All we've been hearing lately is "where did September go?!" and we couldn't agree more. Time is flying! We've been really busy with events and new volunteers, and getting excited for all that's coming up. As October sneaks in, don't forget to save some important dates. There's always something brewing at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce!

Lunchtime Learning takes place at the Chamber office on October 5th! Come hear from Bob White about Lessons in Leadership: Being a Leader Worth Following sponsored by Lincoln Wedding & Event Rentals. 

Business After Hours is hosted by the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA on October 13th! Come out for a casual evening of networking, refreshments and fun from 4:30pm to 6:30pm as your schedule allows. 

Here are a few more important dates to put on your calendar, but don't forget to check out our full events calendar for even more.

• September 30: Chamber Connection: BadCat Digital Marketing
• October 4: 2022 Star Celebration
• October 7: Chamber Connection: St. Cloud Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB)
• October 11: NEXT - Chamber's Emerging Leaders Meeting
• October 11: New Member Mixer
• October 14: Chamber Connection: Tanner's Team Foundation

With the goal of keeping members informed and up to date, these news bites feature local, regional and national news items that relate to the business community in Central Minnesota. 

 

LOCAL

• Looking for a downtown location to rent? The City of St. Cloud Economic Development has compiled a list of Available Properties to streamline your search. Check it out
• Make your website global! The US Commercial Service along with the Rural Export Center and SBDC MN is hosting a Website Globalization Workshop on November 10 at the SCSU Welcome Center. Register here
• St. Cloud State University professors King Banaian and Mana Komai Molle have released the St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report. See the report

STATE & NATIONAL

• The Federal Reserve is hosting an in-person session on Addressing Labor Market Limitations on Minnesota Workers? Economic Success on October 3rd. Register now
• Prepare for election day - use this handy tool to see what your ballot will look like on November 8th. Check it out
• Nominations are now open for National Small Business Week. Learn more and nominate a small business here.

Congratulations and thank you to these businesses who celebrated milestone Chamber anniversaries in August, 2022. We appreciate your continued support and partnership!

ELECTIONS 2022

As you know, the 2022 elections are coming up on November 8th. The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce is here as a resource and a connection to all of the candidates and the issues that will be presented on your ballot. In the next few Bottom Line emails, we will highlight some of the special questions that may appear on your ballot on November 8th. We do not take a stance on any of these special questions, we are here to inform so that you can make the best decision for you, your company, and your family. 

Waite Park Referendum

Waite Park has two questions on the ballot for Nov. 8th regarding a proposed ½ percent sales tax. One would approve collecting up to $20 million for a new public safety facility, the other would collect up to $7.5 million for regional trail connections. 

• Given the city of Waite Park's daytime population of over 30,000 with visitors and workers, public safety demands are much higher than a typical city of our size. Public Safety is a regional safety service for Waite Park and 80% of those arrested come from outside the community.
• Plans for trail connection improvements have been in place for 10 years and would connect multiple trails and parks, ultimately allowing a connection from Willmar all the way to Duluth via bike trail.  

Sales tax is a user tax. 80% of the sales tax collected in Waite Park is generated by those that live outside the community. Unless approved, the likeliest alternatives would include increases in property taxes. Click here for more information on this special question.

Featured Committee: Farm Show Committee

The Farm Show Committee is the planning committee for the annual Central Minnesota Farm Show, which takes place over two days at the end of February each year (February 28 and March 1, 2023). The committee is responsible for brainstorming new ideas, contacting exhibitors, assisting with mailings, helping with registration and volunteering during the event. Even if you or your company is not in the farm industry, you can benefit from involvement in this committee. It's the perfect fit for event planners, marketing gurus, people who like talking and the phone and people with excellent organizational skills. The committee meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month at 10am.

To learn more about volunteering on this or other committees at the Chamber, reach out to Laura Wagner, lwagner@stcloudareachamber.com or 320-656-3831 or visit StCloudAreaChamber.com.