DEFEAT OF ME ASURE Y HIGHLIGHTS IMPACTFUL 2018 FOR OCEANSIDE CHAMBER

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

DEFEAT OF MEASURE Y HIGHLIGHTS IMPACTFUL 2018 FOR OCEANSIDE CHAMBER

LAST YEAR, the Oceanside Chamber Board of Directors began implementation of its 3-Year Strategic Plan. The plan identified six focus areas in which the Chamber would be a catalyst for business growth through theyear 2020.

We have completed the first year of that plan, and here is an update on our progress in each of our 6 key areas...

PUBLIC POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

• One of our first tasks was to update our Public Policy Platform to allow more latitude to quickly take positions on issues of importance to our business community. The Public Policy Task Force had several meetings to review and update the guidelines, and will now meet regularly to consider new items that may need to be added to keep the platform relevant. Staff has updated the guidelines on the Chamber website and has developed a printed version for distribution to members.

• In partnership with our Business and Community Political Action Committee (BACPAC), we held candidate forums for Oceanside Districts 1 and 2 City Council candidates. The forums were well attended by the public and 100% of the candidates showed up and participated. The Chamber did a follow-up article on the forums in the Fall 2018 edition of the Oceanside Business Journal that outlined the candidates positions on the following key issues: Cannabis, Measure X, Measure Y, and also highlighted some of the key comments of each candidate.

• The Chamber took a lead role in defeating Measure Y (aka the SOAR Initiative). We were instrumental in convening business & community leaders and local

farmers who desired to protect the future of farming in our community as well as preserve Oceanside’s opportunity to pursue agritourism in the South Morro Hills area of Oceanside. The BACPAC commissioned a study on the Economic Impact of the SOAR initiative, and the facts generated from this report were instrumental in the campaign to defeat Measure Y.

• On a statewide level, we continued to stay in close touch with the Cal Chamber and other business organizations and participated in pro-business coalitions on legislative issues of importance to business.

• As a champion of a thriving community, the Chamber recognizes the need to have effective policymakers in elected office. Along those lines, the Chamber Board has directed the Business and Community Political Action Committee to create policies and procedures for endorsing/supporting business friendly candidates. Chamber staff has reached out to members of the business community for input on the qualities they would like to see in their elected leaders. Proposed policies and procedures will be brought to the board for consideration by Summer 2019.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

• The Chamber partnered with the City’s Economic Development Department to hold the 1st Annual Oceanside CARES business walk. Teams from the Chamber and City staff went out for a morning of visits to dozens of Oceanside businesses, to learn about their businesses and how we can help them grow in our community in years to come.

• The Chamber regularly provided a much-needed pro-business voice at the City Council and Planning Commission meetings to support projects that will provide growth and employment in our community.

Additionally, Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton now represents the Chamber on Oceanside’s Downtown Advisory Committee.

• The Chamber joined a coalition of organizations on the steering committee of the Oceanside California Cultural District in leveraging Oceanside’s rich cultural arts status for economic growth in our community.

• In support of tourism as a key economic driver, the Chamber Board authorized the creation of a Beach Sand Task Force that will bring together a wide variety of stakeholders to develop a long-term solution for beach erosion issues.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The Chamber continued its partnership with the Oceanside Promise to support their goals of aligning community resources to better serve Oceanside’s Youth. Chamber CEO Scott Ashton serves on the leadership table and other committees within the Promise. Most recently, we began working in support of their Latino Young Men Success Initiative.

• We have opened lines of communication with Oceanside High School regarding their Pathways