The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce started off the new year Friday morning with a brief review of 2021 and before, and forecast of 2022 and beyond. The "2022 Community Outlook" offered four speakers to give perspective on local, state, and national influences on businesses.
Program manager for Downtown Chillicothe Inc. Tiffany Baldwin said the downtown weathered the COVID restrictions fairly well, and is recovering, and restaurants are making a comeback.
The group will start fundraising for hanging baskets in February, is maintaining a list of vacant buildings...and will continue to reassess the DORA, or Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area, which expands state policies on drinking.
Tammy Eallonardo leads "Greater Chillicothe & Ross County Development." She said last year they leveraged $525,000 in grants about 50-fold into $47,600,000 for the county economy, and mentioned sales and new developments in industrial parks at Gateway Interchange on State Route 104 and Delano near Kenworth.
Eallonardo said they need 300,000 square feet for for local industries to rent for storage and more, by the second quarter. She can also help with grants for expanding local businesses and industries.
Kevin Shimp mentioned that they hired former Congressman Steve Stivers to head the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Shimp covered problems with the state's unemployment funding, seeking to get the Ohio EPA to drop restrictive its "ephemeral stream" policy, and the need for pro-business justices to be elected to the Ohio Supreme Court.
He described the failed marijuana ballot initiative was an attempt for a rich minority to change state policy.
And, keynote speaker Ryan Kane of John Hancock Investment Management said "the economy is not the market and the market is not the economy," and to not let political stereotypes interfere with your investing philosophy.
Kevin Coleman covers local government, culture, and businesses
An example screen shot from the "2022 Community Outlook" which offered four speakers to give perspective on local, state, and national influences on businesses.