Category: Uncategorized

August 2020: 15 Minute Forum | Marketing During COVID-19

For the inaugural 15 Minute Forum, local business owner Eddie Nelson [The Olympia Furniture Company] and marketing expert Jeff Bowe [Experience Olympia] joined us to share some tips and tricks for getting the word out about your business during COVID-19.

15 Minute Forums are casual conversations that will give you the opportunity to hear directly from your fellow West Olympians about their strategies, what has gone well, and what has not. In support of our local businesses during this time, we have included a recording below.

August 2020 15 Minute Forum | Marketing During COVID-19

June 2020 Association Meeting | COVID-19: Local Resources for Our Community

Mike Reid, Economic Development Director from the City of Olympia, joined us on June 18th to discuss local resources available to local businesses. Mike spoke about Simplified Sidewalks, Thurston Strong, Free PPE, and the efforts of the city to help businesses cope with the impacts of the pandemic.

In support of our business community during these unprecedented times, we have included the recording of the presentation below.

June 2020 Association Meeting | COVID-19: Local Resources for Our Community

Additional Resources:
Thurston Strong PPE Resources
City of Olympia Simplified Sidewalks
City of Olympia Waste Assessments

City of Olympia updates sidewalk use policies for businesses during COVID-19

City sidewalk use for vending and restaurant dining has been simplified

The City of Olympia wants to make operating your business during the COVID19 Pandemic as user-friendly as possible. In an effort to do so, they have updated their internal procedures for sidewalk vending and worked with their partners at the LCB to remove barriers.

Outdoor Liquor Sales

  • A new LCB approved program for outdoor sidewalk cafe alcohol service
  • No railing or City permit fees required
  • Olympia staff will come to you to assist in setting up for LCB and City compliance

*LCB approval is restricted to businesses that hold a “Restaurant Liquor License”

Retail establishments with Interior Sales and Curbside Pickup

The City is here to help enhance outdoor street vending opportunities with:

  • Streamlined sidewalk vending requirements
  • Outdoor sidewalk striping for safety protocols
  • Dedicated curbside pickup parking stalls

Contact the City of Olympia for more information

email: mrentfro@ci.olympia.wa.us or text: 360-480-0362

WOBA Members: Feature your business on Q13 FOX TV in February!

KCPQ 13 FOX is featuring the City of Olympia during its “All Local, All Morning” broadcast during the week of February 18, 2019.

WOBA members have an opportunity to be featured in short commercial spots (community billboards) during this particular week!

Community billboard examples:

Password: kcpq

Password: kcpq

Included in the “All Local, All Morning” package:

  • :10 Community Billboard or custom :15 spot
    • Spot will run 20 times the week of February 18. The majority of this will be during Q13’s No. 1-rated Morning News, but will also be shared later in the day (4p or 5p) should Olympia stories be shared then, too
    • The Q13 team will work with you to craft your :10 or :15. All you will need to do is provide a high resolution version of your logo and any B-roll footage you have that you would like included
  • Homepage Sliding Billboard on Q13 Fox’s website any day of your choice the week of February 18 (subject to availability – only 5 of these are being sold!)
  • 100,000 impressions of Banner Ads on Q13 Fox desktop and mobile website the month of February.

TOTAL NET PRICE: $6,500

Q13 Fox advertising sales representatives are willing to adjust this package to work with smaller budgets if needed.

Simply contact Maria Ball at (206)674-1637 or mball@kcpq.com to get started.

Join Us for a Presentation by Doug Mah on October 18

Doug Mah, Principal, Doug Mah & Associates

Join us for a presentation on Thurston County Chamber: Building Community Advocacy by Doug Mah, Principal at Doug Mah & Associates, at our next member association meeting: 12 pm, Thursday, Oct. 18 at Cooper Point Public House (3002 Harrison Ave NW). Purchase lunch for only $15!

Olympia Income Tax Initiative Information

Possible City of Olympia Income Tax Initiative

  • A citizens group is currently collecting signatures to send an initiative to the Olympia City Council. The initiative would create a new 1.5 percent City tax on household income over $200,000 to fund community college tuition for Olympia residents who graduate from Olympia high schools.
  • Olympia prides itself on being a progressive city that understands the connection between access to educational opportunities for our citizens and a prosperous, vital community where people want to live, work and raise their families.
  • This issue has fostered a robust public dialogue about the needs of education and the limits of municipal power.
  • The Olympia City Council sought to better understand the legal implications of the income tax for the City and received a public briefing from the City’s long-time legal advisor Hugh Spitzer.  They learned there are significant legal concerns with the initiative.
  • City staff had important questions about what administrative challenges the City would face to implement the initiative goals.
  • Given the concerns identified in the Opportunity for Olympia initiative, the Council voted at their May 17, meeting to direct City staff to explore options to consider and draft an ordinance that attempts to address the concerns found in the initiative and that places a referendum on the November ballot.
  • The Council ordinance would enact a graduated income tax for city residents to support one year of no cost tuition at a community or technical college for City of Olympia high school graduates and GED recipients (or an equivalent amount for those who chose a public four-year institution).
  • No decisions have been made by the Council at this point.
  • The Council will review the draft ordinance at their June 21, meeting and determine then whether or not to move it on to the November ballot for the voters of Olympia to make the final decision.

 

Media Coverage on this issue

Olympia mayor ‘very’ concerned about city income tax

Olympia council responds to local income tax plan with its own

Odd City initiative really part of state income tax push

Olympia Income tax would pay for college tuition

Opportunity for Olympia is an organization working to build a thriving Olympia with shared prosperity