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Bend Chamber
Weekly
February 13, 2009
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator
This Week's
Highlights
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Town Hall, Get your
questions answered
The Bend Chamber’s Town Hall Forum is a great way to
get your questions answered on issues that face
businesses every day. The Chamber would like to give
members the opportunity to have their questions
answered by sending in questions about the upcoming
Town Hall. This allows members who can’t attend the
breakfast an opportunity to have their questions
answered.
This month, the Town Hall topic is “Health Care Reform
and Business: What’s the Bottom Line?” The Chamber
has invited Congressman Greg Walden to attend.
Presenters include Oregon Health Fund Board
consultant Bill Kramer along with other health care
experts to give us a perspective on the reforms and
to hear business leaders' concerns and priorities.
If you have a question surrounding this topic, please
send them to
courtney@bendchamber.org. The answers to
questions we receive will be published in the Weekly
E-news on February 27.
For those who would like to attend the event, Town Hall
will take place at the Bend Golf & Country Club on
February 20 at 7:30 a.m. More information about the
event can be found in the Upcoming Events section of
this newsletter.
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Council votes in new
member, Teater sworn into office
Bend’s newest City Councilor Oran Teater was sworn
into office on February 10.
In an emergency session on Friday night, the Bend City
Council met just hours prior to the 30 day deadline
that began with Chris Telfer’s resignation. In a 4-2
vote, Mayor Kathie Eckman and Councilors Mark
Capell, Jeff Eager, and Tom Greene voted for
Teater’s selection, while Councilors Jodie Barram
and Jim Clinton were opposed.
The council had previously been deadlocked 3-3 over the
selection of Don Leonard or William “Cliff” Walkey.
In their meeting on February 4, the council had
tried to come to a decision, but failed. It was then
thought at that time the decision would go to a
special election which would have cost $13,000.
Clinton was a proponent of this decision saying it’s
not a bad idea to let the people decide.
Capell had previously sided with Barram and Clinton in
supporting Walkey for the council position. During
the emergency session, he stated the council should
be whole when going into the budget process and he
had heard from many people in the community who
wanted to see the dispute over the vacancy settled.
Barram and Clinton objected to the emergency meeting,
especially in light of a different candidate being
presented unbeknownst to them. Clinton stated the
process was “crap” and could be considered a “slap
in the face” to the other candidates. He said there
was a viable alternative with the coin toss, and
“now the majority has cooked up this back room deal,
violating the public’s trust. It’s a very obvious
power play here at the last hour.”
Teater was elected previously to the City Council in
1996 and served for eight years, the final two as
mayor. He currently serves on the Juniper Ridge
Advisory Board, the OSU-Cascades Board of Advisors,
and is a member of the Oregon Governor’s Council of
Economic Advisors.
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Cnnmoney.com features Umpqua Bank for community
service
Umpqua Bank was recently featured on cnnmoney.com for
its community service hours in 2008. From Sacramento
to Seattle, the company contributed 25,719 associate
volunteer hours through its Connect Volunteer
Network. The network allows full-time associates to
serve at youth focused organizations, schools, and
community development programs.
In 2008, 1,296 Umpqua employees volunteered through the
Connect Volunteer Network. The numbers for the year
also reflect at least a 10 percent increase in
participation throughout the company.
"I continue to be impressed by the incredible
contributions our associates make in their
communities through Umpqua's Connect Volunteer
Network," Ray Davis, president and CEO of Umpqua
Bank, told cnnmoney.com. “As the economy continues
to struggle and our schools and nonprofit partners
face even greater strain, it is important for the
business community to rally together and support
their work. Our associates have taken full advantage
of their Connect volunteer time and I hope to see
other businesses encouraging their employees to do
the same."
Five years after the program's inception, the Connect
Volunteer Network has donated a combined 80,904
volunteer hours and assisted more than 800 nonprofit
organizations and schools.
"Connect offers unique opportunities for Umpqua
associates to grow as individuals, establish genuine
community relationships beyond those cultivated in
their stores and to help advance the neighborhoods
in which they live and work," Garrett Bergby,
Umpqua's 2008 Oregon volunteer of the year, told
cnnmoney.com. Bergby is a universal associate at
Umpqua Bank's Century Drive store.
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IRS reports investors will
receive year-end forms at a later date
If you have been checking your mailbox recently for
your year-end forms from your brokerage firm or
mutual fund company, be aware a new law enacted last
fall has given companies a new deadline.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), under
the new law companies must mail the year-end form
1099-B by February 15. Due to February 15 falling on
a Sunday and the federal holiday on February 16, the
deadline for this year is actually February 17.
“This change is designed to make it easier for brokers
to provide investors with accurate year-end
statements on stock sales and other transactions,”
stated an IRS press release. “Inaccurate year-end
statements that have to be corrected later often
force investors to file amended individual returns.”
The IRS asks that all taxpayers carefully review all
year-end statements to make sure they are accurate.
This includes social security numbers, income, and
withholding amounts.
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In the news
Special Election Information: Deschutes County
will hold a special election on March 10 for the
Sisters School District #6 Measure 9-69 and Measure
9-70 (also known as Local Rule) which would require
nitrogen reducing wastewater treatment systems in
South Deschutes County. According to Deschutes
County Clerk Nancy Blankenship, the last day to
register to vote is February 17. Ballots will be
mailed to voters on February 20. For further
information on voter or information on the two
measures, go to
www.co.deschutes.or.us.
Oregonians could face tax increase: Legislators
were urged to provide relief for Oregonians facing
unexpected tax increases by House Republican Leader
Bruce Hanna from Roseburg. Rep. Hanna stated Oregon
didn’t provide protection from the implications of
the 2008 federal rebates, and now needs to provide
relief for taxpayers. He has suggested that citizens
should be allowed to deduct the tax increase from
their 2009 returns. In a press release, Rep. Hanna
stated those most affected by the tax increase would
be of low and middle-class incomes. The release also
stated that Oregonians are being hit with a $53
million state tax increase that has to be paid
within the next few months. “As Oregon’s economy is
continuing to deteriorate, the state government is
hurting those the most,” Rep. Hanna stated in the
release. “By taking $53 million out of Oregonians’
pockets, families will have less money to make ends
meet. They will also have less money to spend in
their communities.”
Bend Fire & Rescue starts new awareness campaign:
Bend Fire & Rescue started a campaign this week to
ensure citizens have working smoke alarms. The Code
Ready team will start going door-to-door in select
neighborhoods to provide free fire safety services
to the public. This includes testing smoke alarms,
replacing batteries, installing new smoke alarms,
providing a home fire escape plan, and other fire
safety materials. The campaign will continue through
February and March. If you are a homeowner who needs
a smoke alarm and cannot afford one, or you would
like assistance in testing your alarm, please
contact Bend Fire & Rescue at 322-6309.
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Upcoming Events
February 17 –
Professional Development Series – Growing Your Brand
– )(without shrinking your bottom line) ~ Marketing:
Trends, Tools & Techniques for Small Business ~
Get your message out in style! – Speakers: Patty
Davis/Ronald McDonald House Charities; Michelle
Franco/Eloquence Communication; and Kelly
Walker/Sublime Design Group. Now is the time to
maximize the positive public presence of your
business any way you can! While the current tough
economic situation tempts business owners to cut
expenses anywhere they can, effective marketing must
remain a top priority. Strategic marketing and
powerful messaging is more important to your
business success than ever before. You want to be
the first and most impressive business your clients
and potential clients think of when they need your
service. This is way beyond products and customer
service details - this is about your BRAND. Join us
as we explore strategies with three professionals in
business of branding and messaging and help you
'guide your business to the top', even in these
tricky economic times. RSVP for this event by
Monday, February 16 at
www.bendchamber.org. The event is $35 for
Chamber members or call to find out how to pay last
year’s prices at 382-3221.
February 18 – Young Professionals Network – Orvis
- Founded in 1856 as a small bamboo fly rod shop in
Manchester, Vermont, Orvis has been leading the
fly-fishing industry in innovation and quality for
more than 150 years. In addition to world class
fly-fishing equipment, Orvis offers distinctive
men's and women's clothing, fine furnishings for the
home and treats and toys for pets. Orvis donates
five percent of pre-tax profits each year to
environmental programs. Join your fellow young
professionals for a great evening of networking and
community partnership.
This month, the YPN is working with the American Red
Cross to help get sign ups for blood donations. The
American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Regional Blood
Services must collect at least 5,000 pints of blood
each week to meet the needs of local patients. The
organization is the sole supplier of blood and blood
products to more than 80 hospitals in Oregon,
Washington, and Alaska. Help make a difference and
sign up to give the gift of life!
You can now pre-register for the full-year for $45;
February thru November events including the July
Annual Social. Prices for individual event advance
registration are $7 for members ($12 for non
members) and day of/at the door is $10 for Chamber
members/$15 for non-members. Register online at
www.bendchamber.org/ypn by Tuesday, February 17.
February 20 – Town Hall – Health Care Reform and
Business: What's the Bottom Line? – Our health
care system is failing, and no one knows that better
than businesses. As the costs of providing health
benefits continue to rise, many businesses are
desperately looking for solutions. What is the role
of employers in a reformed health care system? Are
"insurance exchanges" a potential solution for small
businesses? What kinds of reforms are under
consideration in Washington, D.C., and Salem? What
are the implications for our businesses, our
employees, and for us as individual consumers of
health care? Panelists include the following: Mike
Bonetto, Cascade Healthcare Community; Bill Kramer,
Oregon Health Consultant; Alisha Hopper, Health
Matters of Central Oregon; and Julia James, Oregon
Health Fund Board. Congressman Greg Walden has been
invited to give us a perspective on the reforms and
to hear business leaders' concerns and priorities.
If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP
by noon on Thursday, February 19 at
www.bendchamber.org.This event is $25 in advance
for Chamber members and $35 at the door.
February 23 – The Real Estate "Survival" Forecast
Breakfast - The Real Estate Forecast Breakfast
is one of the Chamber's most popular events. This
year, several real estate experts will look at the
current market and give attendees tools on how to
stay alive in the current market and beyond. Topics
of discussion will include the following:
Statistical Update on our Residential Market – Wendy
Adkisson, The Garner Group Realtors & Development;
Statistical Update on our Commercial Market – Bruce
Kemp, Compass Commercial Real Estate Services; Real
Estate Near-term: Balancing Optimism and Pragmatism
– Bill Valentine, Valentine Ventures, LLC; and Stay
lert, Stay Alive in Real Estate Today – Steve
Scott, Steve Scott Realtors. Please RSVP for
this event by Thursday, February 19 at
www.bendchamber.org/refb. The member and
non-member price is $45 per person (and is
first-come-first-seated), $595 for a reserved table
of 10. and $325 for a reserved table of 5. If you
have trouble signing up online, call 382-3221.
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