Business Classes Start Next Month

DAYTON - Local busi­ness improvement, job cre­ation and education are the goals of a several-months long business program that will be coming to Dayton, Pomeroy and Connell at the end of September.

The program is hosted by the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments and the Southeast Washington Economic Development

SEWEDA) with help from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Devel­opment program and the Port of Columbia.

The USDA Rural De­velopment program will be funding the classes to help local businesses operate more effectively, Southeast Washington Economic De­velopment Executive Direc­tor Marshall Doak said.

"We've been able to bring a lot of resources together for a low dollar amount," Doak said. "This is a way for us to bring federal money into the area."

The program will cost $28,000 in total, which Doak said is a good price for some­thing that could be very ben­eficial to the area.

"The cost is beyond rea­sonable for the number of businesses we will aid," Doak said. "This program is invaluable."

The classes are open to all valley residents. A cost has not been yet to participate in the program. The cost per course will be determined by the number of participants, but Doak said the courses will be reasonably and ac­cessibly priced. Doak also said participants who sign up early will be paid for by the program sponsors.

The classes will start in September and will run through the spring with con­tent about business manage­ment, retail and hospital­ity. Courses include Quick Books and accounting infor­mation, business manage­ment pointers and how to improve and increase web presence, Doak said.

There will be one course offered exclusively in Day­ton, a two-part seminar about value-added agriculture.

Outside of the courses, Dayton businesses will have the opportunity to receive critiques and input to poten­tially increase sales. Doak said an outside professional will work with Dayton busi­nesses to rate how they are doing and how they can improve with a few little tweaks. Doak said the input will be doable items to make businesses more profitable.

"The program will help connect entrepreneurs to resources," Doak said. "The USDA is actively involved in rural America," Doak said. "They are ecstatic that we are doing this."

The program was created to help the community by providing courses from en­try level to advanced levels, as well as helping budding entrepreneurs get started and access all of the resources they need, Doak said.

He said a boost to local businesses could be stimulat­ing for the local economy.

"One of our targets is job creation," Doak said.

Dayton Chamber of Com­merce

Director Brad Mc­Masters disseminated a sur­vey to test for interest in Dayton.

McMasters said the chamber sought public in­put through the online and a printed survey to determine what classes would be most useful within the community.

McMasters said he was thankful to receive input from as it will ultimately benefit the entire community.

Doak said the survey re­sponses suggest the com­munity will be accepting of the program and he hopes turnout will mirror that.

McMasters said when the classes and class times are determined the chamber of­fice will communicate the of­ferings available and prepare a system for signing up for the classes.

The first class in Dayton is "Starting a Business in Wash­ington" on Sept. 26 and the location is to be announced.