2006 Board of Directors

We’ve Moved! We are getting set up in our new location at 30525 Linden St. in Lindstrom (the old Lindstrom Library building). Please stop by and check out our "new" facility - we've made some great improvements.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time! Special thanks to:

- Mary Cordts, Kristy Duggan and Delaney, Dorothy Mlekoday, Roger Lindgren, Bill Porter, Tom Kieffer, Jim McCarville and Kelly Wood for painting. Thanks also to Danner Duggan for painting and for helping unload tile
and office furniture on a moment’s notice!

- Thanks to Gary Gerke, Charlie Jahn, Gary Palmquist and George McMahon for removing the old carpeting. Extra thanks to Gary Gerke and Jim McCarville for their advice and direction about the electrical work and other improvements.

- Thanks to Oris Erlandson and the contractor crew from Erlandson-Nelson for their great work, timeliness and cost-saving ideas. Thanks to the subcontractors, Wild River Electric and E & Z Testing, and to D B Signs for installing the new signage.

- Thanks to Brian Phyle from Tile by Phyle for installing tile in the entry and bathrooms. Brian is also designing a tile mural for an interior wall.

- Thanks to Chisago Hardware for donating the interior paint and for being “on call” to mix up another gallon of “beringer” or “earth dance” or “crisp linen”!

- Thanks to Richard Berget for assisting with the purchase and delivery of used office furniture for the conference and display areas.

- Thanks to Bob Jennissen for helping unload Chamber materials after the Celebration of the Lakes, and for removing the ice and snow outside the building before and after the move.

- Thanks to Rich Bachman and Matt Silver for taking some of our larger items over to our storage garage in Chisago City.

- Thanks to Joe and Jeff del Villar, Ken Nordick, Gary Palmquist, Mary Cordts and Kelly Wood for helping with the move. Thanks to Mary Cordts, Shari Bachman, Yvonne Schwartz and Nicole Schwartz for helping clean shelves, wash windows, mop floors and organize the storage area. Thanks to Mary Ann Jindra for adding some Swedish flair to our display area.

- Thanks to Oris Erlandson, Tom Hallberg, Jim Green, John Anderson and others who helped us find a “good home” for the considerable amount of shelving that was left behind by the old library. You may see some of it at local businesses, at area preschools or at the Language Academy in Forest Lake. Some is being used in our display area and in our backroom storage and work areas.

- Thanks to the City of Lindstrom staff, including Bill Becklin, Kay Mattson and Barb Barnes for their support throughout the renovation project; to Mayor Lindgren and Councilman Wishy for their willingness to help at any time, and to the City Council for allowing the former library building to be used as an Information Center. Thanks to Mark Dzubay for being available when the furnace failed during the coldest weekend of the winter, and for being so great to work with.

- Thanks to Chisago City Administrator John Pechman, and to Mayor Dubose and the City Council for their support of this project.

Thanks to all the businesses, organizations and individuals who have helped make the renovation possible. We are still in need of funding for the initial renovation work. Contributions will be recognized in a granite "wall of honor" during a grand opening this Spring, and will be seen by everyone who visits the center for years to come. This is "perpetual advertising", and a great way to promote your business and/or to demonstrate your organizations’ commitment to our communities.

And finally, thanks to the committee involved in the planning phase (see related article). We aren't quite settled yet – we are still awaiting the installation of countertops by Steve Monson of Scandia Stoneworks, and have a bit of finish work and paint touch-up to do. The move occurred between our two biggest events of the year (Celebration of the Lakes and the Home Show), so please bear with us!

We miss everyone over at the Chisago County Press building, even though we’ve only moved across the street! But we now have space for informational materials, maps, business displays and displays of our heritage, as well as scenic photography.

The Chamber provides information to busloads of Swedish tourists throughout the year, as well as visitors from other states and from other parts of Minnesota. We constantly provide relocation information to potential new residents, and business and general interest information to businesses and residents in Chisago City, Lindstrom, Center City and Shafer and the surrounding areas. Please come visit – and bring a supply of your business cards, brochures and other information you would like to display. If you are unable to deliver the materials to us, we'd be happy to pick them up. Just give us a call at 651 257-1177.

Financial Statement: The Chamber’s Balance Sheet as of 1/31/06 indicates total liabilities and equity of $62,847.97. The balance includes contributions to the new Chisago Lakes Area Information Center. The balance does not include many of the Celebration of the Lakes expenses, and will be significantly reduced in the next two months as renovation expenses are incurred.

Membership Drive: There are still several members who have not renewed their membership. Telephone calls/contacts are being made to get the membership list finalized prior to publication of the 2006 community guides. To be included in the 2006 community guides, members were asked to renew their membership by January 16, 2006. New members in January include Applewood Nursery & Landscaping Supplies (Steve Curtis), Ironhorse Central Railroad Museum (Erik Thompson), AFLAC (Bill Porter), Chisago Lakes Mortgage, Inc. (Vickie Peterson), Lakes Area Surveying (Mark Gibson), Picket Fence Gals (Dawn Thimm), and Security
Management & Realty, Inc. (Brooke Hegge & Anna Ploog, managers of Bayview Senior Apartments).

Executive Director’s Report: The contact volume for January has not been summarized and will be included with the February report. Fairview has teamed up with Midwest Sports Events, and as a sponsor of the Chisago Lakes Half Iron Man Triathlon they are hosting training sessions in March. A flyer about the classes was included in the February newsletter. The Triathlon events are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, July 29th and 30th and will include a Half Ironman triathlon, a Sprint event and a kids’ triathlon.

Area Promotions: The map project is in the production phase. Text content for the open space is currently being edited. Brenda is reviewing a proof of the map, and will send it back to Village Profile for final changes. Ad sales are completed for the 2006 Community Guides, and guides should be available in February. Kristy is taking photos of new Board Members for inclusion in the Community Guides and on the new Chamber website. The promotional article written last month by the Pioneer Press was syndicated and has been picked up by many other newspapers across the country. In addition to the Des Moines register, the article appeared in Hawaii newspapers and in several other states.

Chamber Office Relocation: Signage was installed on January 6th at the new Chisago Lakes Area Information Center, and a 10-year lease agreement has been signed with the City of Lindstrom. The City will lease space rent-free for 2005 and 2006. The VFW will meet on February 14th and finalize their decision on sub-leasing space at the new center. Chisago City has signed a 10-year service agreement with the Chamber and is providing financial support throughout the term of the agreement. A summary of contributions and estimated renovation costs was provided to the Board for their review. Fundraising efforts are continuing, and some members are contributing products and services to the renovation effort. Help is needed to finish the painting, clean-up after the renovation work, remove carpet and help move the Chamber office. A sign-up sheet will be available at the February 2nd luncheon meeting. The move to the new location is set for Saturday, February 11.

Committee Reports/Implementation Plans: Greg Shaleen reported that the proceeds for the 2006 Celebration of the Lakes were between $5000 and $6000, as compared to more than $7000 in 2005. The committee worked very hard to make the event successful, in spite of the weather conditions. There were about 200 people at the Pilot’s reception on Friday evening, and the helicopter rides were busy all day on Saturday. The kids’ games, horse drawn sleigh rides, balloon tether and other activities were well-attended. Chisago County was very accommodating in allowing us to use the park. Suggestions for next year’s event are to move the kid’s games and chili cook-off to an earlier time on Saturday. We should also establish more subcommittees to focus on specific event details. Because it worked so well to use Ki Chi Saga Park, we now have a contingency plan for future years in case we experience thin ice conditions. Bob Jennissen reported that the 2006 Home, Garden & Business Show plans are moving along, and is scheduled for the weekend of March 4th and 5th. There is a conference basketball game scheduled on Friday evening, so plans are being made to accommodate set-up late Friday evening, since the gym will be used for exhibit space this year. Start time on Saturday has been changed from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M., to allow exhibitors to complete their set-up on Saturday morning. Registration is ahead of last year, and we are expecting about 120- 130 booths. Posters, banners, and signage will be in place ion mid- February, and ad promotions and a special Home Show circular will appear in the Chisago County Press.

Upcoming Member Events: The Cambridge Chamber is offering a seminar on Retail Strategies on February 10th at Cambridge City Hall. Brenda participated in a similar session put on by the U of M Extension Office at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE) Fall Conference last September, and encourages retail businesses to attend. The cost is $75 for an unlimited number of Chamber members to attend. The Board approved payment of the $75 if member businesses would like to participate. An announcement will be made at the February 2nd luncheon meeting. The Board agreed that the Grand Opening for the new Chisago Lakes Area Information Center should be scheduled for April or May. Wild River has donated a private charter aboard the Taylors Falls Queen or Princess, as a donation toward the renovation project - a St. Croix River Cruise will be scheduled in June or July, as a fundraising and social event.

There were 27 members and guests at the February 2nd monthly luncheon meeting. Lunch was catered by Josh Hanson and Troy Johnson from Linwood Pizza in Lindstrom.

Kristy Duggan, Chamber President welcomed the members and guests. Brenda Palmquist announced new members and introduced the new members who were present: Linwood Pizza, Dairy Queen and AFLAC.

Jim McCarville was the featured speaker. Jim is a SCORE counselor. SCORE is a volunteer, non-profit organization and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE provides no cost confidential business counseling by experienced professionals, no cost export-import counseling, no cost access to a local Business Planning Center staffed by SBA and SCORE professionals and also presents outstanding (for a small fee) business seminars developed for those: Contemplating a business, starting a business, already in business and needing capital.

Jim talked about how SCORE counseling is a way for new or struggling businesses to receive personal help. Counselors have a wide range of skills & experience; they are assigned to match the need. Email counseling and team counseling are also available. They counsel entrepreneurs who are already in business, starting a business or contemplating a business. A majority of clients need basic business information and common sense advice skills.

Here is how it all works: The client requests counseling from the SCORE website, or by e-mail, phone or mail. An assignment committee selects a primary counselor to match the client’s need and the client and counselor are notified. The counselor contacts the client and arranges a counseling session, report the outcome of the sessions and follow-up sessions are scheduled as needed. You can contact SCORE at stpaul@scoremn.org www.scoremn.org (651) 632-8937 or 176 N. Snelling, Suite 300 St Paul, Minnesota 55104. The Chisago Lakes Area Information Center also has brochures and other materials about the resources available through SCORE.

Afton House Inn, Afton, MN

Kinni Creek, River Falls,WI

Rosewood Inn, Hastings, MN

The Arbor Inn, Prescott, WI

A tour of inns in the St. Croix River Valley will be highlighted with chocolate tastings three Sundays in March, 2006. The schedule for Sunday, March 5 is Afton House Inn - Afton, Rosewood Inn - Hastings, Kinni Creek - River Falls and The Arbor Inn – Prescott, WI. A group of innkeepers who market their inns together (Inns of the Scenic St. Croix Valley) have teamed with area chocolatiers with a unique offer- The Fourth Annual Chocolate March. The chocolate tastings will range from truffles to mousse to tortes to chocolate chai tea. Some inns will be serving their own chocolate specialties while others will be offering area chocolatiers a chance to promote their fine products, made fresh locally. Participating chocolatiers are Knoke Confections from Hudson, Creative Confectionaire from Hastings, and Delightful Edibles from Woodbury and Silver Moon from Plymouth. Tickets are $25 each. A portion of the proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Shelf. March is Minnesota Food Share Month.

“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it”
Thomas Jefferson

By Valorie Arrowsmith

After months of meetings and reviews of architectural plans, the new Chisago Lakes Area Information Center is now open! Reuse of the former Lindstrom library was approved in March, 2005 by the Lindstrom City Council. In April, a committee was formed and planning for the renovation and reuse began.

The committee initially met only once a month, then last fall David Linner Architects were hired to develop architectural plans, based on input from the committee. Committee members included:

It’s been a little over two years since we first opened our doors for business, and the community response has been outstanding. We’ve had many compliments about our fast and friendly service crew, and the quality of our service. The car wash also continues to be a big hit.

Contrary to what many people may think, we are much more than an oil change shop; we are a preventative maintenance center. Engine oil is not the only fluid under the hood that needs regular attention. We offer services for radiators, transmissions, air conditioners and differentials with state of the art machines. Another huge part of preventative maintenance is replacing bad serpentine belts. We point out possible problems such as this to our customers to inform them of the problem before it becomes a major inconvenience. Our responsibility to our customers includes keeping their vehicle at its peak performance by servicing only the necessary.

As far as oil changes, we offer full-service. Technicians perform a 15-point maintenance check maintenance check on every vehicle. This includes everything from checking and topping off all fluids, testing coolant temp, inspecting the belts, examining the bottom-side of the vehicle for any leaks, checking parts such as the air filter, thoroughly explaining the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations and much more. All this is done in around ten minutes. At every oil change we check, and can replace parts such as the engine air filter, PCV valve, cabin air filter and wiper blades. We also stock a full line of fuel system cleaners and treatments.

Just recently we started stocking exterior automotive lights and bulbs. We’ll service nearly every make and model of vehicle including diesel engines, foreign and domestic cars, and four-wheel drives. All services are tracked in the computer, allowing customers to obtain a record of the services performed on their vehicle.

Our Laserwash 4000 has become quite the attraction in the community. Employees and customers alike rave about the great results of the carwash. The carwash is open 24 hours and may be paid for with cash or credit cards at the machine.

Ask about VIP cards which are available in the Fast Lube during regular business hours of 7a.m. to 6p.m. Monday through Friday and 8a.m. to 4p.m. on Saturdays. We are located in Chisago City. Please call 651-257-2111 with any questions.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC!

Where: Fairview Lakes Medical Center

When: March 6th, March 13th, March 20th and March 27th

Time: 7-8p.m.

Topics include: Creating a training program to finish your first triathlon, nutrition, swimming, biking, and how to pull these together to confidently complete your first multisport event. For those attending the classes, a $10 discount will be given to enter the triathlon.

SPEAKERS:

March 6th – Juliann Wilcox PT-Doing Your First Triathlon Gloria West MSE-Setting up a Training Program

March 13th –David Cameron Certified TI-Swimming Technique Kevin Ronneberg MD-Bike Technique/Position

March 20th - Juliann Wilcox PT-Transitions Kevin Ronneberg MD-Nutrition

March 27th – Donna Turnquist PT-Core Strength Training Nick Marvin PT-Running Form
Companies and individuals alike demand less congestion and
safer travel on our state’s transportation system. Minnesotans