​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. today, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 486-18 which would appropriate $856,324 from the Capital Improvement Program fund for the District Improvement Program. A vote on the ordinance was delayed at Council’s last voting session two weeks ago. The funds were appropriated previously for projects which have been or are already completed and will be available for improvement projects in the council districts where the previously funded projects occurred. Two proposed amendments are expected to be considered. One would instead designate the funding for a city parks rebranding initiative, and the other would designate it for rebuilding or resurfacing residential streets in 2019.

2019 marks the 125th year since our organization became a Chamber of Commerce. There were precursor organizations…the Citizens Board of Trade which existed from 1888 to 1892 was replaced by the Toledo Manufacturers Association in 1893 which merged into the Toledo Chamber of Commerce in 1894.

The Chamber’s first president was John S. Craig (pictured left), owner of a shipbuilding company. There were 392 members after a year and dues were $10. Office hours were six days a week and any employee accepting a tip was subject to immediate dismissal. Toledo had 95 miles of streetcar tracks and five daily newspapers. And while things have certainly changed in the last 125 years, there are still many elements of today’s Chamber deeply rooted in our history.

By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on September 3, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 417-19 which would authorize the city to enter into uniform contracts with each of its customer jurisdictions for the supply of water. Last year, Toledo voters approved an amendment to the city charter establishing a Regional Water Commission that would involve the contract jurisdictions in capital and water rate setting decisions. The draft contract negotiated with the prospective participating jurisdictions includes a 40-year term and a uniform wholesale rate based on the cost of service.

​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. today, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 501-18 which would approve a $50,000 contribution for a talent alignment strategy study being led by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. The study will analyze the availability of talent and 21st Century skills in the Toledo region to ensure education and workforce efforts are aligned with the economy. This evaluation will allow the development of strategies to better fill the needs of the region’s talent pipeline. Partners in the initiative include Lucas County, the Wood County Economic Development Commission, the Fulton County Economic Development Corporation, The University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, and the Toledo Community Foundation.