Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Last week, my 9 year old daughter asked good-naturedly, "Mom, do we really need to stop and talk to every person we see?" More often than not, the answer is yes. In my role at the Chamber, it is essential that I stay connected to the community. I monitor member feedback, local news, social media, and multiple sources to ensure we're responding to the right issue at the right time. When it became clear that the business community was deeply distressed by the Police Department's recent decision not to respond to unverified burglar alarms, we created a stakeholders group with law enforcement to find middle ground. Our proposed solution will come before the Internal Affairs committee in mid-August. You'll be hearing more from us, too, on plans for the Chico Airport following our recent visit to Santa Rosa (see photo).
 We met with their Airport Manager, City Manager, and Sonoma County Visitors Bureau Executive Director to understand how they went from losing air service to sustaining multiple carriers in a matter of years. We've also transformed years of frustration around City permitting into productive forums with City staff at our newly launched Community Development Updates. So, if you see me out and about, stop and say hello. Share your thoughts and help us be the change we wish to see. Believe me, focusing on solutions sets an excellent example for the generation coming up behind us which includes, of course, our children.