OWACC Board of Directors Meeting

January 7, 2008, 7:30 PM, Withee Village Hall

Called to Order: 7:35 PM.

Roll Call: Borgeson, Hackbarth, Koplitz, Laube, LePage, Matkovich, Mauel (7:36), Mitchell, Reinke  Others: Tim Swiggum.

Approve minutes from December 3, 2007 Board of Directors Meeting: A Borgeson/Reinke motion and subsequent vote approved minutes with no changes from December 3, 2007 Board of Directors Meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Current checking account balance is $3479.64.

Secretary’s Report: The Chamber Bucks for the DRC decorating contest winners and to Cody Hubbard for designing the OWACC logo were distributed. The OWACC logo is still being “cleaned up” by TuMarx Printing, the O-W Enterprise’s parent company, and should be done by next meeting. An invitation for Business Day in Madison was passed around.

Discussion of Annual Businesspersons Dinner/OWACC Annual Meeting with OWADC: Menu suggestions from the OWADC meeting were offered by Vice President Reinke and approved. Cost will be $9.50 for one meat choice with all the trimmings (a menu was passed around). Regarding invitations and OWACC meeting agendas, there will be two separate mailings. OWADC will handle sending out invitations to all area businesses.  Later, OWACC will send out an agenda to OWACC members only, which will include a reminder of the Annual Businesspersons Dinner, a call for feedback from members, membership forms/encouragement for members to rejoin, and a mention of Chamber accomplishments to date. Also included will be a solicitation of nominations for the three spots opening up on the OWACC Board of Directors, being the positions of Jim Hackbarth, Jackie Reinke, and John Mauel.  After the nomination forms come back in, ballots will be prepped beforehand for the dinner, however there will also be a call for nominations the night of the dinner and an encouragement for non-members to join the Chamber. March will be the organizational meeting for the Chamber, where the four new officers will be chosen (as officers currently can only serve one year, non-successive terms in each position).

Discussion of 2008 Goal and Objectives for OWACC

1.    Continue helping out with Owen Junior Fair.

2.    Organize a Chamber Golf Outing.

3.    Have Friday night social hours like the one OWACC had in 2007.

4.    Attain additional information for each business for website and Communication Center.

5.    Increase membership by at least 10%, using the idea that “membership is giving back to the community.”

6.    Take out an ad in next year’s Clark County Visitor’s Guide to help establish logo and get name out there in an attempt to “brand” OWACC.

7.    OWACC will help with Trail Days, a clean-up day having to do with the Yellowstone Trail.

8.    Sponsor an event (i.e. musical event, business expo).

9.    Continue producing newsletter, beef up and beautify website, and attempt to better serve the members through the Communication Center.

             Liaisons’ Reports

1.    O-W Development Corporation: Vice President Reinke reported on the Annual Businesspersons Dinner (see above), that development loan money is still available, and that the souvenirs have not arrived yet.

2.    Owen City Council: OWACC member/Mayor Swiggum reported that Badger Ag Solutions has broken ground on their plant in Owen.

3.    Withee Village Board: OWACC member/Village President Mitchell reported that the Withee Ball Park purchase was approved and is still in the works.

4.    United Communities of Clark Co.: Nothing new to report.

5.    Hwy. 29 Partnership: Nothing new to report.

6.    Clark County Board/Economic Development Corp. & Tourism: Mitchell reports Bruce Mound is open and very, very nice.

Committee Reports

1.    Newsletter: Secretary LePage reports winter newsletter should be out by next meeting.

2.    Communications Center: Nothing new to report.

3.    Website: Mitchell asks that members submit business information to him for the website.

4.    Hwy. 29 Welcome signs on each side of O-W: Mauel reports that he is waiting for logo to be cleaned up to proceed.

5.    Advertising & Promotions: Nothing new to report.

New Business

•     An article will appear in the January 9, 2007 edition of the O-W Enterprise detailing Chamber Bucks, to be written by Secretary  LePage. The article also will be e-mailed to Chamber members as well.

•     Discussion took place regarding when members join toward the end of 2008 that perhaps a deal on dues can be made where a member can join as a 2008 member and 2009 member for a reduced rate (i.e. $75 instead of $100).

Adjourn Time: A Borgeson/Mauel motion and subsequent vote adjourned the meeting at 9:15 PM.