IMPORTANT NOTICE:
We're meeting at CALM this week at 5:30 PM for drinks and heavy Hor d hourves. Bring the kids and friends because we'll have full access to the light show!
Invocation: Bryan Burrows
Flag Salute: Nick Ortiz
Song Leader: Justin Leland
GOOD NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sheryl Barbich announced some fun events happening at the Kern County Museum. Lamplight Tours on December 9th from 4pm - 8pm and The Lori Brock Christmas on December 16 from 1pm - 3pm.
Garro Ellis announced that the Henrietta Weill Memorial Child Guidance Clinic is still looking for people to adopt a family in need for Christmas.
President Steve announced a new program called the Wall of Shame. For Rotary members appearing in print for one reason or another without their Rotary pin. This week those receiving the $25 fine are:
Jon Sampson & Andrae Gonzales
John Brock
Dave Plivelich
Steve Sanders and Nick Ortiz gave a quick pitch for thew Holiday of Lights at CALM. They told the story of Rotary member Stan
Eschner, then the director of CALM, seeing a similar program 15 years ago and bring the concept back to CALM.
THE PROGRAM:
Nick Ortiz, President and CEO of the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, gave an update on the happenings of the Chamber.
The Chamber rolled out a new project – the 2017-2018 BizClimate Survey. The survey is envisioned as an annual effort to get feedback and insight from Chamber members on their perspectives on the local economy, the regulatory environments they face and what support they need to ensure they have a qualified and productive workforce.
Here are just a few of the findings:
- Top three benefits/strengths of doing business in Kern County: Business climate/local government policies, Proximity to customers, climate.
- Top three challenges of doing business in Kern County: Employee Recruitment, Business Regulations, Healthcare Costs
Employers responded that while Kern County had workforce development and educational programs aligned with their needs, they noted that they did not have enough capacity to meet their needs.
Kern County voters do not like taxes, unfortunately many improvements are shot down without a way to fund them.
The takeaway was that the Chamber will work diligently to improve education workforce development, improve the external image of Bakersfield and Kern County and raise awareness of the need for public safety sales tax measures.
Visitors and guests:
(Note, please write the name of your guests clearly on the sign in sheet, this week, Rotarians can make their own guesses.)
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