Count Your Blessings

We should count our blessings everyday, but the holidays are the time we reflect the most.  Faith, family, and friends top my list every day.  But I also am very grateful to live in such a fortunate community.

So many communities are struggling with plant closings, layoffs, and skyrocketing unemployment rates.  The national average is the highest it has been in more than 20 years.  Of course, we are not immune to these woes.  Our county unemployment rates are higher that a year ago.  But we are very fortunate that they are some of the lowest in the state and the nation.

Plus, we got more good news last week:  The latest figures  from the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations show that the state’s unemployment rate dropped almost half a point in November.  Even better, Coffee County saw a full  half (yes, I know ”full half”  is an oxymoron) point drop during the same period, bringing us down to 7.3%.  Only 2 other counties in the state, Madison and Shelby,  have lower rates.

This is the 4th consecutive month that Coffee County has seen a drop in our unemployment rate.  Since most economists tell us that the jobless rate is the slowest indicator of economic recovery, we seem to be ahead of the nation.

Truthfully, we really didn’t have that much recovering to do.  In 2009, Policom ranked Enterprise-Ozark micropolitan area the 75th strongest out of 544 in America.  To put that into perspective, during the global recession, we actually moved up four spots on the national economic strength rankings.

That’s another blessing counted.

Delayed but Delightful

Mila & Mom were among hundreds who braved a chilly evening to enjoy the parade

This year’s Christmas parade missed its scheduled date for the first time in my memory, but the rain-delayed event was certainly one of the best I’ve ever been part of.  And that’s going all the way back to the days when the parade was produced by the Enterprise Jaycees.

 The nasty weather on Tuesday forced  a shuffling of holiday events, and some unavoidable conflicts, but everyone seemed happy and filled with holiday spirit as the parade rolled swiftly down Main Street.  Congratulations to the Parade Committee and many volunteers who helped make it a big success. 

Like most people, I never realized how much planning and preparation has to be done for a seeming simple event until I came to the Chamber.  postponing a parade within day of the event is no small chore, either.  But thanks to Natalie, Lisa and all the volunteers, we were able to get most of our participants to make the move to Thursday. 

I know there were lots of other rosy-cheeked faces at the parade, but I picked these two in the photo because they belong to my daughter, Kelli and my granddaughter Mila.  That’s one of the perks of blogging.

More Retirement Recognition

We have been honored by another national publication.  Our wonderful quality of life has prompted Retirement Lifestyles Magazine to name us as one of Alabama’s Top 10 Retirement Hotspots.  Here is their press release:

PressRelease

For more information, contact:
Dan Owens, Exec. Editor, Retirement Lifestyles Magazine

C (704)641-1469 * Toll Free (888)742-7362

 Enterprise Named a Top Southern Retirement Destination by National Magazine

 Charlotte, NC –Enterprise has been named as one of the Alabama’s Top Retirement Hotspots to be featured in the upcoming Jan./Feb./March, 2010 quarterly edition of Retirement Lifestyles, a 10-year-old magazine that highlights locations, communities and lifestyles for prospective retirees across the United States.

 “Enterprise is a friendly town with affordable housing and all the services of a big city,” said Retirement Lifestyles Executive Editor Dan Owens. Military retirees should especially find Enterprise as a wonderful retirement destination, he added, noting all the active servicemen at nearby Fort Rucker.

 “Our editors feel Enterprise has a great future as an Alabama retirement destination,” Owens added.

 Retirement Lifestyles magazine focuses on communities and retiree lifestyles in 11 southern states:  Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The award-winning magazine often highlights smaller towns that are “under the radar” of the national media.

 “As baby boomers age, there will be an increasing interest in finding unspoiled smaller communities with great natural assets and a good quality of life,” Owens said. “Many retirees need an information source like Retirement Lifestyles to learn more about great lifestyle communities.

 Retirement Lifestyles, which has approximately 100,000 readers each quarterly issue, was named the 2nd Best Magazine for 55+ Readers – just behind AARP – in 2009 by the national Mature Market Media Awards (www.seniorawards.com).

One Step Closer

The Enterprise City Council received an ordiance calling for the necessary adjustment in the tourism fees to create the Tourism office and the special project funds at their regular session on November 17th.  They also accepted a request to amend the Chamber contract to include the new funds and specify their purpose.

The next step is the advertising of the proposals and a public hearing which will most likely be held at the next council meeting on December 1st.  If all goes well, hopefully there will be a vote on the proposals at that time.

If you can, I would greatly appreciate your attendance at the next meeting.  Just remember:  due to the Christmas parade beginning at 6:00PM, the council session will be moved up to 3:00PM.

Thanks to all those who have been so supportive during this long-time goal.  The finish line is in sight.  Please be there when we hit the tape.

Thanks for Your Support

Last night was a great night for the Tourism Committee and for the Chamber.  The Council Chamber was filled with committee members and others showing their support for our proposal to create a Tourism office within the Chamber.

It really made me very proud to see such a good turnout and it especially impressed the Council members.  They seemed very pleased and receptive to our presentation.   They will consider our request and plan to act on it at the next meeting on November 17th.

I want to thank all of the committee members and others who have worked for several years to see this project come to fruition.  Special thanks goes to Mayor Boswell for his support.  And of course, thanks to the Council for their attention, input and during this process.

Again, thank you all for taking some of your personal time to come out to support me for the proposal.  Just like in football, you play a lot better and you have a better chance of winning when you play in front of your own supporters. 

If possible, please try to be at the November 17th Council meeting, and future Council meetings.  Our city leaders need to see us at every meeting, not just when we want something from them.  It makes it a lot easier next time we need their support. 

 

Your Support is Needed

The Tourism Committee meeting at Santa Fe Cattle Company included several sponsors of the Dixe Youth Tournaments, Mayor Boswell, and others.

Thanks to William at Santa Fe Cattle Company, the monthly Tourism committee meeting featured delicious appetizers (the fried jalapeno strips were my favorite) and the opportunity to thank the many sponsors who helped make the recent Dixie Youth baseball tournaments a success.

It also provided a chance to rally the troops one more time for the critical presentation at the City Council meeting next Tuesday, November 3rd.

For more than three years, the Tourism Committee has been working diligently to create an entity to recruit and promote economic development through the fasting growing sector of our economy, Tourism.  We have worked with our rapidly growing lodging community, restaurateurs, retailers, and city officials to develop a proposal that will create a Tourism Director position within Chamber to help Enterprise claim our share of the 9.6 billion Tourism dollars that are spent in Alabama each year. 

We are at a critical point in the process.  On Tuesday, November 3^rd at 6:00PM our proposal will be presented to the public and the Enterprise City Council.  We need your attendance and support of this initiative at this meeting.  It is important that our city leaders see a unified, diverse group of Chamber members dedicated to the progress and growth in our local economy.  If given the opportunity, please voice your support of this very important initiative that will help us build a stronger economy, grow jobs, and prepare for future growth.

The short presentation will be made early in the regular City Council meeting.  If you have any questions about this issue, please let me know.  Thank you in advance for your help with this very important matter.

Fantastic Fall Fest

Over 10,000 people packed the streets during this year's Boll Weevil Fall Festival.

The day started out a little overcast, but as the sun came out, so did the people.  And they kept on coming.  It was the best turnout we’ve ever had for the Fall Festival. 

Since there is no admission charge and no tickets sold, there is no way to accurately track attendance, but I think I’m a pretty good crowd estimator.  I’ve only been at the Chamber for the last 3 festivals, but I watched the festival grow from the first year from the upstairs KMX control room overlooking the Boll Weevil.  This is by far the largest I’ve seen for the event.

This year’s crowd was steady throughout the day, getting larger in the afternoon when it usually tapered off.  Considering the streets were crowded all day, with people coming and going all the time, I think there were well over 10,000 visitors during the entire day.

Another sign that attendance was great: many vendors remained set up and actively doing business till the end of the event, some even longer.  All the vendors I talked to were very pleased with the crowds.  One of the new vendors who had never been to the Festival before stopped me to tell me how great it was, and wanted to know if he could book a spot for next year.

I think the attendees had a great time, too.  There was a great variety of things to do and enjoy.  The 100+ kids in the costume contest were adorable, and the entertainment was great as always.

I will have a chance to speak with some of the downtown merchants at the next meeting, but I anticipate they will be pleased, as well.  The reason for the Festival is to draw attention to the many unique shops and stores downtown.  It is a great way for out-of-towners to get to know us, and for new residents to discover that there is more to Enterprise than just the Boll Weevil Circle. 

Most Downtown merchants are supportive of the event and understand that it is not just about bringing 10,000 people to their front door for one day, but making the public aware of our downtown shopping district.  Many visitors will return to shop the merchants later.

Thanks to all those who made this event happen.  The Downtown Unlimited committee, merchants, sponsors, and volunteers who gave of their time, talents and pocketbooks to make this event one of the biggest and best events of its kind anywhere.

On behalf of these people, please take the time to tell them that their efforts are appreciated.  The best way is to visit the downtown merchants .  You’ll probably find something you didn’t know you needed.

Free Enterprise: It’s In our Name and Our Heart

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has begun an effort to remind America of the importance of free enterprise to our economy.  since “promoting the competitive free enterprise system” is the backbone of the Enterprise Chamber’s mission statement, I feel that this effort deserves our support.  Below is a letter from the U.S. Chamber outlining the initiative.  Please take the time to read it and join the effort to remind our leaders that free enterprise is the heart of our nation’s heritage.

Job Creation Depends on American Free Enterprise

By Thomas J. Donohue

President and CEO

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

 

With the economy slowly returning to form, we must now focus on a new challenge—putting America back to work. It won’t be easy—unemployment is at its highest level in more than 25 years. We must create 20 million new jobs over the next decade simply to put the unemployed back to work and to keep up with a growing population. There’s only one system that’s proven capable of meeting this goal—American free enterprise.

 

Economic renewal will begin where it always does—with entrepreneurs and America’s 29.6 million small businesses. These everyday heroes are unparalleled in their ability to create jobs, spur local development, and bring new products and services to market. Over the past 15 years, small businesses created almost two-thirds of new jobs and, given the right business environment, can deliver big for Americans once again.

 

But free enterprise is about more than just a small startup or the biggest corporation. It’s a powerful idea that is inseparable from the American Dream. Free enterprise offers the opportunity to dream big—and to turn that dream into a reality.

 

We’ll never claim that free enterprise is a perfect system. But while it has its faults, free enterprise has done more to improve the human condition than any other system ever devised. With significant challenges—including energy and health care—ahead of us, we must take advantage of the power of free enterprise to harness human talent. Nothing less than our economic competitiveness is at stake.

 

That’s why the U.S. Chamber is embarking on one of the most important initiatives in its nearly 100-year history, the American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. campaign. The goal of this comprehensive and sustained program is to remind, educate, and persuade our fellow citizens and leaders that the free enterprise values of individual initiative, hard work, freedom of choice, and the free exchange of trade, capital, and ideas that built this great country can lead us back to prosperity.

 

This campaign isn’t about partisan politics—it’s about preserving the American Dream for this and future generations through low taxation, reasonable regulations, a doubling of American exports, and free and vibrant capital markets.

 

Washington, by taking the steps necessary to avoid a new Great Depression, has done its part. Now, it’s time for government to assume its traditional, limited role. Economic growth and recovery will come from the bottom up, not from Washington down. It’s up to the American people—all 300 million of us—to outwork, outthink, and outdream our competitors. Our work begins anew.

 

To join the effort, visit www.FreeEnterpriseAmerica.com.

Peanuts, Ponies, and Paintings

EOCC's Bo Weevil was a crowd pleaser at the 2008 Festival

Fall is my favorite time of year.  You just can’t beat that feeling when the first cool snap sends you back in the front door for a jacket. 

I guess that’s why the Boll Weevil Fall Festival is one of my favorite events of the year.  It just seems to get better each year.  Last year we had 130 vendors and about 5,000 people.  This year, we have even more vendors, and will probably have even more attendees.

We have a lot of the perennial favorites, like pony rides, funnel cakes, and gift items.  But this year, we have several new vendors who will bring interesting items like stained glass, art works, and hand made articles.

This year, the food vendors will be scattered throughout the festival.  You can sample smoothies, milkshakes, backed good, and of course, boiled peanuts.  I like the fried peanuts, too.  I’m a true Southerner, I like anything fried.  And if you get there early, you can enjoy pancakes at the First United Methodist Church.

Last year we hade over 100 kids in the costume contest, and I expect more this year.  Registration begins at 9:00AM, the contest is at 10.  There’s always a few moms who don’t get that right and show up at 10.  Please get those little ones there early enough to register.  We don’t want any tears!

And be sure to visit the merchants downtown.  That’s why we do this in the first place.  Check out their wares and thank them for hosting this signature event for our community.  They would really appreciate your business.

The Next Step

I am happy to report that a very important goal in our strategic plan is a step closer to fruition.  For those of you who may not know, the Tourism committee has been working diligently for several years to establish a convention and visitors bureau or Tourism office to assist the Chamber in recruiting trade shows, conventions, reunions, tournaments and other visitors to Enterprise.  Working with hoteliers, restaurateurs, Parks & Recreation and others, we have developed a plan to create a Tourism Office within the Chamber.  This office would be funded by revenue generated from increased lodging fees.  Half of the new revenue generated would be set aside by the city to fund projects that will help us attract more visitors.  I am happy to report that we presented our proposal to the Mayor and City Council yesterday at a special work session.  With the council’s input and support, we hope to bring the proposal to the Council for a vote very soon.