WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 21,1986 PAGE 7 Chamber lau nches membership drive Local business people who do flot belong to the Whltby Chamber of ICommerce are missing out on an erganization that has a lot to offer both business and In- dustry and the' com- munity.as a whole, ac- cordlng te the cham- ber's office secretary Brian Winter. The chamber has lsunched a membershlp drive and during the 1~coming months mem- bership salesman Deug Henderson wi l e visiting local business people in an effort to sel them on the ides that the chamber really is something more than just a social club. It la, i fact, cen- siderably more titan à .social club, according to Winter. III think the big thlng the chamber bas te offer la that it acta as aunited voice on behaif of business." Together with the Ontario and Canadian chambera it la a very effective lobby, ssid Winter last week. It la important for smail business to have an organization like the chamber behlnd it when dealing witb the gover- nment, said Winter. As membera of the cham- ber, business people are no longer, just a voice In the wilderness, they have the clout of a national organisation behlnd them and they can be sure that their concerna wiii be heard. But the chamber la more than just a force for pliltical action, ad- ded Winter. At its regular meetinga, the chamber invites guest speakers who have aomething te say on a variety of subjects of in- terest to the business communlty. Ini addition to the meetings, the chamber circulates a monthly newsietter to is membership keeping membera up-te-date on developments in the cemmunity and in business and it operates an Information service fieldinf i nquiries frem outside the cemmunity about businesses and Industries in Whitby. .Winter said there bas been s lot of intereat In the chamber'a in- dutriai listing which lista ail industries in Witby and copies of the liat are mailed eout on a regular basis te developers, manufac- turera and business people from outaide the region who are in- terested in the economic picture in Whitby. A big selling point the chainber can offer amail businesses la lis group insurance pregrasa. The plan cevers medical and den- tal expenses 'for businesses wltii as few as one te tan empleyees - the kind of coverage very few insurance companies are prepareci te offer a business that amail. Leeking beyond business te the com- munlty as a whoie, the chamber aise pîsys an active role in promoting and bringing together tbe people of Whitby, aaid Winters. Annual eventa sucli as the Peter Perry-Award Night, the Marigold Contest, the Buslnessperson and Student of the Year Awards and Jamboree Day are ail sponsored by the chamber in recognition of the fact that there is much more te, life and living titan just maintaining a thriving business cern- miunlty. The Whitby Chamber of Commerce currently bas 136 members and tbe executive weuld like te see that number in- creased te 200 by year end. Considering there are some 900 businesses in town, Winter believes' their target la net eut of line and he adds that a strong membership means that the organisation bas more te offer. As membership revenues increase, se in turn wil the services provided, said Winter. Laat year, membership growth ailowed the chamber te extend ita office heurs frem three te four dsys a week making it more ac- The Witby Chamber of Commerce bas secretary Brian Winter ssid they weuld like te launched s membership drive and office see 200 members on the rel by year end. cessible te both ita members and tbe inquiring public. With 200 members, Wiriter said it may even be possible te, keep their of- fice in the Centenmial Building open five days a week and increase tbe staffing. (Currentiy Winter mans the office on bis own.) Membership dues are based on the number of employees in the sp- plicant's business. A retired business person can joi for $25 a year, a one man business la $35 a year and upwards ac- cerdingly. Membership la based on the calendar year and anyone jeining after June 30 may de se fer haîf price. After Sep- tember 30, new mem- bers psy the full dues but will remain active members througheut the foilowing year. If you'd like te know more about the Whitby Chamber of Commferce and what it bas te offer, you can cail Brian Win- ter at the Chamber Of- fice, 416 Centre St. S., 668-4506. Drumm cails for market value assessment BYMIKEJOHNSTON Free Press Staff Whitby's tax system i eut of date and should be changed, accerding te, councillor Joe Drumm. Whitby's current tax systemn la bssed upon an assesment base from the early 1950's said deputy treasurer Susan Cartwright. But according te coundillor Drumm, Whitby should switch te market value assesment bssed on current market values. Drumm said that If Whitby switched, the market value assesment would give a tax break te newer homes and if the. taxes were based on 1984 market values and in- treduced over a five or ten year period, residenta of Whitby would hsrdiy notice the change. "'There would be ne big winners and ne big lesers," he said. Accerdlng te Car- twright, market value assesament for taxes is based on a percentage ef the market value of preperties from a specific year. Sbe* aaid that if Whitby were te switch te a current assesment the *provin- cial government would have te, review every singe piece of property in Whitby. "Thtis would tk time," she said. The province la currentiy of- fering ,munici'palities the opportunity te swit- I CHESTrERFIELD FACTORY CHOOSE FROM OUR LARGE SELECTION 0F NAME. BRAND FABRIOS EG. SANDERSON, JEFF BROWN, KOBE & MANY MORE. DESIGN THE STYLE 0F LIVING ROOM FURNITURE THAT SUITS VOUR NEEDS AND PERSONAL TASTE. WE'LL CUSTOM-MAKE VOUR ORDER AT A PRICE YOU'LL FIND VERY AFFORDABLE. -WE OFFER A LIFETIME GUARANTEE- BUY DIRECT à SAVIE CHESTERFIELD FACTO RY Metnuacturers of custom moe furniture 1650 BAYLY ST., PICKERING (Juat West of Breck Rd., 250OTAUNTON RD. E, OSHAWA Taunton Dqua. (Craieof Riteon Rd. 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