; please indicate on the registration if CEU credits are requested. Contact the Chamber at 702.2722 for more information.

NEWPAGE KICKS THINGS OFF: The United Way campaign got off to a great start this week with its community day volunteer activity at the YMCA of Ross County and from the first contribution from employees in the industrial division. NewPage, which recently rejoined the chamber, provided a check to the organization shortly after the campaign officially kicked off a week ago.

NEWEST MEMBERS: Here’s who’s joined the chamber recently:

• NewPage Corporation, 351 Chamber Drive, www.newpagecorp.com.
• Lightle Enterprises of OH, 163 N. Second St., Frankfort, www.lightleenterprises.com
• Kingston National Bank, 2 N. Main St., Kingston, www.kingstonnationalbank.com

BUILDING PERMITS: Here’s who’s received permits recently from the Chillicothe and Ross County Building Departments:

• Adena Health System, 446 Hospital Road, build new Paccar Medical Education Center, value $10.5 million.
• Verizon Wireless, 1462 Plano Road, new tower, $75,000.
• Pelletier Brothers, 4000 Sulphur Lick Road, addition, $150,000.
• Houser and Son Farm, 7918 Ohio 159, new storage addition, $15,000.
• Ross County commissioners, 102 Cattail Road, replace fire alarm panel, $4,643.
• Kenworth Truck Company, 65 Kenworth Drive, pour conveyor pit and alterations to training room, $50,000.
• GMRI Inc. (Olive Garden), 1417 N. Bridge St., hood suppression and signs, $10,500.
• Paint Valley Mental Health, 394 Chestnut St., fire protection, $6,111.
• Ross County Community Improvement Corp., 370 Gateway Drive, commercial structure, $800,000.
• We Be Wings Chillicothe (Rooster’s), 10 N. Plaza Boulevard, fire protection, $5,000.
• Bonnie Maughmer, 859 E. Water St., alterations, $50,000.
• Zane Plaza, 1080 N. Bridge St., signs, $1,000.
• Spirit Master Funding IV, 1404 N. Bridge St., HVAC replacement, $15,100.
• Landmark Properties Group, 4 Consumer Center Drive, alterations, $5,600.
• First United Methodist Church, 585 E. Main St., siding, $3,500.
• Beatrice Beverly, 135 W. Main St., signs, $1,700.
• Zane Plaza, 1080 N. Bridge St., alterations, $1,500.
• Hermanson Limited Partnership, 230 Cherry St., alterations, $5,000.
• White Castle, 1000 N. Bridge St., demolition, $9,600.
• Western View Apartments, 402 W. Main St., roofing, $459,000.

VENDORS LICENSE: Here’s who received a license recently from the Ross County Auditor:

• Roosters Chillicothe, by We Be Wings, 10 N. Plaza Boulevard.
• RS Embroidery Designs, 345 Fairway Ave., by Regeana Shewalter.