Chamber calendar

Monday, April 28: Downtown Chillicothe Partnership, Chamber conference room, 8 a.m.

Wednesday, April 30: Chillicothe YPN network bowling, Shawnee Lanes, 5:30 p.m., www.chillicotheypn.com

Thursday, May 8: Ross County Safety Council, Behavior Based Safety, Chillicothe Country Club, 11:30 a.m. Luncheon Registration

Wednesday, May 21: Business After Business, Nourse Family of Dealerships, North Bridge Street, 5-7 p.m., BAB registration

Friday, June 6: Annual Golf Outing, Jaycee Golf Course; 9 a.m., Registration

Chamber-related links

Economic Development
www.edaso.org

Downtown Chillicothe
www.downtownchillicothe.com

Chillicothe YPN
www.chillicotheypn.com

Visitors Bureau
www.visitchillicotheohio.com

Chamber event photos
www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com

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

For previous newsletter editions, click here

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Copyright 2008

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

Websites are the front door

to our community

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

Major additions this week to two of the five local websites maintained by the chamber make them even more valuable tools in providing information to not only local folks, but also those around the world interested in finding information quickly on Chillicothe, Ross County and southern Ohio.

As part of our partnership with the Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio, www.edaso.org is now friendlier and has links to more information sources. For existing business owners looking for information, real estate developers, prospective businesses and site selection consultants, the information is easily accessible. The main menu now has drop-down items to make navigation easier. Here’s what you’ll find on the site from the main menus:

• Home: Information on the Alliance, including board members and links to the most recent newsletters.
• Available sites: Individual pages for Industrial/warehouse, commercial/retail and downtown. If you have a site you’d like to list for free, just give us a call at 702-2722.
• Demographics: Links to the county profile page on the Ohio Department of Development website, census figures for the county and city, business stats from the Census Bureau and traffic counts from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
• Workforce: Links to the state site, our chamber’s Job Bank site, Ohio University-Chillicothe and a list of the county’s major employers.
• Incentives: Local lures for existing and prospective business and industry and links to state programs for grants, loans and tax credits.
• Transportation: A Google map of the area, link to information on the county airport and to ODOT’s District 9 site.
• Utilities: Links to American Electric Power, South Central Power, city utilities, Ross County Water Co. and Columbia Gas.
• Other resources: Links to the chamber site and those of the city, county and visitors bureau, the Gazette, a list of major projects and the city zoning code.

As we move closer to our goal of becoming the “go to shop” noted in the HyettPalma Downtown Chillicothe Economic Enhancement Strategic Plan, the chamber continues to develop www.downtownchillicothe.com. The site now has valuable information for local merchants, shoppers both local and otherwise and prospective investors in property or business in the district. What you’ll find on the site:

• Home: Information on the Downtown Chillicothe Partnership group, links to the complete HyettPalma plan and contact information for the various groups involved downtown.
• Shopping: Information on the four city-owned public parking lots and space for owners to advertise spaces for rent. Again, just give us a call.
• Design Review Board: The complete ordinance governing the board, guidelines for signs, a printable and downloadable application form and information on the members of the board.
• Available sites: Properties and businesses available for sale, lease or rent. If you’d like to list yours, give us a call.
• Merchants: Information on the Downtown Associates group, including minutes from the meetings.
• Local links: To the chamber, visitors bureau, city and EDASO.

We will keep adding links and information so that all of our sites are as complete and up-to-date as possible. We also welcome any suggestions you might have as to how we can make them better and more useful.

Leadership benches a smashing success

Five new benches are now available for travelers on the city’s hiking/biking path, thanks to the efforts of the soon-to-be-graduating class of Leadership Chillicothe Ross. The group put the finishing touches on the benches Saturday morning. Two are at the parking area at the end of Tiffin Street and the other three are on the path going west to the Neenah Gardens area. To consummate the project, a bottle of sparkling grape juice was smashed against a bench with the cleanup quickly finished.

YPN shreds important documents; bowling on tap next

Three trucks and plenty of volunteers from the Chillicothe Young Professionals Network worked through some soggy conditions to help destroy sensitive papers as part of Shred-It-Day in Yoctangee Park. YPN took over the project from last year’s leadership class and solicited sponsors in addition to donations from those having papers shredded to turn it into a fundraiser. The group is holding its first Network Bowling event Wednesday at Shawnee Lanes. Teams will be randomly selected and the $10 admission covers shoe rental, two games and Julio’s pizza. RSVP by Monday by visiting www.chillicotheypn.com.

Welcome to the newest members of the chamber:

• Knisley Pharmacy, 2535 Western Ave., by Matt Knisley, 779-6226.

Vendor licenses issued by the Ross County Auditor:

• Mosley’s, 16 Blain Highway, by Daphne Mosley.
• Carla Ross, 574 Belleview Ave.

Seminars, workshops, etc.:

• Wednesday and Thursday, May 7-8: “Crucial Conversations” program presented by Horizon Telcom and OU-C; to register: www.chillicothe.ohiou.edu/forms/crucialcon.htm
• Thursday, May 15: Seminar for minority and female business entrepreneurs, 8-4, Verne Riffe Center for the Arts in Portsmouth; for information: karthur@shawnee.edu.