Commercial Club Plans for Success

WAITSBURG - A spe­cially formed committee of the Waitsburg Commercial Club will spend the next few months meeting with a Whitman student and a retired business person to develop a strategic one-year plan for the club. The con­sultation/ facilitation service is provided through 501 Commons, a Seattle-based organization that helps non- profit groups throughout Washington. It is funded by Sherwood Trust. The goal is to wrap up the process in June with a fully-executable one-year strategic plan in hand.

Three Commercial Club members were selected to participate, committing 15 to 20 hours a month to the planning process. The com­mittee is made up of Robbie Johnson, Leroy Cunning­ham and Joy Smith. "It's a good group with each of us having different business and civic experiences," said Commercial Club President Joy Smith.

A larger group of Com­mercial Club members met on March 5 to prepare a list of needs and questions to address at the planning sessions. Smith said the meeting provoked "good thoughts and lively discus­sion."

She said she took away two main concerns. The first is the ever-present challenge of enticing people to shop locally.

The second challenge is how to gain recognition by community members, government entities and other nonprofits for the Commercial Club as the Chamber of Commerce and lead agency for busi­ness development that it is. According to Smith, Waits­burg's Commercial Club was incorporated in 1903 as a Chamber of Commerce economic development nonprofit 501(c)(6).

"Simply because we are not called a Chamber of Commerce does not mean we are not one," said Smith. "Most Chambers of Commerce started out as Commercial Clubs. The Dayton, Pasco and Walla Walla Commercial Clubs all evolved and eventu­ally changed their names to Chambers of Commerce. We've never changed our name because Waitsburg is a 'One of a Kind' com­munity. I've never been for changing the name because I appreciate longevity and nostalgia, but if that is the only obstacle to the dis­connect, then maybe we should."

Smith said there was a good mix of members with a wide range of experience and interest in attendance at the discussion table. Mem­bers discussed the impor­tance of tourism dollars and how to get "head in beds" at the overnight rentals and questioned how hotel and motel tax money is being spent to promote tourism. Business owners empha­sized the need for timely action that would positively impact business sales.

"Some of us may not have the finances to support five years of planning. What can we do positively to increase traffic in our busi­nesses tomorrow?" asked one business owner.

Other questions the com­mittee will present to the 501 Commons advisors include:

-How do we promote Waitsburg as a viable com­munity for relocation or start-up businesses and what types of businesses are most desirable?

-What is the Waitsburg "brand" or "draw" that most resonates with visitors and new community members?

-Currently, local events center around the fair­grounds, park and Bruce Museum and draw little business to Main Street. How can we create events to bring excitement to the core business district?

-How do we get commu­nity input to better under­stand the desire and vision of the local citizens for the downtown business core?

Smith hopes to walk away from the process in June with a one-year stra­tegic plan for the business community that can be implemented immediately. She anticipates that the Club will continue the process to complete 5-year and 10- year strategic plans as well. "Commercial Club isn't an entity. It's the people who make it up. It is whatever you want it to be. Come to the table and let's do what we need to do," said Smith.