HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/21/2009, C9 - APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW CARTER TO THE CHAMBER - CAL POLY - GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COLLABORAT councit nui°`°m 4-21-09
j ac,Enaa aEpont �N�mb.
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Shelly Stanwyck, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW CARTER TO THE CHAMBER- CAL
POLY—GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COLLABORATION COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
Appoint Andrew Carter the City Council's representative to the newly formed economic
development collaborative committee comprised of San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, Cal
Poly,private sector, and Government representatives.
DISCUSSION
During public comment at the City Council meeting of April 7, 2009, Ermina Karim, Director of
Governmental Affairs of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter
requesting that Councilmember Andrew Carter be appointed to a newly formed committee. The
objective of this collaboration is to formalize economic development opportunities between Cal
Poly, the Chamber, and Government to better utilize the economic assets that higher education
provide. In addition to identifying means to transform campus based innovations into local
businesses the collaboration is intended to build on the existing strengths of local industry and at
the same time prepare the workers for the new economy.
Councilmember Carter has served as a liaison between the Council and the business community
on several key economic development initiatives. He is presently the Council liaison to the
Chamber's Economic Vision task force and is the Council representative to the Economic
Vitality Corporation. Based on this experience his appointment is being requested.
ATTACHMENT
San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce April 6, 2009 Appointment Request Letter
T:\Council Agenda ReportMdmin\Carter Appointment
�� 1
Attachment
San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
1039 Chorro Street • San Luis Obispo, California 93401-3278
(805) 781-2670 • FAX (805) 543-1255
David E. Garth, President/CEO
April 6, 2009
Mayor Dave Romero and Members of the City Council
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Re: Chamber- Cal Poly- Government Collaboration
Dear Mayor Romero and Council Members,
The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce was pleased when the City Council recently identified
Economic Development as one of its four major City goals for the 2009-11 budget cycle. The
Chamber strongly believes that this goal represents an investment in our economic future so that
our community can emerge ready to face the challenges of the new economy.
The wording of the goal includes partnerships with Cal Poly and Cuesta College which coincides
with a long-held Chamber belief that our higher education assets are economic engines that
provide San Luis Obispo with an economic development advantage most communities do not have.
The Chamber is currently working on formalizing economic development collaboration with Cal
Poly. The goal is to harness the innovations on campus and help transform them into viable local
(?b_ C)—
email: slochamber@slochamber.org • websites: www.slochamber.org www.visitslo.com
Aftachff i t- i-ii
businesses. There are many other potential benefits of this effort including identifying and
supporting industry clusters in our community that build on the strengths of the University and
encouraging academic programs that better prepare workers for jobs in the new economy.
It is in this context that the Chamber respectfully requests that Andrew Carter be appointed as the
official City Council representative to this effort. As the current Council liaison to the Chamber's
Economic Vision task force, Andrew is familiar with the Chamber's priorities and vision. The
committee will begin meeting on Wednesday May 29h and will meet monthly, or as-needed, on the
fourth Wednesday.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
ncereI
om Lebens
Chairman of the Board
C�-3