Government Affairs

Mission Statement

To understand issues of interest to the businesses in the Gresham area; to take advocacy positions on those issues; and to communicate the Chamber’s viewpoint clearly to our membership, elected officials, and the community at large.

Summary of Goals

The Chamber Government Affairs Committee will educate members and influence elected officials with a legislative agenda focused on improving the business climate in the Gresham area. We will continue to work with our city, county, state, and federal elected officials to advance our key issues during 2008. These issues were created through solicitation of Chamber member’s interests and the collective knowledge of the council members.

The Government Affairs Council will focus on:

1. Promoting Economic Vitality
2. Supporting Education and Workforce Development
3. Improving Transportation
4. Strengthening Non-Profit Community

1. Promoting Economic Vitality

The Gresham area is currently involved in some of the most exciting economic growth in the region. We are at an important place in time when Gresham’s future growth in family wage jobs and thousands of new residents will be affected. Annexation of Pleasant Valley and Springwater, Rockwood Urban Renewal, development of Civic Neighborhood and Historic Downtown Gresham, present the city with many opportunities for positive economic development.

Among key components of promoting economic vitality are successful annexation projects, effective business retention and expansion strategies, training and retaining a quality workforce, a regionally recognized quality education system, a community with low crime rates, an effective leadership team at the City Council, a healthy and sustainable city budget, a business-friendly environment at City Hall, and a proactive Chamber of Commerce.

The Government Affairs Council’s economic development partnerships will focus on positive outcomes for the region and can be an important element of the Gresham area reaching its fullest economic development potential. Key partners to the Council include the City of Gresham, East Metro Economic Alliance, Multnomah County, State of Oregon, Metro, Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham Downtown Development Association, East Portland Chamber of Commerce, West Columbia Gorge Chamber of Commerce, Columbia Corridor Association, and the Historic Downtown Gresham Business Association.

The Chamber supports Gresham’s effort to oppose efforts to restrict current annexation processes allowed under state law.

The Chamber supports a regional effort to locate a business incubator and research facility to the region in partnership with the Manufacturing 21 Coalition.

The Chamber supports Gresham's efforts to reduce crime, which will enhance the livability standards in the region and promote economic development. The Chamber recognizes the major threat to public safety posed by gangs who are active in the community. The City of Gresham must be the driver to mitigate this threat by utilizing local, state, and federal resources and other revenue streams to curb gang-related crime in the community.

The Chamber recognizes that the Gresham Police Department has demonstrated leadership in the investigation and enforcement of gang activity in East Multnomah County. The Chamber supports providing appropriate resources to the Gresham Police Department to continue providing these critical public safety services, along with their focus on crimes that threaten the livability of the community.

The Chamber supports the East County Justice Center that will co-locate several necessary public safety services and could serve as a public safety hub in Gresham for East Multnomah County. This project will strengthen public safety partnerships and services to the citizens and the business community. This could also encourage others to invest in the Gresham area.

The Chamber supports Gresham’s efforts to seek funding support for public arts facilities that support local economic development efforts, including the Gresham Center for the Arts.

2. Supporting Education and Workforce Development

A primary component of a healthy economy in the Gresham area is a K-14 education and workforce development system that adequately prepares students to compete in today’s workforce and be prepared to complete a four-year degree.

We recognize that Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham-Barlow School District, Reynolds School District, and Centennial School District are prime economic development engines for the region. We support adequate and stable funding for the K-14 system and in return expect the school system to produce well educated, job-ready or college-ready, socially responsible students who are prepared to meet the needs of the real world of work and higher education. The Government Affairs Council dedicates itself to participate in solutions to reach these goals and to lend its support to the school districts and community college as necessary to support our desired outcomes.

The Governmental Affairs Council dedicates itself to participate in solutions to reach these goals and to lend its support to the three local school districts and Mt. Hood Community College in efforts to obtain appropriate state level funding. The funding will enhance the strong basic elementary and secondary education at each school district while providing expanded funding to Mt. Hood Community College for needed programs, facilities, and appropriate staffing to accomplish our desired educational and workforce outcomes, which will bolster the expanding local economy.

Workforce development is an important aspect of every community. A talented and educated workforce leads to greater economic opportunities and growth. Attracting new businesses and strengthening existing opportunities for business means growing the capabilities, skills and knowledge of the area’s labor force.

East Multnomah County is well served in the arena of workforce development by Mt. Hood Community College, WorkSource Oregon, and the Gresham-Barlow, Reynolds, and Centennial school districts.

The Government Affairs Council will provide information, assistance, and encouragement to Chamber members to form partnerships with the educational and workforce development community, function as a vehicle through which the business community may voice concerns, needs, and recommendations regarding the area’s educational and workforce development system, and collaborate on educational and workforce development efforts.

3. Improving Transportation

Recognizing the economic well-being and future growth of the East Metro business community is highly dependent upon the ability to efficiently transport products and people to, from, and within the region, the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center promotes programs which improve transportation opportunities and facilities and is actively involved in Gresham’s Transportation Council Advisory Committee.

Perhaps the most important element of a successful transportation system in the Gresham area is a connector from Interstate 84 and Highway 26 to the Springwater and Pleasant Valley areas. The Government Affairs Council will partner with regional economic development organizations to support the development and implementation of this connector.

The Chamber recognizes that providing ample public parking is an integral part of an efficient transportation system and impacts economic growth particularly in the core business centers. The Chamber will work with the City of Gresham and its other business partners to anticipate future public parking needs and to support the maintenance and expansion of public parking facilities as needed to maintain economic vitality.

The Chamber supports Gresham’s efforts for a transportation funding package that includes system maintenance, preservation, and operation funding as a top priority. The failure to gain sufficient funding to maintain transportation infrastructure leads to increased costs for the citizens and businesses of Gresham and limits the ability of the City to adequately invest in capital improvements to support economic development.

4. Strengthening Non-Profit Community

An important part of what makes Gresham a great place to live is the community support for the non-profit community. Non-profit organizations are the entrepreneurial approach to solving social problems. Unlike the business community these organizations do not strive to earn a profit and yet the entire community, and therefore the businesses in the community, benefit from their work. These organizations serve residents in need and help to reduce the need for government assistance. The Chamber recognizes the business community can reap rewards when we support the non-profit community in their efforts to house the homeless, feed the hungry, teach the undereducated, and support other basic life needs of our residents.

Government Affairs Council Members

Chairperson Dwight Unti Tokola Properties 43 NW Ava Avenue Gresham, OR 97030 503-489-0685 Fax 503-489-2260 dunti@tokolaproperties.com	Carol Nielsen-Hood Gresham Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center 701 NE Hood Gresham, OR 97030 503-665-1131 Fax 503-666-1041 gacc@greshamchamber.org
Lila Leathers Leathers Fuels 22300 SE Stark Street Gresham, OR 97030 503-661-1244 Fax 503-661-0234 leathers@teleport.com	Joan Albertson American Association of University Women 503-666-5723 jndalb@yahoo.com
Mike Bennett City of Gresham 1333 NW Eastman Parkway Gresham, OR 97030 503-618-3868	Jim Aynes, Attorney At Law 503-667-3130
Mayor Shane Bemis City of Gresham 1333 NW Eastman Parkway Gresham, OR 97030 503-618-2584	Dorothy Douglas Douglas Equipment & Supply 503-663-2053
Don Hendrix MBank 1290 NE Burnside Gresham, OR 97030 503-661-8688	David Jothen City of Damascus 11785 SE Wildwood Drive Damascus, OR 97089 503-489-1155 djothen@ci.damascus.or.us
Representative Karen Minnis P O Box 790 Fairview, OR 97024 503-986-1449 rep.karenminnis@state.or.us	Ron Papsdorf City of Gresham 1333 NW Eastman Parkway Gresham, OR 97030 503-618-2806
Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson P O Box 1531 Gresham, OR 97030 503-618-3071 Fax 503-618-3073 lauriemonnesanderson@juno.com	Travis Stovall The Stovall Group 773 NW 13th Street, Suite 416 Gresham, OR 97030 971-506-1493 travis@stovallgroup.com
Robert Brown WorkSource Oregon Employment Department 19421 SE Stark Street Portland, OR 97233 503-669-7112 Fax 503-666-2230 robert.b.brown@state.or.us	Mike Cholbi Windermere Realty 1748 NW Fairview Drive Gresham, OR 97030 503-661-5200 Fax 503-665-7007 mikec@windermere.com
Brian Lessler Persimmon Development Group, Inc 500 SE Butler Road Gresham, OR 97080 503-674-3200 Fax 503-669-3512 brian@pdginc.com	Michael Patrick Persimmon Realty - Patrick 39 NW 3rd Street Gresham, OR 97030 503-481-0900 Fax 503-972-8938 michael@prcnw.com
Rod Park Park's Nursery 2100 SE 282nd Gresham, OR 97080 503-663-3715 Fax 503-663-2696 parksnursery@msn.com	Shirley Luttropp League of Women Voters of East Multnomah County P O Box 122 Gresham, OR 97030 503-665-4649 luttropp@hevanet.com
Dave Shields Shields & Bloom Investments 1850 NW Burnside Gresham, OR 97030 503-666-6167 Fax 503-661-4876 dave.shields@comcast.net	Representative John Lim 503-238-9719 Fax 503-665-0864 senatorjohnlim@aol.com
Reverend Cynthia O'Brien Smith Memorial Presbyterian Church 2420 NE Fairview Avenue Fairview, OR 97024 503-667-6800 Fax 503-667-9517 riverandvine@verizon.net	Ron Ritter Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 123 East Powell Blvd, Suite 102 Gresham, OR 97030 503-666-0859 Fax 866-797-7206 ron.ritter@wellsfargo.com
Lonnie Roberts Multnomah County Commissioner 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214 503-988-5213 district4@co.multnomah.or.us