2010-2011 Committee Goals

Administration & Finance Committee Goals

Purpose:
TheAdministration & Finance Committee chaired by the President and including the Vice President and Treasurer shall be responsible for finances, fund raising goals, and personnel.  The committee shall be responsible for an annual review of the financial records, preparation of an annual budget, preparation of annual tax returns and preparation of an annual financial report.  The annual financial report shall be submitted to the membership at the Annual Meeting. At least one member of the committee will be appointed by the President to serve as a legislative and government affairs liaison to ensure the Chamber is kept apprised of legislative affairs which may affect the Chamber, its members or the community at large.

Short- term  (FY ‘10’11):

• Review the profitability of all new and current activities to assess viability.
• Achieve a 5% increase in non-dues income by identifying programs to generate $4,000 in annual revenue and/or reduce annual expenses by a compensating amount.
• Increase dues income by growing membership by 10
• Evaluate the ability to add short-term disability insurance for full time employees.

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Utilize staff to support continued growth within budget guidelines.
• Monitor Chamber finances.
• Prepare and recommend approval of the Chamber budget. 
• Review and approve budgets that fall within the main Chamber budget.
• Approve financial expenditures not budgeted that are not in excess of $250.
• Review, to recommend approval to the Board, expenses that exceed $250.
• Prepare and recommend approval of policies and procedures.
• Review, and when necessary, recommend approval of Chamber activities. 
• Continue to evaluate business opportunities with members to decrease expenses.

Business Development Committee Goals

Purpose:
The Business Development Committee shall be responsible for developing a regional marketing strategy, business assistance, business retention, organizing annual awards programs, and developing programs which further business education and the provision of business planning services to area businesses.  This committee shall attempt to retain a proper mix of businesses in the area.

Short - term (FY ‘10’11):

• Work with the Membership Committee to plan an auction during the Annual Awards Gala.
• Develop a plan to assist businesses with business succession planning.
• Further develop the Business Connection.   
• Work with the Mount Union Chamber of Commerce and the Broad Top Chamber of Commerce to assess joint and mutually beneficial ventures.
• Investigate ways to enhance our value to our member businesses.
• Do further analysis of the recently completed survey.
• Plan the promotion of the Chamber’s offerings to the Huntingdon County Agricultural sector to attract as new members and to leverage their value with our current members.

Long –term: 

• Promote the Chamber’s offerings to the Huntingdon County Agricultural sector to attract as new members and to leverage their value with our current members.

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Promote new and existing business within the area served by the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce.
• Work cooperatively with other organizations in the county with complementary goals.
• Maintain the banner program.
• Network with other Chambers of Commerce.       
• Pursue development of other events.
• Continue the regional Buy the Alleghenies partnership. 
• Work in partnership with JCEL, HCB&I and Boomtown on a plan for development of downtown Huntingdon and other communities.          
• Annually sponsor a Golf Tournament in cooperation with member Huntingdon County Golf Clubs.
• Assist with developing & transitioning businesses within Juniata College's business incubator.
• Continue partnership on Raystown Lake Region Home & Garden Show.
• Work with local government, HCBI, and JCEL to promote redevelopment.  
• Promote new and existing businesses within the area. 
• Cultivate and promote the relationship with SCORE.

Education Committee Goals

Purpose:
The Education Committee shall be responsible for the planning, development and organization of educational opportunities to serve the members needs. The goal is to provide at least one educational opportunity per quarter. In addition, the education committee shall be responsible for any education awards that the Chamber deems. The committee shall also recommend to the Board the development of community education programs on appropriate policy issues. At least one member of this committee shall serve as a liaison with the educational community to develop a stronger interaction between the education, community and business sectors.

Short – term (FY ‘10’11):

• Enlarge committee representation by seeking new members who have an interest in strengthening education in the community and workplace.
• Invite leaders from industry and education to give presentations to the Education Committee about trends and workforce needs and possibly provide sites to host Education Committee meetings.
• Survey members to determine their workforce development needs.

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Offer educational workshops from at least two of the following areas: personal development skills; group interactive skills; manager/supervisor skills; health awareness and technical skill opportunities.
• Continue to affect and support the Your Opportunities Understood Leadership program.
• Educate members about information and resources available to help with workforce and workplace improvement efforts.
• Cooperate with educational institutions, both for-profit and non-profit, to support educational activities for youth and adults and enhance lifelong learning.
• Continue the BASICS (Businesses And Schools Investing in Cooperative Solutions) effort.
• Continue to support the Leadership Huntingdon County program.
• Continue to work to provide workshops at the annual Raystown Lake Region Home and Garden Show event.
• Continue to help Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week recruit students, volunteers and donors for their annual program.

Government Affairs Committee Goals

Purpose:
The Government Affairs Committee shall keep members abreast of legislative initiatives and serve as liaison between local Chamber members, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry initiatives and advocacy to address member’s needs.  The committee will recommend positions on legislation to the Board of Directors, and recommend to the appropriate committee, development of programs about legislation and political issues important to members.  The committee will work with other organizations and legislators to advocate for, and address, area project funding needs.  

Short- term (FY ‘10’11):

• Do a survey to determine Chamber members’ needs.
• Host a program on tort reform.
• Host a candidate forum.
• Gather and communicate candidate positions on issues important to members. 
• Identify other associations with common legislative goals.
• Host a meeting with other associations to collaborate on advocacy initiatives.
• Host an event to educate businesses on how the new healthcare reform law affects them. 
• Support HCBI in advocating for Route 22 redesignation as corridor M.

Long –term: 

• Create a Virtual Advisory Process that will provide feedback via e-mail to the Government Affairs Committee on legislation and positions.

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Meet with Legislators at Federal, State, County and Borough level to discuss the needs of Chamber members.
• Serve as liaison between local Chamber members and Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry initiatives and advocacy to address members’ needs.
• Continue partnership with the Hospital to advocate for healthcare.
• Continue HCBI/JCEL alliance in order to support local businesses and the incubator.   
• Communicate thru local media Chamber government affairs information.
• Continue to communicate legislative initiatives (Federal, State & Local) with Chamber members. 

Main Street / Community Improvement Committee Goals

Purpose:
The Main Street/Community Improvement Committee shall advocate for the continued and enhanced role of traditional downtowns as well as advocate for improvement in the appearance of the Huntingdon County community.  In support of principles of the National Main Street Program, goals of the committee include:

1. Promoting downtowns as important commercial and civic centers,
2. Assisting downtown property owners in finding new uses in response to changing conditions, and
3. Developing programs designed to improve the quality of life through improved community planning and community service, and
4. Offering events and promotions to showcase what the area has to offer.

Short – term (FY ‘10’11):

• Reprint historic rehabilitation guidelines and promote the sale of those guidelines in cooperation with the Historical Society.
• Develop recommendations for local governments on the prevention of deterioration and abandonment of older buildings.
• Support the Huntingdon County Historical Society in completing the nomination of a National Register Historic District in Huntingdon Borough’s West End and Oneida Heights.
• Organize a workshop on historic preservation and adaptive reuse. 

Long – term: 

• Promote proper methods of adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of historic buildings through distribution of literature, workshops and website.  
• Investigate making Huntingdon a Preserve America community. 
• Support the Huntingdon County Historical Society in completing the nomination of National Register Historic Districts in other areas of Huntingdon County

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Manage a façade program in Downtown Huntingdon utilizing available state and federal grant funding.
• Cooperate with the Huntingdon County Planning Commission in conducting an annual community improvement award program.
• Administer a sidewalk grant program in cooperation with Huntingdon Borough.
• Maintain the 4th Street welcome sign and garden. 
• Support downtown Huntingdon as a Main Street Community, including implementation of the four Main Street principles of organization, economic restructuring, appearance, and promotion.
• Coordinate the design and maintenance of welcome signs, wayfinding signs and gateway gardens with Huntingdon Borough.
• Encourage the implementation of sound land use principles through the development of attractive and sustainable communities. 
• Support the implementation of the Huntingdon County Comprehensive Plan.
• Support the development and maintenance of vital, safe and attractive neighborhoods. 
• Support the planning and development of the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Greenway, including promoting Huntingdon Borough as a Greenway hub.
• Support the completion of the Smithfield – Huntingdon pedestrian walkway.
• Support the development of a visitor center in Historic Huntingdon in cooperation with the Huntingdon County Historical Society, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau and other partners. 
• Support development of an engineering feasibility study of the former Huntingdon and Broad Top RR trestle, evaluating its possible use for rail and/or trail. 
• Identify downtown properties which are appropriate for economic development and actively work for their improvement.

Membership Committee Goals

Purpose:
TheMembership Committee, which includes the Vice-President and the Secretary, shall be responsible for membership recruitment and membership services.  It shall be the goal of this committee to offer various services to members, to coordinate membership functions (Business After Hours, Annual Meetings, Membership Luncheons, etc.), and to organize the Annual Membership Drive, including revising membership dues subject to board approval.

Short - term (FY ’10-’11):

• Reach a net increase of 10 new members by June 30, 2011. This will be achieved by retaining 87% of the total membership on record as of June 30, 2010, and recruiting 57 new members during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
• Investigate the need to increase member dues and/or implement a new member processing fee, with a recommendation prepared for the Administration and Finance Committee by May 28, 2010.
• Develop and implement a plan to offer installment payment of dues, with a recommendation prepared for the Administration and Finance Committee by May 28, 2010.
• Increase non-dues revenue by 5% by June 30, 2011, based on non-dues revenue total as of June 30, 2010.
• Investigate the feasibility of hosting Coffee Connections every other month as opposed to quarterly.
• Host first “January Blues” event in an effort to develop a signature Chamber event.
• Develop Web site package benefit for members.
• Recruit at least five new Ambassadors.

Long-term:

• Develop a membership that is more representative of the county as a whole, with special emphasis on diversity of business categories and geographic areas

On-going responsibilities:

• Oversee membership recruitment & retention
• Promote the Chamber – Quarterly Chamber News, Bi-monthly e-News, Membership Directory & Business Guide, Huntingdon County Map, Chamber 101, and general member benefit promotion
• Maintain, evaluate, and improve member services
• Oversee planning of events and programs that contribute to non-dues revenue – Business After Hours, Coffee Connections, Annual Membership Luncheon, Annual Awards Gala
• Monitor the activities of the Ambassador Committee

Technology Committee Goals

Purpose:
The Technology Committee shall promote the use of technology to expand business opportunities, improve the quality of life in the Huntingdon Area, improve communication among Chamber members and to implement the Chamber strategic plan through the use of technology.

Short - term (FY ‘10’11)

• Request Chamber members’ link back to the Chamber website through various opportunities in order to increase search engine rankings and recognize Chamber members on the website who link back to the Chamber. 
• Promote the value of the online membership directory to Chamber Members through news articles and website information. 
• Develop at least one program to present new technology information to Chamber Members. 
• Continue to modify the on-line Chamber Membership Directory to enable better searches via the Internet. 
• Continue to investigate the best way to offer members a web presence through the Chamber website.
• Work with the Membership Committee to develop a website package benefit for members.
• Deploy at least one RSS feed on the Chamber Blog linking to business information.
• Convert the Chamber website to a new site; add the e-news and newsletter to the new site; and modify the site to facilitate enhanced business to business communication. 
• Investigate other website opportunities and enhancements through WebLink. 

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Promote the availability of broad-band technology and the rate of its deployment in the Huntingdon County in cooperation with the Huntingdon Area Information Partnership.
• Support efforts to market the Huntingdon area to technology firms through the Chamber and Chamber partners.  Facilitating the sharing of technology information at the community/local user level.
• Maintain and improve the use of www.huntingdonarea.info as a unified gateway to digital information about Huntingdon County, monitoring web statistics. 
• Maintain and improve the use of www.huntingdonchamber.com to promote the goals and activities of the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce.
• Encourage members to use the internet to promote and /or sale products and services.