Planners at the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce have identified four goals needed to solidify the Chamber mission as a freestanding organization following its split last year with the Visitors Bureau. They are to improve communications with members and the community, to secure the organization's financial future, to create and administer a community-wide think tank, and to strengthen business resources.

The first two goals focus on building the organization from within, while the last two are an outreach effort intended to build a stronger community and to better assist St. Ignace businesses, said Chamber President Cheryl Schlehuber.

"The entire Chamber board has made a really strong commitment to working on these new goals," Mrs. Schlehuber said. "I've served for years on the Chamber board, and this is the most excited I've ever been about our efforts. I think we're on the right path to make this a real working Chamber."

The goals are the result of planning sessions that the nine-member board and Director Janet Peterson began in January with the help of Angela Nebel of Sault Ste. Marie. Ms. Nebel's consulting firm was hired with a $1,500 contribution from the St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority.

The 215 members of the Chamber of Commerce were surveyed in January about perceptions of the agency's strengths and weaknesses as part of the goal-setting process.

The board wants to revive a community think tank called Mackinac Action Council to deal with community concerns. Some years ago, Mrs. Schlehuber said, that group met to brainstorm how to make the Father Marquette National Memorial more accessible and proposed building a bridge from the state visitors center and Straits State Park over the highway. The pedestrian bridge plan was abandoned when the memorial's museum was destroyed by fire.

"The group also pushed the new Bridge Park idea," Mrs. Schlehuber said, "which was eventually built with help from Mackinac Bridge Authority representation on the council."

"We have been thinking that we need this kind of organization again," Mrs. Schlehuber said, "a brainstorming group that would be a Chamber-sponsored program, open to the whole community. Anyone who would like to be involved from any organization could take part. Working together not only with our community agencies, but with our surrounding communities as well, in the best interest of our region, will benefit us all."

Toward the goal of strengthening resources for St. Ignace businesses, Mrs. Schlehuber said the Chamber of Commerce would plan to offer more information that business owners need, such as tips for writing grant proposals.

"We can be a better information resource for local businesses," she said. "With the county EDC (Economic Development Corporation) operating on a shoestring budget and not knowing where they will be a year from now, the Chamber board hopes that they can help bridge that gap by becoming more of a business resource center, assisting owners and entrepreneurs in many aspects of business. We will offer varied resources on business issues. If we don't have the information in the office, we'll find it for you."

Projects are already underway to help meet some of the Chamber's goals, she said. A quarterly newsletter is being prepared to improve communication to members.

Another proposed project will be an online community calendar, to be used by all local organizations to plan activities. The calendar would be posted on the Chamber of Commerce Web site.

To secure the agency's financial future, Mrs. Schlehuber said, "We have developed a marketing project we believe will allow us to be self sufficient. Our income is dependent upon membership dues. Hopefully, with the marketing plan, we will attract more membership."

Still being worked out, she said, details of the plan will be announced at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday, May 18, at Little Bear East Conference Center.

A copy of the Strategic Plan Summary developed during the planning process is available for review at the Chamber of Commerce office, 560 North State Street.