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September 10, 2009

Survey reveals positive outlook

By TRAVINA COLEMAN

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — About 71 percent of local businesses feel the local economy is strong and will get even stronger, despite the national economic scene, according to a recent Chamber of Commerce survey.

This is just one of the indicators, David Moore, executive director of the Chamber, said they use in trying to figure out which direction they need to be going for Tahlequah.

“This is a survey done every two years,” Moore said. “It lets us know what we need to look at doing in order to meet the needs of Chamber members and of the community.”

The survey, conducted in August this year, queried 112 Chamber members, and Moore said approximately 20 percent of those members responded. “It’s been a positive survey,” he said.

Among the questions asking members how they felt the economy would be in the next 12 to 18 months, several felt the outlook was a strong one.

However, about half of them did not anticipate expanding their business or adding new employees.

As a community, members were asked what could be done to help the economic growth. “It shows here that most feel infrastructure improvements were the way to entice new businesses here,” Moore said.

He said that included things like more street improvements, city parks, and adding more police officers and fire fighters. The survey also indicated the schools as a recipient of improvements.

“More than half of the businesses surveyed said they would support a county- or city-wide sales tax increase of a quarter of one percent to be used exclusively for an economic development fund,” he said.

Chamber members also indicated in the survey, in order to continue the growth pattern, Tahlequah should attempt to attract technology based companies or businesses in related fields.

“The survey also suggests the Chamber should spend a lot of its efforts in attracting more industry and manufacturing,” he said. “They also would like to see more ways to attract more tourists.”

More than 80 percent of members said tourism was very important to Tahlequah’s growth, citing the Illinois River activities throughout the summer and the Cherokee National Holiday as bringing in most of the visitors to the area.

Other than attracting businesses as a concern for the economic growth, members feel the public schools and the low cost of living, combined with the health services, are all good incentives to draw more business.

More than 80 percent of members said they would like to see more beautification through landscaping in public areas, and 60 percent said they would like to see more pedestrian facilities in public and retail areas.

As far as the annual Christmas Parade is concerned, 70 percent of Chamber members said they would like to see a safer parade route that would allow more space for viewing. Stephanie Isaacs, Chamber president, said she appreciated all the members that participated in the survey.

“It’s a valuable tool that provides a direction in which the Chamber can progress,” Isaacs said. “It helps us identify issues that we can work toward addressing.”

Survey results are available online at www.tahlequahchamber.com/forms/SurveySummary_082 82009.pdf.

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