Sought: Sustainable Tacoma Commissioners

Citizens who want to oversee the implementation of Tacoma’s Climate Action Plan, as the City and community reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are encouraged to apply for membership on the new Sustainable Tacoma Commission.

The Tacoma City Council is looking for 11 commission members who provide a balanced representation of various stakeholders, including the environmental community, small business, labor, housing, industry and port, transportation, education, the building industry and residents.

Commission members will serve staggered three-year terms. For the initial appointees, three members will receive one-year appointments, four will be appointed for two-year terms, and four will be appointed for three-year terms.

The commission is intended to bring citizen accountability, transparency and vigilance to the long-term implementation of Tacoma’s Climate Action Plan, as developed by the Green Ribbon Climate Action Task Force. The 25-member task force was appointed by the city council to develop recommendations for actions the City and community should take to reduce greenhouse gases and help curb global warming.

The Commission will work with the city’s new Office of Sustainability, which will be responsible for implementing the strategies in the Climate Action Plan and measuring the city’s progress as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Both the Office and the Commission were created by a City Council resolution in October 2008.

Duties of the Sustainable Tacoma Commission include:
Oversee implementation of climate action plan strategies.
Coordinate with the Office of Sustainability to obtain greenhouse gas emissions reduction reports.
Obtain updates from the Office of Sustainability on climate action plan strategy implementation efforts and periodic result reports.
Provide annual progress reports to the public.
Communicate barriers to and incentives for implementation to the City Council.
Create a forum for regular public comment and community involvement.

Applications must be submitted to the Mayor’s Office by March 6, 2009. To apply, visit here or contact Cynthia Leingang at (253) 594-7848, Mayor's Office, Room 1200, Municipal Building, 747 Market St., Tacoma, WA 98402.

Putting PoP in Our Business and Our Economy

Putting PoP into the economy was a direct collaborative effort by our economic development organizations and agencies at this week's Creating Prosperity on Purpose.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber united with the City of Tacoma's Community and Economic Development Department, the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, the Pierce County Economic Development Division, the Port of Tacoma and the Tacoma Regional Convention+Visitor Bureau to present a special event designed to stimulate Pierce County's business growth and market share.

All these economic development entities shared information with attendees about specific services each provide to assist local businesses. The Chamber's spotlighted service focused on their online demographic service. The subscription service allows the Chamber to provide to its members consumer demographics custom tailored to their specific market geographies, and comparable to other locations.

In, Tacoma's Procurement Technical Assistance Center also exhibited their service, located at the William Factory Small Business Incubator, which seeks to maximize the number of capable companies participating in the government marketplace. Call Charles Aycock, 253-722-5808.

David Graybill, Pres./CEO of the Chamber, serving as event emcee, gave the charge for the event:

...this first time event is to help create Tacoma-Pierce County's own business "stimulus package" based on three important things:

1. building a better awareness of the many tools and services available to employers to help grow and sustain their business;


2. bringing a higher sensitivity to the potential of leveraging your networks and relationships to build market share and opportunity;


3. enlisting you in the efforts to increase the level of business prosperity in Tacoma-Pierce County.
   

Attendees at this "first annual" Prosperity on Purpose heard entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jeff Shore with his shared insights on how to "give rather than take" in their networking so as to build better opportunities for others and themselves. Both the Tacoma Weekly and the Business Examiner covered his remarks and the overall event well.

Jeff Shore

Compare Senate and House Stimulus Bills

The U.S. Senate has just passed their version of the stimulus bill. Look here for the differences between the Senate's and the House's bills. Ahead is forecast a difficult negotiation for a reconciliation of these two bills. Click on the image for a larger view.

Chamber State Lobbyist Announced

The Chamber has retained Michael Transue for lobbying services during the current Washington State Legislative Session. Transue will monitor and help advocate for the Chamber’s top priorities (as recommended by the Public Affairs Council and adopted by the Board) in its TEACH Agenda.

Transue’s background includes over a decade of lobbying in Olympia for business and association groups as well as active involvement with AWB including service on their Board. He also provides budget, coordinating, fiscal and policy analysis to the Pierce County Council.

Michael is locally based, and a former Mayor of Ruston who received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Municipal League of Tacoma.

The Chamber’s TEACH Agenda is comprised of the issues in transportation, economic development and energy policy, accountability, community development and work force training and health care that are deemed most likely to stimulate and protect our area’s business environment and competitiveness.

SBA Assistance for Snow Storm Economic Impact

The SBA offers disaster assistance to Washington small businesses economically impacted by the December snowstorms.

The Acting Administrator of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), today announced that the SBA is making low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses economically impacted by snowstorms in Washington that occurred from December 12, 2008 through January 5, 2009.

The declaration covers all counties in Washington and neighboring counties in Idaho and Oregon.
SBA’s disaster declaration immediately makes these low-interest disaster loans available to help small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations meet financial needs caused by the disaster.

Alfred E. Judd, Director of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center - West, said, This disaster declaration is a separate event from President Obama’s January 30 declaration for the severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred from January 6 through January 16 in eight Washington counties.

SBA is offering working capital loans of up to $2 million at an interest rate of 4% with terms up to 30 years. These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. These loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses affected by the snowstorms to help overcome the temporary financial impacts they are experiencing.

Folks can get help at the South Hill Mall Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). The DRC is located at Puyallup's South Hill Mall, inside the vacated Victoria's Secret storefront. The DRC will be open on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at noon until 7 p.m. and then Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m - 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. The center will remain open until further notice.

So, economic injury from the snow storms in December may be eligible for SBA low-interest loans. Get help also at register on-line or over the phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or go to the Disaster Recovery Center. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers will be open at the following locations on the days and times indicated.

FEMA Assistance for Flood Victims

Pierce County residents and businesses who were affected by the flooding in January can now apply to FEMA for damage assistance face-to-face at the Pierce County Disaster Recovery Center beginning tomorrow, Feb. 4, at noon.

The DRC is located at Puyallup's South Hill Mall, inside the vacated Victoria's Secret storefront. The DRC will be open on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at noon until 7 p.m. and then Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m - 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. The center will remain open until further notice.

Visitors to the DRC will find information on:
- FEMA and state disaster assistance programs
- SBA low-interest disaster loans and how to complete the loan application
- Smart building techniques to reduce damage from future floods
- Flood insurance
- Pierce County and other agency programs

Residents can also register on-line or over the phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

To expedite the application process either in-person or on-line, please have the following available:
1. Your Social Security number.
2. Current and pre-disaster address.
3. A telephone number where you can be contacted.
4. Insurance information.
5. Total household annual income.
6. A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account).
7. A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

Creating Prosperity on Purpose!

Learn How to maximize your relationships to grow your business and attract new customers!
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7:30 – 9 a.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center

Join us for this one-of-a-kind motivational opportunity to kick-start your sales and marketing strategies for 2009!

Jeff Shore's coast-to-coast seminars have garnered ecstatic reviews from sales counselors and managers, describing them as "authentic," "entertaining," "inspiring," and "compelling." Jeff delivers quick-witted, hard-hitting seminars that electrify sales teams with passion, discipline, and relentless positivity. Jeff's fine-tuned sales techniques and 20 years of experience make him the "go-to" guru for the most difficult markets. He has authored three books including Outstanding Sales Meetings and Deal With It!: Mastering 21 Touch Sales Office Situations.

Price includes breakfast, motivational keynote address by our nationally-acclaimed speaker, networking opportunities and exhibits providing information designed to stimulate our region's business growth and market share.

Prosperity on Purpose Goals:
Inspiring business owners and managers to create new opportunities
Motivating teams to develop new skills
Building awareness of local services to help business grow
Enhancing relationship skills and motivation in networking
Providing answers to owners and business managers seeking available services at their fingertips
Attracting new business
Click here to download Registration Form
Click here to download Event Flyer

Place: Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center 1500 Broadway Tacoma 98402
Price: Prepaid registration, $35.00
Info: Rose Crist, 253.627.2175 or http://rosec@tacomachamber.org
Register Online

Sponsor: Edman Company
Partners:
City of Tacoma- Community & Economic Development Department
Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County
Pierce County Economic Development Department
Port of Tacoma
Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor
Bureau
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber