Logo  
The Weekly Update
Good Morning From The Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce!

 

Greetings!

Keep up-to-date with all the happenings at the DCR Chamber and in your community by reading the Weekly Update every Monday!  Have some great business news that you would like to announce?  Let us know so we can spread the news to the rest of our members!
   

DCR Chamber is excited to announce new DCR Chamber President, Vicki Stute, effective June 1st! 

Click here to read more.  Please add Vicki to your contacts, [email protected].

 

 

 

Message From Ruthe Batulis

Dear DCR Chamber Members,

On May 3, I will conclude my tenure at DCR Chamber.  It has been my distinct honor to serve as your President for the past 9 years.  This is a great organization and your investment makes our work possible.  We are proud to be your business voice in the region.

 

Please feel free to contact me:

Ruthe Batulis

N8385 Loon Lake Road

Spooner, WI 54801

Cell: 952-270-4987

Email: [email protected]

 

Yes, we have the internet up there as well as mail service!  Don't be a stranger, the welcome mat is out!

 

Warmest Regards,

Ruthe Batulis

DCR Chamber Events Calendar 
Tuesday, May 14th at 8:00am
Dakota County Technical College
1300 - 145th Street East, Rosemount
  
Tuesday, May 14th at 4:30pm
Buck Hill Event Center
15400 Buck Hill Road, Burnsville
  
Wednesday, May 15th at 7:30am
DCR Chamber
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102, Eagan
  
Tuesday, May 21st at 8:00am
Better Business Bureau
220 South River Ridge Circle, Burnsville
 
Tuesday, May 21st at Noon
DCR Chamber
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102, Eagan
  
Wednesday, May 22nd at 7:30am
DCR Chamber
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102, Eagan
  
Wednesday, May 22nd at Noon
DCR Chamber
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102, Eagan
  
Thursday, May 23rd at 8:00am
Park Dental Farmington
511 Elm Street, Farmington
  
Monday, May 27th
Memorial Day - DCR Chamber Office Closed!
 
Tuesday, May 28th at 7:30am
Paul Eggen's State Farm Insurance
14450 South Robert Trail, Suite 204, Rosemount
Ribbon Cuttings
Opening a new business or remodeling your current business?  Let us know and we can schedule a ribbon cutting!  It is a great way to advertise your new store and meet a few DCR Chamber members!  
Groomingdale's Pet Salon, Eagan
 
Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings
We invite you to attend these ribbon cuttings to support
your fellow Chamber members!
  
Thursday, May 16th at 4:00pm
ProSign Branding
4101 Nicols Road, Suite 107, Eagan
  
Call Jessy at 651.288.9202 to schedule yours today!

Advertise In The Weekly Update        

    

Advertising Options

New Member Ad - New members can run an advertisement at a discounted rate of 50% off. This advertisement should be business card size. This is a great way for new members to introduce their company to other members of the chamber.  $50 per ad, per week

 

Basic Ad - 545(w) x 245(h) pixel area to advertise your news, event, sale, etc. displayed on weekly update. This ad is typically placed in the middle of the weekly update.  $100 per ad, per week

 

Weekly Update Sponsorship - 545(w) x 245(h) pixel area to advertise your news, event, sale, etc. displayed on weekly update. This ad is typically placed in the middle of the weekly update. Additionally, your company logo and web address will be displayed in the top left corner of the weekly update for quicker access to your website and company information, as well as being noticed instantly by all viewers.  $150 per ad, per week


 

Contact Jessy at [email protected] or 651.288.9202

to reserve your space.

 
Action Central 
This section contains items that may require YOU to take action, such as RSVP'ing for an event!         
  
2013 DCR Chamber Golf Classic - Register Today!
Join the DCR Chamber and it's members for a great day of golf with friends and associates at the 2013 DCR Chamber Golf Classic on Monday, June 17th at Mendakota Country Club, one of the premier, private clubs in our area.  Contact Jessy at 651.288.9202 or [email protected] or fill out this form and return it to the Chamber to sign up today!  Sponsorship opportunities available, click here for more information.
  
  
  

Message from the Minnesota Chamber Regarding B2B Sales Taxes

While we scored an early victory when the Governor removed the business to business sales taxes from his tax bill, I want to make sure that DCR members are aware of similar provisions in the Senate tax bill. The bill includes sales tax on:

  • Electronic and commercial equipment and repair (includes farm and capital equipment repairs). $133 million FY 14/15
  •  Warehouse and storage (excluding farm storage, data and refrigerated equipment) $165 million FY 14/15
  • Telecommunications equipment $58 million FY 14/15
  • Custom Software $26 million FY 14/15

DCR members impacted by these provisions should contact their Senators immediately. Urge them to oppose the bill, but also these business to business sales tax provisions in the Senate language.

 

 

2013 South of the River

Small Business Expo and Business After Hours 

Join us for the 2013 South of the River Small Business Expo and Business After Hours event at Buck Hill Event Center (15400 Buck Hill Road, Burnsville) on Tuesday, May 14th from 4:30pm - 6:30pm to network with other chamber members from Dakota County. Event includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and exhibits by members from each of the participating chambers.

 

Interested in exhibiting at this event?  The cost to reserve an 8' table is $125, which includes table skirting and electricity. The fee for a free standing display is $125, which includes electricity. The fee for a � 8' table is $80, which includes table skirting and electricity. Please specify if you have a floor display. Each vendor is asked to provide their own signage. To reserve your space, please return this form to Jessy Annoni via fax at 651.452.8978 or email at [email protected] by Friday, May 3, 2013. Space is limited!

 

  

Help us Grow the South Metro Young Professionals- Get Involved!

Are you looking to connect with other young professionals like yourself in the metro area? Or are you a business owner who would like to help your Young Professionals expand their network and develop new business relationships?  If so, join the South Metro Young Professionals group!  The South Metro Young Professionals Group (SMYP) is for dedicated, enthusiastic, and talented Young Professionals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s and/or those that are "young" in experience within their current industry. The mission of the South Metro Young Professionals Group is personal and professional development as well as a way to interact socially, exchange ideas, share common interests, learn about the area's business environment, and engage in the community's future. SMYPG currently consists of the Dakota County Regional Chamber members but hope to grow and include members from throughout the South Metro Area. You do NOT need to be a member of the DCR Chamber to participate in this group.  Connect with SMYP on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to keep updated on upcoming news and events!  Contact Jessy Annoni at 651.288.9202 or [email protected] for more information on how you can get involved!  

 

 

Did you know?

As a member of the DCR Chamber, you have access to many things on our website.  You can post events, job openings, hot deals, and register online for events that the chamber is hosting.  An online directory of our members is also available for your access.  All you need to do is go to the DCR Chamber Website, click "members only" on the left side, and log in with your company's login information.  If you don't have this information, Jessy can provide it to you, call 651.288.9202 or email [email protected].  This is a great resource for our members to use! 

 

 

Opportunities to Promote Your Business 

The DCR Chamber is looking for member's to host future networking events.  Being a speaker at The Buzz would be a great opportunity for you to share your company's expertise to other members of the community and chamber.  "Why Not Wednesday" Business After Hours, Coffee Break, Farmington Brew HaHa, and The Rosemount Connection are events that would bring customers into your business.  If you are interested in hosting one of these events or would like more information, please contact Jessy at 651.288.9202 or [email protected].

 News You Should Know

 

Superior Service Center Honored at

US Chamber Small Business Summit

Congratulations to DCR Chamber member Superior Service Center, owned by Dan Sjolseth, who was honored at the US Chamber Small Business Summit as the winner of Small Business of the Year Midwest Region.  

 

 

Public Review Period Coming Soon for UMore Park Development

For 10 months, the city, Empire Township and the University of Minnesota have evaluated development-related issues at the 5,000-acre UMore Park property in Rosemount.  Read more here.

 

 

Robert Street Transitway Alternatives Study - Project Update

With the initial set of alternatives identified and brought out to the public for comment, the project team has been busy at work detailing the conceptual designs, operations, costs, and ridership for each of the options.  This work is expected to last a few more weeks before we narrow the range of alternatives down to the best prospects.  A summary of the initial alternatives and the open house meetings are available on the project website

 

Results of this initial analysis will be shared at the next Steering Committee meeting, scheduled for Thursday, May 16 at 3:30 in Room 501 of the Dakota County Northern Service Center.   If you are unable to attend, the meeting presentations and the accompanying technical report will likely be posted to the website shortly thereafter.

 

Looking ahead, work this summer will focus on more detailed ridership analysis of the most promising alternatives, as well as more advanced design work and analysis of environmental and social impacts.  There will be a third round of open houses, tentatively scheduled for September, where the results will be presented.

 

As always, project staff is happy to meet with you or your organization - please contact Joe Morneau, Transit Specialist, Dakota County Transportation, at 952.891.7986 or [email protected]  if you would like to meet or learn more about this study process.  

 

  

Minnesota's Angel Tax Credit Program 

Minnesota's Angel Tax Credit program stimulates private investment in startup and emerging companies.  Since the program's inception in 2010, over 300 Minnesota businesses have received over $165 million in investment.  These are businesses that are focused on high technology or new proprietary technology, have fewer than 25 employees, are less than 10 years old, and have not previously raised more than $4 million private equity.  Medical device, software, biotech, and IT startups have been the biggest beneficiaries of the program.

 

The Angel Tax Credit program provides a 25% individual income tax credit for qualified investors or funds who make investments in these qualified businesses.  It is a refundable credit, meaning that non-Minnesota residents, including residents of foreign countries, are eligible for the credit.  For more information about the program, including application forms, visit www.PositivelyMinnesota.com/AngelCredit.

 

For calendar year 2013, a total of $12.7 million in tax credits is available. As of 4/10/2013, $5.5 million is remaining, and the program's administrator anticipates all the credits may be allocated as soon as the end of May.

 

  

Hot Deals

Check out the Hot Deals section of the DCR Chamber website for new and exciting specials offered by fellow members. Want to add your own Hot Deal? Login to your "Members Only" section here.

 
Business Briefing 
News on what's happening with our members or businesses in the community! 
  

Are you looking for a way to make a difference in your community? You and your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers can take action this spring that will result in cleaner water. Join Friends of the Minnesota Valley in our efforts to clean up the Minnesota River and other area lakes, rivers, and streams. You can help by organizing a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality™. Click here to learn more.

 

 

The YMCA in Eagan welcomes a partnership with the Dakota County Master Gardeners to bring the Junior Master Gardener Program to the Eagan Y's Community Garden. The Junior Master Gardener Program is open to youth, ages 8-13, and provides experiences with various plants, the environment and the joy of community service. Recently the Master Gardener program expanded their youth gardening education to promote healthy eating, reducing childhood obesity, connecting youth to nature, and teaching life and science skills.

 

Now in its second year and expanded to 900 square feet, the Community Garden has provided produce for the local community food shelf and depends on community volunteers for planting, tending and harvesting of crops. The expertise and experience of the Dakota County Master Gardeners will provide the youth gardening skills and help establish an even more abundant harvest of vegetables for the garden's second year.

 

In the past year, the Dakota County Master Gardener program lost its established gardening area on the UMore Park property in Rosemount to make way for the gravel mining, one of the first phases of property development that will eventually be the UMore Park sustainable community housing and park area. Based with the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Master Gardeners commit to 48 hours of classroom training, and 50 hour internship with horticultural experiments and then 25 hours of classroom and community volunteer experience yearly to retain the Master Gardener status.

 

The Community Garden is a project of the Eagan YMCA Community Board by inviting partners in the Eagan community to provide the garden plot with fencing, top soil, and irrigation. Registration for the Junior Master Gardner Program can be done online at ymcatwincities.org or in person at the Eagan Y. The program will run from June 11 to August 27. For more information contact Karen Roberts at the Eagan Y at, (651) 683-4717, [email protected]

 

  

MPC, an IT asset disposition and lifecycle management company, is working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to recommend best practices in electronics processing facilities.

 

For over thirty years, MPC has led the industry in responsible electronics recycling, demanufacturing and refurbishing processes. By continually undergoing and passing audits with industry watchdog organizations and other governing bodies and regulations, MPC's dedication to providing trusted, secure and environmentally sound services to its customers has allowed the company to thrive.

 

Based on the company's longevity and reputation in the marketplace, MPC was pleased to invite NIOSH to review its operations for use in recommending standards within the industry for others to follow.

 

In April, industrial hygienists, medical residents, and seasoned health experts from NIOSH visited MPC's facilities to begin their evaluation and will continue testing through June. The evaluation will assist in recommending best practices for occupational safety and health for electronics processing companies to go above and beyond current regulatory standards.

 

"We hope other companies will follow suit to promote the best possible health outcomes for employees," said Theresa Bauer, Director of Compliance at MPC, "Working with NIOSH asserts yet again that MPC is an industry leader for environmental, health and safety practices."

 

 

The seasonal spring housing market has begun! First time homebuyers in Dakota County can access fixed, low interest mortgage financing along with a Mortgage Credit Certificate and up to $10,000 in down-payment and closing cost assistance through the Dakota County Community Development Agency's (CDA) First Time Homebuyer Program.

 

Approximately $30 million in first mortgage financing is available along with a mortgage credit certificate option that will help about 200 households achieve homeownership. The current interest rate is 3.375%.

 

First time homebuyers or households that have not owned a home in the last three years can use this financing with 30-year FHA or VA loans. Veterans do not have to be first time homebuyers and are eligible for this program if they have not previously used a first time homebuyer program. Single family homes, townhomes or condominiums in Dakota County are eligible for the program with a maximum purchase price of $271,590. Income Limits are $82,300 for a one- or two-person household and $90,530 for a three or more person household.

 

Along with the first mortgage financing, homebuyers can elect to apply for a mortgage credit certificate through the Give Yourself Credit! program. This certificate provides a federal income tax credit equal to 35% of the annual interest paid on the loan and helps reduce the amount of federal income tax the household is required to pay.

 

Up to $10,000 in down-payment and closing cost assistance loans are also available and amounts vary based on income. These loans feature zero percent interest and are deferred until the first mortgage is paid off, the home is sold or refinanced, or the home is no longer the buyer's primary residence.

 

Buyers accessing the First Time Homebuyer Program must complete an approved homebuyer education course before closing on their loan. The Dakota County CDA offers monthly Home Stretch� homebuyer education workshops and the new online homebuyer education program called Framework™.

 

The Dakota County CDA partners with the local mortgage lending community to administer the program. Participating lenders have the necessary paperwork to qualify households for the first time homebuyer financing, mortgage credit certificate and down payment assistance.

 

These programs are part of the Dakota County CDA's Homeownership Connection resources that provide homebuyers and homeowners tools to be successful. For more information, visit www.dakotacda.org or call 651-675-4442.

 

 

As a small business owner in Mendota Heights, you know how important reaching customers in your community is to your bottom line.Many thousands of your neighbors turn to Mendota Heights Patch every day for local news, information and conversation. Why not connect with your customers-and potential customers-by sharing more about what you do best?

 

Part of the Patch's mission is to strengthen communities and improve the lives of their residents, but we can't do it without you. Our Local Voices section allows members of the community,from cooking enthusiasts to local business owners and everyone in between,to interact and post directly to the site. Select blogs appear on the homepage, in the daily newsletter and are shared by editors via Facebook and Twitter.  

 

Whether you're a coffee shop owner sharing stories about things that have happened in your shop like Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch blogger Mike Ziegler, or sharing your expertise about oil changes like Sussex Patch blogger Blaine Boudreau, a Patch blog allows you to easily share expertise, ideas and questions, all while  connecting with a local audience. And you don't have to write the phone book or know the difference between a dangling modifier and a split infinitive. Long, short or totally casual, it's all good. Interested? Go to our home page and click on Start a blog to get started. Questions? Email the editor at [email protected].

 

 

Bellacu will begin offering free acupuncture for Veterans in May at their clinic located at 1200 Centre Pointe Curve in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The clinic will offer community style acupuncture treatments for Veterans the first and third Thursday of each month from 9:00am to 12:00pm.  This ongoing event is free for Veterans and appointments are highly recommended. For more information and to schedule appointments online visit http://bellacu.com or call 651-686-0440.

    

 

Good nutrition is necessary for students to perform better in school. Volunteers are needed to serve breakfasts and lunches to students attending summer school at Henry Sibley High School, Garlough Environmental Magnet School, Kaposia Education Center, and South St Paul High School. This is the perfect service opportunity for churches, workplaces, community groups, families, and individuals looking for a fun opportunity to help their community. Contact us for a list of available breakfast and lunch shifts between June and August. To learn more or to sign up, contact David Miller, Director of Volunteer Programs, at 651-306-2145 or [email protected].

 

 

DARTS needs lawn mowing volunteers! Older adults need help with lawn mowing this spring and summer in Dakota County. DARTS currently has a waiting list of people needing help in the West St. Paul and northern Dakota County area. Please consider helping and/or share this information with your network. You could even get a group (family, co-workers, friends) together! Times and dates are flexible and equipment is provided. Visit www.dartsconnects.org, contact [email protected] or call 651.234.2254 for more information. 

May 13, 2013
Weekly Update Sponsor
 
 
In This Issue
Events Calendar
Advertising
Action Central
News You Should Know
Business Briefing
New Members
Crown Plaza Hotel & Suites Mall of America
3 Appletree Square, Bloomington
952.854.9000
Contact: Beth Stone
Hotel/Events/Meetings
  
Edward Jones

Sherman Court, Eagan

Contact: Stace Johnson

Financial Services 

 

Landberg Law Office

16576 Flagstaff Avenue West, Rosemount

952.891.5751

Contact: Kevin Landberg

Collections/Attorney 

 

Media Relations

350 West Burnsville Parkway, Suite 350, Burnsville

612.798.7200

Contact: Robin Kocina

www.publicity.com

Public Relations/Marketing

 

Open Space

1200 Yankee Doodle Road, Eagan

651.565.9700

Contact: Joe Hoovestol

www.openspace4u.com

Office Leasing 

 

Paychex

1210 Northland Drive, Suite 100, Mendota Heights

651.365.5060

Contact: Laura Wall

www.paychex.com

Payroll

 

Sovran

2915 Commers Drive, Suite 100, Eagan

651.905.5557

Contact: Natalie LaBarbera

www.sovran.com

IT Services

 

Valmont/Applied Coating Technology

2411 Pilot Knob Road, Mendota Heights

651.454.7777

Contact: Al Johnson

www.appliedcoating.com

Manufacturing - Coatings

 

White Pine Senior Living of Mendota Heights

745 South Plaza Drive, Mendota Heights

612.598.5034

Contact: Carrie Bawek

www.wpseniorliving.com

Senior Housing

 Are You Connected?

Join Our Mailing List 

Like us on Facebook

 

Follow us on Twitter

 

Find me on Pinterest

 

View our videos on YouTube

 

Visit our blog 

 

 Find us on Google+

 

 View our photos on flickr

Jessy Annoni 

Communications and Events Manager

Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102, Eagan

[email protected]

651.288.9202