CHAMBER

From PAGE 9

Now the chamber is primed for a comeback in 2023, with a shortlist of priorities on which to focus.

“I believe that what we’re doing for members large and small is, there are three things that are affecting them, no matter who they are,” McKenna said.

Childcare, housing and workforce, she said, are vital components for both large and small businesses to grow and thrive across the country. While all three were issues before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, the pandemic amplified gaps that already existed.

“When you look at Ignite Emporia, in 2018 and 2019, childcare was on the radar but it wasn’t set as one of the top priorities,” McKenna said. “Now, it is a top priority because it affects the workforce and people have decided that it’s more cost effective for them to stay home with their children.”

That’s why the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Ignite Emporia have already been leading conversations around the state, with a childcare summit planned for Feb. 1 right here in Emporia.

“Childcare is something that affects all of our businesses, no matter what size,” she said. “We’ve really got some good conversations going and I think you’re going to see us hitting the issue of childcare pretty strongly in 2023.”

Housing

The second priority is housing, with the chamber leading the charge for public/private partnerships. The first of those projects is the Kretsinger subdivision, spearheaded by Ignite Emporia. Plans for the addition see the construction of 53 new houses to