If you own a store front business, then chances are you rely on inventory to be delivered on a timely and regular basis.

Living in a rural community like Sierra Vista means that good transportation links to larger towns and cities are essential, especially when you run a business.

And with no local rail service, well maintained and multiple lane highways are vital to any economy that wants to grow.

Unfortunately, road projects are often a victim of cuts when the hard times hit and we are all well aware of the rocky path the state’s budget has taken in recent years.

In its bid to reduce Arizona’s massive deficit, legislatures have hacked away at just about every state department’s finances, and transportation was no exception.

And while many of these cost cutting measures had seen the deep financial hole become a little shallower, we are not out of the woods yet.

With this in mind, the Arizona Department of Transportation approached the Sierra Vista Area Chamber and asked how it could reach out to the business community to talk about its future plans.

So we invited ADOT representatives to give a presentation at a lunch to be held on February 2 at 11:30 a.m. at Pueblo Del Sol Country Club.

This will be the first of our new Hot Topics events, where we focus on an issue which we believe affects the business community.

The title of this presentation is Planes, Trains & Automobiles: ADOT’s Future Investment Strategy.

Attendees will learn about the role of transportation in Arizona and what the future holds, in particular the types of investment choices and the impact on the state’s budget.

Following the presentation, there will be a chance for audience members to give their feedback on ADOT’s proposals and to talk about their own transportation needs.

While learning and talking about transportation may not seem like the most exciting way to spend a lunch hour, it is an issue that affects us all, especially if this community wishes to build a more diverse economy and attract new industries to Southeast Arizona.

We encourage all members of the business community, whether a Chamber member or not, to attend this one-hour event.

The cost, which includes a hot lunch buffet, is $18 for members and $22 for non-members.

RSVPs are required, so sign up today by visiting the Chamber website www.sierravistachamber.org or call us at 458-6940.

Hopefully you read the report in Friday’s Herald/Review regarding the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting, which took place last Thursday at the Windemere Hotel & Conference Center.

Board chairman Frank Gonzalez and I had the pleasure of giving presentations on the many changes and improvements we have made at the Chamber to the nearly 200 members in attendance.

Not only were we able to talk about those changes, but also the positive results that we have seen and experienced as a consequence.

If you were unable to attend the event, you can read the 2011 Annual Report on our website by hovering your mouse on the ‘About The Chamber’ tab on our website home page, which will bring up a drop down menu. Then just click on ‘2011 Annual Report’.

The report contains a message from our Chairman, a basic financial report, some facts about the Chamber, as well as a list of our Executive Members.

But, most importantly, it lists our accomplishments during 2011.

Please take a few minutes to look it over and find out how we have been working on behalf of our members.

It is also a great way to discover how your business could be benefiting from Chamber membership, if you have yet to join our organization.

Throughout the year, I try to keep our members and the wider community informed about the Sierra Vista Area Chamber, and its events and programs, via this newspaper column.

I feel privileged to be able to utilize this format to communicate with area businesses.

Later this month, however, I will have the honor of personally addressing the business community at the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting, sponsored by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative.

It has been seven months since I took on the Executive Director position. I hit the ground running and, along with my great staff, I’ve been sprinting ever since in an effort to keep on top of the many changes and improvements we have made in such a short time.

We are proud of what we have accomplished and we are looking forward to sharing those developments with our members, and any other interested parties, on January 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Windemere Hotel & Conference Center (our Large Business of the Year in 2011).

During this event the 15-member Board of Directors will approve the minutes and financial reports, before our current chair, Frank Gonzalez, of Lawley Automotive Group, gives a short presentation.

I will then take a look back at 2011 and discuss the changes and improvements we have made, why we introduced them, and how they benefit our members.

We will then hear from some of our businesses about their Chamber experiences, before we move on to some of the new projects and programs we have lined up for 2012.

Every attendee will also receive a copy of our 2011 Annual Report, as well as the new look Membership Benefits Guide, which is also accessible on our new look website, www.sierravistachamber.org, by clicking Membership on the home page.

But that is not all. Everyone will also receive our Shop Local bag, which will contain a copy of the annual Community Profile & Membership Directory and a complimentary copy of our new Community Map, which we usually sell for $1 at the Chamber.

Not signed up for the Annual Membership Meeting yet? You have until January 12 to register. Just visit our website or call us at 458-6940.

When you are browsing the website, take a look at some of the new events we have coming up, where you can network and promote your business.

On Thursday, February 2, we are holding another lunchtime event, called Hot Topics. This is an occasional program we host when we feel there is an important issue that the business community should be aware of.

Last year, we were approached by the Arizona Department of Transportation, which asked if it could talk to our members about their transportation needs, as well as the current State budget and its consequences for ADOT’s future plans and projects.

This one-hour event will be held at Pueblo Del Sol Country Club at 11:30 a.m. and any business – whether a Chamber member or not – concerned about reliable transportation to and from Sierra Vista and Cochise County should take the opportunity to attend and voice their opinion.

Registration is now also available for our 2012 Health Fair at The Mall at Sierra Vista on Saturday, February 25. Open to Chamber members and non-members, we expect booths for this affordable expo to be snapped up quickly, so do not delay in signing up.

Finally, registration is now also open for the annual Southeastern Arizona Contractors Association Home & Garden Show at Buena High School on March 23 and 24.

Hosted by the Chamber, there is a wide variety of booth spaces to suit all budgets. This event will provide a great opportunity to showcase your services to thousands of potential customers.

Look for further information on these events in future columns, or go to our website to register right now.

In the meantime, I look forward to seeing many of you at the Annual Membership Meeting on January 19.

The Card is part of a program from Touchstone Energy, an alliance of more than 700 electric cooperatives nationwide. Currently about 350 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are participating in the Co-op Connections Card program, and their members are enjoying the benefits.

And those benefits can be found at retail outlets in you own community, at pharmacies and with national brands!

Savings with Local Purchases

Local restaurants, stores, and companies that provide services have been invited to participate in the program. (CLICK HERE to view a list of participating local businesses).

Those businesses may offer a discount on certain merchandise, offer a “buy one and get a second one at a reduced price,” honor a special offer for a particular day of the week or provide an upgrade when a cardholder makes a purchase.

Pharmacy Discounts

For co-op members who have no prescription coverage, this card will offer discounted saving in many cases for others it can provide a discount for drugs not covered under a particular plan.

Participating chains include CVC, Walgreen’s, Wal-Mart, Target, and Safeway as well as local pharmacies.

National Discounts

There are several national chains participating in the program as well. These include motels (such as Best Western, Super 8 and Days Inn), auto rental agencies (such as Alamo, Dollar, Thrifty, and Hertz), and other businesses (ProFlowers, Six Flags, Advanced Auto Parts, Energy Savers, Pet Assure, Jenny Craig, Land’s End, Solar Direct, and XM Radio).

And There’s More

The Co-op Connection Card is valid in any cooperative area that is participating tin the program. That means that in Arizona, you card can be used at participating businesses in Duncan, Thatcher, Safford, Marana, Pinetop-Lakeside, and Bullhead City.

And if your destination is in an out-of-state area served by an electric cooperative participating the program, you can put the Card to work.

Here are some of the LOCAL businesses participating in the Cooperative Connections Card:

COCHISE/DRAGOON/PEARCE/SUNSITES

Amerind Museum 520-586-3666, Sunglow Ranch 520-824-3334

HEREFORD

AT&G Service 520-366-0237, Cannon’s Creative Surfaces 520-439-9497, Mountain View A/C and Heating 520-803-8884, The Lone Star Cafe 520-378-4000

HUACHUCA CITY/WHETSTONE

Campstone Transfer, Inc. 520-456-1123, Stan’s Fence Co. 520-456-2650

SIERRA VISTA

4 Paws Inn 520378-7176, Banner Printing Inc. 520-458-5550, Big Bird’s Carpet Cleaning and More 520-236-1183, Buena Health Fitness Center 520-378-2461, Cochise Motorsports 520-458-5297, Competition Tire 520-459-0220, Cool Dreams Window Tinting 520-249-4008, Evans & Hillebrand, PC 520-459-2366, Horizon Moving Systems 520-458-4625, Jacob’s Guitar Shop 520-439-5253, Mr. Fix It of Sierra Vista 520-227-8194, Pets West 520-459-4215, Rocky Mountain Images 520-378-6865, Sierra Cycles 520-459-2589, Sierra Vista Builders Supply 520-459-3263, Sierra Vista Flowers and Gifts Co. 520-458-8430, Wicket Limitz Graphics 520-459-8547.

Well we did it. We hit our June 30, 2012, membership goal of 600 in December 2011.

Reaching that magic number has been a great motivator for me and the staff during the last six months and we are absolutely delighted that we attained it so far ahead of schedule. Of course, while giving ourselves a pat on the back, we are also mindful of the fact that retention is equally as important as bringing in new members.

So we will be working just as hard for the next six months – the end of our financial year – to not only expand beyond 600, but ensure our existing members are happy with the services we provide.

Why do we think our numbers are swelling so significantly?

We firmly believe it’s because we have introduced many positive changes in the last few months which have resulted in improved benefits for our members. We are also seeing more home based businesses join our organization, following the reduction we made in annual membership dues from $300 per year to just $175, as well as non-profits who can now sign up for $150.

The Chamber has looked at new ways we can help local businesses, especially during this ongoing tough economy, and we will continue to do so  throughout 2012.

On January 19 the Chamber will hold its Annual Membership Meeting at the Windemere Hotel & Conference Center. At this event you can find out in more detail what kind of improvements we have made and what we plan to do this year. You will receive a copy of our Annual Report as well as our new look Membership Guide, which we designed to be more streamlined and cost effective.

You will also be able to pick up one of our free Shop Local bags, sponsored by a number of our members. The Annual Membership Meeting costs just $25 and includes a buffet lunch. Go to our website, or call the Chamber to register today.

Don’t forget to CLICK HERE to view out member’s discounts

February 28, 2012 Presidential Preference Election

Important Dates To Remember:

January 30, 2012 : Last Day to Register to Vote

February 2, 2012 : Early Voting Begins

February 17, 2012: Last Day to Request an Early Ballot To Be Mailed

February 24, 2012 : Last Day to Vote Early in Person at Recorder’s Office

March 13, 2012 Elections

Palominas Fire District – Special Recall Election – See Notice of Election

City of Willcox – City Council Election

City of Tombstone – Special Recall Election

City of Douglas – Mayor & Council Election

Important Dates To Remember:

February 13, 2012 : Last Day to Register to Vote

February 16, 2012 : Early Voting Begins

March 2, 2012 : Last Day to Request an Early Ballot To Be Mailed

March 9, 2012 : Last Day to Vote Early in Person at Recorder’s Office

May 15, 2012

Consolidated Election Date

Important Dates To Remember:

April 16, 2012 : Last Day to Register to Vote

April 19, 2012 : Early Voting Begins

May 4, 2012 : Last Day to Request an Early Ballot To Be Mailed

May 11, 2012 : Last Day to Vote Early in Person at Recorder’s Office

August 28, 2012

Primary Election – Countywide

Important Dates To Remember:

July 30, 2012 : Last Day to Register to Vote

August 2, 2012 : Early Voting Begins

August 17, 2012 : Last Day to Request an Early Ballot To Be Mailed

August 24, 2012 : Last Day to Vote Early in Person at Recorder’s Office

November 6, 2012

General Election – Countywide

Important Dates To Remember:

October 8, 2012 : Last Day to Register to Vote

October 11, 2012 : Early Voting Begins

October 26, 2012 : Last Day to Request an Early Ballot To Be Mailed

November 2, 2012 : Last Day to Vote Early in Person at Recorder’s Office

For Voter Registration Information or to request an EARLY BALLOT contact the Cochise County Recorder at (520) 432-8354 or 

1-888-457-4513 or by email at recorder@cochise.az.gov

Christmas tree recycling will begin on Tuesday, December 21, and run through Saturday, January 28, 2012. Both City and County residents will be able to dispose of their Christmas trees at the City’s Compost Facility for FREE! This site is located just past the Animal Control Center on east Highway 90 at mile marker #325. The Compost Facility is open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is the only drop off location for Christmas tree recycling.

In just a few short weeks, we will have already completed six months of the Chamber’s financial year. I am pleased to be able to say that it has been a positive six months, with the addition of 100 new members.

Not only are we on track to reach our goal of a total of 600 Chamber members by June 30, 2012, we will likely surpass that number before the end of 2011.

The staff and I are always encouraged by the great feedback we continue to receive from our members and the wider community, as well as hearing about the areas in which we can improve.

We are particularly looking forward to updating the members on our efforts and progress at the Annual Meeting on January 19.

Hopefully, you received your mailed invites last month and we also hope you will take the time to attend and learn about how your annual investment in the Chamber is being put to work on your behalf.

We know how busy many of you are running your businesses and that it can be easy to forget about the many events and programs we have to offer.

That is why we have introduced a new phone texting service to remind our members about upcoming events.

There is no cost to subscribe—you only pay the charges that apply to your personal texting plan—and we will only send up to four texts a week.

It’s a great way to receive a quick and easy reminder about networking and marketing opportunities.

Just text CHAMBER to 520-226-4027 to sign up today.