chamber news - destination waconia
TRANSCRIPT
CHAMBER NEWS A publication of the Waconia Chamber of Commerce
June, 2014
Inside this issue:
Page 1 Member news & events
Page 2 Message from Kellie
Page 3 Minnesota Chamber news
Page 4 Ambassador Visits
Page 5 Member Updates & Happenings
Page 6 Luncheon News & Calendar
Congratulations to Scholarship Winner-Nicole Hennen
Nicole Hennen was this year’s recipient of
the Waconia Chamber Scholarship for
$1000. Hennen’s winning scholarship
application was selected from a field of
many bright young graduates. She is
graduating from Waconia High School and
will be attending St Thomas in the fall majoring in physics.
The Lake Waconia
Fireworks Festival is
completely supported
by donations. Does your business
have a collection bucket?
Coffee Connection-Thursday, June 5
7:30-9:00am
Auburn Home-594 Cherry Drive People like to do business with
people they know. Bring your
business cards.
FREE! Coffee, morning snack & business connections!
Welcome New Chamber Members!
Minnesota Home Realty
*Ann Buchanan
Scott & Associates, Inc
*Joseph Scott
Skaro Group
*Nicole Skaro
952-288-4567
www.mtolivetrollingacres.org
840 Mallory Court
Chanhassen, MN 55317
612-839-3800
www.scottassoc.com
104 W Main Street
Waconia, MN 55387
952-258-9861
www.skarogroup.com
Real Estate Advertising & promotional products Real Estate
presents the 8th Annual Waconia Open Golf Event~Knicker Classic
Monday, July 14
Island View Golf Club Noon- Shotgun Start
WANTED: Hole Sponsors-get your business name & logo on all promotional pieces!
Participants-Get a foursome together or we can pair you in one
Volunteers, Silent Auction Donations, After Hours participants!
We’re sure Irish eyes will be smiling if we see YOU there!
Summer Stroll-June 19-21 at participating Waconia Shops
Celebrate the Summer Solstice! Starting Thursday (4-7pm) with lemonade stands and summer specials. Don’t forget
Music in the Park at 7pm. All day Friday participating shops will have summer’s best specials in store.
Saturday at 9:30AM we’ll host an Accessory Fashion Show with breakfast at Willow Winds Garden Center.
Cost is $20/person. Space is limited. Register for Fashion Show at http://www.thestashofwaconia.com/summer-stroll!
Participating Businesses: BIG Athletics, Clearwater Clothing, Mocha Monkey, The Consignment Shoppe, the Stash, Trending
Upward, Wild Bird Store, and Unearthed Arts.
2
Resilience
By Kellie Sites, President
Photo by Taylor Hubbard Photography
While flying to Seattle, I had some time to read up on some of the latest happenings in the world. One event was the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou. More than that, the scope of all the things she did in her life and how her life began. She suffered such trauma at a young age and was able to find her voice through writing and such a range of experiences. She was amazingly resilient. One thing that I'm grateful for in my own life, and something that I encourage others to do is to seize opportunities and learn from them. I've had such a wide variety of jobs that all contributed to the place I am now. Dr. Angelou never stopped learning and doing and inspiring... fearlessly and with resilience. What does resilience mean? n. The ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after some-thing bad happens. Are you using your life experiences to the fullest? Do you look for ways to succeed, improve, change with the times... it can be so overwhelming to change and it takes time to learn and decide what to use and what is just not relevant to your business. The Chamber is working right now to grow and improve the ever popular Nickle Dickle Day. We are working on how to keep what's working and be open to change. A friend of mine shared a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I really like. Perhaps it will speak to you as well: "It is not the critic who counts; not the person who points out how the strong they stumble, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the person who is ac-tually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotion who spends themselves in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achieve-ment, and who at the worst, if they fail, at least fails while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat." in short: "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." Be resilient and dare greatly!
3
The 2014 Legislature is history, and its impacts may be long lasting. The results for business priorities were
mixed. To be certain, no one legislative session makes or breaks the state’s economy. It will take a few years to
really know the impact of this session. Important, however is the effect of legislative actions on the mindset of
employers. That’s worrisome as we increasingly hear about Minnesota businesses rethinking their plans to in-
vest and grow here.
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and our local partners across the state made progress in spite of a ses-
sion that overall proved challenging for businesses. We, along with the United for Jobs Coalition, scored an
early and significant victory in repealing all three of the 2013 business-to-business sales taxes – a direct sav-
ings to companies’ bottom lines. These taxes would have totaled $314 million for Fiscal Year 2014-2015
alone.
Other accomplishments included:
• Environmental regulations: We shortened the environmental permitting timetable to better reflect the actual
average time of processing. Permits not requiring a public comment period must be completed within 90 days,
and those requiring a public comment period within 150 days.
• Education/workforce: Several of our education priorities advanced, including improving the information par-
ents receive about student progress, expanding opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high
school, and better aligning workforce preparation with workforce needs through industry-developed training
programs.
• Transportation: We insisted that Department of Transportation make progress on maximizing dollars through
more efficient use of resources. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is required to identify 5% in cost
-savings in its FY 2015 budget, allowing nearly $50 million from existing tax dollars to be redeployed to trans-
portation projects – without increasing taxes.
Successes notwithstanding, the legislative landscape was challenging on many fronts to pass pro-jobs legisla-
tion and block anti-jobs measures. Leading our concerns:
• Minimum wage: The state’s minimum wage will be phased in to $9.50 on August 1, 2016. Starting in 2018
and ongoing, the wage will increase automatically with inflation. We supported conforming to federal rate of
$7.25 to align with our neighboring states.
• Workplace mandates: We succeeded in mitigating costs for several new employer mandates and defeated
some particularly onerous measures. Requirements include expanded sick leave, new accommodations and
remedies for nursing mothers and pregnant employees, and an expansion of required unpaid pregnancy leave
from the current six weeks to 12 weeks. Among other measures, employers cannot restrict employees from dis-
closing their wages or discipline them for doing so. Employers seeking to do business with the state face bur-
densome new reporting requirements.
• Education/workforce: No progress was made to improve the quality of teacher preparation programs, fix
teacher tenure and retention laws, or strengthen charter schools.
The results of the 2014 Legislature, on top of the 2013 session, send an overriding message: Elections matter,
beginning with this November. Our challenges at the Capitol underscore why we must elect individuals who
understand what it takes to develop and expand Minnesota’s economy. It’s imperative that we strengthen the
voice of business at the Legislature.
The Minnesota Chamber works every day to strengthen the business environment. We’re here to help all Min-
nesota business succeed. Watch for our Voting Record in June to see which legislators supported business pri-
orities. Then circle your calendars for November 4 and send a pro-jobs, pro-business majority to the Capitol in
2015.
William Blazar is senior vice president of public affairs and business development, and David Olson is presi-
dent, at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce – www.mnchamber.com.
Legislature leaves its mark; circle November 4
By William Blazer and David C. Olson
4
Ambassador Visits
Skaro Group
Nicole Skaro Realtor
104 W Main Street, Waconia
952-258-9861
www.skarogroup.com
They are proud of their new office on Main
Street! They offer services in commercial and
residential real estate as well as property management. The Skaro Group is
associated with Keller Williams Premier Realty-Lake Minnetonka.
Unearthed Arts
Owner Artists-Pam Braunwarth, Kris
James, Cheryl Shohet, Kathy Jo Menssen
44 W Main Street, Waconia
952-442-4499
www.unearthedartsmn.com
“Downtown Art Center”-A retail art gallery
representing 40 artists with studio space
for various art mediums including a clay
studio. Classes for all ages 4+.
Sir Knight Cleaners
Owners-Gary & Sue Radziej
Manager-Bronwyn Neeser
712B Vista Blvd
Waconia 952-442-3250
www.sirknightdrycleaners.com
This is a third generation, family-owned
business. Waconia is their 5th metro location.
They offer dry cleaning, laundry, Uggs, leather
& suede cleaning and more!
Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-7pm
Saturday 8am-5pm
Same day service available with drop off by 9AM
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm
Plus art classes-check website!
5
Member News & Happenings
Music in the Park Thursdays in June & July-7pm at City Square Park (rain site is Safari Island)
(no performance July 4) Beginning Thursday, June 5. For complete schedule, visit www.waconia.org.
Fishing IN the Neighborhood-Friday, June 13 10:00am-Noon at Cedar Point Park. Waconia Parks &
Recreation is proud to offer this FREE program which provides great fishing & learning opportunities for kids
of all ages. Fishing poles & equipment provided.
Ridgeview Golf & Taste Event-Monday, June 23 at Island View Golf Club
Please join the Ridgeview Foundation at their 29th Annual Golf & Taste Celebration- Monday, June 23.
Participants can play Golf, Bridge or Bunco. Come and enjoy the Taste Celebration, Silent and Live Auctions,
buy a Raffle Ticket, and stay for Dinner! For more information visit www.ridgeviewmedical.org or call 952-442-6011
Lake Waconia Band Festival-Saturday, June 21-6:00pm
Come see a premier marching band competition. Celebrating it’s 15th anniversary this year, the Lake Wa-
conia Band Festival features many of the elite marching bands of the region, including our very own, Waco-
nia High School Marching Band. Always entertaining and it’s FREE. Parade begins at City Square Park and
ends at the Carver County Fair Grounds. Best viewing on Main Street (by City Square Park), corner of Main
Street & Vine Street (Judging Area) and Walnut Street (south of Bayview Elementary).
Lola’s Lake Waconia Half Marathon-Saturday, June 7
Lola’s Lake Waconia Half Marathon is one of the most scenic running race routes in all of the Twin Cities.
Start near City Square Park in lovely Waconia, weave your way through the downtown, and navigate your
way around the beautiful Lake Waconia – catch your breath right in the heart of Waconia’s Main Street
before you finish at City Square Park. Don’t forget the after party at Lola’s Lakehouse!
There's something for everyone. The half marathon, 2-person 1/2 marathon relay, 10 mile, 5K run/walk or the kid’s run and Dog
Day 5K. To register, go to www.lakewaconiahalfmarathon.com
2nd Annual Chanhassen Charity Car Show-Saturday, June 7 11am-2pm
Chanhassen Youngstedts-50 Lake Drive East, Chanhassen
An afternoon of food, fun & classic cars! Be sure to check out the Batmobile (onsite weather permitting) & Green Hornet. Proceeds support
Choice, Inc.-so that we can continue to provide adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunities and support they desire to reach
their full potential in employment and personal pursuits. www.choicejobs.org
Block Party-Friday, June 20 4-8PM
Prizes, entertainment, food, live music and MORE! Community party in the HomeTown Bank
parking lot. Kick off the summer with this family-friendly event.
HomeTown Bank-641 Marketplace Drive, Waconia
Long Term Care Seminar-Wednesday, June 11 10:30AM
Learn FIVE things you NEED to know about long term care planning. Learn how to have “the talk”,
plan without changing your plan, uncover limitations of Medicare, discover new options you didn’t
know existed and be a hit at your family reunion this summer...Presented by MidCountry Bank Investment Representative Brad
Sharp CLTC. This is for information only-NOT a sales presentation. 30 minutes that will have an impact and it is FREE, but
seating is limited.
RSVP requested by June 10 to [email protected]. Lighthouse at Waconia-500 Cherry Street
Cuba Trip-November 15, 2014 (9 Days, 8 Nights)
The Chamber is sponsoring a trip to Cuba this fall. Do you or someone you know love to travel? Join us for this once-in-a-
lifetime adventure! For more information, contact the Chamber or Travel Easy 952-442-4443
5 Coffee Connection @ Auburn Home, 594 Cherry Drive, Waconia 7:30-9:00 am
9 Tourism Committee/Board Meeting @ Carver County Historical Society-555 West 1st Street 9:00 am
12 Retail Committee Meeting 8:00 am Maple Conference Room
11 Board of Directors Meeting 11:45 - 1pm Maple Conference Room
19 Ambassador Meeting Chamber Office 8:45am
19-21 Summer Stroll-Participating Shops
26 Chamber Luncheon @ Island View Dining-7795 Laketown Parkway “Supporting Health at the Worksite”
Chamber Calendar -June 2014
Monthly Chamber Luncheon
Sponsored by: Memorial Blood Centers
Thursday, June 26, 2014
11:30AM-1:00PM
Topic: Supporting Health at the Worksite
Guest Speakers: Jean Pierson, Carver County Public Health, Jennifer Anderson, Statewide
Health Improvement Coordinator, Sarah Molnau, Ridgeview Medical Wellness Care Guide
Learn more about ways to enhance health for individuals and your organization.
Location: Island View Dining Address: 7795 Laketown Parkway, Waconia
RSVP to the Chamber Office by June 20
$25 per member, $30 for non-members RSVP Required! Walk-ins will not be guaranteed.
Please RSVP by Friday, June 20
[email protected] or 952-442-5812 *Payment will be accepted in advance or at the door. Please note that you will be billed for all meals reserved and walk-ins not guaranteed.