Recreation: The tie that binds Central Oregon 

     Whether it’s Lake Billy Chinook in Jefferson County, the Ochoco Mountains or Prineville Reservoir in Crook County or any one of two dozen lakes or Mount Bachelor in Deschutes County (not to mention golf everywhere), recreation is a huge contributor to the economic health of Central Oregon. That was the message that came out Wednesday at a “recreation roundtable” hosted by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden in Bend. Local economic leaders and recreation enthusiasts were invited to comment on what the federal government could do to help advance recreation in the area, and Wyden heard a lot of diverse opinions. Mike Hollern of Brooks Resources, said that while shovel-ready industrial land is important to economic development in Central Oregon, having amenities such as recreational opportunities also is important. “The more regional we can be, the better off we’ll all be,” he said. Several people said adequate transportation, including such things as bike lanes, also is important. “You can’t have big-league recreation with little league transportation,” Wyden said. Wyden also heard that parking is becoming an issue at many recreational areas, especially during the winter. Wyden’s staffer in Bend, David Blair, is continuing to gather comments about recreation with the goal of putting together a regional strategy. He can be reached at dblair@bendbroadband.com.

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Ban sale of fireworks? No, no, a thousand times no

     Last week’s survey question was, “Should the sale, but not the possession or use, of fireworks be banned in Bend?” We got a mailbag full of letters from Chamber members who said “absolutely not.” Some replies:
     “The city should focus instead on illegal fireworks. They are not for sale within Oregon, but yet here they are prominently and widely used in the majority of Bend’s neighborhoods. They are illegal for a reason. They are radically dangerous and pose an incredible fire hazard. Banning the sales of legal safe and sane varieties accomplishes nothing towards the goal of a safer community …”
     “The fireworks issue is another solution looking for a problem undertaken by a city council that wastes valuable time of superfluous items while neglecting the really big issues of infrastructure, fire and safety. Embarrassing!”
     “What possible good would banning the sale of fireworks inside the city limits of Bend do? … Banning the sale but not the possession or use of any product will not change anything except make it more difficult for vendors and buyers. It would likely encourage more purchases of illegal fireworks since the buyer would have to travel elsewhere to buy fireworks. …”
     The Bend City Council will consider banning the sale of fireworks within the Bend city limits at its Oct. 17 meeting.

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Transit group to make recommendations for possible ballot measure

     The city of Bend is commissioning a committee to study all of Bend’s transit needs, from the Bend Area Transit (BAT) system to millions of dollars of needed improvements to key roads such as Reed Market Road, Empire Avenue and Murphy Road. The committee will be charged with coming up with recommendations on how much improvements will cost and how much taxes might have to be raised, with the idea of perhaps putting one or more ballot measures on the November 2008 ballot to pay for it all. The city still is taking applications for the committee. If interested, e-mail City Manager Andy Anderson at aanderson@ci.bend.or.us with a short note describing your interest in serving on the committee. 

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Trade deficit slips to seven-month low

     There still isn’t much good news to report on the housing market, but at least the U.S. trade deficit is going down. Partly because of problems with merchandise manufactured in China, America’s trade deficit in September fell to the lowest level in seven months. Another contributing factor was record-high sales of American products. Exports from the U.S. climbed to a record $138.3 billion in September, buoyed by farm products and industrial products such as chemicals and steel. The boom in U.S. exports is helping to cushion the U.S. economy from the adverse effects of the housing bust and a severe credit crunch.

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Coming events

     Oct. 16: Education Forecast 2007- Hear the leaders of three of our Central Oregon educational entities – Bend- La Pine Public Schools, Central Oregon Community College and OSU Cascades Campus – discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for education in Central Oregon and the state overall. Members $25, corporate table sponsors $350. Register online:  www.bendchamber.org/education  or call 382-3221.
     Oct. 16: Professional Development Luncheon - Energize your Marketing. This 2 hour, hands-on session is the first step to becoming an effective, energized marketer. Space is still available register online HERE.  If you're planning to attend the this workshop or just need a "marketing- shot-in-the-arm." Here's a  6 minute MP3 audio replay of Lisa Nirell's “Small Business Report” radio show with Seattle’s Paul Casey. www.energizegrowth.com/realaudio/paulcaseyradio07.mp3
     Oct. 18: Marketing that Makes You Money – International speaker, author and BNI Executive Director Frank De Raffele will share how to increase your profitability with less time and effort. 5 to 8 p.m. at The Riverhouse Resort, 3075 N. Business 97. Register on-line at www.bendchamber.org or call 382-3221.
     Oct. 23: Drug Free Workplace – Hands-On Drug and Alcohol Policy Writing. 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Develop a customized drug and alcohol policy that is ready for legal review. Coast is $25 for members.
     Oct. 23: St. Charles Foundation Legacy Planning seminar, including three sessions for varied audiences: non-profit leaders, estate and financial planning advisors, and individuals who are interested in learning about planning their own legacy. There is no cost to attend. Information: Ellyce Whalen or Dwight Heaney, St. Charles Foundation, 633-2929.

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This week’s survey question 

    Would you support an increase in taxes or a funding district to fix roads in Bend and/or expand the BAT system?  Please e-mail your responses to:  jeff@bendchamber.org.