By Matt Neznanski
Gazette-Times reporter | Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:00 am
City Club, Economic Vitality Partnership will compare notes Wednesday
Two city groups built on citizens' suggestions will compare notes Wednesday about successes and lessons learned.
The Corvallis City Club will host Mayor Charlie Tomlinson as a representative of the Economic Vitality Partnership and Betty Griffiths of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition to discuss effectively engaging government.
"It'll be more interactive than just question-and-answer," said John Sechrest, a City Club organizer.
The Economic Vitality Partnership, also known by the title of its report, "Prosperity That Fits," comprises a variety of groups, including the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition, Downtown Corvallis Association, Oregon State University and city and county government.
Tomlinson this month prepared a plan for a subcommittee tasked with crafting a business license fee. According to the Prosperity That Fits plan, business licenses serve the larger purpose of better tracking what businesses are at work in town.
Meanwhile, the city hopes to collect $170,000 from them to bring its part of the economic vitality programs to fruition.
Prosperity That Fits began in early 2005 as a way to attract specialized economic growth while maintaining certain quality-of-life standards.
The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition gathers more than 60 local nonprofit groups, businesses and educational institutions with the city government to promote sustainable practices.
Most recently, the coalition announced that it will partner with statewide nonprofit Energy Trust to create a first-of-its-kind program to craft a model campaign promoting energy incentives and alternatives to homeowners and businesses.
In the program, Corvallis will become a test case for bringing renewable energy promoters together with civic leaders to give sustainability a high profile.
Both the Sustainability Coalition and the Economic Vitality Partnership were created and derived their goals through long-term public input.
Wednesday's City Club meeting will feature small group discussion of the two programs.
"We'll be trying to see how effective those were and see how they could be more so in the future," Sechrest said.
City Club also hosts monthly lunchtime meetings. Members receive free admission to all events. Memberships range from $50, with a five-hour volunteer commitment to $100 without the volunteer hours. People younger than 30 years old can join for $25, with no volunteer requirement.
For details and a schedule of more upcoming discussions, see the City Club Web site: www.cityclubofcorvallis.org.
Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net
IF YOU GO
What: City Club discussion of the city's Prosperity that Fits plan.
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW. Eighth St.
When: Wednesday, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Cost: Members: with appetizers, $12, free without. Non-members: $17 with appetizers, $5 without.
Pre-register online at www.cbchambercoalition.com