February 2023 Business Connection

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce

Julie Rinard Project Manager

ksQuatch Fest – another BIG Chamber and community success

Thanks for going sQuatchin’ with us! We welcomed nearly 3,000 people from the Pacific Northwest, across the United States and around the world. Sasquatch sightings were reported everywhere! When we heard screaming and laughing, we knew it was another friendly Sasquatch lurking and being discovered.

This year, we expanded our world-renowned speaker lineup and host Craig Yahne kept things lively both days. He included activities that involved audience participation, such as Talk’N sQuatch and a speaker forum. The speakers’ room was near capacity with 750 seated plus a few standing. Returning Sasquatch explorers Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Cliff Barackman and Shane Corson delivered news about their most recent research and handled interesting questions from the audience. The crowds were intrigued by sQuatch Fest first-time speakers Marc Myrsell, Scot Violette and Kathy Strain. Between sessions, the speakers were happy to talk with attendees, share stories and autograph their books. Guests were able to purchase castings of Sasquatch footprints and other unique souvenirs from our speakers.

Lower Columbia Professionals ran the ever-popular Brew Mountain as a fundraiser for our scholarship fund. This year, they added morning mimosas and some great raffles. Tips for scholarships were appreciated. Sponsors Evergreen Home Loans and Country Financial – Jennifer Penfold Insurance Agency provided collectible sQuatch Fest beer glasses and wine tumblers. There was no need to leave the Cowlitz County Event Center for a meal or snack, with all the delicious food from our Pacific Northwest food and beverage carts. There was a great variety with Cousin Yeti’s Wood Fired Pizza, Double J’s Food Truck, The Islander, Kiwanis Club of KelsoLongview, Mountain View Baptist Church, Red Leaf Coffee and Soup & Co. Specialty Rents provided a heated tent and we were comfortable in relatively mild weather with some additional

For more sQuatch Fest, see page 3

Bigfoot and the Citizen Scientist podcast

Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce

sQuatch greetings

World renowned researchers and explorers

Hundreds of kids enjoyed Kids’ Cave activities, projects and prizes

Full house for the speakers forum and presentations

Brew Mountain

Sisson named interim Kelso Longview Chamber CEO

The Chamber Board of Directors is pleased to announce Karen Sisson has agreed to step in as Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce interim CEO upon Bill Marcum’s retirement at the end of February. Sisson brings many years of experience. She has served as the former Chamber project manager and a community volunteer. Even during retirement, she has given many hours to the Chamber. Chamber President Marlene Johanson said Sisson cares deeply about the success of the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce.

She will start March 1 and continue while the hiring committee searches for a qualified candidate.

sQuatch Fest

from page 1

seating inside. The hail held off until it was almost time to close. Kids’ Cave sponsored by CalPortland was alive with activity. Home Depot contributed building kits that appealed to kids of all ages. There were crafts, games, face painting, a scavenger hunt, prizes and treats. Volunteers from the Community Mediation Center ran Kids’ Cave and provided the support needed to make it a great experience for families.

Between the other activities at sQuatch Fest, there was shopping. We increased the number of vendors by 45 percent over last year and sold out vendor space three weeks before sQuatch Fest. Attendees found many different types of themed merchandise and appreciated the sQuatch Fest shopping bags contributed by Discovery Coast Media.

sQuatch Fest is powered by more than 60 volunteers. From planning to implementation and tear-down, we could not hold sQuatch Fest without our hard-working volunteers!

We appreciate our sponsors who make sQuatch Fest possible

Alcoa Northwest Alloys Longview

CalPortland

Canopy Mortgage

Comfort Inn and Suites

Country Financial – Jennifer Penfold Insurance Agency

D & C Lemmons, LLC

The Daily News

Dale McGhee and Sons Well Drilling

Dick Hannah Toyota

Discovery Coast Media

Evergreen Homes Loans Longview West

Foster Farms

Guesthouse Inn and Suites

The Home Depot

KLOG-The Blitz-KUKN-Cowlitz County Digital

Lower Columbia Longshoremen’s Federal Credit Union

Northwest Enforcement

Real Country-KEDO-KLYK-The Peak-Rocket 107

Specialty Rents

TEAM – Total Employment and Management

Twin City Bank

Save the date for the eighth annual sQuatch Fest

January 26-27, 2024

Our friendly Sasquatch was stolen at sQuatch Fest. If you have any information, please contact the Longview Police Department at 360-442-5800.

Volunteers checked in nearly 3,000 attendees

Headquarters for official sQuatch Fest merchandise

Our friendly sQuatch greeted everyone at the front door

Shaun and Kelly Godden teamed up to volunteer at Brew Mountain

Conversations with speakers and lots of shopping opportunities

Longview Chamber of Commerce

Bill Marcum CEO

It's always been about helping business

Well, this is my final column as Kelso Longview Chamber CEO. A year ago, when I made the decision, I wondered how all this would play out. My last Holiday Mixer, my last Business After Hours, my last sQuatch Fest, my last column? This morning, I feel exhausted. We just finished sQuatch Fest and an extra 24-hour work week on this 65-year-old body is taking longer to recover.

I was thinking the other day that 42 years of working is a lot of years and I deserve to start to enjoy, hopefully, the next 20plus. As most of you know I’ve been in the newspaper business for 31 years with stops in Ashland and Albany, Oregon, and Yakima, Enumclaw and Longview, Washington. I finished up my publishing career in Pendleton, Oregon, before coming back to Longview in January 2012 to become the CEO of the Kelso Longview Chamber.

I knew basically nothing about the chamber world other than what I wish the chamber had provided to my newspapers in just about every city or town I worked. The newspaper was always a member of the chamber and in most cases a huge supporter of chamber events. So, the reminder on my wall was “Help local businesses be more successful”. If whatever the Chamber is doing now doesn’t support that slogan, we need to stop doing it and do something else.

The first thing I wanted to do was create the Small Business Boot Camp series. I always felt the chamber should provide a low-cost opportunity for local businesses to gain training, insight and knowledge about things that can help them run their business better and be more profitable. As a business owner, I could not afford to send my staff to Portland or Seattle for regular training. One, I needed them in the office; and two, the cost was not feasible. Thus, we started Small Business Boot Camp as a series of six classes, three times per year with different topics and local facilitators who can guide the discussion to provide that knowledge. I am happy to report our series starting March 3 will be the Chamber’s 192nd Boot Camp class. See page 8 for details.

“Help local businesses be more successful,” still drives the Chamber today. As it is fresh in my mind, sQuatch Fest is a great example – a January event, when nothing else is really going

on in our area, that draws 2,500-3,000 people, which in turn provides our hotels with more than 700 room nights during a season when many struggle. Local businesses (52 to be exact) sell products to those attending during the two days and most tell us this is their best event of the year. Local brewers sell their beer and wine. And, most amazingly we get people to attend from over 25 states and Canada every year. That’s “helping businesses be more successful”.

One of the other things I wanted to do was provide more scholarships for our local students who hopefully, will come back and work in our local businesses and industries. My first year here the Chamber, with the Chamber’s Lower Columbia Professionals (LCP), provided a $500 scholarship to two local graduating students. Last year that number was $22,000 (down a bit due to COVID squashing our FUNraising events) but LCP is back hosting and raising money for our local student graduates. In the span of the past 11 years the total scholarship dollars given out between the Chamber’s LCP Committee and the Chamber’s Marie Harris Scholarship Fund is more than $150,000. The main thank you goes to all of you who participate in the events, donate prizes or cash, purchase raffle tickets and enjoy a no-host beverage. Thank you for your support.

I often tell people that when I worked in the newspaper business my main job was to help businesses be more successful, the vehicle I used was advertising in the newspaper, driving customers to their door. Studying their business, the layout of the items, the cleanliness, the window displays, their staff engagement and more. It was the best part of my job. Then I started my job at the Chamber and realized the best part of my last career, the part I enjoyed most, was the main function of my new career. So, again, my job was helping business be more successful, the vehicle was the Chamber.

Not many of us get to be in two careers that you really love to be in… sometimes it’s just a job, but I truly loved both of my careers and hope I made a difference in both.

Thank you all for your support during the past 11 years, this is truly an incredible community and I have been blessed to be a part of it.

Kelso

Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Marlene Johanson, President Heritage Bank

Marc Silva, President Elect Red Canoe Credit Union

Jason Gentemann, Vice President Foster Farms

Lisa Straughan, Past President Express Employment Professionals

Neil Zick, Treasurer Twin City Bank

Michael Claxton, Legal Counsel Walstead Mertsching

Diane Craft Koelsch Communities

Nick Lemiere

Edward Jones

Duane Dalgleish

Cowlitz PUD

Rich Gushman Gibbs & Olson

Keenan Harvey City Council, Kelso

Sean Kiffe NORPAC

Cherelle Montanye St. John/PeaceHealth

John Paul KUKN-KLOG-101.5 The Blitz

Bruce Pollock

Bicoastal Media

Ted Sprague

Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Michael Vorse Minuteman Press

Dennis Weber

Cowlitz County Commissioner

Pam Whittle Realty One Group Pacifica

Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Ted Sprague President

The annual meeting is back

After a two-year hiatus the Cowlitz Economic Development Council (CEDC) is bringing back its annual meeting. The last annual meeting took place on March 10, 2020, and it featured a keynote presentation by the former Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine. Commissioner Levine’s job and all our lives were about to take a drastic turn! By that time COVID was on everyone’s mind and we were not entirely sure we could even hold the event. Thankfully we pulled off an excellent lunch meeting with more than 275 community leaders in the room. It was the last large event I was able to attend as the governor’s stay-home order came into effect March 23, 2020.

The 2022 annual meeting will take place at the Cowlitz Expo and Event Center February 28 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and will feature three of the largest capital investment and job creating projects either just completed or being permitted in Cowlitz County. We will hear from three local projects to share their plans – NORPAC, WestRock and the Landing on the Cowlitz project. Combined the projects will represent more than $150 million in capital investment and conservatively will create over 750 jobs. This will be a fun and engaging event and I hope you will join us.

The CEDC annual meeting is the only fundraiser the CEDC puts on during the year. Sponsorship and attendance are critical to make this a success.

We would appreciate having your company become a sponsor of the event and the sooner you sponsor, the more exposure your company will get. We are appreciative of the companies that became sponsors as soon as the meeting was announced – Gibbs & Olson, PeaceHealth, NORPAC, Port of Kalama and Ecological Land Service. Seats are already beginning to fill up so please do not delay on sponsoring and RSVPing.

You do not have to be a current CEDC member to join us at the meeting. Please share this information so more people can learn what the CEDC does and learn about these excellent projects taking place in Cowlitz County. It is easy to RSVP or sponsor, simply go to www.cowlitzedc.com/join-us/

Spring Series starts Friday, March 3

Friday Mornings ★ 7:30 am - 9 am

Boardmanship series

March 3

Role of the Board vs the CEO

Frank McShane

Square Peg Consulting

March 10

Succession Planning

Chris Bailey

LCC President

March 17

Handling Conflict

Jennifer Leach

Past President Longview School Board

March 24

Working as a Team

Frank McShane

Square Peg Consulting

March 31

Financial Accountability

David Futcher Futcher CPAs

No pricing change since 2013! $100 Members ★ $160 Non-Members

Includes up to 4 members of your organization.

April 7

Facilitating and Leading Meetings (Robert’s Rules)

Jennifer Leach

Past President Longview School Board

Sponsored by:

Chris Bailey, President Lower Columbia College

Grow your business by investing in employee training – with help from Workforce grants

If you are looking for a way to grow your business, boost your company’s leadership and develop your team, invest in training your existing employees.

Ensuring employees have the skills to support and help your business grow is vital for a company’s competitiveness. Proactively investing in training saves you money by retaining a valued employee, improves our community’s long-term growth and competitiveness, and helps workers gain skills to keep or advance in a job, while building goodwill for your organization and improving productivity.

While training can be costly, Workforce Southwest Washington (WSW) can help.

We have grants available to help offset the cost of training your team members. Applications are due by March 31. Please review the application instructions, especially employer and employee eligibility. Then contact WSW’s business services team with questions and to request an application.

• Manufacturing – Alyssa Joyner, senior project manager –manufacturing, 503-410-0408, ajoyner@workforcesw.org

• Healthcare, Technology, Professional Services – Sean Moore, senior project manager – healthcare and technology, 360-762-8569, smoore@workforcesw.org

• Construction and Other Industries – Darcy Hoffman, director of business services, 360-608-4949, dhoffman@ workforcesw.org

The grants should be used to implement a career path and training strategy that supports the retention and advancement of your existing workers. Applications that support training, promotions and pay raises for women, people of color and individuals from historically excluded communities are required.

WSW funds a variety of trainings. For example, WSW employee training funds were recently used by Koelsch Senior Communities to provide 22 of its employees with specialized

dementia care training to improve communication between people with dementia and their caregivers. Employees completing the training will receive a wage increase and title change. Read more about the training in The Daily News article, “Longview caregivers learn to build trust with dementia patients.”

Perhaps your company needs to train one individual or only a few. WSW can help. You determine the training and vendor. Another project WSW is funding is for a certificate in Organization Management geared toward the development of executive level leaders in the nonprofit industry. WSW is funding approximately $5,000 to train an individual.

Funds are available to manufacturing, healthcare, construction, technology, and professional, scientific and technical service companies. Funds should be used to enhance worker skills in high-demand jobs, as defined by WSW. If your company is not in one of these sectors, and the positions you wish to train fall into a high-demand occupation, you may be eligible.

Grant amounts will depend on the type of training, size of your company, availability of funds, and quality of training proposed including training outcomes (pay increases and advancement opportunities).

Grant funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so submit your application soon.

Workforce Southwest Washington (WSW) is the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) designated by federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) legislation to oversee the public workforce system in Cowlitz, Wahkiakum and Clark counties. WSW is a nonprofit organization and funds services that help individuals gain skills to obtain good-paying jobs or advance in their careers and help companies recruit, train and retain workers.

Since 2003, WSW has invested more than $120 million in southwest Washington. Learn more at www.workforcesw.org

Presented by:

March 29, 2023 | 3:00 pm - 7:30 pm

(Business After Hours starts at 5:30 pm)

BUSINESS & TOURISM EXPO & BUSINESS AFTER HOURS | Cowlitz County Event Center

Booth Space (36 Available)

Chamber Member

$300 before March 10 $500 after March 10

Non-Chamber Member $400 before March 10 $600 after March 10

Non-Profits get 50% off the above rates

Table Space (84 Available)

Chamber Member $200 before March 10

$300 after March 10

Non-Chamber Member $300 before March 10 $400 after March 10

Non-Profits get 50% off the above rates

Additional Sponsorship Packages Available

Includes booth space, logo on all printed material, logo on website, banner at event and all advertising.

Call today 360-423-8400 or register online: www.kelsolongviewchamber.org

REGISTER NOW! Save up to $200 for early sign up.

Major Sponsors:

Media Sponsors:

Resort Casino

Bill Fashing Executive Director

Road safety – performance measures

The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG) Board of Directors recently approved safety performance measures for the Longview/Kelso/ Rainier Metropolitan planning area. The federal Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) legislation set requirements for state Departments of Transportations (DOT) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) to establish performance measures including safety. As the MPO for the Longview/Kelso/Rainier Metro area the CWCOG is responsible for setting performance targets. This is the sixth-year safety performance targets have been established.

Each of us make decisions each day that impact our safety and the safety of those around us. Somehow, we need to find a way to lower the number of accidents caused by a number of factors, that lead to serious injuries and fatalities. Distracted driving, speed and alcohol continue to be major factors in the struggle to improve road safety. Public agencies continue to work to improve road safety with engineering solutions and what are called safety countermeasures yet we are seeing increases in accidents resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.

Because our MPO is a bi-state organization the CWCOG is required to address the safety performance measures in both Washington and Oregon. CWCOG staff, with the support and recommendation for approval from the Cowlitz Area Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), recently recommended to the CWCOG Board of Directors (MPO board) that the organization support the safety performance measures of each state rather than creating specific MPO targets. This recommendation follows the previous actions taken by the CWCOG Board of Directors.

The purpose for establishing safety performance measures is to help state DOTs and MPOs make investment decisions intended to significantly reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. State DOTs and MPOs are required to establish targets for five safety performance measures.

The safety performance measures required by MAP-21 are:

Safety Plan (SHSP).

The Washington SHSP is called Target Zero (http://www. targetzero.com). The goal of Target Zero is to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Washington's roadways to zero by year 2030. Washington also prepares an annual Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) report which includes information on the State's progress in meeting safety performance targets. Click the link for information on the process – https://wsdot. wa.gov/business-wsdot/support-local-programs/fundingprograms/highway-safety-improvement-program

MPOs in Washington worked with WSDOT to establish safety performance targets statewide and at the metropolitan planning area (MPA) level. The MPA targets are provided to inform regional planning and programming, not as sub-targets. Oregon DOT chose to establish safety performance targets at the state level and for their transportation regions. Oregon DOT did not provide safety performance targets for MPAs.

2022 All Roads in County – Distracted Drivers

Details on two of these measures for the area are included below. MPOs will report progress on meeting safety targets annually to State DOTs who must prepare a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) report annually. The purpose of the HSIP report is to show progress toward meeting the safety targets. States are also required to develop a Strategic Highway

For more CWCOG, see page 13

Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments

COMMERCIAL LOANS WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

Broadband Reminder of Action Needed

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently ended the initial input phase for its updated map of broadband service availability nationwide. This update follows years of concerns and complaints about the accuracy of the previous map versions. Concerns still exist about the accuracy of the maps and millions of broadband funds available for grants and loans hang in the balance and will be distributed using the maps. Residents of the region should check the maps for their residence or business location and file a challenge to the map if the data is not correct. Historically, the FCC has reported areas as served with broadband availability of 25/3 Mbps or greater when they were not served.

Are you or someone you know struggling with access to broadband. This is your chance to make a difference and possibly help to move broadband investments forward in the region. The process of checking the accuracy of the FCC maps is simple. You do need to go online to complete the process. You can use your phone or go to your regional library and access a computer there to test the map accuracy and submit comments.

You can go to https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home, and type in your home or business address. The map will indicate whether the FCC considers that site served with broadband or not. If you click on the dot representing your address a “Challenge Location” option will pop up. The process will require you to include your name, and email to challenge the accuracy of the map. Detailed directions and support can be found at https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/about. If your address appears to be unmapped, complete the process to identify the site as not being served.

Contact me at the CWCOG at cwcog@cwcog.org should you have questions on either road safety or engaging in the broadband issue.

The CWCOG serves a variety of planning functions for its member agencies. We serve as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Longview/Kelso/Rainier bistate metropolitan area, the Regional Transportation Planning Organization for a five-county region and we also serve as the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) designated Economic Development District for Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. The CWCOG has also recently been recognized as the Administrative Coordination Entity for the Spirit Lake – Toutle/Cowlitz River Collaborative working to address catastrophic flooding, sediment management, fish passage and other issues pertaining to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Dennis Weber County Commissioner, District 2

Emerging from the pandemic

In the winter of 2019-20 someone sent me an article from The New York Times titled: “How Pandemics End.” While this is not a publication I usually read, I was intrigued because it was a brief history of epidemics including ones during the Roman Empire and ancient China and I am a retired history teacher. While the stories were quite a romp through history, I was struck by the conclusions the authors reached. Epidemics end one of two ways: 1) scientists agree when it ends, and 2) the population affected finally decide to live with the consequences.

It would seem that we have chosen the latter for the COVID-19 pandemic. Most emergency rules and mandates are no longer in effect, the vaccines and boosters are in ample supply, masks are no longer required for jetliner trips, financial aid to small businesses and renters have pretty much ended, kids are back in schools, jury trials are being held at the Hall of Justice, and there is general agreement that those who are health compromised need to take extra precautions.

Of course, masks are still needed in medical settings and the capacity at our jail is impaired whenever there are inmates sick with infectious disease (although capacity is more threatened by severe mental health breakdowns among those incarcerated). Surprisingly, there never was a significant outbreak of COVID-19 at the Alabama Street Chronic Homeless Encampment. Compared to the 1918-19 Spanish flu epidemic, the death rate from COVID here in Cowlitz County over three years was comparable.

Progress on the Homeless Front

The state of Washington encouraged cities and counties to pool document recording fees to address homelessness. The City of Longview (along with other cities) signed such an agreement with the County years ago; a service provider oversight committee was appointed, a plan to address homelessness was created, recommendations were made; and previous Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) issued grants from the documentrecording fees that had accumulated over several years. Among the recipients were Emergency Support Shelter, Lower Columbia CAP, and Community House on Broadway.

But the recipient receiving the largest grants was a brand new social service agency known as Love Overwhelming, who rented a former women’s emergency shelter adjacent to the County Administration Building and Annex to offer three programs deemed essential by the oversight committee: coordinated entry (linking homeless individuals and families needing assistance to appropriate resources); an urban rest area for homeless living

out of their autos or RVs to have a place to shower, etc.; and an overnight shelter for homeless needing a roof over their heads.

The state strongly encouraged a barrier-free environment and the Love Overwhelming programs attempted to welcome any and all seeking relief from homelessness. Messages were sent out along the I-5 corridor publicizing LO’s services and soon they were overwhelmed. It turned out that without strict management of behaviors, many of the homeless needing relief found the ample availability of drugs for sale in the vicinity. Drug deals got so bad the Kelso Police went to court to get LO declared a drug house. Before a suitable arrangement could be reached between LO and KPD, conditions got so bad that the County finally purchased the LO building from its landlord, requiring a vacant building as a condition of the sale.

Many of those homeless recongregated on vacant privatelyowned land north of the railroad tracks between Oregon Way and Industrial Way. When the private owners developed the area for commercial/industrial uses; the “campers” took to the shores of Lake Sacajawea along Nichols Boulevard at the Lions Shelter until the City forced them to leave. Next, they landed in front of City Hall. In desperation, the City Council agreed to allow them to relocation in an unhosted and unregulated site near the city shops east of Oregon Way on Alabama Street.

An ad-hoc committee with representatives of Longview and Kelso city government and one county commissioner spent about a year trying to find an alternative site already publicly owned. Eventually, the group bowed to intense public pressure against relocating the encampment and disbanded, leaving the City of Longview on the hook. Conditions were inhumane as rainy weather resulted in extremely muddy conditions and the drugdealing continued unabated.

Last fall, Assistant City Manager Kris Swanson designed a chronic homeless alternative to correct the many faults with the unhosted, free style but filthy encampment. It requires a code of conduct for clients, including no drugs or alcohol; 24/7 security; pavement to support 50 pallet homes for single occupancy; community outreach services; development of plans of action for resolving individual homelessness, including treatment; and day-to-day management by the Salvation Army, who named the facility Hope Village.

It opened last month along with a request of partial funding from the County’s document recording fee account, as provided for under the original agreement. Already a few clients have been kicked out for violating the rules. As of the end of January the BOCC has not considered the request. Please let your county commissioners know if they should assist the City financially.

Cowlitz County Commissioners

SPENCER CREEK BUSINESS PARK IS WAITING FOR YOU.

• ZONED FOR MIXED USE

Large land site perfect for lodging/hospitality, retail, etc.

• CONVENIENTLY LOCATED OFF I-5

Just 30 minutes from PDX & the amenities of Portland

• 45 ACRES OF PRIME, SHOVEL-READY LAND

Environmental permits & road improvements in place

• COMPETITIVE UTILITY RATES + INCENTIVES

Designed to promote growth & ensure your succes

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR LEASE:

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• LOCATED OFF I-5

• FLEXIBLE 50K SQ. FT. WAREHOUSE + 1,750 SQ. FT. OFFICE SUITE

Jerry D. Petrick Certified Business Adviser

Strengthening your business in 2023

We’ve all heard the “experts” and others who tell us we are in, or entering, an economic recession. Whether we are or aren’t, the best time to strengthen our business was yesterday; and the second-best time is today!

Most business owners have a strong desire to improve their business. A strong business is one that can withstand the ups and downs of an economic cycle; it can replenish itself through profits; it’s agile, flexible, and communicates well; and it can support the owner’s lifestyle.

A strong business is based on a true business opportunity and a sound business model. While a business opportunity is shaped by the market environment, a business model is shaped by the owner. An enlightened way of looking at and defining your business model can be found at https://canvanizer.com/new/ business-model-canvas

There are at least five keys to building a strong business:

• The owner’s ability to lead AND manage

• A focus on customer needs and wants

• Systematized processes and procedures

• Hiring and investing in the right people

• Managing cash well!

LEAD AND MANAGE

Whether your business consists of one person or many, a clear vision and mission is imperative. These drive goals and objectives that are timely, measurable, and accountable. Amid many distractions, it keeps the owner focused. If the owner can effectively engage employees to embrace the vision and achieve company goals, the probability of success is high. In fact, the most important things an owner can do is stay focused on what the company does well and help employees do their best work. These concepts are driven home in books like “Good to Great” by Jim Collins and “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber. One adage that is worth minding as a business owner:

We manage things and we lead people.

MAINTAIN A CUSTOMER FOCUS

A customer-driven business is one that is synchronized with what customers really want and need. Most important is what customers and prospective customers value. These can be many things: a fair price, convenience, fast turnaround, high quality, etc. The reward for meeting their needs is predictable sales and growth. However, “customers” include more than the buying public. They may include shareholders, suppliers, bankers,

employees, and others who rely on an owner’s ability to keep his or her promises. A strong business balances the needs of all these “customers.”

One of my recent reads, “The Bezos Blueprint” by Carmine Gallo emphasized the obsession for serving the customer that is behind every decision – well worth the time to consider.

USE SYSTEMATIC PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES

Customers don’t really care how it’s done; they just want their needs met. However, to meet the needs of everyone – especially shareholders – production and delivery of goods and services must be efficient. The process of creating value to customers is based on a total management system originally used by Toyota and described in “The Machine that Changed the World” by James Womack, Daniel Jones, and Daniel Roos.

A useful tool for those looking to reinvigorate their business is the book by Eric Ries, “The Lean Start-up”. This work describes approaches to innovation and time-to-market such as “minimum viable solution” and “opportunistic adaptation”. This is a good read for sparking your thought processes and encouraging you to think differently.

HIRE WELL

An owner soon realizes that building a strong business is tough to do alone. At a minimum, an external team including a business adviser, banker, insurance agent, certified public accountant, and attorney may be required. At some point, though, employees will be needed to manage day-to-day functions as the business grows. An owner needs to assemble and lead people to apply principles and practices systematically and coherently. The key to assembling the right people is hiring well. This means selecting people for their talents and building on their strengths. Once people have joined your team the next order of business includes investing in their talents, listening to their thoughts, assisting them in their jobs, and rewarding them for work well done. In the book, “First, Break All the Rules”, authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman share the results of in-depth interviews revealing how the world’s greatest managers use these techniques.

MANAGE YOUR CASH

Every strong business depends on a predictable, consistent cash flow. A profit plan measures true profitability and is the best measure of efficiency. However, a cash budget that predicts

For more Petrick, see page 17

and monitors cash flowing into and out of a business is a good measure of sustainability. If an owner can predict and budget cash flow, then he or she can make better decisions on how and when to use cash. When businesses extend credit to buyers, incoming cash lags sales. When sales are made, assets (like inventory or labor) are required to complete the transaction and these assets require cash. Therefore, a lot of cash is going out and not a lot of cash is coming in throughout seasonal or cyclical fluctuations. Since the business owner can’t pay bills with negative cash, he or she must either borrow cash or inject it. Managing cash with a budget helps the owner predict cash shortages so funds can be arranged (often with a bank loan or line of credit) to fill the gaps. When collections create excess cash, the short-term loans can be paid back. Even profitable businesses can go bankrupt if they haven’t balanced their cash flow cycle.

While many factors contribute to building a strong business, these five deserve special attention. Strong businesses support their local communities and are the foundation upon which the economy grows.

These and other strategies will help you re-examine your business in 2023 and make your business prospects better than ever!

This article was prepared by Jerry Petrick, senior certified business adviser for the Washington State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC provides confidential, no-cost, business advisory services by appointment. Jerry can be contacted at jerry.petrick@wsbdc.org

Christian Stauffer and Chad Withrow, Northwest Enforcement

Isaac and Cheyenne Brooks, Tactical Patriot Protective Services

Ted Sprague, Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Justin Zakariassen, Evergreen Home Loans Longview West

Danny Perez, Renewal City Church dba The Roxy Theater

Lisa Thompson, Keller Williams Premiere Partners

Longview Mayor MaryAlice Wallis

Erin Hart, Three Rivers Christian School

Sam Burton, Discovery Coast Media

Carey Mackey, Red Canoe Credit Union

Joseph Govednik, Cowlitz County Historical Museum, and Larry Hembree, Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management

FEBRUARY

1 Education Foundation, 8:30am, Zoom Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

2 Chamber Ambassadors, 7:30am, Canterbury Park Ribbon Cutting, 11am, Shinju Dojo Aikido

8 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

9 Ribbon Cutting, 11am, Canopy Mortgage Lower Columbia Professionals, 4pm, TBD

10 Ribbon Cutting, 11:30am, Bunn and Done Up, Up and Away, 6:30pm, Grant's-Monticello Hotel

14 Ribbon Cutting, 11am, Discovery Coast Media Chamber Executive Board, Noon, Mill City Grill

15 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

16 Ribbon Cutting, 11am, Emerald Haven

21 Business After Hours and Ribbon Cutting, 5:30pm, Three Rivers Law Center Chamber Board, Noon, Mill City Grill 22 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM 28 Bill Marcum's last day

1 Education Foundation, 8:30am, Zoom

Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

2 Chamber Ambassadors, 7:30am, Canterbury Park

3

Small Business Boot Camp Boardmanship Series, 7:30am, American Workforce Group

8 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

9 Ribbon Cutting, 11am, A to Z Options Lower Columbia Professionals, 4pm, TBD

10 Small Business Boot Camp Boardmanship Series, 7:30am, American Workforce Group

14 Chamber Executive Board, Noon, Mill City Grill

15 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

17 Small Business Boot Camp Boardmanship Series, 7:30am, American Workforce Group

21 Chamber Board, Noon, Mill City Grill

22 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

24 Small Business Boot Camp Boardmanship Series, 7:30am, American Workforce Group Quarterly Membership Luncheon, Speaker: LCC President Chris Bailey, 11:45am-1:15pm, TBA

29 Your Chamber Connection radio show, 6pm, KEDO 1270 AM or 99.9 FM

Building Bridges Business and Tourism Expo, 3pm, followed by Business After Hours, 5:30pm, Cowlitz County Event Center

31

Small Business Boot Camp Boardmanship Series, 7:30am, American Workforce Group

New Members

Add your business to our growing membership. Call 360-423-8400 Today!

Membership packages to fit your needs Business Association with opportunities to promote trade through Chamber socials, special events and committee participation.

• Annual Meeting and Banquet

• Networking Events

• Committee Participation

• Business Contacts

• Quarterly Membership Meetings

• Civic Representation

• Monthly Business After Hours

Business Services include marketing for your business, referrals and access to Chamber publications and research data.

• Mailing Labels

• Membership Window Decals

• Member Referrals

• Ribbon Cutting

• Website Links

• Member to Member Discounts

• Membership Directory

• Tax Deduction

• Newsletter

• Business Card Display

• Use of Chamber Logo

Representation through action committees, candidate forums and up-to-date action alerts.

• Legislative Representation

• Issues Tracking and Information

• Task Forces

• Candidate Forums

• Legislative Update Breakfast

• Demographics Publication

Membership Packages

Basic • $275 or $26 per month

Bronze • $500 or $46.66 per month

Silver • $1,000 or $86.33 per month

Gold • $2,500 or $211.33 per month

Platinum • $5,000 or $416.66 per month

Diamond Club • $10,000 or $834 per month

Nonprofit • $180 or $18 per month

Look Who Joined in January

Canopy Mortgage

Nathan Douglas

1339 Commerce Avenue. Suite 209

Longview, WA 98632

971-212-2800

natedouglas@hotmail.com

Emerald Haven

Amy Covey

780 Ocean Beach Highway, Suite B

Longview, WA 98632

360-353-5746

emeraldhavengames@gmail.com

Bunn and Done LLC

Aaron Bunn

Kelso, WA 98626

360-560-2006

bunnanddone@gmail.com

Grant’s Restaurant

Grant Hadler

1401 17th Avenue

Longview, WA 98632

360-442-1011

granthadler@yahoo.com

Alex Brehm LLC Instructor and Speech and Debate Coach

50th annual Michael Dugaw Smelt Classic nets big competition

You can’t talk about Lower Columbia College (LCC) without two things immediately coming to mind: Mike Dugaw and The Fighting Smelt.

Dugaw, the beloved longtime history and speech instructor at LCC, served as the director of forensics from 1973 until his retirement in 2012. He built a debate program that was competitive on the national level and mentored countless students along the way. His signature coaching phrase, “don’t suck,” reverberates across the generations of students whose lives he touched.

The Fighting Smelt has become something more than a mascot. What started as a somewhat joking name that referenced the infamous local smelt runs became a program identity that has lasted throughout the years. The Fighting Smelt are a group of scrappy underdogs who are proud to represent their home community.

It is perhaps fitting, then, that LCC’s premiere speech and debate tournament bears both names: The Michael Dugaw Smelt Classic.

On January 27-29, Lower Columbia College was proud to host the 50th annual Michael Dugaw Smelt Classic. This anniversary year tournament was both a rigorously competitive academic event and a celebration of the legacy of this program that has been able to persist for a half century due to consistent community support.

The very first Smelt Classic forensics tournament was hosted by Dugaw during the 1973-74 season. After his passing in 2018, his name was added to his signature tournament, making it the Michael Dugaw Smelt Classic.

This year’s Smelt Classic tournament served as the third and final Northwest Forensics Conference “designated tournament” for the current competition season, and it is expected to attract more than 150 student competitors from at least 20 programs spread across six states (Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington).

This year’s squad of Fighting Smelt consists of 19 current LCC students. The team exhibits the diversity of the Lower Columbia

College student population, including students who are full-time and part-time, international, Running Start, and with a wide range of ages, perspectives and life experiences.

During fall quarter, this year’s team showed some promising results, including Top 3 finishes at two invitationals to start the season. The team hopes to build on these early successes with a strong result at their home tournament.

Results from the competition were not available. Please check with Lower Columbia College, lowercolumbia.edu, for results.

In addition to our vast experience and customized solutions, we put a lot of heart into helping your one-of-akind business succeed. HeritageBankNW.com/allofus

“If something comes up, I just call my banker and we can figure it out.”

- Tracy Fisher, Business Diversity Institute

Ad Rates

✔ Used year round by hundreds of local and out-of-area companies.

A resource guide for the community.

Ad Sizes

Full Page .............. $2,453 ....... $2,230

1/2 Page ......... $1,358.50 ....... $1,235

1/4 Page ......... $1,028.50 .......... $935

1/8 Page $786.50 $715

1/16 Page $555.50 $505

All ads are full color at no extra charge. Visitor Guide is also published online.

Premium placement including back cover, inside covers, page 2, 3 and 4: add 15%

Mechanical Specifications

Electronic Files

• Should be emailed to bmarcum@kelsolongviewchamber.org

• Please include your company name and publication in the subject line.

Logos, Images, Photos

• Formats: High resolution JPG, EPS, TIFF, PDF

• Resolution must be 300 dpi. Images from the internet cannot be used.

Full Files

• PDF format, output to High Quality Print setting.

Images for Scanning

• Photographs (up to 8.5” x 11”), stationery, menus, business cards, etc.

• Artwork for scanning must be clear and unmarked.

• Digital artwork is preferred as this will give a higher quality result.

If you have any questions regarding acceptable artwork, please call 360-423-8400 or email bmarcum@kelsolongviewchamber.org

Mary Beth Tack Superintendent

What makes schools #KelsoStrong

We have a long tradition of excellence in Kelso. Just like our greater community, the team in Kelso School District works hard and we take pride in the important work we do every day. This year, we are filming a series of videos featuring some of programs in our district that make Kelso strong. The first three videos are complete and ready to share with our community. Take a look — you may be surprised at depth of offerings available to Kelso students.

#KelsoStrong: Visual and Performing Arts

Research shows arts in education engages students in learning, increases attendance, reduces misbehavior, improves test scores (particularly among at-risk youth), strengthens community, and improves long-term academic, occupational, and social outcomes.

In Kelso School District, we have a wide variety of visual and performing arts options for students. Our robust program gives students a pathway for personal expression while providing them with lifelong skills and the opportunity to share their talents with their communities through performance and competition.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/jxIuFuC1M0U

#KelsoStrong: Teaching and Learning

In Kelso School District, we are dedicated to bringing robust, comprehensive instructional materials and 21st century technology to our students for their personal growth and academic achievement.

This video shares some highlights of teaching and learning in the areas of math, English language arts, STEAM, and dual credit courses. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/qDJ_Lo-YJdU

#KelsoStrong: A Tradition of Excellence in Athletics, Clubs and Activities

With close to 5,000 students, Kelso School District is the heart of our Kelso community. From football to STEAM Club, DECA to wrestling, and everything in-between, our athletics, clubs and activities have a strong tradition of excellence.

Watch this video to see why they are so important for our students' growth both academically and socially, and how they improve chances of post-secondary success. See it here: https:// youtu.be/iopyJ0ilY2s

You can follow our YouTube channel @kelsoschooldistrict to see the rest of the series as each video is completed.

We Are #KelsoStrong

Longview Public Schools

Dan Zorn Superintendent

Safety and security among top priorities

The safety and security of students and employees is a top priority at Longview Public Schools. Many Longview business owners are parents of students enrolled in Longview schools and know that our district is constantly striving to improve safety so that our students and staff feel secure in their buildings and parents feel at ease knowing their kids are safe at school. Our safety and security program is much more than providing secure campuses, it also encompasses emergency response. This column is meant to provide information about the steps our district takes to communicate during an emergency. These steps prioritize student safety and the notification of staff, families and community.

Often the emergency actions we take in our schools are due to things occurring near our schools that could potentially affect our campuses. For example, a dangerous suspect on the loose, a nearby mental health crisis, or a potential threat nearby. In these cases, we work closely with Longview Police personnel to make the best decisions possible to keep our students and employees safe. Sometimes schools will be asked to “secure and teach” which means to bring students inside where doors are already locked and continue teaching like normal. Other times we might need to keep students past release time until the “all clear” is given from police. We do this because we do not want students near an active police scene or potentially dangerous situation.

Anytime we decide to implement emergency protocols, it sets in motion our risk communication protocols, with the goal to get information out to those who need it, as quickly as possible. In the era of instant communication and the expectation for real time information, this is especially challenging because the situations we deal with are constantly changing and there are many moving parts to normal school operations that have to be halted and redirected quickly. Once the decision to implement emergency protocols is made, the following steps are taken to communicate with stakeholders:

1. Communication is provided to affected school personnel (principals, teachers, support staff), primarily in a brief explanation and instructions.

2. Service personnel scheduled to work at that campus are notified and provided instructions.

3. Neighboring district schools receive notification if their operations could be impacted, i.e. – evacuation of students

For more Longview Schools see page 25

Kelso Public Schools

off campus.

4. Parents and guardians of students in the effected schools are notified using a variety of methods.

5. Information is posted to the district website and social media.

6. Press release is sent to the media, if warranted.

7. Updates are sent out until the situation is resolved. We make every attempt to notify students, parents, and staff prior to sending information out to the community. We encourage parents to update their contact information annually and provide their email addresses and cell phone numbers, so they receive emergency alerts when issues arise.

I hope this information has shed light on how we prioritize and send out notifications when we activate our emergency protocols during school hours.

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to THANK the following loyal members for renewing their partnership with us this month.

All Out Sewer and Drain Service, Inc

Community Home Health and Hospice

Day Wireless Systems

Heritage Bank – Longview

Interstate Wood Products, Inc

Lower Columbia College

Lower Columbia Contractors Association

McCord Bros. Nissan Dodge

Energy Efficiency Question:

What are the largest contributors to your electric bill?

Answer:

Heating and air conditioning and water heating! These two together represent an estimated 70% of your overall electric bill costs.

Solution:

We have a rebate for that!

Hybrid Water Heater

$600 rebate

Reduce the cost of heating your water by up to 65-70%!

Ductless Heat Pump (DHP)

$800 rebate

(when upgrading from electric zonal heat or electric forced-air furnace)

$100 rebate

(with a DHP replacement) Reduce the cost of heating your home by up to 50%!

Make the switch today and enjoy lower energy costs! Call Energy Efficiency Services at 360.501.9514 (office) or 800.631.1131 (toll-free) for more information.

McDonald's of Longview – Ocean Beach

Minuteman Press

Pacific Fibre Products, Inc

Paperbacks Galore, Inc

Retirement Strategies

ServPro of Longview/Kelso

Signature Transport, Inc

VCA Ocean Beach Animal Hospital No. 470

Waste Control Recycling, Inc

Woodford Commercial Real Estate

City of Longview

MaryAlice Wallis Mayor

Homeless population leads mayors' list

Recently, while attending the mayors exchange with other mayors across the state of Washington, two questions were asked to the group of more than 40 mayors: “What is the number one need in your community? And, what is your New Year’s resolution?” The majority of the responses to the first question were clear: homelessness and housing needs.

I was feeling grateful the City of Longview, by a council vote, established a pallet micro-community, helping alleviate some of the homeless issues in our community, and that we are addressing the housing crisis by establishing, through a City Council vote, a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax to support affordable housing. This tax (10 cents on $100) will grow to more than $ 1 million and will be used to match state grants toward housing development by eight times the value. Essentially, our $1 million could gain the city $8 million when granted state funds for affordable housing contracts.

To the second answer, I offered the response: I don’t typically declare New Year’s resolutions, but my plan this year is to be more intentional in my actions and offer more grace toward others.

I am looking forward to this year of 2023! To celebrate with the community the blessings of our 100 years, and the beautiful caring community we have. In the coming months, we will begin to see the benefits of the work of staff and council adoption, the biennial city budget of more than $95 million for 2023-24. This budget includes new staff positions (business systems analyst in IT, community outreach coordinator, parks maintenance supervisor, and two facilities maintenance technicians), and capital project enhancements (Mint Valley golf poles/netting and facilities needs assessment, Roy Morse softball field lighting replacements, McClelland Arts Building HVAC system replacement, park maintenance shop siding, police garage gate replacements, fire station No. 82 emergency generator, John Null Park tennis court lighting replacements and engineering vertical file systems). We may not have been able to include everything that everyone wanted, but by a council vote, we made fiscally responsible decisions for the needs to move the city forward. In addition, the council approved an increase to the Transportation Benefit Fund (TBD). The $20 fee increase for the vehicle registrations allows the City of Longview to continue replacing roads, not only by chip seal, but that are damaged beyond repair with new pavement. Roads the city has already replaced using TBD funds in the past few years are a section of 15th Avenue, Nichols Boulevard North, Oregon Way and California Way. Roads that will be replaced with the new TBD funds will be northeast Nichols Boulevard, Glenwood Drive, Columbia Heights Road, part of Oregon Way, 38th Avenue, Mt. Solo Road and Oak Street.

Let’s rejoice in this new year, and whatever resolutions, plans, or goals you may have for 2023, may we all consider the opportunity of being a little more intentional and offer more grace toward others.

City of Kelso

Mike Karnofski Mayor

More improvements slated for this year

Kelso, completed a couple of major projects in 2022, made progress on a couple of others and made some major decisions for future years.

The major completion was Phase III of Tam O’Shanter park improvements. This completes the significant project work. In total more than $3 million were spent to improve the park. With a full-sized baseball field and great stadium, three youth baseball fields, three softball fields, two tennis courts, an outdoor basketball court, horseshoe pits, a disc golf area, and plenty of open space and covered areas, Tam O’Shanter is one of the best parks in southwest Washington. But there is more to come with money budgeted for the softball field, disc golf improvements and pickleball courts.

Downtown street improvements on North Pacific Avenue, Oak Street, and 4th and 5th streets were the major street projects completed in 2022. Work also progressed on the Hazel Street overpass. Two major issues are holding up the process: height of the street lights on the overpass and location of a railroad signal.

The best news for the city in 2022 was the refurbishing of the Ranney water system. Completion of this project returned the system to near its normal capacity and allowed the City to stop taking Longview water. The system should be good for another three to five years.

The community center study, which was funded by a $250,000 state grant, has been completed and the results will be reviewed with the Council early in 2023.

The Council approved funding a Transportation Benefit District by approving a 0.1 percent sales tax increase. This should generate about $220,000 per year for street improvements.

Financially, Kelso ended the year in great shape. The budget approved for 2023-24 includes many items discussed in last month’s column, which will have a positive effect on the City in the next couple of years. As a reminder these items included, fully funding the police and library, spray park water recycle system, and improvements in various park and recreation facilities.

Longview Downtowners

Lindsey Cope President

Watch for Galentines and Shamrock Saturday

Downtown Longview is buzzing with excitement as it heads into strategic planning. As we prepare for strategic planning for next year, we are accepting nominations for election for our 2023-24 Board of Directors in February.

While we work on onboarding and planning, we are continuing with our monthly Shop Local Saturday events on the fourth Saturday of every month. You can find specific information and specials on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ downtownlongviewwa under “events”.

Other events downtown include:

• Antidote Tap House hosts trivia every Monday. Come down to play and have a libation or two.

• The Broadway Gallery is hosting art classes. You can find more information under “events” at www.

downtownlongview.com

• The Columbia Theatre has a fantastic line up of live acts and Rainy Month’s movies with Fibre Federal Credit Union.

• February 9 – JoJo and CoCo are hosting a Galentines event from 6-8 p.m.

• March 18 – Downtown Longview is bringing back Shamrock Saturday. This will feature themed St. Patrick’s Day fun and a passport shopping program.

• April – we will host our downtown clean up in memory of dear friend and former board member Lonnie Knowles.

We are delightfully busy implementing events for the first quarter and building on growth and prosperity for downtown Longview and beyond.

Don’t forget to eat local, drink local, shop local, shop downtown Longview.

Thinking about hosting Business After Hours in 2024? Contact us at 360-423-8400 or email

jrinard@kelsolongviewchamber.org

January 10: Total Employment and Management (TEAM)

February 21: Three Rivers Law Center

March 29: Building Bridges Business & Tourism Expo

April 11: Cowlitz Wahkiakum Legal Aid

May 16: Foster Farms 25th Anniversary Celebration

June 13: Stewart Title

July 11: Mary Cranston, LLC

August 8: Cowlitz Indian Tribe

September 12: Northwest Enforcement

October 10: Edward Jones - Roy Gawlick

November 14: Windermere Northwest Living

December 12: Holiday Mixer

Business After Hours

Hosted by TEAM – Total Employment and Management

Business After Hours hosted by TEAM – Total Employment and Management featured a “Winter’s Best” theme. Guests enjoyed great food from Hop-n-Grape, drinks and generous raffle prizes.

The team at TEAM gets ready to welcome Chamber members to Business After Hours

Hattie Bauska, B & B Landscaping Services, Inc., and Aimee Thompson, InRoads Federal Credit Union

Ambassador Kodie Kultala, Remax Premiere Group, prize winner Betsy Wyatt, Sho’me Real Estate, and Chantel Anderson, TEAM

Mary Cranston and Longview Mayor MaryAlice Wallis

Winter’s best networking event

Important connections are made at Business After Hours

State Supreme Court began hearing arguments on capital gains

Written by Washington Retail From Inside Washington Retail

Nine state Supreme Court justices began hearing oral arguments in January over the legality of the recently imposed capital gains income tax legislation. The hearing will stream live on TVW

If the court upholds the capital gains tax, it would be imposed as an income tax on all Washingtonians. This is the 11th attempt to impose an income tax on our state’s residents, three of which were attempts at amending the state’s constitution. The recent state advisory vote in November 2021 made it clear that over 60 percent of Washington’s residents do not want a capital gains income tax.

Despite a $10 billion budget surplus, lawmakers used an emergency funding clause to pass the tax, denying voters the opportunity to repeal it. The income tax was essentially approved by the judicial branch and Supreme Court, avoiding an inevitable defeat by voters.

Proponents say the tax will affect only 0.2 percent of the state’s residents—while opening the door as a precursor to a broader income tax on all residents.

Call it what you want, but the Internal Revenue Service and the revenue departments of 49 states view this as an income tax.

A new proposal, SB 5335, would increase the overall capital gains tax rate and include real estate transactions.

Combating Organized Retail Crime Act reintroduced in Congress

Written by Washington Retail From Inside Washington Retail

Recently, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Mastro (D-NV) introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023. A summary of the bill can be viewed here. Washington Retail strongly supports the bill, as does the National Retail Federation, which has worked closely with the senators on the reintroduction of a similar bill last session.

The bill does the following:

• Seeks to make amendments to Title 18 of the U.S. Code, including adding a dollar value threshold of $5,000 or more in a 12-month period.

• Establishes a Center to Combat Organized Retail Crime to be led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Center is tasked with coordinating federal-level ORC investigations and intelligence sharing, and supporting the retail industry and state and local law enforcement in their ORC-related investigative activities.

• Requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to review their existing training and technical assistance programs and find ways to increase their prioritization of ORC within these programs.

Workshop series available to benefit local small businesses

Lower Columbia College is hosting a series of Small Business Success Workshops on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning in February and running through May on campus. Each series costs $99.

The first workshop, Website Development and Digital Storefront Management, begins Feb. 7-28. It is followed by Target Market Segmentation March 7-28. Utilizing Social Media and Influencer Marketing closes out the run April 18-May 9.

Included with each workshop:

• Two days of in-person instruction with an experienced small business owner instructor.

• Online course contatent and materals accessbile to you for one year.

• Networking with other local small business owners. A bonus: each participant will receive one free two-hour personal business consultation.

For information email ehoff@lowercolumbi.edu

For more News and Events see page 33

Lower Columbia College hosts job fair for those interested in education

Lower Columbia College will host an Education Job Fair for current high school and college students and community members interested in employment in teaching, substitute teaching, or paraeducation February 21.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 2:30-6:30 p.m., in the Student Center on the Lower Columbia College campus. Local school districts and childcare facilities will be on site to answer questions and accept resumes to fill current and future positions.

Staff from Lower Columbia College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BAS-TE) program will also be on hand to answer questions about the college’s education programs. The BAS-TE program is tailored for working adults with options for residency teacher certification or a focus in early care and education. LCC offers endorsements in elementary education and early childhood education. Multiple other certificate and associate degree options in education and early childhood education are also available at LCC.

Applications for LCC’s BAS-TE program are currently being accepted at lowercolumbia.edu/bas to start in the 2023-24 academic year. Prospective certificate and associate degree students can start anytime, and should begin by applying for admission to the college. There are no minimum academic requirements for admission to LCC, and applying is always free at lowercolumbia.edu/apply

Police Satellite Office at the Archie Anderson Park open for business

The new police station in Longview’s Highlands neighborhood is open. Patrol officers will come and go from the station 24 hours a day while they serve the Highlands neighborhood and surrounding area.

Located at 275 21st Ave., at Archie Anderson Park, the station’s business office is open to the public 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday (closed for lunch noon to 1 p.m.).

The direct number to the station front desk is 360-442-5850.

Celebrating 100 Years

The Longview Centennial Committee kicked off a year of celebrations with a community event at The Merk in historic downtown Longview January 20. The event included historic exhibits, special guests, refreshments and the opening of a time capsule led by the Longview Masonic Lodge No. 263.

Ribbon Cuttings

Welcome New Member Tactical Patriot Protective Services

Thank you to these Ambassadors who participated in ribbon cutting celebrations during January!

Josh Carter KLOG-KUKN-The Wave

Diane Craft Koelsch Communities

DeDe Brill PeaceHealth

Katie Dillinger

Life Mortgage

Fran Gehrman Academy Mortgage

Kelly Godden

Specialty Rents

Kerri Guitteau and Corby Cowlitz Black Bears

James Hoyt Heritage Bank

Joy Klein

Columbia Bank

Kodie Kultala

Remax Premiere Group

Nick Lemiere

Edward Jones

Eric McCrandall

Family Health Center

Carrie Medack

Diamond Residential Mortgage

Pam Whittle

Realty One Group Pacifica

Welcome New Member Country Village Nutrition Shoppe

Ribbon Cuttings

Welcome New Member

Renewal City Church DBA The Roxy Theater

Business Connection Advertising Rates

Effective January, 2023

Kelso-Longview Business Connection monthly newsletter is published the first of each month, posted electronically on our website and emailed to over 7,000 local business professionals, city and county officials. To be included in this monthly email, call the Chamber office at 360-423-8400.

All ads include full color and any design work. Deadline is the 21st of the month prior to publication. Digital files: PDF is preferred. JPEG accepted at high resolution (at least 300 dpi).

Non-Members of the Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce, please add 30% to above rates.

To advertise or request additional information, please call at 360-423-8400 or contact:

CEO Bill Marcum bmarcum@kelsolongviewchamber.org

Project Manager Julie Rinard jrinard@kelsolongviewchamber.org

Date:______________

Business Name: Phone: ____________________________

Contact Name: Cell:

Address: Zip

Email: Fax:

Number of Issues Invoice Credit Card Check Plus Web Ad: 300W X 100H. Ads can be changed monthly.

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