Dear Chamber Supporters:
Not that I’m counting…but only 15 more workdays for me! It seems in my mind things should begin to slow down…but I’m as busy as ever. In the office we’re wrapping up from the annual meeting, starting to think logistics for the next big event, our annual Flea, Junk, and Trunk to be held May 20, the honor’s banquet for Ottawa Middle and High School students…and running through all this, the hiring committee searching for my successor. Makes the days active and busy.
Wrap up from Annual Banquet:
A few things remain to report from our annual banquet a week ago on Thursday, May 2…the auction was an amazing success, raising $10,000.00! That comes from great donations and great bidding. I’ve always been told it only takes 2 people who want the same thing to make a great sale…in a sale such as we organize, it also takes generous businesses providing fabulous donations which inspire people to bid. A big thank you to all who donated and/or bid…you all put smiles on our faces. The entire banquet grossed $22,000.00 (this includes the auction). Most of this is because of Ottawa University, Kansas State Bank, USD 290…all of who were major sponsors. In addition to these premier sponsors, 13 businesses and organizations stepped up to be table sponsors. We can’t say thank you enough for your assistance and generosity…your Chamber is stronger because of your support!!
Lastly…I didn’t have pictures of all the award winners last week, so I waited until this week to highlight them receiving their award (pictures here). I should also mention Chamber Member, Josie Alexander, North 40 photographer, provided all the pictures and photographs from the event (here’s a link if you want to see all the pictures). A big thank you to her for her work the night of and for officially memorializing our annual event. One last word on this…there are a number who have won something at the auction but have yet to pick up their items…we encourage you to do that soon. If we can accommodate you in this process in any way…give us a call (785.242.1000). A big thank you to all the volunteers and organizers, the people attending, the bidders and the donors and sponsors. You all made me happy this entire week!!
New City Manager:
By now I’m sure most know that Brian Silcott has been hired to lead the City into the future (full press release here). The announcement was made Monday evening at the commission work session…Brian was in attendance. Brian most recently has served the community of Goddard, Kansas for 15 years as well as having served previously in Osage City and Sterling, Kansas for a combined 20 years of city management experience. He and his wife Mary Elizabeth have one son who is currently attending Emporia State University. It will be fun getting to know Brian and learning his different management techniques. It takes a minute for the new guy to settle in…and another minute for staff and the public to adapt to new methods and styles. Some define this as change which they prefer to resist…I call it hitting the refresh button – it’s very healthy for a city or organization to have new leaders which look at things from a different perspective. We must grant, Richard Nienstedt has done an amazing job for the last 16 years. Here is the invitation to his retirement gathering at City Hall on March 16 from 2:00-4:00 (RSVP not required). Be sure to stop by and say thanks for 16 years of leadership…43 total years of City Management! An amazing career!! Here's my big thanks to Richard…you’ve been an amazing friend and great partner of the Chamber!!
Meal-Packing Event:
Lisa Rivers, the Franklin County Farm Bureau County Coordinator, along with her board and committees, recently organized a meal-packing event last Saturday, March 4, at the fairgrounds in Celebration Hall. The meals are to feed the hungry in our own community. With generous donations from the Franklin County Community Foundation, Walmart Distribution Center, Crystal Davis-Taylor: Modern Woodmen of America, Kelly Neufeld, Farm Bureau Financial Services, the Appanoose Trailblazers 4-H Club, and a matching grant from Kansas Farm Bureau, they were able to package 15,000 meals and engage 96 volunteers in packaging protein-enriched meals for the food-insecure throughout Franklin County (pictures here). Volunteers were organized and trained by The Outreach Program…based in Union, Iowa, the Outreach Program is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide safe water, food, medical care and education to those in need at home and abroad. The 15,000 meals packaged locally will be distributed to local organizations to curb hunger in this community…Hope House, the Mobile Food Pantry, and the Blessing Box Foundation will make sure these efforts are appreciated and go to needy individuals and families. Many complain about the homeless and indigent…these volunteers created positive momentum to actually do something about it. Good job and thanks to Franklin County Farm Bureau!!
Legislative Coffee last Saturday:
There was a big crowd and lots of questions last Saturday for our local elected officials who represent us in Topeka. Legislators participating were Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, Rep. Carrie Barth, and Sen. Caryn Tyson…not present was Sen. Rick Kloos (pictures here). All of our elected are Republicans…but many moderates and Democrats peppered the legislators with questions about education, such as public funds flowing to private schools (sometimes referred to as vouchers) and would those students be held to the same standards as children in public schools with testing and individualize education plans (IEP). The Healthcare Bill of Rights was discussed. Progressive voters were concerned about current bills they feel create “voter suppression” by having a hard stop on election day at 7:00 p.m. and eliminating the 3-day grace after election day for mail-in ballots to reach the clerk’s office…and also abolishing all ballot drop boxes which are unsupervised. The more conservative in the room referred to these measures as “voter accuracy”. The last somewhat contentious topic is a legislative initiative to push for a Constitutional amendment to remove all sales tax from grocery items…in other words – not just the state tax, but local tax too. This is a bit dicey…locally, sales tax is how we fund our hospital, support economic development, and keep our local infrastructure modern and maintained. I would definitely say it is beneficial for the elected to get out of Topeka and hear directly from those they represent. Having worked in that politically charged environment previously, you tend to become cloistered and contract tunnel vision. A healthy dose of everyday life and opinions is valuable!! Next coffee is April 1…plan to attend and make your thoughts known!
Wet Lilies:
We had a fun ribbon cutting and a huge crowd this morning to cut the ribbon for Ottawa’s newest business, Wet Lilies (pictures here). Formerly located just south of Love’s Travel Station, Traci Hower has moved and expanded her business into a larger enterprise…now located at the SE corner of Main and Logan Streets in north Ottawa. At her first location, Traci concentrated on creating water features for your yard and landscaping…including plants and vegetation which thrive in water. Now…she has built a greenhouse and will begin offering bedding plants, including flowers and vegetable starts. I text Cherry from the event this morning, “you are going to love this place!!” I immediately noticed Traci has seed potatoes, and onion sets along with broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage starts. I guarantee we will be back…onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage should already be in the ground. It’s just been a little wet the last 10 days. Always fun to get a new business and hear from a local entrepreneur. Additionally, Traci told attenders of some of her different seasonal plans for the location. This is a great addition to Ottawa…be sure to stop by!!
Grandkid Birthdays:
Last week we celebrate two grandkids' birthdays…both born on March 3 in different years (pictures here). I think I also mentioned last week we were babysitting the two Flory boys from Friday to Sunday…when they went home Sunday afternoon all Cherry and I could do was sit in our chairs! A 5 and a 2-year-old for 3 days completely wore us out!!
Ottawa schools begin Spring Break today…hope we have nice weather for kids to get outside and enjoy! Cherry is going with her sisters this week for a “Sister’s Weekend” in Colorado…it means I get to relax!
Talk to you next week…
Onward ~ John
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
john@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
