CHAMBER OF COMMERCE POLLS MEMBERS

Got a minute to spare? How about 3 minutes.

Availability of competent workers, business retention and expansion of local companies, combating crime, downtown vitality, economic development/recruiting and education are among the items on the list of the sixth annual Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's "Three-Minute Survey,"which has been sent to the organization's more than 1,200 members.

The survey polls members about numerous chamber and community issues and serves as a sounding board for new ideas.

The survey is important, says John Mehner, president and CEO of the local chamber of commerce. The Board of Directors use the survey to decide its priorities for the upcoming year, said Mehner.

The survey ask a variety of questions, ranging from what members rate as the most important issues the chamber should work on during the next year, to rating the chamber's performance.

The survey should be returned to the chamber no later than Dec. 13, 1998.

More than 25 percert of the chamber's members returned the survey last year.

Four questions are involved in the survey.

Three of them are can be answered quickly:* How long have you been a chamber member?.* What is total employment of your company?* What is the local issue that friends, family and co-workers are talking about.

The fourth question asks members to rate issues as high, moderate or low priority.

Issues include:* Availability of competent workers.* Business retention and expansion of local firms.* Combating crime.* Downtown vitality.* Economic development and recruiting new industry.* Education (K-12).* Education (Higher).* Governmental/Legislative Affairs (local, state, national).* Growth (population/annexation, etc.* Health Care (affordability & quality).* Housing (diversity and affordability).* Infrastructure/streets/sewers/utilities.* Transportation (including airport)* Vision 2020.* Welfare-to-work issues.

A number of areas are listed to rate the chamber's performance on topics including business services, governmental affairs, leadership roles on pertinent issues, newsletters and other means of communication, and community-based economic development.

Over the past three years, economic development, recruitment of new industries, business retention and expansion, an availability of competent workers headed a list of Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce priorities, with economic development the No. 1 or 2 priority of chamber members since the survey was initiated. With low unemployment in Cape Girardeau under three percent the availability of competent workers may be one of the top four issues again, along with economic development, business retention and expansion and the recruitment of new industries.

Education, streets, sewers and utilities, as well as crime issues and health care also are also usually among topics that emerged from the chamber's annual three-minute survey of members.

The chamber uses the results of the survey to build priorities and formulate the annual business plan for the coming year."The survey gives every chamber member an opportunity to provide input on what directions we take."A year ago, more than 90 percent casting ballots believed the chamber's overall rating ranked good to excellent.