Economic Development -  Dick Lancaster, Bruce Sheridan, Travis Torrence

GOAL:  Promote stability, growth, and in some cases, simple survival of the existing
businesses in the Parish, and more particularly, in the commercial Historic District.
1.    Complete compiling empirical data and trends over the last
several years regarding traffic count, City and Parish ad valorem tax
revenues, sales tax revenues, tourist counts, hotel- motel tax information
(good basis for amount of tourist dollars spent in the area), estimated GDP
of the Parish and the Town, and basically any other annualized data whereby
these local trends can be compared to similar cities in our immediate
geographical area.
2.    Focus Group the local merchants to get feedback from their point of view about what is limiting their business success.
3.    Benchmark similar size towns that have had successful re-growth of their business districts.
4.    Consider consulting with LSU Economics Department gurus to decipher the data give feedback to this situation.

Governmental Affairs  -  Bill Babineaux, Peter Couhig

GOAL:  Increase the Chamber’s impact on governmental affairs.
•    Establish Regular Schedule & Format for Public Information Meetings – 1Q 2007
o    State or National Public Officials/Industry Leaders
o    Local Government Officials/Industry Leaders
o    Business After Hours as possible format
o    Develop list of possible speakers

•    Host/Sponsor Public Information/Town Hall Meetings (as needed) – 2Q 2007
o    Local Government Officials
o    Local Political / Community / Social / Planning Issues

•    Advise Members / Local Groups of creation of Public Forum committee as a conduit to information to the public – 1Q 2007
          
•    Alternative Medium Sources – 2Q 2007
o    Newsletter
o    Newspaper
o    Electronic