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Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

Weekly Update

www.chillicotheohio.com

 

Mission statement: The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce promotes economic and community development by addressing issues important to business.

 

 

 Volume 4, Issue 17

Friday, December 16, 2005

This Week's Sponsors

 

 

 

 

Click here to reach the 575-plus members of the chamber or the 165,000 viewers of the chamber's website each year.

Click here to see the visitors' bureau calendar of local events

 

Chamber Calendar

Tuesday, December 20: Leadership Chillicothe Ross Steering Committee, 3:30 p.m., chamber

Wednesday, December 21: Business After Business, Citizens National Bank, West Main Street, co-sponsored by USEC, 5-7 p.m. BAB registration

Thursday, December 22: Board of Directors, Kenworth Truck Company, noon.

Friday, Dec. 23-Monday, Dec. 26: Office closed for the holidays; re-open Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Monday, January 2: Office closed for New Year's.

Wednesday, February 22: Annual Dinner featuring Steven S. Little, the "Business Growth Expert," 6 p.m., Shoemaker Center, Ohio University-Chillicothe, 2006 Annual Dinner reservations.

Thursday, February 23: Grow Your Business seminar by Steven S. Little, Bennett Hall, Ohio University-Chillicothe, Steven S. Little Business Growth Seminar.

 

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.

 

MEMBERS UPBEAT, BUT MORE SKITTISH, ABOUT ECONOMY: Despite all signs to a growing and stable economy, more members of the chamber aren’t so sure. In the seventh survey of its kind taken by the chamber since February 2003, those members who feel the local economy is headed in the right direction is at an all-time low, though they still are in a large majority. Of the 80 respondents, 62.5 percent felt good about the local economy in the latest survey taken last week via email and fax. That’s down from 77 percent at the start of this year and below the previous low mark of 65.1 percent in February 2003. On the national level, only 58.8 percent said the economy is headed in the right direction, down from 82 percent in January this year. Other findings from the unscientific survey:

  • Only 33 percent plan to hire more employees in the next six months, down from 40 percent at the start of this year.

  • On a more positive note, only 2.5 percent plan to lay off employees in the next six months, the lowest of any of the seven surveys.

  • 45 percent reported business this year has been better or substantially better than a year ago, about even with the start of the year.

  • 74 percent say they plan to do better or substantially better in 2006 compared to this year; that’s up from 71 percent in January.

HEALTH CARE STILL AN ISSUE: In the same survey, about an equal number of respondents said they were keeping the same insurance policy provisions as the previous year and eating the increase in premiums as the number who said they are shifting more of the costs to employees or who have switched to a health savings or health reimbursement account. 28 percent reported they don’t offer health insurance to employees. In a similar survey early this year, 42 percent of the members said they do not offer health insurance as a benefit.

PRIZES GALORE AT BAB: Cash, a garage door opener, Budweiser glasses and a 50-50 raffle to benefit the cancer society’s Relay for Life all are planned as prizes for next week’s Business After Business at Citizens National Bank on West Main Street and co-sponsored by USEC. Great food and beverages also are on the menu for Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. Make sure to register for the holiday event: BAB registration

DUES INVOICES GOING OUT SHORTLY: Great news for maybe 80 percent of the chamber’s members: For the third straight year, there is no increase in the chamber’s dues structure. That means many of you will be paying the same dues as you did back in 2003. For those of you seeing an increase, it means business has been so good you’ve added employees in the last year. For those with more than eight employees, it's an additional $4.20 for each new employee. Financial institution dues are based on the amount of deposits in Ross County. Many of you will receive your first invoice for 2006 dues in the next few weeks as we work through upgraded bookkeeping software issues. If you’d like to pay your dues in 2005 to count as a business expense on your taxes, you might give us a call now to ensure you receive your invoice in time. Don’t forget, you can make your dues payment by credit card by calling or stopping by the office.

DINNER AND SEMINAR SEPARATE EVENTS: Apparently there has been some confusion over February’s Annual Dinner of the chamber and the Business Growth seminar the next day. Steven Little will be the main speaker at the dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 22 (Annual Dinner reservation link) and the next morning, he will present a four-hour seminar on how to grow your business using tips and real-life experiences from the three businesses he built and grew (Little seminar reservations link). Click on both or either link for pricing and more information.

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

  • County Sanitary Service, 589 E. Water St., by Homer Notestone, 772-1189, providing septic tank and sewer and drain cleaning.

  • Springhouse Antiques, 428 Anderson Station Road, by Linda Smart, 775-5841.

SMALL BUSINESS DEFINITION CHANGES: The Small Business Administration has changed its size standards and eligibility criteria to reflect inflation which affects financial and contracting assistance programs. The “anchor” size moved to $6.5 million from $6.0 million. Other standards also changed. To learn more, go to SBA size standards.

A TANGLED WEB: This year’s Chillicothe Ross Leadership class got a first-hand look at Steve Hummel’s now infamous web exercise at the session Wednesday at the Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center. Participants try to piece together a stack of wooden rounds without benefit of seeing the process, but being directed by a manager. It drives home the values of teamwork, vision and many others. Next month, the class is downtown to learn more about local government, law enforcement and the courts. If interested in taking part in the program next year, check it out: Chillicothe Ross Leadership Series

SPEAKER AVAILABLE: Sarah Folzenlogen, a Southern Hills Academy instructor, is anxious to share with local groups her recent experiences as a Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher in Japan. It seems Japan is looking to make educational changes to become more like the U.S. while the U.S. looks to Japan as a possible model. To schedule a speaking engagement, call the academy at 779-3865. You also can visit her online journal at www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/sfolzenlogen.

NEW CONSULTANT: Ashley Dawn Cunningham, a Zane Trace graduate, is a new tanning consultant at Sun Shine Tanning Studio at Water and Mulberry streets.

VENDORS LICENSES: Here’s who’s received licenses recently from the Ross County Auditor:

  • Pole Barns and More, 2002 Western Ave., by Levi Justice.

UNIQUE GIFT AVAILABLE: Looking for that something that just says Chillicothe and will bring back some memories as a gift this Christmas? The “Chillicotheopoly” game might be the ticket. The Monopoly-style game board has an all-local theme and proceeds benefit the Junior Civic League. Each one is $20 and they are available at the Welcome Center at 45 E. Main St.

REMINDERS:

 

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Copyright 2005

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

 

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