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FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD – LARRY HAMMONDS
Looks like Spring has finally sprung! Our chilly winter brought us much needed rain. The lake and rivers are beautiful again. Make time to enjoy our great outdoors. See you at the Little League baseball fields. Good news for our region with Sysco Foods moving to Comal County. They will be a major customer for NBU and will add to our tax base. Important elections upcoming. Be sure to take time to vote for your favorite candidate for JP, School Boards and City Council. The bond election regarding the much-debated Justice Center will also be decided. Be heard. There is still room for players in the "new and improved" Central Texas Golf Fest. Contact the Chamber for details. And remember...do business with your neighbors! Congratulations to the Chamber Staff for a successful 44th annual Texas Legislative Conference. The event featured Peter Holt as Texan of the Year. The Conference boasted record participation with numerous local at statewide elected officials on hand. We are proud to host this event and to interact with government and business leaders.
BUILD.NB GO TO GROUP FOR SYSCO DEAL
Last week’s announcement that Sysco Foods would be building a major distribution center in Comal County and consolidating operations there from San Antonio and Round Rock means hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax base. BUILD.NB team members Rusty Brockman and Holly Covington were the main contact persons for the consultant on the Sysco project over the last year. Sites up and down IH-35 were reviewed by the company and your Chamber briefed Commissioners Court in both Executive and Open Sessions for a tax abatement agreement. The property is located in the city limits of Schertz but in the NBU electric service area as well as Comal County.
WINNERS-LOSERS WITH NEW HEALTHCARE LAW
While it will be most likely many years before all the impacts are known from the recent passage of health care reform in Congress, initial analysis of the new law will provide advantages to some businesses and organizations and disadvantages for others. Hospitals were generally in favor of the bill as well as pharmaceutical companies. Medical device manufacturers and distributors did not fare so well and companies such as locally-based The SCOOTER Store will face challenges to continue its award-winning services to those needing mobility. Companies with one employee to 1,000 or more will be grappling with how to handle their health care needs for their employees.
GOLF FEST HAS NEW FORMAT - COURSES
The 39th Central Texas Men’s Invitational Golf Fest is set for April 22 – 25. Your Chamber is the administrative host for the tournament and has overseen some major changes in both the format of play as well as new golf courses added for this year’s tournament. A few slots remain in selective flights, so find a partner and participate in what has been long known as one of the largest amateur golf tournaments in the nation each year. Contact Donna Meurin at 608-2802 and get into Golf Fest today! If you’re not a golfer but want your business to be the beneficiary of all the out of town participants, contact Caryn Benson at 512-627-1020 or carynbenson@yahoo.com for various sponsorship opportunities.
YOUTH LNB PLANS GRADUATION
The Youth Leadership New Braunfels Class of 2010 will graduate with a program and dinner in their honor on Friday, April 16 at the Seekatz Opera House. Youth LNB Chair Jeff Lindley says that this class is the 13th to complete the program and will graduate its 386th student. Rotary International District Governor Clarence “Reggie” Williams will be the guest speaker at the graduation dinner. Tickets are available at www.nbcham.org for $20. Purchases must be made by April 8. Plans are already underway for the 2011 Youth Leadership New Braunfels class year.
LNB ALUMS LOOK TO CANDIDATES AND ISSUES FORUM
The Leadership New Braunfels Alumni Association will host a candidates and issues forum on Tuesday, April 20 at the Landa Haus. Candidates for school board elections as well as the Justice Center proposition will be on hand to make presentations and answer questions. Attendance is limited to Leadership Alumni and invited media. Sponsor are River City Engineering Ltd. and TCOR Insurance Management. Also in attendance will be candidates for City Council District 2. This Wednesday, Congressman Lamar Smith will be a guest on the “Inside the Chamber” Show. Tune in!
U.S. CHAMBER TO ADDRESS NATIONAL ISSUES HERE
The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee will hold their next meeting on Wednesday, April 7 at 7:30 am in Honors Hall. Special invited guest is Pete Havel with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Havel will address current national issues as identified by the Chamber membership in a recent questionnaire. Those issues include education/workforce development, energy and the environment, healthcare reform, taxes, and transportation. The Government Affairs Committee has two subcommittees that are very active this year. The Local/State Affairs Subcommittee will be creating a draft proposal for the Chamber Board to consider for state legislative session priorities.
“SUPER SIZE” YOUR MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
The Chamber Board of Directors at their March 15 meeting approved a “value-added” membership program for 2010. The program consists of two areas, the “business level” membership and the “business plus” level membership. The business level membership is based on the current minimum fair share dues investment schedule at $255 per year. The total value of this level is approximately $1,900. Members in this category, the largest category with our Chamber, receive one Chamber representative. The new “business plus” membership includes all the benefits of the “business level” with the option to list up to four representatives. The annual investment with the business plus is $600 with a value of $3,936! Contact Ginger Doherty at 210-861-7148 or Caryn Benson 512-627-1020 to “super size” your membership and benefits today.
NEW HOSPITAL TOPIC OF QUARTERLY LUNCHEON
Mike Zucker, Senior Vice President of Development for the Baptist Health System in San Antonio, will be the guest speaker at the quarterly luncheon of the Economic Development Foundation on Tuesday, April 20. The meeting will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott River Village . The Baptist Health System recently announced plans to build a hospital on property located at the Town Center at Creekside on the north side of the city. Zucker will be in charge of the project and will be on hand to discuss details as well as other programs underway with that hospital system. The project, according to economic impact analysis performed by Austin economist group Texas Perspectives, will create a $155 million per year impact on the New Braunfels area.
HAPPY 165, NEW BRAUNFELS!
This Friday is not only Good Friday but also “Founders Day” for our community. It was 165 years ago that German settlers crossed the Guadalupe and camped on a site which now houses the Sophienburg Archives & Museum of History. Can you believe that it’s been fifteen years since New Braunfels celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 1995? The community will celebrate its 175th birthday in the year 2020.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Let’s not use another ‘death by a thousand cuts’ approach when trying to fix this program.”
Mayor Bruce Boyer at March 22 City Council meeting per short-term rentals
SPONSORS (Click on Logo for more information):
FOLKFEST
Apr.10-11
