"It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to do." ~ Elbert Hubbard

Last night, with Winchester Goose (a proposed craft beer bar) on the agenda, the City Council decided to hold off on making any further alcohol license decisions until they've had a chance to review the municipal code and consider policy options at the Internal Affairs committee meeting now scheduled for July 24th at 8am.  Licenses for the Winchester Goose along with the Mangrove Mini Mart (reinstated for discussion) will be considered at the August 6th Council meeting.

This delay isn't ideal for the proprietors, I'm sure, but it halts a chain of events that was considered very business-unfriendly by some.  To grapple with the concerns raised at this year's Community Call for Action, hosted by Chico State, I'm in favor of bringing the City, campus officials, business organizations, owners, proprietors, student organizations, Enloe representatives, and others together to begin creating a community-wide strategy.  If we don't work toward the same solutions together, we're going to end up sharply divided and adrift.  As I said in a recent email to our Mayor, City manager, and Chief of Police about this issue: "Let's get ahead of this speeding train, slow it down, and decide where we want it to go.  Right now, it's carving a(nother) very contentious path through our community." And, in my honest opinion, the last thing we need is more conflict.

On another note, I recently met with Don Krysakowski and Renee Friemoth of the Work Training Center. They are actively looking to pair businesses with WTC clients through a job placement program called Community Employment Services.  Having worked as a job skills coach in college, I know how powerful programs like these can be for employers and potential employees.  If you're interested in exploring the benefits of a risk-free situational assessment in your business, please contact Renee at 343.7994 x 1407.

Enjoy the holiday tomorrow and stay cool!

~ Katie