Throughout the summer, the chamber staff and many of our chamber members have participated, with gusto, in the time-honored summer tradition of community festivals.  Though the Chamber can't take credit for the planning and implementation of these wonderful community gatherings, we do have a part in each of them.  Our participation in events like River City Days in Chaska, Chanhassen's July 3-4^th celebration and the Volksfest in Victoria is an opportunity for us to host an expo for our members and area businesses where they can thank those who have patronized them in the past and hopefully, introduce themselves to new customers.  We would like to express our thanks to all the businesses who participated in the expos and festivals.  We understand how precious summer week-ends are!

 

Did you know the Chamber has a student membership program?  The chamber has a special rate of $50/annually for high school students to be members of the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce.  Through their membership, students are granted access to all chamber events and programs.  They are able to participate in committees, have a volunteer experience and are encouraged to attend Business Day at the Capitol with us to learn more about the public policy work that we do on behalf of our member businesses.  This gives us, the chamber, an opportunity to introduce the chamber and the work we do to the workforce of the next generation.  If you know of a student that would benefit from the membership experience, please have them contact us at the Chamber office. 

 

The Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer driven organization, with a great many opportunities to participate in committees or in a leadership position.  We are accepting nominations for our members interested in serving on our board of directors or in a committee leadership position.  To nominate yourself or someone you recognize and admire as a great leader, please complete a nomination form and return it to the chamber office before October 1, 2010. 

 
Click here for the nomination form 

 

      

By David C. Olson

There's no silver bullet as policy-makers prepare to tackle the projected $6 billion shortfall in the state's general fund. At the same time, it's clear that state government - indeed, government at all levels - must be more pro-active in reducing the per-unit cost of programs and services.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and its network of local chambers are eager to be partners in this effort. Private-sector businesses have faced similar challenges in order to survive the recession and emerge stronger. They've responded with innovation and creativity.

We also anticipate the push-back from some, not all mind you, public officials - that government cannot be run like a business; it is obligated to provide essential public services.

The goals of the public sector and private sector need not be at cross-purposes. Indeed, state government can learn from the efforts of their counterparts in local government. The Minnesota Chamber Board of Directors was addressed by a panel of local government representatives at its annual planning retreat in August. I've heard numerous presentations during my 30-plus years of chamber work, and this one ranked at the top. The panel deservedly received a standing ovation.

The panelists challenged:

·    Tim Houle, Crow Wing County administrator: "We can do a better job of sharing information and coordinating delivery of services." The county has reduced its budget by $4.5 million - 69 full-time equivalent positions, 16.5 percent of its workforce in anticipation of reduced government aid.

·    Dave Osberg, Hastings city administrator: "Can we do this service better, or do we even need to do it? We start programs and never end them." The Hastings Fire Department will soon need a new ladder truck; He stated that he already has asked the question during meetings with the Fire Department: "Could we at least consider looking into sharing with neighboring communities?"

·    Tamara Uselman, Perham Schools superintendent: "Don't ever let schools off the hook for delivering educational excellence. We believe our public schools can educate Minnesota's young better than any vendor out there. With the investment we make, you should demand excellence." Before supporting school levy referendums, she said citizens should ask what's been done with school services in order to reduce costs.

These individuals or governments are not alone in their initiatives. One needs only to review newspaper headlines across the state.

Otter Tail County's Human Services Agency, seeing employees doing more with fewer people due to a hiring freeze since December 2008, is taking a close look at sharing responsibilities with Becker, Clay and Wilkin counties. The Pearl Street 911 Center, already a consolidation effort among Rice and Steele counties and the cities of Owatonna, Faribault and Northfield, is part of a study to consider further consolidation of  dispatch centers with Le Sueur, Waseca, Mower, Freeborn and Faribault counties.

The Minnesota Chamber and local chambers pledge to be partners in building support and collaboration for advancing substantive cost-saving ideas. To that end, thanks to a grant from the Bush Foundation, the Minnesota Chamber has identified six pilot projects on government redesign focusing on sharing and collaboration.

Projects will be carried out by: Brainerd Lakes Chamber and Crow Wing County; Staples Motley Area and Long Prairie Area chambers and Todd County; Austin Area Chamber and Mower County: Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and city of Owatonna; Rochester Area Chamber and city of Rochester. We also anticipate a metro-area project involving a number of Twin Cities chambers. Outcomes of these pilot projects will be publicized as successful models of redesign and cost-savings.

Change is inevitable in the delivery of public services. We continue on a collision course between an older population requiring more government services and a shrinking pool of workers to pay for public programs. The public sector is fast becoming permanently broke, and nothing suggests that the economy will grow us out of our problems.

The challenge is clear: Government must determine priorities and define measureable outcomes. We stand ready to assist.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit the Web at www.mnchamber.com.