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“REMEMBER WHEN” THEME OF TOURISM CAMPAIGN
Last week the Chamber’s Convention and Visitors Bureau Strategy and Steering Committee reviewed a recommended a new creative advertising campaign to commence this May. The campaign centers around the theme of “Remember When” and will feature families from around the state that have visited New Braunfels and tell about their favorite things to do while here. A preview will be delivered to the City Council at their April 26 regular meeting. The campaign will be utilized in print ads, billboards, and on the Chamber’s award-winning website.
LOCAL ECONOMY SHOWS STRENGTH
Sales tax receipts for the second month in a row were higher than the same period last year while the State overall is still in negative figures. Single-family home permits in the City of New Braunfels for the first two months of the year are up nearly 102%. NBU connections are up 2.4% and water connections up 4.37%. The Comal County unemployment rate is much lower than the San Antonio Metro Area as well as Texas and the nation.
U.S. CHAMBER BRIEFS LOCAL GROUP
U.S. Chamber Regional Executive Director Pete Havel briefed the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee and Board of Directors last Wednesday in Honors Hall. Havel touched on five national issues as identified by local Chamber members in recent polling. According to Havel, work will now commence to correct unintended consequences in the new health care legislation. Specifics of coming small business tax credits are available via a link to the Texas Association of Business website. A separate article on this is included in this issue of Serving You.
AREA ROAD PROJECTS UPDATED
Nearly sixty attended last Tuesday’s Transportation Committee meeting in Honors Hall to hear an update on area road projects. TxDOT officials reported on the progress of the Walnut/State Highway 46 project from Kerlick Lane to OakRun Parkway with completion scheduled for this June. Railroad overpasses on FM 3009 are set to complete in 2012 and the overpass at FM 306 is scheduled for a May 2012 letting, but with no funding to date. The city’s Public Works Director reported on the Walnut widening project from Business 35 north toward Landa Street that is set to bid next month with a start date this September. Railroad quiet zone project is in the design phase for crossing enhancements and Mayor Boyer reported that the city’s position on the Seguin Avenue railroad underpass has not changed, with the City Council having approved $2 million in total investments in that widening and overpass improvement project more than ten years ago. The 4B Board will hear an update this Thursday from city officials regarding the Goodwin Lane widening and improvements project.
COUNCIL CONVENES TONIGHT
The New Braunfels City Council will convene in regular session at 6:00 pm this evening at 424 S. Castell Avenue. The Council meeting can also be viewed on Time Warner Cable Channel 21. Following a sixteen-item consent agenda which includes the purchase of services for landscaping of the Walnut Avenue widening project, Council will take up fourteen individual action items including enacting a six-month moratorium with regard to short term rental applications and special use permits and consider appointments to the Downtown Development Board. Council will also consider on first reading an ordinance designating Landa Lake in Landa Park as a historic landmark and consideration of some conditional sign permits for the new Westpointe Village Shopping Center. Three proclamations will be read at the beginning of the meeting along with two recognitions.
SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH CARE TAX CREDITS EXPLAINED
The recent increase in access to health care for many uninsured Americans was signed into law by President Obama and includes small business tax credits. The IRS has published some guidelines to explain the program at http://www.txbiz.org/SBHealthCareTaxCredit . Many of these tax credits take effect this year so small businesses are urged to get familiar with the new law. The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee will be sending out more information on the impact of federal issues throughout the year. Members polled earlier this year indicated their interests in health care issues as well as transportation, taxes, energy and the environment, and education/workforce.
HIGHER ED EXPANSION TAKE NEXT STEPS
Last week the Seguin 4A Board approved funding 50% of the Clarus Study update and the Seguin City Council concurred by unanimous vote. New Braunfels 4B Board will take up possible action on the other half of that study cost at their meeting this Thursday. The initial study by the Clarus Corporation in 2001 was the template for the creation of the Central Texas Technology Center. The study laid the foundation for a $1.25 million federal grant and it is hoped that an update of that study will provide the basis for new funding for the school’s expansion. Expanded higher education opportunities was the # 1 goal listed by the Talent Project last year.
YOUTH LNB CLASS GRADUATES FRIDAY
The Youth Leadership New Braunfels Class of 2010 will graduate in a program and dinner this Friday at the Seekatz Opera House beginning at 6:00 pm. This is the thirteenth class to complete the program and will graduate its 386th student. Rotary International District Governor Reggie Williams will be keynoter. The Youth Class will have their final class session tomorrow and will travel to Canyon Lake to a tour of the Canyon Lake Gorge followed by a tour of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service facilities, a presentation on the environment by the Comal County Engineer, and a tour of the County Rural Recycling Center and Road Department. The Adult Class will graduate on May 11 and hear Texas Secretary of State Esperanza “Hope” Andrade as the keynoter.
GOT YOUR CHAMBER iPHONE APP YET?
The latest free Chamber member benefit is the availability of a Chamber iPhone application in the iTunes applications store. Please click here to get started. You could use this application for Member to Member discounts, news and event information, view Chamber YouTube videos, and listen to the “Inside the Chamber” Radio Show podcast. The podcast of the weekly radio show are now playable on Apple TV, iPod, iPhone, iPad, in iTunes or on any other device that accepts MP3-based RSS feeds.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The only way to score a run is to reach all of the bases on the baseball diamond . . . short cuts don’t score.”
Wes Studdard Bluebonnet Motors, Inc., April 5 Chamber staff team building session
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