Monroe plans second industrial park
12/15/06 - The City of Monroe is planning a second industrial park, this one designed for multitenant buildings and smaller sites than the original Monroe Corporate Center.  AeroPointe Industrial Center will start with 80 acres off Rocky River Road, on the western side of the Monroe Regional Airport.  The park will likely grow significantly larger.  Monroe Corporate Center, the City's original city owned park consists of a 500 acre development on Airport Road, also west of the airport.

Printing Company Selects Monroe for $8.8 million investment, 287 job facility
12/15/06 - Carolina Classifieds.com, LLC, a printing company, plans to locate its headquarters, customer service center and distribution point for its products in Monroe.  Carolina Classifieds will produce a weekly magazine known as Carolina Money Saver with distribution to markets in both Carolinas and throughout the Southeast.   The facility will locate in the former Schrader Bridgeport International facility at 1609 Airport Road, Monroe.  Approximately $8.76 million will be invested. The company will employ 287 people over the next four years, including a mix of sales, management,  printing press operators and distribution functions.  The company will receive incentives from Union County, the City of Monroe and the state, including a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG). 

Senator Dole, please speed up our bypass
12/10/06 - Representatives from the Chamber met on December 6th with Margaret Kluttz, state director for Senator Elizabeth Dole.  Their message - help us get the Monroe Bypass/Connector built soon.  The road will alleviate severe traffic problems on US 74, reduce air pollution from stalled vehicles and bring in badly needed industrial jobs and tax base.  Permitting for the road has been delayed due to environmental issues relating to the habitat of the endangered Carolina Heelsplitter mussel. No portion of the road would traverse the Heelsplitter's habitat.  This was one of several meetings local business leafders have conducted with members of teh North Carolina congressional delegation and staffers.

Charlotte Douglas Among Fastest Growing Airports
12/4/06 - Declining airfares and a strong economy havre sent local traffic at Charlotte Douglas International Airport soaring.  Traffic originating or terminating at the airport rose 17.9 percent to 3.7 million passengers during the year ended June 30.  That wss the fastest growth among the nation's busiest airports. Source: The Charlotte Business Journal

Suits Challenge Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance
12/1/06 - Two lawsuits were filed today challenging an adequate public  facilities ordinance (APF0) recently passed by the Union County Board of Commissioners. The APFO prevents developers from building subdivisions of more than five houses where public schools are overcrowded.  Developers have the option of waiting until school capacity is available or paying per-house  mitigation fees, varying from $3,750 to $14,953, depending on which level of schools - elementary, middle or high schools are at capacity. 

The first lawsuit, backed by the NC Home Builders Association, lists Craft Development, LLC; R.D. Harrell Co.; and Fairview Development as plaintiffs.  It alleges that the ordinance creates a defacto moratorium on building and argues that the County does not have authority to use the ordinance as a growth control strategy.  The second suit, filed by developer William Nolan, claims the ordinance unfairly targets developers and is arbitrary and vague in several respects. Sources - The Charlotte Observer, The Enquirer Journal

Carolinas Medical Center-Union's Home Health Agency named to 2006 HomeCare Elite listing
11/13/06 - Carolinas Medical  Center-Union's Home Health Agency has been named to the 2006 HomeCare Elite list recognizing the most successful home care providers in the United States.  The list is published by OCS, Inc., a quality managment vendor for post-acute care.

Those home care agencies named to this inaugural list ranked among the top 25 percent in the nation for quality home care, quality improvement and financial performance.  Quality measures were based on agency peerfomrnace on the ten Home Health Compare measures publicly reported by the Center for Medicare Services, while financial measures were based on data from Medciare Cost Reports.

CMC-Union's Home Health Agency makes more than 18,000 jhome visits each year to residents of Union County. Staff is availabe seven days a week, 24 hours a day to provide skilled nursing services, blood pressure checks, wound care and ressing changes, diabetic care, medication instruction, rehabilitative services, blood and urine collection and much more.

CMC-Union in Monroe is part fo Carolinas HealthCare System, the largest not-for-profit health care system in the Carolinas.

Voters approve $174.5 million in school bonds
11/8/06 - Thank you to our membership and Union County voters for approving $174.5 million in school bonds on November 7th. By voting "yes", voters played an important role in helping keep Union County vibrant and competitive. Union County Public Schools are the State's fastest growing and have a reputation as one of the State's finest systems.Proceeds from the sale of these bonds will be used to build three new elementary schools, one middle and one high school. 

Charlotte Chamber Honors Goodrich in Monroe 
10/19/06 - The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce's Manufacturing Business Alliance has recognized Goodrich Corporation's Customer Services Americas Facility in Monroe with a Manufacturing Achievement Award for Organizational Performance Improvement. Since opening the Monroe campus in March, 2004, Goodrich has achieved significant improvements in operational performance in turnaround time, on-time delivery and supplier ratings from its customers.

A Fortune 500 company headquartered in Charlotte, Goodrich's Monroe campus provides maintenance, repair and service overhaul services for a variety of aircraft components.

Monroe EDC celebrates 10th year
10/17/06 - Since the Monroe Economic Development Commission was established by City Council in 1996, it has seen annual capital investment grow from $6 million to $60 million in 2005. Investments so far in 2006 total $52.1 million Total investments since 1996 total $469.4 million, resulting in $7.8 million in new tax revenue.

Library Foundation establishes Leadership Union scholarship
10/17/06 - In honor of retired business man and civice leader Charles Norwood and his deceased wife Vivian, the Union County Library Foundation has established an annual scholarship to the Chamber's Leadership Union program.  Debbie Purser, facilities coordinator for the library system is the first recipient. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a library system employee.

Judge's ruling impacts endangered Heelsplitter mussel
10/14/06 - On October 13, Administrative Law Judge Fred Morrison Jr. ruled that the NC Divison of Water Quality erred in issuing stormwater control permits last year to three local governments in Mecklenburg and Union counties. in the Goose Creek basin. The Division was instructed to reopen, amend and reissue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits incorporating US Fish and Wildlife Service measures as follows to protect the habitat of the endangered Carolina Heelsplitter Mussel:
*Two-hundred foot buffers for perennial streams
*One-hundred foot buffers for intermittent streams
*No new impervious surface in one-hundred year flood plain
*Water quality standards for ammonia, copper, nitrate-nitrite and phosphorus
It is unclear whether the ruling will stand or what implications it holds for the Monroe/Bypass Connector. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has insisted that Union County and four of its municipalities enact land use controls that preserve buffers in perennial and intermittent streams.

Plastics maker to invest $20 million, create over 100 jobs in Monroe
10/13/06 - Darnel, Inc., a subsidiary of Colombian-based Ajover, S.A. has selected Monroe to manufacture foam containers, plates, bowls, 'to-go" boxes and meat trays for the food industry. The plant will be located in the old Square D facility at 1809 Airport Road.  A $20 million investment includes purchase of the facility and land plus improvments to the facility and investment in machinery and equipment. The company will hire 40 people in 2007 with an average hourly wage of $16.67.By year three, total full time employment is expected to reach 124. With approval of city and county incentives, Darnel expects to occupy the facility immediately. Monroe economic development director Chris Plate' said that Darnel was heavily recruited due to its "high tech manufacturing processes and good wage levels".

Jim Carpenter named North Carolina Chamber Exec of the Year
9/8/06 - Jim Carpenter, president of the Union County Chamber of Commerce since 1993 was named North Carolina Chamber Executive of the Year by the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives at its annual conference last weekend in Myrtle Beach.  Nominees for the award are measured on their effectiveness in developing and implementing a Chamber program of action; financial management; leadership; ability to address challenges; community involvment, personal attributes; and contributions to the Chamber profession.

Chamber's M2M program wins national award
8/19/06 - The Union County Chamber of Commerce's M2M Member to Member discount program was recognized by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) 22nd annual Awards for Communication Excellence (ACE) program at the group's annual conference, August 16-19 in Cleveland.  The ACE program is a competition to celebrate the achievement of outstanding communication programs and projects.  This year's competition drew 280 entries from 100 chambers throughout the world. M2M is an effectgive way to keep Union County shoppers in their home county while offering perks to Chamber member employees.  Over 130 businesses have signed up to offer a variety of savings.

Jim Carpenter Earns Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation form American Chamber of Commerce Executives
8/19/06 - Jim Carpenter, president of the Union County Chamber of Commerce has achieved the designaitoin of Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) by fulfilling steps in a requirments process establshed by the American Chazmberf of Commerce Executives (ACCE).  Mr. Carpenter received the award at the ACCE annual conference, August 16-19 in Cleveland.  More than 455 chamber exectuives have earned the CCE designation.  Candidates must accumulate a minimum of 175 points through professional activities to qualify.  They must then write an essay based one of a number of core chamber management activities; complete an oral presentation/interview; and complete/pass a four to six hour written exam.  The CCE designation is the high professional designation awarded in the chamber of commerce profession.