Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together

This past week I’ve been full of random thoughts. It was a big week on several fronts.
 
First off, Happy Presidents Day. Many of you have the day off; if you do, warm wishes for a relaxing day as the snow falls.
 
Last Thursday evening was the Chamber’s 154th Annual Meeting. We had the great honor of welcoming as our keynote speaker General Paul Nakasone, the Director of the NSA and Commander of US CYBERCOM.  The evening was a great success, and the energy in the room was palpable. The event extended far beyond the formal program; people really enjoyed coming together!  Some of the memorable moments I’ll take with me:

• The evening was anchored in the themes and priorities that thread through my conversations with you – RE: resilience, readiness, reconnecting, reimagining. You are demonstrating both the ability and the desire for all. And we celebrate you!  See our Community Report here, and our introspective video here. 
• Realization that, as of last Thursday, we’ve been in “COVID mode” for 706 days. You heard me. And we paused to acknowledge all that we have lost these past 2 years.
• Quote from Duchesne Drew, MPR, and our 2021 Board Chair: “As business and community leaders we have an obligation and an opportunity to change that reality. [Or] we’re not going to have the workers we need, we’re not going to have peace in our streets. We have to be committed and aligned. And that requires building relationships and understanding. This is the Chamber’s work.”
• Priority conveyed by Marcia Droege, Land O’ Lakes, and our 2022 Board Chair: we are establishing a Small Business Committee, to prioritize issues central to small business success.

My own assertion that, large or small, we are in community - a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common interests and goals.

• Quote from our keynote speaker on the priority of cyber security: “You’ve seen the cyber-headlines that have dominated the news… By the time I finish reading this sentence, a business will have fallen victim to a ransom ware attack.  About 43% of small businesses were targeted last year…. These incidents threaten not only our economic well-being, but also our national security.”  
• The After Party at the St. Paul Grill that lasted, well, a long time. It feels like we’ve turned a corner in terms of coming together again!

 
Sunday also marked the Closing Ceremonies of the 2022 Olympics.  What to say about this one? Some of the finest athletes ever to compete, yet the Games were shadowed by politics and COVID – and illegal drug accusations. Norway broke the record for the most gold medals at a single Olympic Winter Games at 37! Team USA finished in the top 5 in the medal mix, and we saw outstanding performances from so many, including: Nathan Chen winning his first career gold; Afton native Jessie Diggins bringing in the final medal (of 2 she won this year); the historic recognition of Elana Meyers Taylor as she earned her 5th Olympic medal in bobsledding, making her the most decorated African American Winter Olympian; Erin Jackson becoming the first Black gold medalist in individual speed skating; Team USA’s Mixed Team Aerials, the underdogs, bringing home the Gold. And so many others.
 
The Olympic motto is, “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.”  Let that inspire us as we continue our work together.
 
See you in the trenches.
B

• Minnesota’s COVID-19 positivity rate falls below 10%. For the first time since late December.
• U.S. Chamber upcoming event: Wednesday, February 23rd – The Role of Employers: Endemic COVID - Join us on Wednesday, February 23rd at 2:00 pm CDT for a timely discussion on what to expect as we transition to living with COVID long-term. You can submit your questions on the registration page and share with anyone looking for answers about the pandemic. Click here to register. 
• More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead.

• Last Thursday President Biden did sign the legislation to fund the government through March 11. 
• Weekly US jobless claims are up, but remain near historically low levels – reflecting relatively few layoffs across the economy. ​
• The Fed sizes up the long-term cost of inflation. Damage primarily occurs with persistent inflation over many years, rather than inevitable fluctuations like the COVID period.

Public Safety:

• In order to inform our public safety advocacy, we are inviting all businesses with a physical presence in St. Paul to participate in listening sessions to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas. These meetings will be held via Zoom, starting in March and running through the end of June. These meetings are business/employer focused. (In this case, business/employer = for-profit, non-profit, company, LLC, etc.). To participate, fill out this form and a calendar invitation with the Zoom link will be sent from publicaffairs@stpaulchamber.com.  
• The federal jury trial for 3 Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s murder proceeds with defense testimony in downtown St. Paul. Saint Paul Police continue to provide information through a blog on the police department website which can be found at https://www.stpaul.gov/news. 

 
State:

• Redistricting: On Tuesday, February 15, new congressional and legislative district boundaries were released effective for the 2022 election through the 2030 election.
  • Congressional Districts not altered in a fundamental way. That said, according to FiveThirtyEight, redistricting reportedly has created 11 more Democratic-leaning seats nationally, 3 fewer Republican-leaning seats, and 8 fewer highly competitive seats.
  • In Minnesota, according to MPR, new political district maps will shake up Minnesota politics. And here is Minnpost’s take on redistricting.
  • Senate: 67 seats redrawn; 8 senators now find themselves paired in the same district as one of their colleagues, based on home addresses.
  • House: 134 seats redrawn; 38 representatives now paired in the same district.
• Governor’s emergency powers could change after COVID-19 crisis. As the pandemic moves toward a more-hopeful phase, the Legislature is contemplating changes to the emergency powers laws that gave Walz tremendous leeway to impose restrictions, spend money and mostly guide the health response on his own.  

 
Regional​:

• The Mayor’s office has established a 41-member rent control stakeholder group to advise the city on the roll-out of this ballot measure. 
• Tis the season for State of the City addresses: 
  • St. Paul - Mayor Carter will live-stream from the city's facebook page tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:30am. 
  • Roseville - Mayor Roe will present to the Roseville Business Council on Wednesday the 23rd at 7:30am. RSVP here for the zoom link.
  • Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt will present at the amphitheater inside Central Park, on Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 pm.
  • Maplewood event was presented by Mayor Abrams on February 15. See the replay here.

 
Read more updates in our weekly Chamber Advocacy Update.

• Let’s welcome the Minnesota Vikings next coach: Rams’ Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell.
• Come meet some new people at our Young Professionals Virtual Speed Networking event! Tues, Feb 22, 8-9am. Register here.
• Leadership St. Paul’s 2022 class (best class ever?) kicks off in March.  If you looking to participate in this phenomenal leadership program and build a cohort of relationships to stay with you for the rest of your career, check it out! Applications can be submitted through the end of the month.  

• Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game was first published in 2019. If you haven’t read it yet, do so. Want to know how to lead in the 21st Century? The goal, according to Simek, isn’t to beat your competition; it’s to outlast them. And there are 5 practices leaders can enact to transform organizations.

• Monthly newsletter update from St. Paul’s Full Stack Committee. Sign up to receive it here.
• The Washington Post has great analysis showing where investors bought homes in 40 major metro areas, targeting southern cities and Black neighborhoods.
• Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a $14.2 billion federal government program that extends and modifies the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program and continues to aim to help low-income households connect and stay connected to the Internet. Qualified households can receive a monthly credit of $30/month towards their Internet service.  Last week, the White House and FCC announced that over 10 million households are now enrolled.​ Comcast is a partner.  Visit Xfinity.com/acp  to learn more about ACP and apply. ​
•  Federal Reserve report: Occupational segregation left workers of color especially vulnerable to COVID-19 job losess.

7. Building Capacity

• Federal Funding Hub
  • Apply ASAP: Due to the high volume of applications, EDA strongly recommends that applicants contact their local representative to discuss their region’s availability of funds.  While the Notices of Funding Opportunity for the Economic Adjustment Assistance and Indigenous Communities programs advise to submit applications no later than March 31, 2022, EDA strongly recommends applicants to submit proposals as soon as possible for these programs. 
  • For more information on ARPA/federal funding opportunities, check out the Federal Funding Hub!  
• The latest on the former Ecolab University Center tower: was slated to become a 17-story apt bldg. over retail space, but the developer and project - are in trouble. The project now is in receivership.
• Hillcrest: City and Port Authority working towards making this a carbon-free housing and jobs provider. First is city approval of the Hillcrest master plan, hopefully as soon as April.