| Our next initiative is to host
and sponsor a countywide thank you dinner for the Oswego Lifesaving
Station for their heroic efforts in saving the crew from the
schooner David Andrews in 1881. The Mayor of Oswego and the
Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard will be in attendance
for the dinner on September 19th. Tickets are $40.00 per person,
which will include an exceptional meal. Come out and join
us in thanking our U.S. friends.
The next initiative is to focus on the formation of a restaurant
association. We have already attracted sponsorship dollars
from Molson’s to help and promote the return of the
“Horn Trip”, complete with a designated driver
incentive program.
We have also, as a chamber, taken on the post office in opposition
to them opening a retail outlet in competition with our main
street merchants. Join us in our fight and contact your Council
member and Mayor and tell them your position.
Another important issue raised by our members was the difficulty
in the building and planning process. A survey was circulated
and the results were presented to full Council, 2 radio stations
and newspapers and I made a deputation to Council. The Mayor
and Council are aware there is a problem. We provided solutions
to these problems and they were favourably received.
The solutions presented are:
1) To have building and planning departments produce a checklist
of everything you need to open a B&B, retail store etc.
We provided a sample of what is available from the City of
Ottawa.
2) To create a commercial liaison person to meet the needs
of business and homeowners. Their problems/concerns can be
very different. Having one person skilled and knowledgeable
will make everyone’s life easier.
3) To reorganize the department so that staff with the best
public relation skills will be assigned to liaison with the
public.
4) To have Council direct both departments their mandate
is to aid and assist and to proactively work with applicants
not focusing on what they can’t do but on how they can
accomplish their objective.
We have been invited to work with the technical committee
of the planning and building department to help resolve the
issues identified in the surveys.
To accomplish all this PECCTAC knew they had to hire a General
Manager. Although our budget only allowed for a half-time
position, I can tell you Lawrie Ackerman is putting in full-time
hours and more.
That is it for the first 3 months. Just wait and see what
is coming in the next few months!
Sincere
Regards, T. Rob Brown - President
General Manager's Report
Great things have happened and more to come
as Rob has reported. What else is new!
Take advantage of PECCTAC’s latest initiative “VISA
& MasterCard” accepted here! Earn reward points
through your VISA & MasterCard when you pay your 2005
PECCTAC membership fee.
Join us on Friday October 22nd for the 8th Annual Business
Achievement Awards dinner held at the Knights of Columbus
Hall in Trenton. This gala dinner is sponsored in part by
PECCTAC to recognize and support our County businesses.
Last year there were several nominations from Prince Edward
County – Black River Cheese, Community Living Prince
Edward, County Cider, InfoLink, Peddlesden Wines Ltd., Rob
Brown Majesty Charters, the Hidden Bistro On 49, The Waring
House Restaurant & Inn, and Waupoos Estate & Winery.
Two of the nominees came away with awards: County Cider received
an Award of Merit from the Prince Edward County Chamber of
Tourism & Commerce and Rob Brown Majesty Charters received
the New Business of the Year award.
Please send in your nominations and come out to the dinner
to celebrate the exceptional businesses we have in our County.
Our next Meet & Greet is Tuesday, September 21, at the
Milford Bistro, 5:00 to 6.30 pm, followed by the AA-PEC Meeting.
Sincerely
Lawrie Ackerman – General Manager
Would you like to pay less for VISA
& MasterCard?
Membership benefit through the Prince Edward County Chamber
of Tourism & Commerce is:
1.82% VISA & MC Merchant Fee at any Bank or Trust!
NEW:
Accommodation Association Prince Edward County!
During the recent strategic planning meetings organized by
the Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism and Commerce (PECCTAC),
a project to start an association for accommodation owners
in Prince Edward County was approved.
The Accommodation Association Prince Edward County is a sub-committee
of the Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism and Commerce
(PECCTAC). PECCTAC will support the committee by providing
a single point of contact through our tourist office, toll
free number and website. PECCTAC will also provide space and
resources for an availability system at the tourist office
with High Speed Internet access for members, tourists and
staff to enhance the current referral system.
Every accommodation owner who is a member of PECCTAC is entitled
to equal treatment in respect of the assistance provided by
the association. It is for this reason the committee decided
to name the organization more generally: “Accommodation
Association Prince Edward County” as opposed to specifically
“B&B” or “Inns and Cottages” or
“Lodges and Resorts” etc.
Contact Rick or Deb Caruso, Chair of the organizing committee,
for further information at (613)-476 9986, or email: relax@carusos-on-king.com
NEW:
Check out PECCTAC's Online Accommodation Availability at:
www.pecchamber.com
click “Accommodation Availability”
Show Off Your Business!
One of PECCTAC’s members came to us with a great idea
– showcase your business at the Tourist Office. Any
PECCTAC member is invited to display items at the Tourist
Office for a 2-week period for a nominal fee. Some restrictions
do apply. Contact Jan at 476-2421 for further details.
Members Take
Advantage!
The new revised and updated presentation binders are a great
success. Visitors to the Tourist Office love to see what is
available in the area from menus to places to sleep and visit.
We provide all accommodation, recreation and restaurant businesses
an opportunity to display information and pictures of their
business in the presentation binders. Please bring in pictures
of your business along with a short description/menus so we
can add your business.
What better way to show off your place of business!
Tourist Office Report!
Extended office hours have proven to be well accepted by the
visitors and members alike and would not have been possible
without our two Sara-hs who have worked every weekend throughout
the summer.
Special hurrahs for Sara Pearsall and Sarah Cobb who along
with Jan were initiated by fire for their first tourist season.
Sara Pearsall will return to Toronto University for her second
year to continue her studies in languages and Sarah Cobb will
be returning to Prince Edward Collegiate Institute for her
final year. Hopefully they weren't too scared away and will
both return next summer.
Jan DeMille – Office Administrator
Water Regulation
170 is flawed!
states Leona Dombrowsky. PECCTAC General Manager Lawrie Ackerman
and Councillor Barry Turpin met with Mrs. Dombrowsky, Minister
of the Environment, to raise their concerns about the Safe
Drinking Water Regulation 170/03 and the impact it will have
on businesses and the environment. Ackerman stressed to Mrs.
Dombrowsky by delaying the implementation of the regulation,
without knowing what a business can expect, had additional
adverse effects. Ackerman states, many business owners cannot
plan for their business’s future and some businesses
have just closed their doors because of the cost of implementation.
“No thought was given to the financial and environmental
impact of Water Reg. 170”, states Mrs. Dombrowsky. Dombrowsky
states her Ministry will establish a council of water standards
& testing made up of scientific experts in this field.
They will look at what is a responsible standard, to ensure
the public of safe clean water. Once the regulation has been
re-drafted the public will have an opportunity for input.
Anyone with specific concerns should be prepared to get their
views to the Ministry so all-important items may be considered.
This should happen in the fall. She would like to see a “risk
based” approach to testing i.e. if a business has no
history of bad water then the water testing would reflect
that.
Utilizing the existing public health labs was also discussed.
Dombrowsky stated the problem is the Public Health labs would
have to absorb the costs for the increased testing. Councillor
Turpin pointed out the cost of testing has been placed on
the business owner and this is unfair.
Mrs. Dombrowsky assured us that all the concerns raised by
us and other organizations that have contacted her would be
examined and reflected in the new to be drafted Safe Drinking
Water Regulation.
Business Card
Directory!
The County Weekly Newspaper is putting together a Business
Card Directory to provide residents and newcomers with a handy
business and service directory for the Quinte area.
The cost to advertise in this directory is $89.00 for a business
card size ad and as a PECCTAC member you will receive a $5.00
discount.
To participate contact The County Weekly Newspaper at 476-4714.
NEW:
Prince Edward County Restaurant Association
A special committee of the Prince Edward County Chamber of
Tourism & Commerce is underway to explore the idea of
the formation of a Prince Edward County Restaurant Association
(PECRA)
On September 1, 2004 at Majesty’s Bah Habah Habah Bah
a group of interested restaurateurs got together to discuss:
· Shoulder season marketing initiatives
· Molson’s Horn Trip Pub Crawl
· Taste Trail
· 2 for 1 Fall Colours - Majesty Charters with dinner
· wait/bar staff games
· Theft prevention and security.
· Noise, smoking, building, by-law
· Violence prevention (common barring)
· Group/bulk purchasing
· What do you want from your Chamber?
If you are interested in being a part of this initiative
please call Rob Brown at 476-1775. Open to current or future
members of PECCTAC. Owners or Managers only.
Back by popular
demand!
Skilled Trades Fair for the Greater Quinte Area
On October 14, 2004 participate in the fourth Skilled Trades
Fair at the Wally Dever Arena, Belleville.
For more information visit:
www.skilltradesfair.com
or call Ann McIntosh, Project Manager |
