February 2008

January 2008

Meeting Minutes

General Membership Meeting

January 9, 2008

6:00 p.m.

The President, Hank Bartholomew, called the meeting to order.  Hank introduced Jackie Jones, the new Executive Director of H.O.P.E. and the 2008 Chamber officers and board members.  A motion was made and seconded to add Sue Drummond to the Chamber Board.  The motion was carried. 

The minutes of the November 2007 meeting were on the tables for everyone.  No additions or corrections were noted, so the minutes were adopted as presented.

Jeff Carroll, the new Treasurer, has not received the Treasurer’s books yet so he did not have a report.  Shirley said, “We have money.”

Sue Drummond and Jan Moon presented the “Rainier Marina Market,” which will replace the Rainier Market.  It is an indoor market in the building next door to the Bank of America building.  It will be the area’s first covered weekly market.  The plan is to start in mid-April.  They will start with Saturdays only and build from there.  A motion was made and seconded that the Chamber front the Rainier Marina Market with $1,000.00 and open a separate checking account for it.  The motion was carried.  Judy Taylor then gave Sue a check as the first $100 sponsorship!

The Holiday Decorating Contest and Tree Lighting was held again.  Kathye Beck, the chairperson, is unable to attend Thursday meetings, so there was no official report. For the record, the 2007 winners in the decorating contest are listed below in Table 1:

2008 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

Hank Bartholomew requested the Chamber start a Speakers Bureau, to speak at various meetings and functions around the county.  Judy volunteered to chair it.  A motion was made and seconded to start a Speakers Bureau.  Carried.

Hank also requested we try to arrange a Candidates Forum in 2008.  It would be a committee to arrange for candidates to speak at a Chamber General Membership Meeting.  Shelley Carroll said she was interested in helping this committee by contacting election officials in St. Helens and Rainier to determine the election dates for county and local offices.

Judy Taylor has agreed to head the 2008 Membership Drive.  Peggy Rolf will assist her.  The committee will be sending 2008 membership invoices to all 2007 members, as early in January as possible. 

Jackie Jones, Director of H.O.P.E., announced that their board meeting is the second Monday each month at 6 p.m.  They are looking for more board members.  H.O.P.E. is open from 11 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week.

Door prizes were donated by the Rainier Marina Market organizers:  Byron Rickert, of CBR Forestry, won an embroidered ball cap; Carolyn Bowers, Pastor of the Rainier United Methodist Church, won an embroidered cloth carry-all.

Table 1. 2007 Rainier Festival of Lights Decoration Contest Winners

RESIDENTIAL

First Place

Bob Teschner

29398 Washington Way

Second Place

Charlene Niemela

534 East 4th St.

Third Place

Eric Wellington

545 East 4th St.

Honorable Mention

Kathy Pritchard

516 East 4th St.

Ernest Obermeier

68038 Whitney Rd.

Michael Kreger

1113 West C St.

COMMERCIAL

First Place

Bill & Carol Richmond

Richmond's Family Dining

228 West B St.

Second Place

Melanie Fleming

Oregon Grape Stitch

108 East B St.

Third Place

Sheryl Teuscher

Country Insurance 112 West B St.

Honorable Mention

Jeff & Shelley Carroll

Jeshell Mailbox Services

118 West B. Street

Joyce Oliva

Rainier True Value

102 East A St.

General Membership Meeting

November 8, 2007

12:00 noon

The meeting was called to order by Shirley Bartholomew.

After the buffet lunch was served self-introductions were made.

Old & New Chamber Business

►Minutes from the October meeting were approved as written.

►The Treasurer was on business out of town, so there was no treasurer’s report.

►Shirley Bartholomew reviewed the status of the Holiday Decorating Contest & Tree Lighting. The Rainier City Council agreed to allow the Chamber to use the Council Chamber for a Hot Chocolate and Cookies Reception following the tree lighting.

►With unanimous consent, there will be no general membership meeting in December. The next meeting, therefore, will be January 10, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the United Methodist Church.

►By unanimous vote the Chamber approved a motion to contribute up to $100 in matching funds for expenses associated with the City of Rainier’s public reception to meet the finalists for the position of City Administrator on Wednesday, November 14, 6:00 p.m., in the City Council Chamber.

Election of Officers for 2008

►The following were elected by voice vote to serve on the executive board for one year beginning January 1, 2008:

Hank Bartholomew, President

Kathye Beck, Board Member

Judith Taylor, Vice President

Gloria MacKenzie, Board Member

Jeff Carroll, Treasurer

Aimee Thompson, Board Member

Peggy Rolf, Secretary

Shirley Bartholomew, Past President

Sue Drummond, Board Member

Program

Ms. Ederlinda N. Ortiz-Clawson, of the Columbia County Health Division, gave a highly informative and timely presentation on “Preparing for a Pandemic Flu Emergency.” The public health community no longer talks in terms of IF there ever is a pandemic flu emergency, but WHEN it will strike. To test current capability to respond to an outbreak of H5N1 Avian flu, for example, Columbia County public health service, in cooperation with local municipalities, police, fire and other first responders, the US Center for Disease Control, and the US Department of Homeland Security, is conducting a series of exercises in Scappoose, Clatskanie, Vernonia, St. Helens, and Rainier. In each exercise, “Points of Dispensing” (PODs) are established at the local high school where the public is invited to enter the process and receive a free flu inoculation. Each POD operates for exactly four hours. At the kickoff test in Scappoose a total of 740 flu shots were administered in the four hours. (The inoculations are non-living viruses of the current strain being delivered nationally this season—NOT H5N1.

The Rainier exercise will be held on Tuesday, December 4, from 2:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Rainier Junior-Senior High School Commons. Rainier Schools Superintendent Michael Carter is the Rainier area coordinator.

Announcements for the Good of the Order

►The H.O.P.E. Food Bank inventory is running low. The Chamber is asking individuals and businesses to contribute food items to H.O.P.E. as soon as possible.

►Free flu shots, December 4, 2-6 p.m.; Rainier J/S HS (See the Program discussion, above.)

►The door prize, a supersized coffee mug and a pound of gourmet coffee, contributed by Aimee’s Flowers & Gifts, was won by Dearl Taylor.

Adjournment