A Message From Our Community of Lebanon Association President
Greetings CLA Members, Alpha and Omega marks the beginning of 2015 and the end of 2014. This is an exciting time for the CLA! For this edition of the newsletter, we have the unique opportunity to shift our focus ahead to new goals, the bright future and the possibility of opportunities for change. My comments to you in the November newsletter focused on what we did, where we were and what we accomplished in 2014.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve again as your President for 2015. My time with the CLA started in 2007, when I first joined the Board. Soon after becoming involved in the CLA, I started serving on the government relations committee, attended other meetings and events, and then accepted the nomination to serve as the vice president for three years.
As I think back to my initial introduction to the CLA, I remember thinking about all the wonderful things the CLA and its members do for the community. The strategic planning process we undertook last year redefined our mission and vision, which really set the stage for our initiatives and program of work for 2015. As a result of working with our consultant, Kate Gallagher of coLab, we streamlined the number of board members, rewrote the bylaws to allow us to be responsive to the members we serve and proposed events that will provide value to attendees, serving both the membership and the public who attend our events.
Vision – For the Community of Lebanon to be a thriving place to live, work, shop, learn and do business. Mission – To serve as the leader in bringing together the collaborative strengths of our members and community to positively impact the business climate and enhance the quality of life for the Community of Lebanon.
The Strategic Priorities we identified during the strategic planning process that have been initiated or completed are:
COMMUNITY OUTREACH • New website • Sharing our mission • A speakers’ circuit with community organizations telling the CLA story
MEMBERSHIP • Identify reasons members do not renew their investment • Focus more effort on the business community
DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT & PR INITIATIVES • Help change perceptions of downtown through beautification efforts • Hold events that attract other folks from different communities
STRATEGIC FUNDRAISING • Apply for grants • Get support from the tourism bureau to promote the downtown
Again this year, the CLA Board is comprised of awesome, talented and dedicated members who will help lead, empower change and support growth for the communities and members we serve. I am proud of the work they do and invite you to get more involved in this wonderful organization.