Moses Lake chamber greets new president

New Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce President Mark Fancher, right, holds his presidential hammer high as his predecessor, outgoing President Debbie Doran-Martinez, smiles beside him during the chamber banquet Thursday night. Photo by Matthew Weaver/Columbia Basin Herald.

by Matthew Weaver<br>Herald Senior Staff Writer
| September 17, 2007 9:00 PM

Business association vice president addresses members

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce's outgoing and incoming president both agreed: Change is afoot.

In her speech to chamber members during the 66th annual banquet, held Thursday evening at the Moses Lake Golf Club, outgoing President Debbie Doran-Martinez reflected on the changes made in the past year during her term, including a new dues structure, extended chamber office hours and a free monthly education day at Big Bend Community College.

"We changed a lot of things, we went forward with things and we have a new chamber, you guys," Doran-Martinez said. "We restructured our dues so we the chamber can grow and serve you better as you grow because we are growing, Moses Lake is changing and we are excited about that."

New president Mark Fancher told the audience he hopes to continue the progress already made.

"What a great time to live in Moses Lake and Grant County," he said. "With the community growing, so will the chamber of commerce."

Association of Washington Business Vice President of Governmental Affairs Gary Chandler spoke to the group about the impact of the state's 2007 legislative session upon the state's business climate.

Chandler covered a variety of topics during his speech, addressing topics including education, health care, transportation and energy costs.

Chandler said a "major win" was the legislation's approval of a rainy day fund, on the ballot in the fall.

"We need everybody to support it; there's not a real big campaign going on out there, but what the rainy day fund establishes is every year they have to put 1 percent of the revenue over in the rainy day fund," Chandler explained.

The fund cannot be touched without a two-thirds majority vote by the legislative bodies or a declaration of emergency by the governor, he said.

"So it's a fund locked away for those rainy day times when our economy starts to drop down," Chandler said.

The association is concerned the legislature may go back into a deficit depending on the economy of more than $1 billion.

"As we tried to work with legislators this year, 'Don't spend that money. Sock it away,'" Chandler said. "Because we know the economy throughout the United States is faltering and it's going to come here. It's going to hit us sooner or later."

Chandler predicted the area would begin to see a dip in the economy in February.

"We have some real concern on all the spending they did this year is going to catch up with us in 2009, and when they go back in 2009 with a deficit, they don't do a lot of cutting," Chandler said. "And where are they going to come to get those dollars? They're going to come back on the business community to pick that up."

Issues Chandler said would return included property vesting rights, home builder warranties, health care reforms, unemployment insurance, neutrality toward unionization and homestead exemption.

Also at the banquet, Dave Campbell received the chamber's President's Award. Dona Roe received the Ambassador of the Year Award.