Flo Spyrow, February 2019 @7000ft

FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2

By The Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

BECAUSE A

HEALTHY BUSINESS CLIMATE AND A

THRIVING COMMUNITY ARE INSEPARABLE

FLO SPYROW

PRESIDENT + CEO NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE

ANNUAL MEETING AND ATHENA AWARDS

NOMINATIONS

BUSINESS ADVOCACY

POLICY PRIORITIES FOR FLAGSTAFF

It’s a New Era at Northern Arizona Healthcare Community MISSION

Improving health, healing people.

VISION

Always better care.

Every person, every time...together.

BELIEFS VALUES

Excellence in Everything Valuing Our People

Be People Centric

Patient Focused Excellence

Provide Better Care Always

Provide NOW Access and an Amazing Experience

Affordability

Provide Value and Be Sustainably Affordable

Y

OU will experience the New Era first in the $300+ million infrastructure investments the NAH Board has committed to over the next three years, as well as additional investments in programs and people to transition NAH from a primarily hospital-focused healthcare system to one that provides a seamless continuum of care focused on health and wellness. The foundational elements of our healthcare system are now aligned with this new calling.

The New Era at NAH is committed to YOU: our communities, patients, colleagues, providers and partners. That is why we often refer to this plan as NAH+. We will develop partnerships and relationships while providing the resources for YOU to experience the right care, at the right time, and the right place.

Major initiatives in Flagstaff include: • Redesign of inpatient facilities to create all private rooms and expanded care areas.

• In partnership with orthopedic providers, development of an outpatient surgery center.

• Expansion of outpatient care, including the Children’s Health Center.

• Additional primary care access.

Northern Arizona Healthcare

CONTENTS

THANK YOU TO OUR ATHENA AWARDS SPONSORS:

TITLE SPONSOR:

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

FLO SPYROW

PRESIDENT + CEO OF NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE IS OUR COVER STORY PAGE 8

AWARDS NOMINATIONS ANNUAL MEETING & ATHENA AWARDS PAGE 10

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE NEWEST CHAMBER MEMBERS EVERY MEMBER COUNTS LEADERSHIP @7000ft NAH

BUSINESS ADVOCACY

GOLD SPONSORS:

CHAMBER PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY PAGE 12

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ATHENA AWARDS NOMINATIONS LOCAL BUSINESS ADVOCACY CHAMBER STATE ADVOCACY BE COOL, BE CHAMBER

GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 |

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INTRODUCTION @7000ft is published monthly by the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce with revenue from member dues, advertising and sponsorships. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents of this publication, by any method or purpose whatsoever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Only Chamber members can advertise in @7000ft. To place advertising contact the Chamber.

Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce 101 W. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-4505 info@flagstaffchamber.com flagstaffchamber.com

CHAMBER LEADERSHIP Officers

Directors

Chair Brenda Hazlett APS

Monica Attridge Hozhoni Foundation Doug Bonate BBVA Compass Bank

1st Vice Chair Mark Love Massage Envy

Guillermo Cortes Shephard-Wesnitzer, Inc.

2nd Vice Chair Joe Pozar, Jr. Joy Cone Co.

Walter Crutchfield Vintage Partners

3rd Vice Chair Clay McCauslin KAFF/KMGN Radio Treasurer Jennifer Nordstrom Nordstrom & Associates PC Immediate Past Chairman Randon Cupp Foothills Bank Ex-Officio Colonel Ray Garcia Camp Navajo Joanne Keene Northern Arizona University Dr. Colleen Smith Coconino Community College

e ebsit See w lendar for cavents of e gstaff

.fla www ber.com/ m a h s c event

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7000ft | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 | GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Mark Harris Terry Marxen Chevrolet Cadillac Jacquie Kellogg West USA Realty Cecily Maniaci Toasted Owl Pete Muscarella Straightline Builders Patrick Nackard Nackard Companies Fred Reese Little America Lindie Rodgers Superior Propane Richard Sanchez State Farm Insurance Cassity Smith Flagstaff Young Professionals Flo Spyrow Northern Arizona Healthcare John Stigmon ECoNA Kelly Tulloss Sutcliffe Floral Bryce Warren Twin Arrows Casino Resort

Cover Photo Credit: Barbara Sherman NAH Images: Sean Openshaw

BUSINESS INFLUENCERS

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The start of the Legislative Session in January, the induction of new City Council members, and the fact that winter is upon us all make for good conversation in my column this month. Before you get into reading it, Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at the Chamber. It's a warm and fuzzy holiday that makes a big splash this month.

February, as we sometimes forget, is the shortest month of the year, but for the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce that certainly does not mean we are any less busy.

Our month really starts with a bang as we host Intel’s VP, Rachel Mushahwar, as a dynamite keynote speaker at our Annual Meeting and ATHENA Awards. You'll mix and mingle with many great business professionals. And, so many great women leaders in business have been nominated for these awards over the years, and this year is no different. We have a fabulous class of ATHENA and Young Professionals, which really speaks to the strength of our community.

Additionally, our focus this month in advocacy first turns south to the Arizona Legislature.

There’s a host of bills beneficial to Flagstaff businesses which we’ll be tracking and supporting this session in Phoenix, and none more important than Rep. Grantham’s HB2523 titled “youth employment.” This bill will grow employment opportunities for students 22 years of age and younger, and provide you, our Flagstaff employers, greater flexibility in your hiring methods – very exciting!

Also, Governor Ducey has proposed a fantastic budget, and we will wish to see so many of his ideas proposed get done. We will also continue our engagement with our newly re-elected Mayor Coral Evans and our Flagstaff City Council. There’s more City budget retreats to come, and engaging the City Council on behalf of Flagstaff businesses is always very important. Be sure to check out some of our recent ideas and concerns we shared with the City of Flagstaff on page 12.

Julie Pastrick President + CEO

for outdoor recreation four seasons of the year is a big one. Make no mistake, Arizona Snowbowl and Flagstaff Snow Park are incredible assets during winter for those that want a structured snow play day. But for me, I just strap on my snow shoes and go out the front or back door to experience the greatness of winter. For cross country skiers, the Nordic Center has hosted great full moon skis and many days of trail skiing this winter.

Some of us remember that Flagstaff was named a Winter Wonderland so when it snows, I don't fret. I love that a big part of Flagstaff's attractiveness statewide is our wonderful four seasons. Who knows, maybe we'll have a snowy Valentine's Day! Nonethless, February will not be here for long, but we certainly are making the best of the time on your behalf every day! We hold strong onto the belief that a strong business climate and a vibrant community are inseparable. Thank you for your investment in this Chamber.

Happy reading,

Switching gears a bit and with any luck, we do have a lot more winter to experience. As a coveted ski town at 7000 feet, our reputation

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY, GROW YOUR BUSINESS, CONNECT & ENGAGE

Become a member today!

Visit our website flagstaffchamber.com or call Kat Ross, Vice President of Investor Relations at (928) 774-4505

GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 |

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CHAMBER BUSINESS INSIGHTS RADIO SHOW Tune in to our show every Saturday at 11 AM on KAFF Country Legends 93.5FM and AM930 Listen to the latest interviews at flagstaffchamber.com/media

Here are some of the latest interviews you can listen to on our website:

Julie Lancaster - Lancaster Consulting Julie Lancaster, President, Lancaster Consulting, has been in Flagstaff for over 14 years. Julie quit her job to pursue her love for helping people and started her own business. The ladies leadership network has different gatherings throughout the year to bring diverse women together. Her goal as a leadership coach and managing consultant is to help people transform. What makes Julie stand out is her help in transforming businesses by creating positive change and her leadership academies that she runs. The purpose of these academies is to change, motivate self, strategic planning, and stress management. Julie believes that everyone is a leader and through these sessions they will evaluate strengths and blind spots to create their own extraordinary leadership skills. You can reach Julie at www.strongwomenleaders.com.

Aired 12/17/18

Andrea & Matt Behmer - Behmer Roofing Behmer Roofing has been in Flagstaff since 2003, but has been a family business since the early 1940’s. Their business stands out from others because of the hard work and pride they put into their brand. Behmer Roofing recommends having yearly checkups on roofs to extend the value of not only the roof, but also your home. Both Matt and his wife, Andrea (a Flagstaff native), cherish our community so much that they want to give back this year with their first inaugural charity event. Flagstaff Roof Rescue is giving away a roof to someone who needs it, but cannot afford it. Entries can be submitted through an online application, which will then be vetted through a chamber members committee. To learn more about Behmer Roofing, you can reach them at their website www.behmerroofing.com.

Aired 1/12/19

NEWEST CHAMBER MEMBERS

Roy DuPrez - Back2Basics Back2Basics is an outdoor adventure based program that focuses on addiction recovery.

Roy Duprez created this unique program a little under 10 years ago to target struggling young men. Back2Basics is addressing a demographic that has limited successful life experience, and gives them a platform to develop themselves successfully. They do this by providing culinary skills, nutrition, individual and group therapy, and community service opportunities. Their outdoor life skills program is the most popular, providing travel experiences that people around the world travel to Flagstaff to be a part of during recovery. Back2Basics loves being in Flagstaff because of what the community has to offer their clients throughout their journey. To learn more, you can visit their website at www.back2basicsoutdooradventures.com.

Aired 1/12/19

Welcome to the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY 3300 W Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ 85017 (928) 315-5953 gcu.edu

WORKING ALTERNATIVES, INC. 3465 Camino Del Rio, Suite #240 San Diego, CA 92108 (714) 898-6400

SOSOBA 12 W Historic Rte 66, Suite #104 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-3471 nonstopnoodleshop.com

LONE SPUR CAFE 1300 S Milton, Suite #101 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 440-5330 lonespurcafe.com

BETTER BUILT SHEDS, LLC 3585 E Industrial Drive Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 637-4347

CANYON MINISTRIES 2727 W Hwy 66 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 251-3000 canyonministries.org

BAXTER POWER & LIGHT 3647 Fox Lair Dr Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 637-5286 baxterpowerandlightllc.com

HIGH ELEVATION ROOFING Flagstaff, AZ 86005 (928) 522-3531 flagstaffroofingcontractor.com

FLAGSTAFF CART SPECIALTIES 2355 N Steves Blvd Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 220-7670 www.atvrepairflagstaff.com

DAWSON CONSULTING GROUP 3127 S Hannah Lane Flagstaff, AZ 86005 (281) 451-4244 dawsonconsultinggroup.com

MOUNTAIN SHAMROCK AZ 809 W Riordan Rd, Suite #100-382 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (623) 282-4342 mountainshamrock.com

HARMONIZING HEALTHCARE 1926 N 3rd St Suite #100 Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 865-0656 harmonizingcare.com

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FLAGSTAFF SURGICAL ASSOCIATES 77 W Forest Ave, Suite #201 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 773-2222 flagstaffsurgical.com HIGH COUNTRY LANDSCAPE & DESIGN Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 600-2761 RELIANCE PRINTING Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (877) 500-0068 relianceprinting.net

WELCOME & CONGRATS

Congratulations to our members on their anniversaries and ribbon cuttings

25

RIBBON CUTTING

YEARS

2

1

25

30

YEARS

YEARS

4

3

RIBBON CUTTING

20

YEARS

5

6

1. Christina R. Talley, CPA - Ribbon Cutting 2. National Bank of Arizona (Leroux St) - 25 Year Anniversary 3. Avenues of the World - 25 Year Anniversary 4. Village Land Shoppe - 30 Year Anniversary 5. Brookdale Flagstaff - 20 Year Anniversary 6. Lone Spur Cafe - Ribbon Cutting

STAY UP TO DATE!

You have joined a special organization.

This is a partnership & WE are working on your behalf.

@flagstaffchamber

@flgchamber

ENews emailed every 2nd Tuesday

GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 |

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LEADERSHIP @

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Advancing a Strong Community

In this issue of @7000ft we chatted with Flo Spyrow, President and CEO, Northern Arizona Healthcare.

She has been in the healthcare profession for 35 years, and is driven by her passion of taking care of her patients and colleagues at Northern Arizona Healthcare. Flo thanks her family for her success, and enjoys being together with them and golfing in her spare time.

Photo Credit: Barbara Sherman

FLO SPYROW WHY ARE YOU IN YOUR BUSINESS OR PROFESSION? I started my career as a nurse, having been raised in a family in which “serving others” was a value that we were all to live by. I loved my work in a neonatal intensive care unit, taking care of sick babies and their families. I ended up in hospital administration when I moved around the country with my husband and that was the only job available! I found I loved this work because I could impact the care of more patients and the ability of staff to do what they love most, take great care of patients. I never aspired to be a CEO but I love the opportunity to now serve the communities of northern Arizona.

HOW LONG HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN IN BUSINESS OR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS PROFESSION? Northern Arizona Healthcare, including its predecessor hospitals, has been in business for 83 years. I have been in a healthcare profession for 35 years.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH? IF SO, HOW? Absolutely not! My career has been full of opportunities and experiences that I never planned on but have enjoyed. I have served as an interim Chief Medical Officer, CEO of a critical access hospital, nursing administrator, Senior Vice President of operations, and unusually, General Counsel for a healthcare system. All of these experiences gave me a unique insight into how healthcare is delivered, the responsibility of providing safe, quality and accessible care to communities, and the need to care for the providers who deliver this care.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT IN YOUR PROFESSION? I would tell them that in all they do, they should keep their focus on taking great care of patients and improving the health of their communities. No matter what our role in

PRESIDENT + CEO OF NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE

1200 N. Beaver St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 nahealth.com | (928) 779-3366

healthcare, we should all be grounded by that mission. Secondarily, I would tell them to care deeply for the people who work for them and who care for our patients. Finally, I would encourage them to build strong and meaningful relationships in all aspects of their work as this will eventually allow them the privilege of being a leader.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND? PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW YOU DRIVE YOUR BRAND IN DAILY BUSINESS. My brand is passion for taking great care of patients and those who provide that care every day at NAH (which includes all of our colleagues no matter what their role). I drive this passion through engaging the leadership team in the development of a value and belief system consistent with these principles. The best part of my day every day is interacting with colleagues, talking to them about their challenges and joys, and creating work environments where they can grow and develop.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? My husband and I are golfers and wine collectors. A great day for us is a round of golf with friends topped off by a dinner with a good bottle(s) of wine! We enjoy cooking and entertaining. We are definitely foodies and Flagstaff offers many opportunities to share good food and drink with friends. And of course, spending time with our son and new daughter-in-law, no matter what the event, is always full of joy!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? At NAH we recognize colleagues who Live our Values every day in a program called the LOV award. Each month colleagues are nominated for exemplifying a value, such as Doing Amazing Work or Showing Compassion. The stories of these very dedicated colleagues inspire me to continue to dedicate myself to making northern Arizona a great place to work and receive care for many years to come.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE AND STAY IN FLAGSTAFF? My husband and I love living in Flagstaff because of the beauty of the mountains and Ponderosas. The winter is beautiful (I am looking out at snow covered trees) but we are still close to golf in Phoenix or Sedona.

TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS? Strong family support and always keeping my family as my first priority.

WHAT IS WORSE THAN FAILURE? I think “never having tried” is worse than failure. If we have never failed, we have never tried hard enough or risked enough to make a difference. Success can be defined by how we react to failure and how fast we pick ourselves and others up after we have failed and continue the journey.

WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU TODAY THAN IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO? I think more about creating a legacy than I did 10 years ago. At NAH, I would like to leave a strong healthcare system that supports whole health in a meaningful way. When I leave NAH, I want to see evidence I’ve helped to improve health for my family, friends and neighbors living in northern Arizona through lower disease incidence rates, earlier detection and successful treatment of disease and improved access not only to care but to what are called the social determinants of health – food, shelter, education, etc.

WHAT MANTRA OR RULE DO YOU STRIVE TO LIVE BY? Treat others as you would want to be treated.

WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO BE IN 10 YEARS? Retired, contributing to our communities through volunteer work and spending my days with family and playing golf!

GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 |

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ANNUAL MEETING & ATHENA AWARDS For more than two decades, the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce has presented the ATHENA Award to a local businesswoman who has achieved excellence in her field, served the community and assisted other women in the attainment of their goals. Former ATHENA recipients include women from business, education, and politics.

The Young Professional Award was added in 2007, and recognizes women who are emerging business leaders and clearly serves as a role model for young women both personally and professionally. Finalists for both awards are honored in a special Arizona Daily Sun tabloid and at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting, Friday, February 8, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at High Country Conference Center. Rachel Mushahwar, General Manager, US Enterprise, Government and Cloud Industries, Intel, will be the featured speaker for this year’s award ceremony.

THE NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR’S ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD ARE:

ERIN MCDONALD Peak Hospitality, Martanne's

MARIN MCDERMOTT Nestle Purina PetCare Company

BROOKE HIRSCHY N2 Publishing

SHARON TEWKSBURY-BLOOM Do Good, Be Good

KELLY CULBERTSON Nackard Companies

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AMY HAMMOND Crest Insurance Group

DIANNA SANCHEZ The Literacy Center

THE NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR’S ATHENA AWARD ARE:

LIZ BOHLKE High Country Humane

CHRISTINA CALDWELL Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona

KIMBERLY B. ALEXANDER Northern Arizona Healthcare

KIM MUSSELMAN Coconino County

JACQUIE KELLOGG West USA Realty Flagstaff

ELISA MUSCARELLA Your Pie

LYNDA BALLANTINE & DANA BOAST Prime Time Athletics

JUDY JACKSON Northern Arizona Association of Realtors

FLO SPYROW Northern Arizona Healthcare

Athena was founded nationally in 1982 by Martha Mayhood Mertz and ATHENA International, a non-profit organization that seeks to support, develop and honor women leaders.

The goddess Athena was chosen as the symbol for the program to reflect the qualities the award honors – strength, courage, wisdom and enlightenment.

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LOCAL BUSINESS ADVOCACY 2019 GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER BUSINESS PRIORITIES FOR FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL Delivery of City Courthouse •

Design and construction of the new City of Flagstaff Municipal Court Services Complex is a top priority for our community. We encourage the process to move swiftly and expeditiously through the City’s Community Development department, so contractors can meet or exceed construction schedules. Simultaneously, we encourage a community-wide conversation on future use of the existing city court building and adjacent parking lot at the corner of Beaver and Route 66.

matter how great one’s perspective is of the Flagstaff lifestyle, when attracting new business and economic development opportunities to Flagstaff. We are grateful to the Mayor and Council for prioritizing a community discussion on the challenge and look forward to having all community interests at the table as official participants on the Housing Commission.

Review New Code Adoption & Proceed with Caution •

Capital Improvement Plan Adoption - Transportation •

•

The Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce supported passage of Proposition 419, continuation of existing sales tax revenues, during the 2018 election. Although the proposition was loosely defined, the Chamber’s support was contingent on prioritizing sales tax revenues to be used first towards the completion of Fourth Street to JW Powell Blvd.

Equally important is widening Fourth Street over I-40. The Chamber supported federal grant requests for funding this project with letters of support to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, both directly and through ADOT, at their request.

P3 Completion of Mill Town/ADOT •

The Chamber supports expediting construction improvements on the former Harkins Theaters building to enhance the move of ADOT services from their location on Milton Ave. to ADOT’s new home in Flagstaff. We also support Community Development prioritizing construction of the Mill Town project on Milton and alignment of Beulah Rd., as approved.

Review City Sales Tax for Competitiveness •

The City of Flagstaff’s local sales tax is one of the highest sales tax rates in Arizona. We support quantifying the impact our current sales tax has on retail sales, and potential “leakage” that may or may not occur given our sales tax rate. Flagstaff is a regional shopping hub for northern Arizona, and Flagstaff businesses benefit from consumer purchases made in Flagstaff by those who live in outlying areas. We are very sensitive to future sales tax increases for any reason, believing that increased sales tax rates will drive consumers to other regions of Arizona for purchases resulting in lost sales to local businesses, and lost sales tax revenue to the City of Flagstaff.

Establish Housing Commission •

We support the Mayor and Council’s position to establish a City of Flagstaff Housing Commission with the purpose of reviewing the City’s current housing stock, and to review and propose solutions to the City of Flagstaff’s above average housing costs.

Housing costs within the City of Flagstaff consistently rank 45% higher than the national average. This problem greatly impacts our existing business community, and works as a deterrent, no

We anticipate the City’s Community Development department will bring forward for Mayor and Council review and approval new residential and commercial construction standards in the form of updated building and energy codes. We request a full and thorough vetting of any code changes, and clear delineation of increased costs associated with updated code adoption prior to adopting new construction standards in the form of new codes. We have great concern that code updates will increase the cost of both residential and commercial construction, which contributes to higher housing costs and higher retail prices for local consumers. Further, we know that higher housing prices push our middle-income wage earners, e.g. firefighters, police, teachers away from qualifying for mortgages, and thus singlefamily housing attainability.

Climate Action Plan •

The City Manager’s office indicated during initial 2019 Budget Workshops that a presentation of an 18-month plan related to the goals of recently adopted Climate Action and Adaptation Plan would be brought forward, and we look forward to thoroughly reviewing this roadmap, and understanding the costs associated that may or may not be needed for its implementation.

City Manager Goodrich’s Office: “Journey to Excellence” •

We were pleasantly surprised by the City Manager’s office recommendation related to the proposed "Journey to Excellence" presented in the final hour during the City's recent Budget Workshops, and support the proposed goal of moving to zerobased budgeting. There are many positives to undertaking this journey, and we look forward to supporting the City’s progress through this process.

Address the City’s Pension Needs Short & Long Term – Immediately •

We support a full vetting of the City’s pension requirements, and immediate attention to possible solutions to any short or longterm challenges.

Moratorium on City Fee Increases •

Given a series of recent City fee hikes, we do not wish to see any City fee increases proposed for the duration of 2019 and through Q1 2020.

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CHAMBER STATE ADVOCACY HB2523 YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

SB1225 DISABLED SERVICE PROVIDER ASSISTANCE

Government wage mandates force younger employees out of the workplace. As governments mandate employers pay employees higher wages, employers seek to find older, more developed, skilled workers closing the entry-level wage market to students. Rep. Travis Grantham has an answer in the form of HB 2523. House Bill 2523 addresses Arizona’s youth employment challenges by re-opening the employment door for individuals 22 years of age or younger, who are full-time students and work 20 hours a week or less on a casual basis.

The City of Flagstaff’s recently adopted wage mandates, and subsequent mandated wage hikes on local employers have taken a toll on much more than Flagstaff’s small businesses.

Beyond the price spikes and employee layoffs from private employers, social service providers, particularly those who assist the developmentally disabled, have been forced to find money to keep going – money that just does not exist.

Senator Sylvia Allen has introduced an initial solution to assist developmental disabled providers in Northern Arizona in the form of Senate Bill 1225.

“It’s very exciting that our Arizona legislators recognize the labor market is often skewed towards higher-paid, more-experienced workers and as a result, job opportunities for young people are fading away from our small business family,” commented Chamber President & CEO, Julie Pastrick.

“Representative Grantham’s Youth Employment bill will be a boon for Flagstaff’s young people, creating for them more opportunities to learn key job skills in the everyday workforce,” continued Pastrick. “We are excited for the job opportunities the Youth Employment bill will bring to Flagstaff’s students,” Pastrick finished.

SB 1225 authorizes financial support in the 2019-2020 fiscal year to the tune of $1.68 M in state assistance. These one-time monies are desperately needed to keep local services going and families who need assistance in Flagstaff. Developmental disabled care providers in Flagstaff employ 600 annually, and contribute over $15M to the local Flagstaff economy. The Greater Flagstaff Chamber supports Sen. Allen’s SB 1225, and will work diligently to see its passage this legislative session.

GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 |

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BE COOL, BE CHAMBER Behind the scenes of local, small businesses

Campus Coffee Bean

Snow Mountain River

Mother Road Brewing Company 14 @7000ft | FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 5, ISSUE 2 | GREATER FLAGSTAFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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