SEPTEMBER 2014 Inside this issue: GM’s Report Member Spotlight Upcoming Calendar Events Review Business Awards Ask the Expert Recommended Reading
CHAMBER at a glance
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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Election Hot Topics
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s fall slowly descends upon us, ernment relations have prepared a list of it is time to look forward to objective questions to put forth to the municipal and school board candidates in four areas that the chamber elections. These elections pro- considers important to business. The revide not only the opportunity to voice our sponses of the candidates will be recorddemocratic opinions as to who will proed and compared to a marking key of devide the leadership to two of Brandon’s sirous business stances, and from this a largest institutions, but also the opporreport card will be issued that will allow tunity for our future leaders to inform us for easy comparison between candidates of their position on current issues as well as to where they stand on business issues. as other subjects they deem important. The chamber will also be hosting a mayorMunicipal governments have a strong al debate as this position holds significant influence on the many challenges that influence on areas of business. businesses face; The goal of it is important both of that we, as “We want to hear the these initiachamber memtives is to plans of our candidates bers, determine not only and understand to achieve their goals, provide a each candidate’s tool to edunot unrealistic conflicting platform in order cate our to make inpromises ” members formed decisions but to proas we head to vide a recthe ballot box. ord of these candidate’s opinions so that Western Manitoba has held a strong we have something to hold them accounteconomy for the past few years. We able to afterwards. would like to see this continue and realize When looking at a growing Brandon, our that strong leadership at municipal levels members in the residential and commercan promote this. As a chamber, we incial development businesses inform us tend on taking a new initiative this year that Brandon needs to provide new areas that will work towards this goal. Our govfor development – simply stated, they are
Todd Birkhan, Chamber President running out of places to build. For our community to grow we need to overcome this obstacle. The search for new leadership to take this issue head on will be a priority. We need leadership to engage the business community, develop a strategy for creating space for future development, and to reduce bureaucracy in the process. By placing high importance on this area we can assist Brandon in creating a flourishing development community. The City of Brandon is facing an infrastructure deficit, further complicated by the high water event of 2014. Growth has its costs, and there is a growing pressure on the rising costs of service delivery, especially in the area of salaries. Municipal governments do not have control over significant portions of its revenue, with the exception being property taxes which they do set. The pressure put on the
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