SPRING 2020 CHAMBER NEWSLETTER

MEET OUR JUNIOR CHAMBER MEMBERS!

OH BABY x 10!

Left to Right Aaron & Miraya Meyer DOB 1/21/20, Carmen & Conley Knutson DOB 12-12-18, Crystal & Caeleb Maruska DOB 4-1-8, Taylor & Elise Sannes DOB 3/6/18, Christopher & Lily Christianson DOB 8/9/19, Molly & Hatton Hanson DOB 6/23/19, Garret & Eleanor Kollin DOB 4/7/18

Not pictured Nick Noah and Stephen Larson who both had daughters in 2018!

Chamber Board Grows Crookston by 10!

Your Crookston Area Chamber Board of Directors are taking their mission to "grow" Crookston to a whole new level. In the past two years, since Terri Heggie took over the helm ten Chamber babies have been born. Was there something in the water at Chamber Board of Directors meetings? Was there something in the small print they overlooked when they began their terms? All humor aside these incredibly dedicated past and present Board of Directors have been blessed with these adorable children and we could not be more proud!

Ryan & Reid Wall

DOB 12/14/18

Terri On the Town

Warm greetings,

2020 certainly began with a BANG! We could not be more grateful for the fast return rate of our renewing Chamber members. We value our long-standing members and the many relationships formed along the way. We welcome with excitement our new Chamber members and look forward to building partnerships and growing with you. Your membership helps to ensure the Chamber remains an active and meaningful service to our Crookston community and beyond. With so many marketing avenues, programs, events and activities, your membership included many benefits to help support your business. Give us a call or stop in at 103 South Broadway so we can discuss the perfect Chamber membership for you.

The best steps forward are walked together and your Chamber Board of Directors and staff are doing just that. Our solid team leads with positive energy, transparency and the desire to grow within our roles so we may better serve you. Our door is always open and we encourage you to share your positive energy, suggestions and ideas with us.

I hope you enjoy the return of our quarterly newsletter. It has been a great time brainstorming marketing ideas and content. Please take advantage of the brand new "clip and save" section for special offers and discounts. These area businesses are sharing another opportunity to shop, eat, play and stay local. If you would like to be a sponsor and/or be part of the Clip & Save Coupon section next time give us a call.

Crookston! Grow with us!

All the best,

Terri Heggie

Executive Director

Lance Norman, Crookston Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Board Chair

In my support and appreciation of the opportunity to serve as the Crookston Chamber of Commerce Executive Board chair I want to welcome you to our electronic platform of the newly revised chamber newsletter. Thank you everyone who has taken the time to read our newsletter including many exciting events as well as information on the health of the “Grow With Us” marketing campaign throughout the Crookston region.

Our entire Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are excited to roll this out electronically once again and share with you, our customers of the regional businesses the various media platforms we engage in as a chamber each and every day. Also, additionally we are excited with the uptick of involvement in our Ambassadors visits and each of the committees within the chamber that each have their unique roll of supporting our overall work.

Lance Norman

Vice President of Clinics and Ancillary Services

RiverView Health

News ~ Updates~Events

We would like to congratulate Dale Stainbrook on his recent appointment as Crookston's Mayor. We wish you all the best as you fulfill this role for our community.

The Women's Leadership Network is rolling out another fabulous evening just for you!

Tickets must be purchased at the Chamber Office by March 25th .

Tickets will not be available at the door.

[email protected]

Thursday, April 2nd 5:00-8:00

Crookston Inn

Keynote Speaker, Kathryn Vigness

See flyer below!

Reserve your prairie chicken blind!

Viewings should be available mid April. Contact the Chamber office for more info. (218) 281-4320

Crookston Youth Basketball Association is sponsoring a youth basketball tournament for grades 3-8 on March 20-22nd. It brings over 100 teams, 1000 athletes, and 3000 fans into the community! This fundraiser benefits our youth basketball activities and service projects in the Crookston Community. If you would like to support our efforts and are interested in sponsoring – contact our CYBA Treasurer Nate Smith (218) 280-4353.

If you are interested in promoting your business through coupons/special deals during the weekend of the tournament – please provide this information to the Chamber office (218) 281-4320. They will be sent to coaches electronically and printed for use at entrance of each site and available at hotels.

To register and learn more:

Visit our website!

The Riverland Association will hold the annual tourism conference in Crookston at UMC on April 29. See brochure below!

To register, call (218) 686-9785 or email [email protected].

Learn more:

www.visitriverland.org

National Tourism Week

May 3 - 9

#TravelWorks

Small Business Week

May 3 - 9

#SupportSmallBusiness

Looking for a fun and always interesting way to showcase your business to a large audience? Invite Terri out to your business to learn the ropes and share a few laughs, well actually a lot of laughs together. Schedule your Terri On the Town visit today! [email protected]

Learn more:

www.crookstonoxcartdays.com

Your MN Chamber is a voice for members!

The Minnesota Chamber works year-round to help our members create economic opportunity to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. Our advocacy on behalf of employers, their employees and communities helps keep and expand business and jobs in Minnesota. We look forward to working with Governor Walz and the Legislature to enact policies to help Minnesota grow.

TAX COMPETITIVENESS

Ensuring that Minnesota’s tax climate supports long-term success. This includes reducing business taxes by adopting full federal conformity with

Section 179 business expensing rules.

Section 179 business expensing rules full federal conformity
Administrative fixes, partnership audit rules

WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT

Preserving the flexibility of private employers to design benefits for their workplace and industry. This includes opposing one-size-fits-all mandates, prohibiting local government labor mandates and enacting technical changes to the wage theft law.

Preserve private-sector flexibility to determine wage, benefit, scheduling, and employee classification
Support explicit statewide preemption of local labor ordinances
Ensure regulatory changes proposed through the Minnesota DLI consider impacts on employers
Preserve legal standard in hostile work environment claims while promoting prevention policies and workplace training programs
EMERGING ISSUE: Promote workplace safety and employer protections concerning potential legalization of recreational marijuana use

HEALTH CARE

Enhancing employers’ ability to provide employee access to quality, affordable care. This includes requiring a cost-benefit analysis before adding health insurance mandates to state law.

Strengthen the role of cost/benefit analyses in mandate debates
Align Minnesota Health Records Act with Federal HIPAA law
Establish an Independent Health Policy Commission
Oppose cost-increasing health care mandates, taxes and regulations

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Protecting Minnesota’s environment and supporting cleaner energy while preserving economic growth and a healthy business environment.

We support and encourage voluntary measures that promote cleaner energy and sustainable practices
Energy legislation and regulation should protect competitive viability of Minnesota businesses
New laws or regulations must be cost-effective, technology-neutral and technologically feasible, flexible, and prioritize market-based strategies

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Accelerating private-sector efforts to help employers attract and retain the skilled workers they need to compete. Supporting public policies that ensure student readiness.

Align K-12 and post-secondary education
Promote school choice, program innovation, and future-ready options for students
Ensure strong academic standards and accountability
Ensure effective teachers and effective leaders
Reduce remediation and utilize prior learning
Increase access to targeted Early Learning Scholarships
Strengthen Minnesota State Grant Program
Promote and accelerate private-sector efforts - like the Chamber’s Business Education Network (BEN) - to connect students, employers, and education systems.