Bend
Chamber board takes positions on ballot measures
At its
monthly meeting this morning, the Bend Chamber
Board of Directors voted to support or oppose
several ballot measures on the Nov. 7
ballot. The board voted to support Measures 9-40
and 9-41, the stable funding for the Deschutes
County Sheriff’s Office, and Measure 9-45, the
Bend-La Pine Schools $119 million construction
bond measure. The Chamber board voted to oppose
Measure 9-43, the Deschutes County Home Rule
Charter. The board issued the following
statement about Measure 9-43: “Although some
aspects of home rule seem appealing, Deschutes
County is working well. A recent survey of the
Bend Chamber Government Affairs Council found
overwhelming opposition to home rule. The Bend
Chamber board brought in experts on both sides
to discuss this. Both made good points and we
respect their opinions. The Bend Chamber board
doesn’t feel that the Home Rule Charter as
proposed is in line with the Chamber mission of
‘Enhancing the Economic Vitality of Bend.’”
Back to Top
Four new members join Bend Chamber board
The
ballots have been counted, and the Bend Chamber
Board of Directors will have four new members
next year: Patricia Gibford, Patrick Kesgard,
Troy Reinhart and Katherine Tank. All will serve
three-year terms that will run through December
2009. A total of 203 ballots were received.
Gibford is President and CEO of Clear Choice
Health Plans, Inc., the parent company of Clear
Choice Health Plans. Among her many activities,
she is a trustee of Oregon State
University-Cascades Campus, a registered nurse
with a master’s degree in management and a
Rotary Club board member.
Kesgard is Principle Broker at Steve Scott
Realtors. He has significant retail management
experience and is on the boards of the Central
Oregon Commercial Investment Division of
Commercial Realtors and the Rotary Great Drake
Park Duck Race.
Reinhart is a partner in Bill Moore and
Associates. He has served on several boards and
on the Bend 2030 Vision Task Force and is on the
Boy Scouts of America Fremont District board
Executive Council.
Tank is an attorney and shareholder with
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt P.C. She has 18
years experience practicing law, with focus on
employment/labor law and business formation,
advice and litigation. She also serves on
several boards, including the Central Oregon
Employer Council.
Thanks to all Chamber members who voted.
In related news, the Chamber board this
morning announced its Executive Committee for
2007: Chuck Chackel, Chairman; David Rosell,
Chairman Elect; Mark Beardsley, Vice
Chairman/Treasurer; and Charley Miller, Past
Chairman.
Top of Page
Citizens have lots
of issues for Bend City Council to consider
Last
week’s survey question was, “What’s the top
issue the Bend City Council needs to address
after the election? Of all responses,
“affordable housing” was mentioned most. There
were a lot of good suggestions, though. Some
comments:
“I recently moved here from Honolulu,
where I was a business owner for 26 years. It
appears that Bend is running head-on into one of
the problems that has plagued Hawaii and Maui.
The issue begins with a lack of affordable
housing and snowballs into a lack of potential
employees. Somehow, that issue must be addressed
to have a thriving business community.”
“Adding land to the Urban Growth Boundary.
That’s number 1 to 10 on any list.”
“Manage the city’s bureaucracy to
accomplish the council’s goals, rather than
letting the bureaucracy run the city to
accomplish their own goals, especially in the
planning, building and public works
departments.”
Top of Page
Space still available for
tri-county transportation conference
Businesses are invited to come and talk about
their concerns at the inaugural Tri-County
Transportation Conference, sponsored by the
Tri-County Council of Chambers (Bend, Redmond,
Prineville, Madras, Sisters, Sunriver, La Pine
and Crooked River Ranch). The conference will be
held from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct.
25 in the South Sister Room at the Deschutes
County Fair & Expo Center. Cost is $6 per
person, which includes a continental breakfast.
The first half of the conference will be
dedicated to presentations from such entities as
the Oregon Department of Transportation,
Deschutes County and the city of Bend. The
second half will feature key business people
discussing what this type of planning means to
their businesses, employees, and long-range
plans. To reserve a spot, please RSVP by noon on
Oct. 24 to Lindi at the Bend Chamber, 382-3221
or on-line
HERE. No payments will be taken at the door.
Top of Page
Ballots go out
Friday: Don’t forget to vote
Mail-in ballots for the Nov. 7 general
election will begin arriving in mailboxes on
Saturday, and the Bend Chamber urges you to
exercise your right to vote. In addition to what
arguably is the most important Bend City Council
election in years, there are numerous ballot
measures that could shape Bend, Deschutes County
and the state of Oregon for years, such as a
bond measure to build new schools in Bend,
another to provide stable funding for the
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and two
statewide tax-limiting measures, 41 and 48, that
could drastically reshape state government. All
registered voters should have received state and
county Voters Pamphlets by now. Ballots must
arrive at the Deschutes County Clerk’s Office by
8 p.m. on Nov. 7.
Top of Page
This
week’s
survey question
How much attention have you paid
to this fall’s election – a lot, little or none?
Please e-mail your responses to:
jeff@bendchamber.org.
Top of Page
