Serving You Issue 5-9

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HIGHER ED TASK FORCE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
Mayor Boyer’s Higher Education Task Force, a twenty-five member group composed of Comal County residents, will be presenting recommendations to the City Council next month. The chair of the Task Force is Terry Robinson of the United Way of Comal County. Robinson reports that her group will ask the City to task the CTTC Advisory Board to work on a facility expansion at the airport and utilize Alamo Colleges for a building plan prior to hiring a grant writer for funding. The group also will suggest that another multi-campus center be planned for junior and senior level college classes and post baccalaureate certification programs in the area of Loop 337 and Walnut Avenue west along State Hwy 46. Expansion of education opportunities in the Bulverde-Spring Branch area is another recommendation, especially in the short term utilizing existing emergency service training facilities. Lastly, the group will recommend that Council maintain the Task Force so that progress can be measured and reported on.

DIRECTORY AD SALES UNDERWAY
All Chamber members were recently mailed information on the 2012 Official Guide to New Braunfels. Ad sales are underway. This award-winning magazine “makes the cash register ring” and the Chamber will again act as the publisher. With over 15,000 in circulation, few chambers in the nation have such coverage to members, newcomers, visitors, relocators and others. For more information on advertising in your Chamber magazine, contact Ginger Doherty at gingerdoherty@mail.com .

NOMINATE A “LIVING LEGEND”
Nominations for the Living Legends Award are being accepted now through June 1. The program is sponsored by the Braunfels Foundation Trust. 2011 Living Legends will be honored at a dinner and program at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center on October 11. Nomination forms are available on line on the Chamber’s Calendar Events Section or at the Chamber office. The theme for the event will be “History Makers” with decorations in black and white.

TOWN HALL MEETING TOMORROW
Comal County is developing a strategic plan with assistance of the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Economic Development Department. The plan will identify strategic priorities for county-wide action. If you haven’t already taken the electronic survey to give your opinion, click here . The County’s first town hall meeting on a strategic plan is set for tomorrow at the McKenna Events Center. Click here for more information.

WEAR YELLOW MAY 20
To recognize the accomplishments of all businesses in the area, the Chamber’s Small Business Week Committee is asking that you wear yellow on Friday, May 20. Robin Jeffers of J&R Gymnastics is the Chamber Small Business Person for 2011 and will be honored at a reception sponsored by Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union. Small Business Week will be recognized May 15 through 21. Jeffers will accompany Chamber Chair of the Board Corey Hall and Chamber President Michael Meek on the “Inside the Chamber Show” on KGNB this Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:00 pm. Wear yellow May 20!

CITY COUNCIL CONVENES TODAY
The New Braunfels City Council will meet in regular session beginning at 6:00 pm this evening at 424 S. Castell Avenue. The meeting can be viewed on Time Warner Cable Channel 21. The agenda includes a presentation from the Chamber on economic development activities, the reading of a Small Business Week proclamation, recommendations by the 4B Board on two projects, a presentation of a timeline for Prince Solms Park improvements, discussion about the building permit process, first reading of an ordinance that would merge the Downtown Development Board with the Mainstreet Advisory Board, and amendments to the short term rental ordinance. Council will also go into closed session on four items.

U.S. CHAMBER HAS YOUR BACK
The May 2011 edition of “Free Enterprise” published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce includes a Capitol Roundup page. The U.S. Chamber is supporting HR4, a bill that would prevent small businesses from having to divert time and resources to collect volumes of information and filling out mounds of new paperwork as part of last year’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The U. S. Chamber also supports legislation to eliminate excessive regulatory burdens on small businesses, funnel more available research dollars to small businesses, and for Congress to reclaim oversight of regulations stemming from laws it has passed. For more information go to www.uschambermagazine.com .

BUSINESS TRADE SHOW WILL BE “ROCKIN”
Exhibitors from last year’s Business Trade Show have chosen their spaces for the 2011 event. Businesses that have notified the Chamber that they want to be on a waiting list for booth space were notified by mail last Friday of booth availability and have until May 16 to claim their space. Any remaining booth space will then open to the general public. The 2011 show is set for September 13 – 14 in the Civic/Convention Center . The theme for this year’s show is “New Braunfels Business is Rockin’ Around the Clock”. Log onto to www.nbtradeshow.com for updates or call 830-625-2385 for show information.

NB BUSINESS UNIVERSITY SEMINAR THURSDAY
Are your hard earned business dollars going to your bottom line? Have you ever wondered if you were doing everything you could to prevent theft and fraud in your business? How do you recognize counterfeit currency? How can you avoid credit card fraud? Is someone’s ID the most important verification in accepting a check for payment? These and more questions will be answered at NB Business University this Thursday beginning at 11:00 am in Honors Hall. NBPD, Comal County Sheriffs Office and the Comal County District Attorney’s Office will present valuable information. Register online at www.nbcham.org/seminar .

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The Week Ahead:

Monday:

6:00 pm – City Council

6:00 pm – Small Business Person of the Week Proclamation at City Council

Tuesday:

7:30 am – Executive Committee

11:00 am – Guadalupe Basin Coalition (GBRA )

11:30 am – Leadership New Braunfels Graduation (T Bar M )

Wednesday:

11:30am- Rockin’ Ribbons Ribbon Cutting

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm - "Inside the Chamber" Radio Show

5:30 pm – After Hours “Mixer” at Texas Ski Ranch

Thursday:

8:15 am – Small Business Person of the Yr. Proclamation at Commissioners Court

11:00 am – NB Business University

11:00 am – Center for Entrepreneurship

4:30 pm – Ribbon Cutting at Gruene Tini’s

Friday:

8:00 am – Leadership New Braunfels Steering Committee

Saturday:

7:00 am – 7:00 pm – Municipal Election

Helpful Links:

Welcome New Members

“Mixer” Schedule

Calendar of Events

Member To Member Discounts

Ribbon Cuttings

Officers/Directors/Staff

Quote of the Week:

“We’re glad that our neighbor to the south is finally getting some recognition by joining us.”

Mayor Bruce Boyer, May 2, 2011, Interview on KSAT 12 TV regarding the new name for the metropolitan statistical area being San Antonio-New Braunfels.