Volume 2, Issue 32                                                              Friday, April 16, 2004

PROPOSALS REQUESTED FOR WELCOME CENTER: To ensure we have considered as many alternatives as possible for the community's new visitors and economic development center, the chamber, CIC and Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau are seeking proposals. While pursuing the site on Riverside Street near the floodwall remains a possibility, we are inviting local developers, property owners and others to offer proposals for the center which will be a showcase for the community. While it's regrettable some have issued opinions about the Riverside proposal without hearing from all sides, we felt this was a way in which to invite others into the process and to see if a better idea can be pursued. Advertisements asking for proposals will be appearing in local media soon. If you are interested, give the chamber a call at 702-2722. The deadline to submit proposals is May 21.

GOVERNOR SEES HISTORY IN ACTION: Ohio Gov. Bob Taft (in plaid shirt) stopped by Chillicothe Thursday afternoon on a tour of tourist spots in the state, taking in first the Ross County Historical Society's  museum and Heritage Center and then the Majestic Theatre. Showing him the Knight's Room on the top floor of the theater are, from left, Dave Uhrig, Jim Lambert and Priscilla Smith. Now, when the governor sees a request for funding help from the theater, he'll have first-hand knowledge of how it will be used.

USEC, CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK TEAM FOR BAB: About every 15 minutes, a drawing will be held for a prize of some sort at the Business After Business Wednesday. USEC is co-sponsoring the event with the bank at West Main Street from 5-7 p.m. Every half hour, $50 will be given away while an auction will be held on a Jim Tressel-signed picture of the OSU win over Michigan a year ago. Proceeds from that auction go to the bank's Relay for Life cancer team. Make sure to register ahead of time: BAB registration

NEW CALENDAR AIMED AT BUSINESS: Added to the chamber's website this week was a business calendar page to highlight the many seminars and events specifically designed for the business community. While we'll continue to mention the events and seminars in this newsletter, you can always check the calendar for dates and times and also to learn how to register. We welcome entries from all our members and organizations. Check it out now: Business Calendar Also, now we are forwarding requests for our Community Calendar to the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau site which has a comprehensive schedule. No need to duplicate efforts.

TOP EMPLOYER LIST UPDATED: The Community Improvement Corporation recently updated the list of the county's top employers. Here are the top 10:

MeadWestvaco                        1,700

Kenworth Truck Co.                  1,600

Adena Regional Medical Center    1,500

VA Medical Center                    1,260

Horizon                                     768

Ross County government              742

Ross Correctional Institute            641

Chillicothe Correctional Institute    634

Chillicothe Schools                      401

Chillicothe city government           320

BRIDGE STREET TRAFFIC ALERT: Work on the sewer line extension on North Bridge Street is expected to begin Monday. One lane northbound will be closed until July from Seney Road to near Shawnee Lanes and at times, two of the lanes will be closed.

PLANTING FOR THE LONG TERM: MeadWestvaco recently concluded its annual planting of pine trees and wound up putting 1.9 million of them on 3,151 acres across southeastern Ohio and northern Kentucky.  As one company official said, that's a good indication the firm is thinking way ahead. And for those who like to plan around it, the annual shutdown of the local mill is set for May 3-14. Also coming in September 2004, a major project to modernize the No. 12 carbonless coater to the tune of $15 million.

AN ALL-AROUND TAXING DAY: While Thursday was the filing deadline for personal tax returns, it also was the day Ohio legislators announced a major overhaul of taxes on businesses in the state. Hearings are expected to begin next week on the tax reform package that is designed not to increase business tax revenue overall, but to change the structure, making the state more business-friendly. The package would eliminate the state's two main business taxes -- on companies net income or net worth and on their equipment and inventory -- and replace them with a single business tax. If approved, it would be the first such tax in the nation. Rates would be lower, but more businesses would pay taxes. Schools would lose the benefit of the equipment and inventory tax revenue after three years. Stay tuned as the debate will surely get heated.

COUNTY STILL GROWING: Recent estimates by the U.S. Census put Ross County's population at 74,424 as of July 1, 2003. That's up 1.5 percent, or 1,079 people, from the 2000 count. That compares to 3.3% growth in Vinton County, 2.7% in Highland, 1.3% in Jackson and 1.8% in Pike. Surprisingly, Pickaway County showed a 1.9% decrease. Others showing declines were Scioto County at 2.2% and Fayette County at 1.0%. Ohio as a state showed a slim 0.7% increase.

PATHFINDERS GET UPCLOSE LOOK: The Pathfinder Leadership participants this week heard firsthand from local economic development people as well as got a chance to tour local enterprises, such as Infosight and CiCi's Pizza. In photo above, from left, Christi Simmons of OU-C, T.J. Justice (the state's new director of the Office of Appalachia) and Dona Smith of the CIC talk to the participants at Triple Crown Sports. It was Small Enterprise Day for the group which has only one more session before graduation on May 12. Now's the time to be thinking about who you'd like to send to the next round that begins in September.

HEALTH, WELLNESS & FITNESS EXPO SET: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at OU-C's Shoemaker Center there will be more than 90 exhibits for the expo presented by Pickaway-Ross Health Technologies and Ohio University-Chillicothe. Former OSU football star and Unioto graduate Ben Hartsock will be on hand to sign autographs. Free tests or screenings are available for cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density and others.

JOB FAIR WAS SUCCESSFUL: At the recent veterans-oriented jobs fair at OU-C, more than 80 employers got a chance to hear from 470 job seekers. Whether an employer or a job seeker, don't forget the chamber's Job Bank which is a free service of trying to connect the two. Call Lynette Reed or e-mail her at lreed@chillicotheohio.com to learn more.

NEW LIBRARY OPENS: Southern Hills Academy is inviting everyone to the grand opening of its library at the school on Kellar Road. An OU-C student in costume will be telling stories and Polly Boles, who painted a mural on the library wall, will exhibit some of her landscape paintings. The event is Thursday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. Check out the academy at www.southernhillsacademy.com

WORKFORCE ACADEMY SET: Steve Hummel of Transitions Unlimited! in the morning will engage participants in discussions of group/team dynamics and in the afternoon will lead discussions on capitalizing on the diverse perspectives when working in groups. You may attend both or just one session and lunch is included either way. That's Wednesday, April 28 at the Ross County Service Center. Click here for more details: Workforce Academy registration

LAST MARKER DEDICATION: The final historical marker for Ross County will be dedicated in a public ceremony Friday, April 23 at 11 a.m. in Great Seal State Park. The Ireland Shelter House will be the site for the ceremony to note the inspiration for Ohio's great seal. Local elected officials and representatives from the Ohio Historical Society will be on hand.

BREAKFAST CLUB MEETING: Tom McClaskey has scheduled a second small business Breakfast Club networking event at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at the Dairy Queen on U.S. 23 in Waverly. It will feature a live conference call with Fran Tarkenton. To register, contact Tom at tommcclaskey@horizonview.net.

CHAMBER CALENDAR:

• Wednesday, April 21-Business After Business, co-sponsored by USEC and Citizens National Bank, to be held at 33 West Main Street, 5-7 p.m. BAB registration

• Monday, April 26-Marketing and Membership Committee, noon, chamber.

• Wednesday, April 28-Networking Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Chillicothe Country Club, featuring Lissa Cleary, executive director of the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau. Networking Luncheon registration

• Wednesday, April 28-Workforce Academy, Group/Team Development by Steve Hummel of Transitions Unlimited!, Part I 8 a.m.-12:15 and Part 2 at 1-4:15 p.m.; Ross County Service Center; check registration for details. Workforce Academy registration