Thursday, April 12, 2012, noon at Lalo’s restaurant

Did you know?  Gift Certificates issued by the Chamber of Commerce are a great way to give and, when purchased by a business, they could also be tax deductible (see your tax preparer for more guidance). It’s a gift that is appreciated by everyone and it keeps the local economy rolling! Order on-line at www.mtshastachamber.com, by phone at 926-3696 ext 201 or in person.

Thanks for your participation in the Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce’s Business Needs Analysis.

You can complete the short survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V6LRSC9

Every Mt Shasta business owner who completes this survey will receive a compilation of results as soon as they are tallied.  And for those of you who get your surveys in by March 29th, there will be a prize drawing for one (1) Gold Level Chamber membership (or an upgrade if you are already a member) and one (1) $100 Chamber Gift Certificate redeemable in any of the participating businesses.

Your answers will help the Chamber understand:

• what existing businesses need to thrive and grow and
• what kinds of information and assistance our local businesses need.

Answers to our survey, distributed community wide,  will:

• Inform your own business strategy
• Support your growth plans
• And help us find solutions to common problems.

Feel free to forward this link to Mt. Shasta business owners who may be less visible to us than you are.  We want as many participants as possible! And if you know someone who needs a hard copy of the survey, please call and leave a message for Marie at the Chamber with their name and address – 926-3696 extension 201.  Thanks!

We look forward to hearing back from you.

On behalf of the Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, I am writing to urge you to support the re-authorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act.

This source of funding, which is used primarily to support public education and the maintenance of the public roads here in Siskiyou County, is a vital part of the local economy.  The estimated 9 million dollars that Siskiyou County would not receive as its share of the revenues generated on the public lands within the county, would have a devastating effect on our local communities.

The importance of local public schools and local infrastructure such as roads and bridges cannot be overstated in a healthy business climate.  Increasing class sizes, loss of elective course offerings, loss of extra- curricular activities such as art, music, sports and drama all have a negative impact on the public school system, which is the lifeblood of a small rural community.   Additionally, the ability to get our goods and services to market and our employees to work is dependent upon roads being plowed and repaired when needed.

This compromise between the local residents and the federal government dates back to 1908 when President Teddy Roosevelt’s administration acknowledged that the lands that were being set aside for the public good also had value to the local residents.  As such, the local residents are entitled to a share of the revenues generated from those public lands since those same lands cannot be used in private enterprise, thereby generating tax revenue to maintain public schools and roads with.

This is not a charitable contribution by the federal government to the local community.  This is a continuation of a compromise worked out long ago – a compromise that has been working to the mutual advantage of the multitude of American citizens who travel to see and experience their lands, and the local residents of those lands who live, work and play here.

I urge you to support the re-authorization of this funding mechanism and to set it on a path for long term stability.  Short term extensions of this funding do not allow the local community to set long term goals, rather they force the community to always be preparing for the next cut in services.  The local business community depends on stability in government policies so that it can thrive.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this important issue for the residents of Siskiyou County.

Sincerely,

Vince Reinig
President of the Board, Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce
Mt. Shasta, CA

The Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce sent this letter to senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein and Congressman Wally Herger on October 7th, 2011

Wednesday, October 26th
1:00 to 4:00 pm
The Holiday Inn Express
707 Montague Rd, Yreka, CA  96097   

Free – Open to the General Public
 (Pre-Registration is required)

What to expect:

• An opportunity to gather specific information on different loan products 
• All the different lending resources in one room 
• The truth and nothing but the truth – the story from a successful borrower, Shawna Montgomery of Montgomery Meat Company     
• Networking opportunities galore and great food 

Hosted by: Superior California Economic Development, The Northeastern Small Business Development Center at Shasta College and JEDI

Special Guest Speaker: David Castaneda from the US Small Business Administration

Generously sponsored by: Scott Valley Bank, PremierWest Bank, US Bank, TriCounties Bank, Great Northern Corporation, Karuk Community Loan Fund and Arcata Economic Development Corporation

Call today to register:  888-926-6670 or 530-926-6670

So, why would you make a significant change in the way you do business?

The only reason you would do that is because it was important to your customers, it benefited them, and consequently it improved your long-term viability.

That is exactly what the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce is doing.

After careful consideration by the Board of Directors, the organization is making a substantial shift in the way that members will invest in their Chamber. Businesses will no longer be classified based on the number of employees, but will instead choose the benefits that meet their needs, and invest accordingly.

“Chamber members will be able to shop for the benefits that make sense to them,” says Vince Reinig, current Chamber President. “Members will no longer be “penalized” for growing, expanding, or acquiring another business, since the number of employees will no longer determine the amount of investment each business makes in the Chamber. The board and staff listened to the feedback of the membership. The new dues structure reflects the desire of the membership to have new benefits and choices. ”

A national trend

The Mount Shasta Chamber is certainly not the first to adopt a system that includes tiers of benefits. In fact, for the past decade, chambers of commerce across the United States have looked for ways to deliver customizable packages of benefits to their members. A tiered membership structure has become the new trend of large and small chambers alike.

Careful consideration and a measured decision

“In the past, I’ve had members approach me and share their frustrations with the employee-based dues structure,” says Executive Director, Marie-Josée Wells. “For example, a business with 50 employees that was required to invest more than the basic fee annually in the Chamber did not understand why a member with three employees received the exact same benefits at a much lower cost. I didn’t have a good answer for them.

The Mount Shasta Chamber began considering making the change to a different membership structure in 2008. For nearly three years the board and staff looked critically at the potential and studied the effects the change would have on the organization and the membership. We were able to identify areas where the Chamber could do more to meet the needs of our members and make the whole process more equitable.”

In the end, the Board of Directors recommended that the Mount Shasta Chamber transition to a tiered benefits model. However, they didn’t make that recommendation lightly. They challenged the staff to identify new benefits at each and every level of membership.

“After all, the Mount Shasta Chamber is a membership driven business organization,” says Reinig. “We only wanted to move to this tiered benefit structure if it met the needs and desires of the membership. That required the staff to identify new and expanded benefits that would match what had been gathered from our membership surveys.”

Among the new member benefits available:

Greater visibility for Chamber members via:

• Improved access to the Chamber and the Visitors Bureau websites for member information
• Links to member business’ web and social media sites, links to Google maps showing your location
• Logos and banners strategically placed at community events and on event promotional materials
• Savings on booth space at community events, ads in Chamber Directory, Newsletter inserts and more

More Marketing Opportunities via access to:

• Chamber bulk mailing rate,
• Front page of Chamber web site placement
• Email blast marketing and more

Many more benefits designed to help your business thrive – both today and tomorrow.

The tiered benefit structure has five levels to choose from. Each level increases the benefits for the member business culminating with inclusion in the Community Partners Legacy program. The chamber staff is eager to help each member find the level of benefit that is right for them. The new tier structure went into effect June 1st, 2011.

The Board along with the staff of the Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce is committed to providing maximum value for the investment that its members make. They encourage you to take advantage of these new opportunities to enhance your business.They also encourage you to continue to suggest ways to improve the benefits you derive from your investment in the Chamber.

Please call Marie Wells at 530-926-3696 or send her an email at marie@mtshastachamber.com to schedule a consultation.

The next newsletter of the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce will be mailed to the entire membership by the end of May 2011.

If you are interested in placing an insert in that newsletter, bring 350 copies and a $50 check to the Chamber office between May 20th and May 25th.

Call Marie now to reserve your space 530-926-3696
Did you know?
The newsletter is also published digitally. Starting with the June issue, the inserts will also be posted online. You can see a sample here.

Bring your flyers, business cards or brochures to share with others as we will allow ample time for networking.

Members of all Chambers of Commerce in Siskiyou County are invited to a county wide mixer. Attendance by directors is encouraged. This is the third mixer of its kind and partnership amongst the different chambers is already showing strength.

Heavyweight marketing champion, Nikolas Allen, owner of BAM! Small Biz Consulting, will deliver a dynamic, interactive presentation on why branding matters for small business. He’ll define branding, explain why it’s essential and offer tips on how small business owners can use effective branding strategies to attract loyal customers. Bring your notebooks! Nikolas Allen’s enthusiasm is contagious and his actionable tips will get your gears turning and inspire fresh ideas about what your company stands for.