The #3 reason to join the Chamber:  Free use of our stuff!

Many small businesses need places to meet or make presentations, but don't have the space - or even an office.  When you join the Chamber, you have free access to our conference rooms, overhead projector, sound system, event canopy, and more!  If you use all these resources just once, you may have saved enough in rental fees to cover your annual membership dues. 

Of course, the Chamber has value in many other ways, but using our stuff for free is really easy to understand.  We'll even make the coffee.

Last week the Corvallis Planning Commission unanimously voted to forward a proposal for annexation to the Corvallis City Council.  The property in question is the McFadden Farm property on Hwy 20, adjacent to the Hewlett-Packard campus.  Chamber staff testified in support of the annexation for a number of reasons.

The location of the property makes sense for industrial development.  With easy access to the highway, access to electrical power (there is a substation on the HP campus), and as the largest parcel of bare land in Northwest Corvallis, the property is well-positioned for development.  It is currently zoned general industrial within the County, and the applicant has requested the same zoning with the City.   

Over the years, the Chamber has received inquiries from businesses that are looking for large buildable sites.  The Corvallis Municipal Industrial Airport has some large sites, but there remain questions about access to reliable power, concerns about commercial traffic through a school zone (Lincoln Elementary) and the distant location from other commercial properites, for employee acess to restaurants and services.  The airport has been a hard sell.  The McFadden on the other hand does not share those concerns.

Annexation will provide City fire protection, access to City water and sewer, and all the other amenities that come with being within the City limits. It will make the property more appealing to business locators - which may result in more jobs for our region. 

All in all, it is a win for the City and our community.  We support annexation of the McFadden property.

January may seem far away, but to the team coordinating Celebrate Corvallis, it's right around the corner.  Nominations for the outstanding volunteers, businesses and non-profits that make Corvallis such a great community are now open!  Who do you know that should be recognized this year?  Here are the award categories:

- First Citizen
- Future First Citizen
- Junior First Citizen
- Senior First Citizen
- Robert C. Ingalls Business Person of the Year
- Business of the Year
- Patron of the Arts
- Jim and Ruth Howland Special Achievement Award
- Community Organization/Non-Profit of the Year

In a departure from prior Celebrate Corvallis events, this year's celebration will be held Friday, January 20 at Reser Stadium on the Club Level.  The theme is "Celebrate the Decades," and will be special as it is also the Chamber's Centennial celebration!

Sponsorships are also now available, with a special category to recognize businesses in the community by sponsorship of the "decade" they were founded!  This will be a fun way to honor the many long-time businesses who have contributed so much to Corvallis over the years. 

Nominations will onlly be open until November 14, so visit www.celebratecorvallis.com now!