Dear Members:
By the time you read this month’s President’s Message, it’s likely that Member Advocate Kevin O’Keeffe and I will be on our way to Louisville, Kentucky, for the American Chamber of Commerce Executive’s (ACCE) Annual Convention—a first for both of us.
The theme of the 2012 ACCE Convention is “Limitless Possibilities for Your Community, Your Chamber and You!” Sure hope so. I’ll keep you posted.
Public Hearing on TIF 4
The Elmhurst City Council will conduct a Public Hearing on establishing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District along North York Street (TIF 4) at Elmhurst City Hall on Monday, August 6, at 7:30 p.m.
A vote on both TIF 4 and $1.25 million in TIF funding assistance for Mariano’s Fresh Market is expected at the City Council’s August 20 meeting.
The TIF 4 Joint Review Board (JRB) voted to move forward at its July 2 meeting, despite requests by members representing Elmhurst Public School District 205 and Elmhurst Park District for further review.
Comprised of representatives for the local tax bodies—Jim Collins, President of the District 205 Board of Education, and Jim Rogers, EPD Executive Director, among them—the JRB will provide TIF oversight and report annually at a public meeting.
JRB No. 4 is chaired by the City’s representative, Steve Morley, Sixth Ward Alderman and Chair of the City Council’s Development, Planning and Zoning (DPZ) Committee.
TIF is a public financing method that municipalities can use to subsidize redevelopment, infrastructure and other community-improvement projects in districts that are deemed “blighted” based on age/use/condition of buildings and facilities, and other criteria.
In a TIF, the assessed valuation of each property is frozen at its current level for all taxing bodies. As development and redevelopment increases assessed valuation for one or all, the TIF captures the incremental increase in property taxes above the frozen base.
TIF funds can be used to buy land, site development, utility improvements, building demolition, environment clean-up, road access/egress, training and more.
Ryder Cup Discount Card
The DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau is producing a VIP Discount Card to give to attendees of the 39th Ryder Cup being contested at Medinah Country Club from September 25-30. For more info, e-mail sara@discoverdupage.com.
Elmhurst Community Directory
The Chamber has begun work on the 2012-13 Elmhurst Community Directory, which will be direct mailed to more than 19,200 residential and business addresses in Elmhurst in late September or early October. More info to come.
Happy Anniversary
Three members are celebrating Chamber anniversaries in August, as follows: 25 years—Mehta Motors; 10 years—Elmhurst Independent and Enerpace; and 5 years—BW Booking & Taxes, DeForest Dance Academy, Fratello’s Pizzeria and Pump It Up.
New Members
The Chamber welcomed eight new members during July, as follows (in alphabetical order): Calderone Ventures, Hamburger Jones, Robert J. Michael Homes, Simplex Systems Controls, United Community Concerns Association, Walk and Talk Therapy & Life Consulting and York Township.
Reactivated Members
The Chamber welcomed back two reactivated members during July, as follows: Midwest Conference Center and US Bank.
Members No More
The Chamber said goodbye in July to the following six businesses: AccuQuest Hearing Center, Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery and Funeral Home, FlexSource, G&K-Vijuk International, HR Insights and Questar Capital.
Congratulations to…
Elmhurst’s Metra train station on being ranked as the fifth transit friendliest community out of 250 in Chicagoland, including No. 1 in walkable amenities and services, in a recent study by The Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University. LaGrange, Wilmette, Arlington Heights and Glenview led the Top-25 rankings.
Former Chamber Executive Assistant Barb Savage, now with Community Bank of Elmhurst, who will receive the 2012 Good Works Award at the 64th Annual ECCI Golf Outing at Sugar Creek Golf Course in Villa Park on Wednesday, August 22.
Social Media
If you haven’t already, please follow the Chamber via our social media pages as a Facebook friend, Twitter follower and Linked-In contact.