Serving You 11-7

Community Betterment | Convention & Visitors Bureau | Economic Development

Economic Indicators | Membership Services & Outreach | Public Policy

-

WURSTFEST “MIXER” TOMORROW

Wurstfest has been underway since last Friday afternoon on the Wurstfest grounds next to Landa Park. This is the 51st event with this evening being United Way night and all admissions going toward that non-profit agency. Tomorrow is the Chamber business after hours “mixer” in the Wursthalle. Wurstfest Chamber invitations were mailed to all Chamber members. The invitation is your admission to the “mixer”. The mixer begins at 5:30 pm and a short program on the main stage will take place at 6:30 pm. Remember, you must be present in the Wursthalle to claim the $1,000 cash drawing if your name is drawn!

CHAMBER CVB SUPPORTING “SALUTE TO SAUSAGE”

The Wurstfest Association has its own Director of Wurst Relations (1971 Chamber Chair of the Board Herb Skoog) and a very comprehensive marketing program. However, did you know that your Chamber C&VB does several cooperative marketing efforts with the festival as well as sponsors contests and sweepstakes, submits calendar dates for them to mediums, runs social media ads to promote the event, lists Wurstfest on the Chamber’s calendar of events, prominently displays Wurstfest in the main tourism brochure as well as the coming cultural heritage brochure? The Chamber’s C&VB supports many local special events and is proud of its association with the “Salute to Sausage”. Prosit!

ELECTION DAY TOMORROW – VOTE YES ON PROPS 2 AND 4

Early voting ended last Friday and Election Day is tomorrow. Of the ten constitutional amendments before voters, the Chamber Board urges you to vote for Propositions 2 and 4. Passage of Proposition 2 will positively impact local springflow and passage of Proposition 4 would give the county the same ability as the city to finance needed public improvements via tax increment financing that would not increase taxes to local citizens. New Braunfels voters will also decide whether or not to ratify a disposable container ban ordinance passed by City Council on August 22.

MPO MOVING FORWARD

Last Tuesday, members of the Chamber’s Transportation Committee attended the city Planning Commission regular meeting to receive an update on the creation of a local metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the New Braunfels and Seguin areas. Planning Commission members spoke in favor of the ongoing process as the new plan continues to be developed with open discussion and information to the public about how a MPO would work. A workshop to address a proposed city Transportation Thoroughfare Plan is set for November 15 at 4:00 pm at the Municipal Building.

SMALL BUSINESS HELP CENTER TO CUT RIBBON

UTSA’s Small Business Development satellite center has been open in downtown New Braunfels since October 3 and an official ribbon cutting has now been set. Mark your calendar for Thursday, November 17 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at 800 W. San Antonio Street. The ribbon cutting will take place at 5:00 pm. The new office is providing full business counseling services as well as access to all services from the $8 million per year SBDC program in downtown San Antonio. The office is a project of the Center for Entrepreneurship, a local 501c3 not-for-profit organized to assist entrepreneurship development in the New Braunfels area. Funding has been received from the economic development corporations of New Braunfels, Schertz and Seguin.

TEXAN OF THE YEAR TO BE SELECTED WEDNESDAY

A joint meeting of the Arrangements and Advisory Committees of the Texas Legislative Conference will take place this Wednesday evening at the Headliners Club in downtown Austin. Advisory Committee Chair Sara Tays of ExxonMobil will preside at the meeting. Senator Jeff Wentworth serves as the Vice Chair for the 46th event set for March 22 – 23, 2012 in the New Braunfels Civic-Convention Center. Besides selecting a 2012 Texan of the Year, the group will also select panel topics for the March 23 half-day conference. Previous recipients of the Texan of the Year Award include a “who’s who” of Texas legends.

CHAMBER COMMITTEE HOSTS TEACHER WORKSHOP

The Chamber’s Business Education Partnership Committee is hosting a joint school district English teacher training workshop featuring master teachers on November 15 in Honors Hall from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The workshop has been made possible via a grant from Humanities Texas, a state affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities. Master Teachers from Austin Shakespeare, a twenty-seven year old classical professional theater company will provide an inspirational and theatrical writing/reading workshop concentrating on meeting TEKS and STARR test expectations using Shakespearean text from plays and poetry. Teacher preparation on classical texts also enhances college readiness.

FED OFFICIAL BRIEFS CHAMBER MEMBERS

Over 90 area business leaders attended the Chamber’s Business Advisory Committee NB Business University seminar last Tuesday at T Bar M. Federal Reserve Bank of San Antonio VP Blake Hastings presented “An Uncertain Economy: Navigating Through Uncharted Territory”. Sponsors for the seminar were Hill Country Payroll, Frost Bank, Rougeux & Associates, PLLC, Bradfield Properties Comal, Sol Schwartz & Associates and BDI. More NB Business University seminars are being planned for 2012 so watch for broadcast emails of future opportunities.

CHAMBER BOARD PREPARES TO “RETREAT”

A joint planning retreat of the 2011 and 2012 Chamber Board of Directors will take place November 17 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Emmie Faust Library meeting facility located on the Sophienburg Museum grounds. 2012 Chamber Chair of the Board Tobin Hoffmann will welcome attendees and the facilitator will be Tom Stellman of TIP Strategies in Austin, Texas. Board members have received a three-ring binder in preparation for the planning session that will include setting priorities and strategies for NB 2020 goals next year based on the All-Member Poll results. A pre-reception is set for November 16 at the Huisache Grill sponsored by Frost Bank, First State Bank and the Huisache Grill.

RIVER AD HOC COMMITTEE ACTIVE

The city-appointed River Ad Hoc Committee has been meeting on a regular basis in preparation for their final recommendations to the City Council by December 14. The group gathered data on the four goals set for them by the Council and have recently broken into study groups including budget, safety, traffic and parking. The Chamber promoted the formation of an expert committee and urged a new tourism attraction management plan to be adopted no later than year end. The Chamber’s C&VB will the help educate and market the plan to potential visitors in 2012.