Wednesday, February 28, 2024 |
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Fix our Ferries Townhalls Continue to Gather Community Support to Secure Kitsap Funding |
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The House last week released its proposal for the state's supplemental Transportation Budget (ferries, roads, bridges, and buses). Representative Greg Nance of the 23rd Legislative District shared that several key Kitsap priorities made it into the budget, including $500,000 for the WSF 75 Commission to evaluate funding sources and gather key data for obtaining federal funding that can be used to fix our local ferries.
Transportation budget highlights:
Washington State Ferries
- More than $80 million in added ferry funding, bringing the ‘23-’25 biennial budget to over $1.3 billion for Washington State Ferries, including:
- $2.5 million in Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility improvements so our hardworking WSF crew has the advanced tools, resources, and training to maintain and preserve our fleet.
- $44 million in terminal preservation and improvements to equip Kingston ($18M), Bremerton ($8M), and Bainbridge ($18M) terminals with needed infrastructure upgrades so they can reliably serve passengers long into the future.
- $153 million for hybrid-electric vessel construction, vessel conversions, and terminal electrification.
More than $12M for safe, walkable, bikeable Kitsap communities
- $5 million for the Kitsap Transit passenger-only vessels and funding to bolster our Bremerton-Seattle passenger-only run.*
- $1.62 million for final design work on Warren Avenue Bridge for pedestrian and bike access. Warren Avenue Bridge SR 303 is a vital connection between Bremerton and the peninsula.*
- $5.9 million for View Ridge Elementary Safe Routes to Schools so kids and families can safely walk and bike to school each day including continuous sidewalks and curb ramps at intersections*
$14M for Kitsap Infrastructure Upgrades
- $2 million for Port of Bremerton electrification*
- $8 million to Kitsap Transit for SR 305 Day Road Park and Ride improvements on Bainbridge and inductive charging infrastructure for smoother, clean energy rides for all of Kitsap.
- $4 million for Kitsap Transit design & shore power including design work for electric hydrofoil boats *
$51.9M for Kitsap highways
- $4.9 million for SR 104 Realignment for Ferry Traffic to promote steady flow and reduce blockage of driveways and small business storefronts for our neighbors in Kingston. An additional $13 million is allocated in the next biennium to see this vital project through.
- $16 million for SR 3 Gorst Widening to reduce traffic jams and keep commuters moving
- $31 million for SR 305 construction, including improvements at Suquamish Way Access Road
While none of these things are guaranteed until the Governor signs a budget, the Kitsap delegation from the 23rd, 26th and 35th Legislative Districts are hopeful based on the attention paid to our County's transportation needs.
Additionally, the greater community is invited to continue making its voice heard regarding the state of our ferry system by attending one of the upcoming Fix our Ferries Townhalls:
Bremerton: Saturday, March 9th 10am-noon at Norm Dicks Center
Bainbridge: Saturday, March 9th 1pm-3pm at Senior Community Center
Kingston: Saturday, March 16th 10am-noon at Village Green
Poulsbo: Saturday, March 16th 1-3pm at Poulsbo City Council
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Save-the-Date: Kitsap Women's Summit
Thursday, March 21, 2024
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Join us for a half day of conversation, community, and personal and professional development, curated for women by women. This free annual event is made possible through grants from our sponsors at Kitsap Bank, the Business Health Trust, and the Kitsap Office of the SBDC at Western Washington University. Stay tuned for registration and our lineup of speakers!
REGISTRATION OPENS FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST
Seats are limited for this free event, and registration is required.
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February Luncheon @ KGCC
Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 11:00 am
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ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
We may be able to accommodate walk-ins at the door, but lunch is not guaranteed.
Join us today as we welcome our special guest speaker, Beth Wolfe, Chief Creator and Founder at Platinum L.I.F.E. University & Coaching. Beth will share her tips on increasing your energy and decreasing stress, and how daily biohacks could improve your business life. Enjoy some business self-care at this month's luncheon - you won't want to miss!
Don't forget your donations for our monthly raffle! Proceeds benefit the Chamber Foundation's various scholarship programs.
This month's luncheon will be held at the Kitsap Golf & Country Club.
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Get the Most Out of Your Member Benefits |
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According to the Harvard Business Review, 54% of job seekers considered better health, dental and vision insurance worthy of “heavy consideration” when evaluating job offers.
If you’re competing to attract and retain top talent, just making benefits available in not enough – employees need to regularly make use of their benefits and understand what is available to them.
Our partner, Business Health Trust has put together six post-enrollment strategies to help your workforce thrive – and help you keep them happy. Click the link to read:
🔗 Article Link: https://businesshealthtrust.com/news-insights/welcome-to-the-post-open-enrollment-playbook-ensuring-your-workforce-thrives/
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Renew your membership today to ensure your benefits as a member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Need a new membership window cling or digital badge? Contact Irene now!
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Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?
View all the past issues on our website HERE.
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New Members - Welcome to the Chamber! |
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Matchstick Accelerator Applications Now Open
Deadline is tomorrow - February 28th
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Alongside personalized mentoring and technical guidance, the Matchstick Micro Business Accelerator program consists of once-a-month Lunchtime Lighting Talks and an eight-week series on Business Plan & Training Workshops.
The Catch? None! Thanks to grant funding, the Matchstick Lab Micro Business Accelerator is free to apply for, free to participate in, and there is no equity exchanged.
Funding provided by the Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) thanks to a grant made by the Washington State Department of Commerce and secured by the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance.
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Stacy Luckensmeyer, EOS Implementer |
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February's Member of the Month, Stacy Luckensmeyer, EOS Implementer, has had a busy first year of membership working directly with the Board of Directors here at the Greater Kitsap Chamber to implement the EOS system. The goal? For the Chamber to run more effectively and more successfully by implementing this entrepreneurial system with a proven track record of success. Through the last year, she has worked with the Chamber to set achievable goals, hone its values and craft more straightforward ways to share its vision with the community.
Working with one major nonprofit each year to implement the EOS program is just one way Stacy's passion for helping others grow their business and be succesful is demonstrated. She volunteers throughout her community and serves as a mentor for other business professionals across the state.
Congratulations again on being named the February 2024 Member of the Month, Stacy! We're so grateful for your membership and investment in the Chamber and the Greater Kitsap business community.
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Legislative Alerts for Your Consideration
Contact your lawmakers in response to these bills
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Unemployment insurance for striking workers
Brief Summary: These bills extend unemployment insurance benefits to workers while on strike, and socialize the benefits across all employers, placing the cost of the benefits on employers who are not even involved in the labor dispute.
Bill Status: The bill was amended in the House to charge benefits to employers. This will cost employers with striking workers tens of thousands of dollars to tens of millions. Additionally, once charged benefits reach 5.4%, benefits are socialized to all employers. The bill was also narrowed to provide four weeks of benefits.
Take action: The bill has been passed out of the Rules Committee and is on the Senate floor calendar, eligible for a vote at any time. Please tell your senators to oppose HB 1893.
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Bill Status: The Senate pulled HB 1589 from the Rules committee on Friday afternoon, which means these bills can be brought up for a vote by the Senate at any time.
Brief Summary: HB 1589 is the natural gas ban bill that has taken many forms over the last two sessions. Now lawmakers are discussing removing or changing a utility’s obligation to serve its customers.
Customers don’t get to choose their utility, but now the largest utility in the state wants to choose its customers! Without the “obligation to serve requirement,” a utility would be able to cut off service to specific neighborhoods, blocks and cities.
Take action: The hospitality industry will be severely impacted if utilities have the right to decide who, where and when to serve their customers. Click below to tell your lawmaker to OPPOSE a natural gas ban.
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Member Education & Training Resources |
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SCORE: Becoming a Facebook Master
Tuesday, March 5, 2024, 1:00 pm
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Knowing how to use Facebook can change your business overnight by driving customers to your website and your business. Getting more customers will lead to more sales in this very competitive business environment. And more sales means more profits for you!
Attendees to this workshop will learn the following key features about Facebook:
- How people see and react to content on Facebook.
- The connection between Facebook pages and profiles.
- Facebook content strategies and other best practices.
- Understand the basics of Facebook advertising
Workshop Fee: FREE
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Pre-Summit Workshop for Mobile,
Women & Female Entrepreneurs
Thursday, February 29, 2024, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
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The Kitsap Women's Summit, presented by the Greater Kitsap Chamber + Leadership Kitsap, is a half-day event for women, by women, creating space and conversations
for women in business and leadership. Please join us for the Kitsap Women's Summit on March 21, 2024 at the Kitsap Conference Center!
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WTIA Founder Cohort Accelerator Now Open
Applications accepted until March 4, 2024
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WTIA Founder Cohort program helps 30-35 venture-scale, seed-stage startups grow and scale over the course of 6 months. We and our partners will provide founders with a roadmap that will help guide them through their next milestones as they navigate increasing revenue, securing investment, and growing the team.
Specifically, founders in the program will learn:
- How to fundraise (running a fundraising process, term sheets, cap tables, etc.)
- How to manage a board of directors
- Corporate governance (accounting, legal, etc.)
- Customer development and go-to-market strategies
Our goal is to help invest in our ecosystem and use our connections, sponsors, and partners to support the next generation of companies via mentorship, education, coaching, and connections. We also want to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with similarly staged peers to build cohorts of connected founders that grow together.
The program is completely virtual and kicks off with a bootcamp spread out over 3 days focused on all things fundraising. From there we’ll have workshops each month on stage-appropriate topics that you can implement in your company right away.
This program is free to apply for, free to participate in, and there will be no equity exchanged.
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Business News & Resources |
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SCORE's Annual Women's Pitch Contest
Deadline to apply is March 29th
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SCORE Washington District is proud to announce our second Annual Woman's Pitch Contest! We invite people from inside and outside SCORE to participate. The Woman's Pitch Contest is designed to assist Women Entrepreneurs and Woman-owned businesses in securing funding. Attendees will have the opportunity to pitch to investors and finalists will be awarded cash prizes.
This workshop will be of particular interest to Women participating in the Women's Pitch Contest sponsored by SCORE Washington District.
Are you ready to elevate your entrepreneurial journey? Join us for an exclusive Pitch and Tips Workshop on Funding, taking place on Tuesday, March 12th at 5 pm, held conveniently online. Unlock the skills you need to propel your business to success, like crafting the perfect pitch and navigating funding choices!
Important Dates and Timeline
March 5th - Registration for Women's pitch event opens
March 29th - Last date for pitch submissions
April 4th - Finalists will be announced
April 25th - Final presentation in front of judges
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In January, the United States economy experienced a surge in employment, with 353,000 jobs added, surpassing expectations, and maintaining an unemployment rate of 3.7%. Real GDP also expanded by 3.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023, exceeding predictions, with a 2.5% growth rate for the year.
Consumer prices rose moderately by 0.3% in January, contributing to a 3.1% increase over the year. However, sectors like mining and heavy construction saw declines, while others, such as manufacturing and healthcare, experienced job increases. Consumer confidence surged due to improved inflation expectations and a strong labor market.
In Washington state, job growth was stronger than expected, particularly in manufacturing and arts/entertainment sectors, but there was an uptick in unemployment rates over the past three months. Seattle-area home prices dipped slightly in November, and overall housing construction slowed in the fourth quarter. Despite this, Washington exports saw a notable increase in the transportation sector. Revenue collections for the period of January 11 to February 10, 2024, were higher than forecasted, indicating positive trends in the state's economic activity.
In summary, while the U.S. economy showed resilience and growth, Washington state faced fluctuations in employment and housing markets, alongside positive revenue outcomes.
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Quick and interesting reads for employers, employees,
local leaders, and everyone in between!
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Nonprofit News & Resources |
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6 Tips for Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Events |
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Photo: Amanda Cole
Nonprofits often don’t see the correlation between their fundraising streams, but, often, one type of donor can transition into a more lucrative type of donor down the road. Those who attend events like galas could be major gift prospects. But what about attendees at your walk, run, ride or other peer-to-peer event? Could they have more of an impact on your organization beyond your events?
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Presidential Primary Ballots Mailed Last Week |
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Just as the Special Election is ending, voters in Kitsap County will be receiving ballots for the 2024 Presidential Primary.
Ballots were mailed last week to all Washington voters for an election that happens no more than once every four years and, according to Kitsap County Auditor Paul Andrews, is actually two elections in one.
“The Presidential Primary is a nominating exercise for the major parties. If you want to have a say in who one of the parties picks as its presidential nominee, you pick one of the parties and mark your ballot for someone in that party.” Andrews said.
Unlike other elections, to vote in the Presidential Primary in Washington a voter must choose a party preference, then on the ballot select a candidate from that party. When ballots are returned the ballots are separated by party preference, and then processed as two separate elections.
“We understand that the way this election is unique in Washington presents a tough choice of whether or not to vote,” Andrews said. “The declaration you would be marking says you prefer a party, not that you are a member of that party, but we know that for some independent voters that still offers a choice they’d rather not make.”
Kitsap County Elections recommends using ballot drop boxes to return ballots, but voters can also do so by mail without postage. Voters returning their ballots by mail should do so by March 5, a week ahead of the election.
Online and mail registrations and address changes must be received by March 4th. Residents can register to vote in person at the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office, 619 Division Street in Port Orchard from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Residents can also register to vote at one of three vote centers from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m on Saturday March 9, and Monday March 11. On Election Day, March 12, the vote centers are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The locations are:
Kitsap County Administration Building, 619 Division Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366
Marvin Williams Recreation Center, 725 Park Avenue, Bremerton, WA 98337
Poulsbo Fire Station, 911 Liberty Road, Poulsbo, WA, 98370.
Ballots must be returned to one of the county’s drop boxes by 8 pm on March 12, or postmarked by that day.
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Central Kitsap School District will Re-run
Levy Measure on April Ballot
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Central Kitsap School District finds itself in a familiar position, contemplating the possibility that its 2025 budget might not include community-approved levy funding.
That's the reality after Central Kitsap voters failed to pass the district's three-year educational enrichment programs and operations levy during the Feb. 13 special election. The measure, which sought to collect $23 million each year for 2025, 2026 and 2027, generated 8,438 no votes (50.4%) and 8,300 yes votes (49.6%). School levies require a simple majority to pass.
Pivoting quickly after the failure, Central Kitsap's school board last week voted in favor of putting a similar levy ask on the ballot for the April 18 special election. The collection amounts would be $21 million for 2025, $22 million for 2026 and $23 million for 2027 and the estimated levy rate for property owners would be $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value each year.
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Creative District Celebration
Bremerton Celebrates with Admiral Theatre Window Unveiling
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Please join us Friday, March 1st at the Admiral Theatre during the March First Friday Art Walk to celebrate Bremerton's designation as one of the State’s newest Creative Districts!
During this celebration we will be unveiling a pilot for the new Creatively Restored Program in which artists and creative businesses will be able to have virtual stores in vacant building windows. Local artist and businesswoman Erica Applewhite has graciously agreed to be the first to have her art and merchandise displayed in a window at the Admiral Theatre. The benefits of this program will be to provide window space to showcase art and creative products, deter graffiti and vandalism of vacant buildings, and bring people downtown to do their virtual window shopping. Future plans hope to expand this program to the Manette and Charleston business districts.
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Downtown Bremerton Hosts
Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
Deadline to register is March 1st
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Silverdale GreenDrinks: Nonprofit Showcase
Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 5:24 pm
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Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available
Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber still has some supplies available if your local business is in need of KN95 masks or COVID testing kits. Pick up your supply at both GKC locations today. Available while supplies last.
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Dinosaur World Live @ Admiral Theatre
Thursday, February 29, 2024, 7:00 pm
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Looking for fun days out with the kids? Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family!
Discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child's favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus!
A special meet and greet after the show offers all our brave explorers the chance to make a new dinosaur friend. Don’t miss this entertaining and mind-expanding jurassic adventure, live on stage.
Book now before tickets become extinct!
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Comedian Bengt Washburn @ Admiral Theatre
Friday, March 1, 2024, 7:30 pm
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Bengt Washburn has been doing standup for longer than he wants to tell anyone. He won the San Francisco International Comedy Competition way back in 2001.
Bengt can be heard on XM radio, and has been a guest on Bob and Tom, NPR and other places. He has made appearances on Craig Fergusen and Conan O’Brien. He also did 5 minutes on Comedy Central. He has a few comedy CDs and a couple of DryBar Comedy Specials which have millions of views. He has also two self-produced comedy specials. Most people who sit down and listen to him find him to be very, very funny. Yes, we wrote very twice. He is that good.
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Clearwater Casino Resort:
Kiss the Sky - Hendrix Tribute
March 1 & 2, 2024, 9:00 pm
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Enjoy an evening with amazing entertainment Fridays and Saturdays in the Beach Rock Music and Sports starting at 9pm. General Admission tickets may be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or in the Casino Gift Shop for just $15*. Gather the gang and head over for an evening of entertainment and fun. Doors open at 7pm, so come early to secure your seat for the show.
Purchase tickets online at Ticketmaster.com or in the Casino Gift Shop.
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Best Original Party @ Roxy Theatre
Sunday, March 10, 2024, 4:00 pm
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Stay in the know with what's happening for events
in Central Kitsap by checking out and liking the
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Have something to share? CLICK HERE to submit stories and
events for our weekly Community Connections!
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David Emmons
President/CEO
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Irene Moyer
VP, Membership & Strategic Communications
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Tiffany Diamond
Events Coordinator
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Bremerton Office (360) 479-3579 | 4th & Pacific Downtown Bremerton
Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall next to Macy's
PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383
If you need assistance, please contact us directly.
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