New Permit
Center Counter Opens
On Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. the
city of Bend formally opened its
new Permit Center Counter at
City Hall. This is the first in
a two step strategy to have all
reviewing entities looking at
proposed plans and developments
at the same time in the same
location. This first step cuts
the number of review counters
from three to two and the second
step will be available once the
city has completed construction
of its new permit center.
Wednesday’s ribbon cutting was
attended by the Mayor and most
Council members, City Manager
and key staff in the permit
arena. The Chamber’s President
and CEO participated in the
ribbon cutting ceremony, stating
that “thanks to the
participation of the builders
and developers who took part in
the “Blue Ribbon Committee”, the
new permit center counter is an
important first step in
developing a “One-Stop-Shop” for
building and construction.”
Top of Page
Water and
Sewer Rate Study Committee
There is an old saying, if
you’re not at the table you’re
probably on the menu. The Bend
Chamber, along with a dozen
other consumers, representing
various uses of the water and
sewer utilities, is
participating in a water and
sewer rate committee looking to
address a number of study
objectives and goals. These
range from ensuring sufficient
revenues, stable rate
structures, promoting
conservation, ensuring fairness
in rate fees, developing a rate
system which is administratively
manageable, looking at industry
standards and how they might
apply to Bend and establishing
“live line” rates affordable to
low income and disadvantaged
customers. Over the next three
months, the committee will be
educated on the current rate
structure, the need for a new
rate structure and a process to
achieve it. The Chamber will
keep you informed as to how the
committee is progressing and
what this new rate structure
will mean to different rate
payers, from different business
types, sizes and water and sewer
users.
Top of Page
Juniper
Ridge Discussion
The city’s Juniper Ridge
development continues to make
headlines in the local papers
and other media outlets. Now it
seems the “handshake” agreement
may not be as much of a
handshake as many of the city
Council have stated. In fact,
last year when the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) was being
signed, the Chamber was adamant
that there was one key paragraph
in the MOU, 11.5, that contained
an “Exclusive Negotiation
Agreement” which would require
the city to pay Juniper Ridge
Partners, LLC and its investors
“75% of their master planning,
design, legal, marketing and
related expenses up to a maximum
reimbursement of $2,500.000,” as
signed on September 8, 2006.
Now it is clear, the Chamber’s
concerns about this paragraph
prior to signing the MOU were
valid. It could cost the city
millions of dollars to back away
from Juniper Ridge Partners,
LLC, even if they wanted to.
Top of Page
Reasonable
Accommodation
A
working partnership between
Worksorce Central Oregon,
Vocational Rehabilitation, the
City of Bend, CORIL and the Bend
Chamber have produced a two-part
series designed to help
businesses address their labor
shortage and learn how, by
making reasonable
accommodations, hiring people
with disabilities can benefit
their business. The two
workshops being held at
Worksorce Central Oregon, 1645
NE Forbes Road, are being held
on October 9 and October 23.
Attendees will learn about tax
credits, on-site support, and
how to expand your candidate
pool with a host of prescreened
applicants. Each workshop will
be from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. and a
half-hour of networking will
follow. To register, call Gary
Daniele at 541-8196 ext. 345
Top of Page
Upcoming
Events
September 14,
Legislative Council Breakfast
from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. at Bend
Golf and Country Club. Topic:
Open Discussion on Juniper
Ridge. Seating is limited and
reservations are required.
Please call Sandy at the Chamber
at 382-3221 by 3:00 p.m. today
(Thursday, September 13, 2007)
to make your breakfast
reservation. Fee is $25.00.
October 4, Workforce
Housing Solutions 101 from
7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Bend Golf
and Country Club. Learn about
workforce housing solutions
underway in Central Oregon.
RSVP by calling the Chamber at
382-3221 or via the web at
www.bendchamber.org/Housing.
This breakfast is underwritten
by the Central Oregon Builders
Association and the cost is
$15.00 to attend.
October 19, Bend Venture
Conference 2007 Investor Panel
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at
the Tower Theatre. This exciting
investor panel will provide
feedback to presenting companies
on their business strategy and
give the audience a perspective
on critical factors experienced
investors look for when
considering early-stage market.
Contact EDCO for more
information and to make a
registration at 388-3236.
Top of Page
This week’s survey question
