On Friday, November 2, 2012 the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Planning Retreat/Community Roundtable at Verdict Ridge Country Club.  Those attending included representatives from the City, County, Carolinas Medical Center-Lincoln, Lincoln Economic Development Association, Lincoln County Schools, Business & Community Development Association, Chamber Staff and Board of Directors, and Chamber members at large. 

Before getting into reports from the Chamber's allies, a Community Roundtable was held in order to do some strategic planning for our community.  Questions such as the following were asked of those in attendance:  1.)Where do you see our community now?  2.)What are our needs?  3.)Are we headed in the right direction?  4.)How can the Chamber, City, and County work together to better our community?  5.)What are the top priorities for 2013?  6.)What do we need to do to get more citizens to shop locally?

Answers to the first mentioned question, Where do you see our community now included:   We need more economic development.  Mooresville, NC is growing at a much faster rate.  We have a good school system, a good quality of life, and are positioning ourselves to future development.  We need to put in perspective as to what we need.  Do we really need to be another Mooresville?  We also need to specialize because of our demographics.  Activities downtown are good but stores need to be open later.  The Lincoln Cultural Center is providing more activities to draw people to downtown Lincolnton.

The question, what are our needs received the following input:  We need to keep our children here.  More products are needed such as a new Speculative Building to attract industry.  Denver needs to create its own personality.  There is a need to convey to Lincoln County citizens the importance of Small Businesses.  There is also a need for proper infrastructure.

Answers to are we headed in the right direction and how can the Chamber, City, and County work together to better our community included:  We already work together and have a fantastic community.  We need to speak with a more united voice to legislators at the State and Federal Government levels.  We need one voice for small businesses. 

Top priorities for 2013 included:  new jobs, more homeowners, a need to promote our community as part of surrounding communities, use our proximity to Charlotte as a plus, we need to develop a marketing strategy for our community, make sure Lincoln County students are ready to enter the work force, use more local contractors when government is involved in construction projects, recruit more retail businesses so people can shop local, provide more counseling for small businesses, and recruit more restaurants. 

The City of Lincolnton listed as a top priority in 2013 to sell more water and the County plans on buying more water from the City.  The Lincoln Economic Development Association listed as its top priority the need for a speculative building to attract more industry.  Lincoln County Schools, in 2013, has a goal of increasing collaboration with business and industry, and the Chamber would like to promote its relevance to the community in helping to make positive things happen. Carolinas Medical Center -Lincoln said it wants to promote "Shopping Local."  And last but not least, the City of Lincolnton's Business & Community Development Department has a goal of recruiting more retail, restaurants, and residents to downtown Lincolnton. 

So, the question is, can all of these goals be achieved?  Well, maybe not in one year, but yes over a period of time they can.   For example, over the last 26 years the Chamber of Commerce has worked to help make the following happen:  1.) Worked to develop a spec building corporation that built 4 spec buildings at Indian Creek Industrial Park, 2.) Provided support for the construction of the Lincoln County Industrial Park, 3.) Recommended to County Commissioners that they form a 501c-3 economic development association now known as LEDA.  3.) Supported Duke Power's efforts to locate a Combustion Turbine Plant in East Lincoln, 4.)  Lobbied for new By Passes for Highways 321 and 16, 5.)  Lobbied for turn lanes on existing Highway 16.  6.) Provided representation on the East Lincoln District overlay Study Group, 7.)  Supported mix beverage, school bond, water bond, and sewer bond referendums, 8.)  Supported countywide zoning, and 9.)  Worked with the Lincoln County Board of Realtors and local contractors to provide recommended changes to Lincoln County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

Many of these above mentioned accomplishments would not have happened if the Chamber had not worked to bring folks from throughout the City and County to communicate with each other and to plan for the future.  That is why we do an Annual Planning Retreat/Community Roundtable each year. 

Just imagine if the Chamber had not done these things through the years, would we be where we are today?  I don't think so.   The next time you think of the Chamber, please think about not only that we are a tremendous networking organization for businesses but also play a very important role in being a catalyst for making things happen in our City and County.