Dear Chamber Supporters,

I appreciate all who kept Makayla in mind this past weekend as she ran her marathon. I’m incredibly pleased to share that she finished the 26.2 miles, making all her fans incredibly proud (pictures here)! The training process to get to this point was not short and she experienced several bumps along the way. Having talked about running a marathon for over a year, having to cancel one in the fall from injury, and then training back to full strength to accomplish her goal is inspiring (not quite inspiring enough to make me want to run a marathon). She’s now walking normally once more after a few days of jello legs, but I imagine no post-race soreness will stop her from setting a new goal later this year. I’m looking forward to seeing what she has in mind. Knowing her, it will probably involve running obscenely long distances…

2024 Legislative Session: Brewing to a Close Yet Still Heating Up

Our fourth Legislative Coffee also took place last Saturday morning and had active participation from our community and legislators. We were honored to have Rebecca Schmoe, Carrie Barth, and Caryn Tyson join us at City Hall, engaging in a fruitful discussion with the public. The past three weeks saw a break in the Kansas legislators' schedule, as they return to the capitol today through early next week for a short veto session. This coffee will be the last of the spring unless Governor Kelly recalls legislators in early May following the veto session. If senators and representatives do get recalled, it will likely be in regard to the tax conversations that have been discussed all session. Just this week on Wednesday, Kelly vetoed the most recent version of HB 2036, which passed through the Senate (24-9) and House (119-0). We will have to sit tight and see how this plays out! In the meantime, you can catch up on this discussion by finding the live stream here. Below are tags to specific times when these topics were brought up by the public and discussed by the legislators.

What was the most impactful piece of legislation for each legislator?
- 2:21 Rebecca – Women’s rights
- 4:19 Caryn & Carrie – Tax legislation
8:30 Budget for disabled Kansans
11:50 TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Districts
16:45 Familiarity with WHO
22:55 Question about masking
25:55 Chiefs moving to Kansas
30:35 Medicaid expansion
37:23 Tax bill
49:48 Tax vouchers for students

We are thankful to all who have participated in these functions, whether on the hot seat up front or in the audience. The Ottawa Chamber and the Legislative Action Committee believe that civil discourse is healthy and are committed to providing a platform that promotes open communication and civic engagement. If this type of content interests you, this committee is accepting new members and would love to get you plugged in.

New Projects Blossoming this Spring in Ottawa Parks

This is an exciting week as we witness the birth of new projects in two different City of Ottawa parks. If you’ve driven on Main Street past City Park, you've probably noticed the work in progress on the new children’s splash pad adjacent to the gazebo (pictures here). The city employees, who just connected the water to the area this week, are aiming to complete this new amenity by June. This addition will significantly enhance City Park by adding a whole new element to the area. I’m thrilled to share that this project was made possible with a substantial amount of ARPA Grant Funds (federal dollars), a testament to our community's commitment to enhancing our parks while being cognizant of how to pay for these additions.

Another project that is moving right along is the new shelter house in Forest Park (pictures here). Having just started its assembly this week, City employees already have this structure upright and will begin pouring concrete as soon as the weather cooperates after yesterday's storm (which looks to be spreading into this weekend). This project was made possible by the Power of The Past Antique Engine and Tractor Association and a gift from Terry Wolford’s family. This gift was a sizable $50,000 to the City of Ottawa, with the request that the money would be used for a shelter house. Not only will this structure be used for reunions, birthday parties, and other celebrations, but it will also be a much-needed addition to the annual Antique Engine and Tractor show this September. This gift is one that keeps giving as memories will continue to be made underneath this pavilion. Big thank you to all the parties involved in helping enhance our local parks.

Community Leadership Begins with Graduation

One of my favorite Chamber initiatives is Leadership Franklin County. Having gone through the class a few years ago, I have experienced firsthand the benefits that this nine-month leadership course can offer. Yesterday, this group of several hundred alums got seventeen names bigger as the LFC class of 23/24 walked across the stage for graduation (pictures here). Before the graduation ceremony itself, the class is tasked with reflecting on their experience and sharing an eight or so-minute speech with class members. The guidelines are quite loose and allow each participant’s style and personality to come through as they speak. Many of these presentations moved me as the class shared how they've been impacted, how it's allowed them to impact others, and the relationships that have been created over the course of the nine months. As a trustee on the board, I find nothing more satisfying than knowing that the work put into this program produces a truly bountiful harvest. As I listened, I did not want to be selfish, so I wrote down some quotes I wanted to share with you (quotes from presentations here). The longevity of this program speaks to its effectiveness, but these testimonies solidify its claim. I’m incredibly proud of these new alums and look forward to seeing how they utilize these skills in their workplace and throughout the community as a whole.

You can expect to see applications for the 24/25 class around June. I highly encourage you to think about who in your organization might be a good fit for this class. This investment in staff is one of the best gifts you can give as an employer. Not only will you see growth in leadership acumen, but you will also have an employee who is connected with other leaders and the greater community at the end of the nine months.

OU Adds to their Winning Team

Chamber members gathered in the heart of Ottawa as Ottawa University hosted our Chamber Coffee this morning to introduce their new Athletic Director, Janet Eaton-Smith (pictures here). Having most recently worked in Ohio at Lourdes University in Sylvania Ohio, as Vice President of Athletics, Janet comes here with loads of energy and enthusiasm for this role. Lourdes University is also an NAIA school like OU, and while there, she was named the 2023 Nike NAIA Executive of the Year by Women's Leaders in College Sports. This is only one of many recognitions she received in her tenure at the Ohio school. This morning, Janet was able to share her eagerness and passion with us all as she is excited not only to be working at Ottawa University but also to be part of the Ottawa community. Janet shared that her drive for this position isn’t just sports but really seeing young people succeed and creating an excellent experience for students overall. It’s safe to say Janet will be a fantastic addition to the university, I look forward to seeing her personality shine through in this role.

We were also able to meet the soon-to-be Interim President of the Ottawa campus, Bambi Burgard. Bambi will begin as Interim on June 1st, having been an associate professor of counseling and the graduate counseling program director at OU’s Overland Park campus. I look forward to connecting with both Janet and Bambi this year as they become further integrated with Ottawa. We are continually blessed that OU works as a pathway for individuals to arrive in our town. Whether as a student or as a faculty/staff, Ottawa University is an incredible economic engine for Ottawa and Franklin County.

This time of the year I get the unique opportunity to gather with other chamber professionals as four states come together for a regional conference each year. This few-day conference allows for continued learning, networking opportunities, and introspection as I converse with Chambers of all sizes. This does mean I will be out of the office Monday through Thursday of next week. For any immediate needs, Sherri will be holding down the fort. Another great perk about this conference is it also allows Makayla and me to frontload the trip by taking a minivacation for the two of us. I’m looking forward to the many opportunities that will take place over the next week. Until then, talk to you soon!

Ryland Miller

President/CEO

Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce

ryland@ottawakansas.org

785-242-1000