News and Updates
CHAMBER PLEASED WITH CITY COUNCIL'S VOTE ON ANNEXATION
One of the Chamber's initiatives is economic and business development, and one of the goals for this year was to provide a leadership initiative to have the city annex and zone acres for commercial and industrial development in the northwest section of Northfield that include the Sorem, Fink and Lysne land and properties in close proximity, and encourage other land options for annexation and future business development east of Interstate Highway 35 and in close proximity to Highway 19.
The Chamber was pleased that the Northfield City Council voted to support the annexation request before them. Their vision to have additional acres of land available for future business development is very important to the Northfield community for a variety of reasons, and the following are just a few of those reasons: 1) Northfield is a community burdened heavily with taxes due to an imbalance between residential and commercial/industrial land use. 2) Residents of our community like to have many amenities such as good schools, libraries, athletic facilities, a safety center and other public meeting places. These amenities are paid for with local taxes. 3) Additional business development would bring jobs into a city where a large portion of residents are employed outside of town. 4) Northfield would have a good land inventory for many years to come, and the city would be in a better position to have land available for businesses looking to make decisions to move or expand in our community. 5) Retail, service and professional businesses benefit from local commercial and industrial development because businesses that move or expand often encourage their employees to live and participate in the community where the business is located.
Now that the annexation request has been approved, the Chamber will continue to look to the Mayor and City Council for the leadership necessary to actually accomplish the annexation process. The Chamber encourages the Mayor and City Council to set policy and direct city staff and appointed city groups to prepare a Comprehensive Plan, Economic Development Plan, and ordinances that will encourage, not hinder, commercial and industrial development, and prepare a Transportation Plan that will accommodate local businesses, new development and a growing community.
CHAMBER PROVIDES TOURISM INFORMATION AND SERVICES
The summer tourism season has arrived, and many people will be requesting information about our community and will be visiting Northfield . Local companies that would like to have brochures and maps at their place of business for the purpose of assisting visitors and helping promote our community, may contact the Chamber office for a supply of Northfield Visitors Guides, City Maps, the Guide to Northfield , and the Defeat of Jesse James Days brochures. The Convention and Visitors Bureau, a department of the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce , wants everyone's visit to the Northfield area to be an incredible experience; and the Chamber is the place where local businesses, residents, and visitors will find local tourism information and service.The CVB and Chamber are currently discussing plans to enhance and update their web sites which will showcase and present our community and organization much better, and will provide visitors the information they want, or may need to know, in order to ensure that their visit will be fun, enjoyable and memorable.
MARKETING WORKSHOP
“Maximize Your Marketing Message Through Targeted Marketing”
September 10, 2008
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
at the Northfield Golf Club
Seminar Content : Imagine if you could create a direct mail piece targeted at a single individual. You could choose words and images that would appeal directly to that person, and odds are you'd immediately get his attention. Join us at this workshop to learn more about how to capture data that can be used for targeted marketing and learn how to use techniques such as variable-data printing and targeted emails to gain marketing and sales success.
Presenter is Amy Kemmerer , an account manager for Idea Outpost in Red Wing, Minnesota . Amy's experience includes time as a printing sales representative, marketing director in a corporate environment, and owner of a five-person marketing communications agency. Idea Outpost is a full-service branding and marketing communications agency.
Regi ster Today! Regi stration is required ; however there is no registration fee for the workshop because funding was provided by the Northfield Economic Development Authority. Contact the Chamber office to register.
