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Inside this issue:

Message from the President 2

2017 Minnesota Chamber

Legislative Priorities

3

December in Pictures 4

5

Membership Directory &

Buyers Guide Info

6

Upcoming Events 7

Event Calendar 8

“SouthWest Chamber

of Commerce” “SWMCOC” “SouthWest Chamber

of Commerce”

January 2017

Membership Directory &

Buyers Guide Info

Welcome 2017! 2016 was an exciting year. With all new staff, and

the Ryder Cup making it’s way to Chaska, it was all

hands on deck! On behalf of the Chamber staff, we

would like to thank all of our members for supporting

us, sponsoring our signature events, and participating

as much as time allows. We love watching your

businesses grow and will continue to find better ways

to help you in 2017! Let’s make it a great year!

SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce Newsletter Page 2

Message from the President

2017 Annual Meeting– January 25 from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Chaska Event Center

Please join us for our next membership luncheon to re-cap 2016, recognize outgoing Board members and elect new Board members and officers.

A special “thank you” to outgoing Board members:

Ruth Glaser– Hazeltine National Golf Club

Bev Lohs– IWCO Direct

Mark Tupper– Century Link

Ed Van Pelt– First Payment Systems

The slate of officers that have been nominated include:

Shannon Mattson (Board Chair)- Ridgeview Foundation

Mike Gearman (Vice-Chair)- PrimeLending

Ryan Turbes (Treasurer)- Boulay

Let me know if you have an interest in serving on the Board or a Committee. All Chamber members may nominate a candidate for the Board and have a vote in the election on January 17.

As per our by laws this is official notice of our annual meeting and election.



2017 Minnesota Chamber Legislative Priorities

ENACT MEANINGFUL BUSINESS TAX RELIEF High business tax burdens are consistently cited as a top concern for Minnesota businesses negatively impacting their growth and expansion opportunities. Minnesota business taxes rank among the highest in the nation in many tax categories including 3rd highest for corporate and pass-through income tax rates, 2nd highest for some types of business property taxes and one of 14 states that still have an estate tax. We support tax relief focused on reducing taxes that undermines growth, entrepreneurship and expansions. We support the following tax reforms to improve Minnesota’s competitiveness: property tax relief for all businesses by reducing the statewide levy and eliminating the automatic inflator; lowering top income tax rates; conformity with Section 179 expensing federal laws for small businesses investing in their Minnesota operations; enhancement and simplification of research and development tax credit; and increasing estate tax threshold to the federal level.

TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT We support passage of a 10 year, comprehensive transportation funding package that provides increased investment in the state’s multi-modal transportation infrastructure. This package should provide long-term, sustained investment that will enable the state to maintain our vital transportation infrastructure and provide for strategic enhancements. The state should use the General Fund revenues generated from the statewide sales tax on auto parts and rental cars to fund increased investment in our transportation system; consider an adjustment in the tab fee depreciation schedule; augment any new investment through an increased focus on efficient use of resources; use Trunk Highway bonding to help finance projects in the state’s road and bridge system and General Obligation bonding to support local road and bridge, transit way, port, rail, airport, and other transportation infrastructure projects across the state. In addition, poli-cymakers must ensure that the state’s transit needs in both the metro area and Greater Minnesota are addressed through this comprehensive, long-term investment.

PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY; DON’T IMPOSE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL MANDATES Employers must have the flexibility they need to provide benefits that are appropriate for their workplace. Voluntary, flexible policy approaches are far more effective than a one-size-fits-all solution mandated by elected officials. Consistent with these principles of offering choices and ensuring flexibility, we support consideration of the following potential approaches: Incentives for employers to offer paid leave benefits for employees. Incentives for employees to save for the paid leaves they take. Policy changes to make it more affordable and convenient for private-sector employees to purchase short-term

disability policies in the private insurance market. A troubling new trend is for cities to enact their own workplace mandates, creating a patchwork of city-by-city ordinanc-es that presents an even greater administrative burden for employers. Local units of government should not be able to enact their own local minimum wage ordinances or benefit mandates since doing so will disrupt the state employment market and impede hiring and job growth. Accordingly, we support explicit statewide preemption of local government labor mandates.

HEALTH CARE In response to the dramatic spike in health insurance costs in the individual market, we anticipate a one-time buy down of those premiums using surplus revenue in the 2017 Session. We support that effort, but as important, we support long term health care reform that will ensure more affordable premiums moving forward. Our goal is to ensure access to quality affordable health care in the commercial market by reducing health care taxes and mandates; expanding product and coverage options for employers (i.e. self-insurance for smaller employers) and individuals; increasing market competition and stability; encouraging outcome based payment and delivery reform; and improving consumer engagement and transparency of cost and quality.

LAWSUIT REFORM (ADA modification) We support strengthening the bipartisan American with Disability (ADA) lawsuit reform bill that was signed into law last year by requiring mandatory notice and a reasonable time for a business to fix the alleged access violation prior to the commencement of a lawsuit. Lawsuits targeting small businesses by a handful of lawyers continue to be filed in many Minnesota communities alleging disability access violations such as stripping and signage of parking lots. The voluntary notice provision passed into law last year has not stopped this abusive lawsuit practice that appears to have the primary motivation of achieving attorney’s fees for a small group of attorneys versus improving access for the disabled.



December in Pictures

Ambassadors

One of the committees the Chamber has to offer is the

Ambassador Committee. This group is made up of 18

individuals from local businesses and they help us

welcome new members, visit existing members, and

are there to say hello at ribbon cuttings. We would like

to recognize and thank our ambassadors, pictured from

left to right: Jeff Filipek (Chamber President), Brad

Parrott (Express Employment Professionals), David

Winters (D. Winters Insurance Services), Tammy

Shade (Keller Williams Realty), Henry Gallagher (Silver

Communications), Mike Gearman (PrimeLending),

Michael Clausen (The Vintage Wine & Beer), Robin

Fink (Security Bank), Jesse Godzala (Edina Realty),

Samuel Schmitt (Southwest News Media). Bottom Row:

Alex Schams (Edward Jones), Mike Reeves

(Minuteman Press), Allie Rockholt (Chamber Marketing

Manager), Kelly Darcourt (Chamber Event Manager), &

Pascha Derkevics (Chamber Membership Manager).

General Membership Luncheon

On Wednesday December 14th we had our General

Membership Luncheon at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre

with Buy Chanhassen! The food was delicious and we

enjoyed the entertainment by Stephen C. Thanks to those

who attended and also thanks to the Dinner Theatre!

Not pictured: Gwen Jansen (Carver County Workforce Service

Center), Sammie Engelmann (Smith Schafer and Associates),

Kim Walker (FASTSIGNS of Minnetonka), Chauncey Oliva

(Firefly Credit Union), Matt Hand (GSH Asset Management),

Dan Haas (Charter Bank), Joe Konrardy (Insperity).

Women’s Biz

On Tuesday December 20th we gathered at Meg Adam’s

house and created a container, using her supplies from

Divine Containers! It was a great networking event for

women and we are looking forward to the

next one in February!



SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Few Spots Left!



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Extended to Friday January 13th, 2017!



General Membership Luncheon:

2016 Annual Review &

Membership Recognition

January 25th, 11:30am-1:00pm

Chaska Event Center

3210 Chaska Blvd. Chaska, MN 55318.

Join us for our January Membership Luncheon

when we go over 2016, recognize our

members, and discuss what 2017 will bring!

U PC OM IN G EVENTS

Carver Meet & Greet

January 10th, 8:00-9:00am

A Cup of Carver

490 Old Carver Rd, Carver, MN

Stop by A Cup of Carver the 2nd Tuesday of each

month from 8-9am for community, camaraderie,

and coffee!

Chanhassen Meet & Greet


800 West 78th St. Chanhassen, MN 55318

The Chanhassen Meet & Greet will be held the 4th

Tuesday of each month at Lunds & Byerlys

Chanhassen. There is no charge to attend and

fresh brewed coffee will be provided.

Chaska Meet & Greet

Oak Ridge in January Only!

Tuesday January 17th 8:00-9:00am

One Oak Ridge Drive, Chaska MN 55318

The Chaska Meet & Greet will be held the 3rd

Tuesday of each month in Chaska. There is no

charge to attend and fresh brewed coffee will be

provided by Oak Ridge. See you there!

VBA Meet & Greet Business

Community Coffee Hour January 4th, 8:00-9:00am

Location: TBD

Join the Victoria Business Association for their

monthly Meet and Greet Business & Community

Coffee Hour! The event is generally held the 1st

Wednesday of every month from 8-9am.

Small Business Roundtable


Now located at Chamber Office!

7925 Stone Creek Dr. Suite 130

The Small Business Roundtable is an opportunity

to learn from other small business owners in an

informal group discussion.

“We hope to see you

at an upcoming

Chamber event!”

-Chamber Staff

Thank you to our Website Sponsors!

Order total:

Event Order Form Title

Event Name Description Qty. Price Subtotal

Name

Company

Phone

Credit Card #

Signature

Exp. date

Method of Payment

American Express

MasterCard Visa

Bill Me

Check

Please send completed registration form to:

SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce, 7925 Stone Creek Drive, Suite 130, Chanhassen, MN 55317


January 2017

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

VBA Meet & Greet

8:00-9:00am

Location: TBD

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Carver Meet &

Greet

A Cup of Carver,

Carver

8:00-9:00am

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Chaska Meet

& Greet at

*OAK RIDGE*

in January!

8:00-9:00am

Small

Business

Roundtable

Chamber Office

7:30-8:30am

$5

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Chanhassen

Meet & Greet at

Lunds & Byerlys

8:00--9:00am

General

Membership

Luncheon: 2016

in Review

Chaska Event

Center

11:30am-1pm

29 30 31

To register for events please go to www.swmetrochamber.com/events or complete and mail the registration form below.

january newsletter- the link

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