Serving You 10-24

Community Betterment | Convention & Visitors Bureau | Economic Development

Economic Indicators | Membership Services & Outreach | Public Policy

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ONE THOUSAND “THANK YOU’S” DELIVERED

Over 700 Chamber member businesses and 1,000 representatives received a personal visit from Chamber Blue Coats last week during Operation Thank You. The annual event coincided with Texas Chamber of Commerce week and Chamber Blue Coats delivered the 2012 edition of the Official Guide to New Braunfels and Chamber Membership Directory. Due to the large number of Chamber members, some will receive their packets via the mail. Members were also emailed benefits of membership, sponsorship opportunities and other important information. If you did not receive a visit last week or an email from the Chamber, contact Phyllis Foerster at 830-608-2804.

VOTE FOR PROPOSITIONS 2 AND 4

Early voting begins today for the November 8 local and statewide election. Ten constitutional amendments are before voters and your Chamber Board of Directors via the advice and counsel from their Government Affairs Committee have endorsed Propositions 2 and 4 and urge you to support them. Proposition 2 provides for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board. Your Chamber feels programs like this will increase spring flow in our area as other nearby communities will have access to additional bonding authority for their water supplies. Taxes would not increase locally with a vote in favor of Proposition 2. Proposition 4 authorizes the legislature to permit counties to issue bonds or notes to finance the development or redevelopment of an unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted area. The amendment does not provide authority for increasing ad valorem tax rates. Your Chamber believes that Comal County should have the same ability as the city to finance needed public improvements via tax increment financing that would not increase taxes to local citizens. The Chamber Board also urges all members to read all ten propositions and become educated before voting.

WATER GURU ADDRESSES CHAMBER COMMITTEE TOMORROW

The Chamber’s Natural Resources Committee meets tomorrow at 5:15pm in Honors Hall. The topic for the meeting is “The Water Table-Price, Production, Protection” presented by Guadalupe Blanco River Authority General Manager Bill West. Joining West will be GBRA Government and Legislative Director Todd Votteler, CFO Alvin Schuerg as well as Business Development Director David Welsch. One of the NB 2020 goals that received high priority marks consistently is the need to coordinate communication of water issues in the community. Your Chamber’s Natural Resources Committee has been at the forefront in carrying out this request by the Chamber membership and is partnering with NBU on several communication initiatives.

JOB LEADS GENERATED UP 247%

At last Thursday evenings New Braunfels Industrial Corporation (4B Board) meeting, Chamber staff gave a quarterly report that is the fourth quarter of the city fiscal year. Leads generated during the recently completed fiscal year 2011 totaled 3,026 versus 930 in fiscal year 2010. Leads are generated for job and capital investment growth via marketing in various mediums, trade shows, partnerships with local and regional allies, as well as referrals from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Web based exposure in fiscal year 2011 totaled 144,343 compared to 120,209 in fiscal year 2010.

MAYOR’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT WEDNESDAY

Mayor Gale Pospisil will host her first Economic Development Summit this Wednesday from 10am – 2pm in the Civic Convention Center meeting rooms. Local stakeholders in economic development efforts have been invited and the session will be facilitated by Jeff Finkle, the President & CEO of the International Economic Development Council. Previous mayor’s summits have generated such initiatives as the Talent Project and Higher Education Task Force.

COUNCIL CONVENES TODAY

The New Braunfels City Council will convene in regular session beginning at 6pm today at 424 S. Castell Avenue. Council will also meet at 5pm in workshop session to discuss an update to their Capital Improvements Plan. The 6pm regular meeting can be viewed on Time Warner Cable channel 21. Following a ten item consent agenda, Council will consider eleven action items including a request by Comal County to participate in the Dry Comal Flood Control Project, adopting the redistricting plans that will change the municipal precinct boundaries for local elections, authorizing the City Manager to sign off on the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program Habitat Conservation Plan, and four public hearings followed by an executive session with three items posted.

FRIDAY DEADLINE TO HEAR “THE FED”

The Chamber’s Business Advisory Committee will present NB University on November 1 from 11:30am to 1:00pm at T-Bar-M Resort and Conference Center. The guest speaker will be Federal Reserve Bank of San Antonio VP Blake Hastings presenting “An Uncertain Economy: Navigating Through Uncharted Territory”. Sponsors are Hill Country Payroll, Frost Bank, Rougeux & Associates PLLC, Bradfield Properties Comal, Sol Schwartz & Associates and BDI. Sponsor tables are available as well as individual tables. Logon to www.nbcham.org/seminar to register. For more information contact Rita Kaufmann Powell at 830-625-2385. This Friday at noon is the deadline for registration, (unless sold out sooner) so hurry!

RIVER COMMITTEE MEETS AGAIN THURSDAY

The Ad-Hoc River Committee will convene again this Thursday at 4pm at the McKenna Events Center. Last Thursday the group covered two of their four goals in a data gathering exercise and will do the same this Thursday on the two remaining goals. One of those goals is marketing and educating next year’s river goers on any rules and management changes to local water recreation activity. The Chamber’s C&VB will work closely with the Ad-Hoc River Committee and City staff on those educating and marketing plans. Chamber President Michael Meek attended last Thursday’s meeting and commended River Task Force members for their efforts and expressed confidence that a comprehensive river management plan can be recommended to City Council by year end. Public comment is allowed at these meetings and you can also give your thoughts by emailing the Task Force at nbtxrivers@nbtexas.org . Your comments will be part of the data being assembled by Task Force Facilitator Andy Sansom.

LOCAL MEDICAL BOOM CHRONICLED

At last weeks quarterly board and membership luncheon of the Greater New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation, Tom Stellman of TIP Strategies presented information on the national and local economy and especially the impact that the local medical industry is having here. Stellman noted that since 2001, job growth has increased 38% while medical related job growth has increased 65% over the same period. Stellman’s presentation is available to EDF members. A crowd of nearly 200 were in attendance at the meeting. Dr. Carlos Campos serves as the Chairman of the EDF this year and former EDF Chairman John Lovett is serving as the Membership Committee Chairman.