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CHAMBER POSITIONS AND ACTIONS Chamber CEO Leads Meeting Between White House and “Fourth Sector:” On June 12, Chamber President and CEO Aaron Nelson led a meeting between senior officials from the White House and the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and a collection of business, nonprofit, government, and university officials that comprise the North Carolina Fourth Sector Cluster Initiative. The fourth sector is made up of enterprises that combine the best of the for-profit and nonprofit models and contribute to the economy while also delivering innovative solutions to social and environmental problems. Chamber Urges Orange County’s Economic Incentive Package; Mebane Business to Add 76 Jobs: Chamber President and CEO Aaron Nelson urged the Orange County Board of Commissioners to approve a $100,000 economic incentive package for Mebane-based company AKG. The board unanimously approved the package and AKG later announced their plans to expand and add 76 jobs in Orange County. U.S. Ambassador Meets with Chamber Members and Other Business Interesting in Exporting: On June 9, the Chamber hosted Ambassador Charles S. Shapiro, Senior Advisor for Economic Initiatives in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Chamber members and economic development partners listened to Shapiro discuss the current economic agenda in the Americas, including business development, trade facilitation, and the President’s National Export Initiative as well as discussed ways to grow international business locally. Read more in the Chamber's release. Chamber Presents North American Green Plus Community and Chamber Awards in D.C.: On June 16, Chamber President and CEO Aaron Nelson presented annualGreen Plus Community and Green Plus Chamber of Commerce Awards. The Institute for Sustainable Development, along with the Partners for Livable Communities and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, makes the annual awards to chambers of commerce to recognize exceptional leadership in sustainable, triple bottom line economic development. This year, communities are also being recognized as well for their public-private partnerships to advance a sustainable economy. Read more in the Institute's release.
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Town of Chapel Hill Streamlines Permit Review with Permit Center: This summer, the Town of Chapel Hill is taking local building inspections and permitting online with the launch of a new Permit Center. The Permit Action Center will be online at www.townofchapelhill.org/permitcenter and centrally located in Town Hall for in-person visits on the 3rd floor, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, town staff will offer information and guidance as applicants transition to online applications and review from start to finish. According to the town release, “The project responds to a Town Council goal to streamline the development review process to improve efficiency and spur economic development.” New Downtown Parking Pay Stations Will Allow Residents and Visitors to Pay with Credit Cards and Mobile Phones: New parking pay stations are being installed in downtown Chapel Hill which will allow residents and visitors to pay with credit cards and mobile phones, in addition to coins. One pay station will be installed for every eight to 10 parking spaces in most applications. Check out this video for a demonstration on how the new meters work. Meters are enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on-street metered parking is free after 6 p.m. daily and all day Sunday. Part of the Chamber’s agenda is to roll back all parking enforcement to 6 PM. What Do You Think about the Future of Transportation in North Carolina? The N.C. Department of Transportation is updating our Statewide Long Range Transportation Plan called the 2040 Plan, which will help them determine North Carolina’s transportation needs in 2040 and how to best meet them. One of the easiest ways people may provide input during this initial launch period of the effort is to complete a survey about their thoughts regarding the future of transportation. Complete the survey at www.ncdot.gov/performance/reform or at www.m.ncdot.gov on mobile devices. Join the Economic Development and Public Policy Committee: Any Chamber member may join the Economic Development and Public Policy Committee, which meets on the first Tuesday of the month. Please join us Tuesday, July 5th at 8 a.m. at the Chamber to discuss about the Fourth Sector and the Chamber's participation in local municipal elections. |
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