Thursday, August 25, 2016

Mason Chamber of Commerce - Good Morning Mason Meeting - - Lansing Civic Events - - August 24, 2016 - - by Chuck Krafft



GOOD MORNING, MASON!!

LANSING CIVIC EVENTS

August 24, 2016

By Chuck Krafft

As my manager, Brent Forsberg, from T.A. Forsberg, Inc. was this month’s sponsor and was doing a presentation during the meeting, I visited the Mason Chamber of Commerce Good Morning, Mason monthly meeting.  I had attended one a couple years ago and found it really interesting, both because of the people and the well-controlled format.

Jon Grocki from Dart Bank got the proceedings to an efficient start by warning everyone who was networking that the meeting needed to start in two minutes.  After the attendees all introduced themselves, Brent Forsberg gave a five minute talk on the future of housing.

He pointed out that fewer millennials are driving and prefer to live in developments that are walkable.  He explained that many millennials prefer to live in urban areas where there is a mix of houses, shops and businesses as opposed to the residential suburbs of today which do not have these features.

“Walk scores” are being developed to measure the walkability and will soon be used by the government in deciding how to allocate financing for residential projects. 

Brent also pointed out the many millennials are “renters by choice” because they prefer the flexibility that permits them to move around the country more easily to pursue opportunities.  He defined the term, “placemaking” which is the process of planning an entire living experience in a community.

He pointed out that good signage is essential to making a community more walkable and will increase an area’s walk score.  Of course, in the future residential market, a high walk score will be essential for developers who want to fill their developments!  This was a really informative talk on the future of real estate investment.

The meeting moved on as Doug Klein, the Mason Chamber Executive Director, informed the assembled businesspeople about opportunities to help staff the Visitor Center Booth during chamber events as well as other opportunities.  He was also enthused that it was the first day of Lansing Community College’s Fall Semester.

The Ingham County Fair’s attendance suffered a bit this year because of the hot fall temperatures, but was still pretty strong. 

Mike Waltz, the Mayor of Mason, reported that it has been a quiet summer and is looking to reduce costs by holding fewer council meetings if the city charter will permit it.

Don Waskiewicz reported for both the Building Twenty-One and the Annual Raffle organizations.  This year, they are hoping to sell at least 3000 raffle tickets.  

Elaine Ferris from the Mason Farmers Market Association reported that they are planning a Saturday morning firehouse breakfast fundraiser. 

It was time for the New Member Spotlights.  Jae Burnham from U-Save moving and storage told us of his business that has operated eight years in Holt and provides storage was well as a full moving service.  Kristy Caretti from Tye-Dye Party Rentals told us of their community oriented approach to sales of their items they rent out for parties.

In the New Contact Spotlight, Alicia Goodman, from Staybridge Suites in Okemos told of their All-Suite hotel featuring fully equipped kitchens in each room as well as a pool, exercise room, daily breakfast buffet and a dinner service three nights per week.

They then had some announcements from the people in the audience.  They announced the fifty-fifty drawing winner.  In a tragic development, someone other than me won the prize.  The efficiently-run meeting closed only a few minutes after the scheduled time.

These meetings are a great format that other organizations of this type could hold.  Doug Klein held a buzzing contraption that was there to let people know if they were exceeding their two minute time limit and only had to zap one person.

The Good Morning Mason monthly mixer is an extremely efficient and effective event for business people who wish to work in the Mason Area.  If you have not been to this mixer, you owe it to yourself and your business to check it out!!

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