Washington Chamber shakes up legislative forum

WASHINGTON — Monthly legislative forums through the Washington Chamber of Commerce are back on the calendar, but organizers say they’re shaking up the format this year.

Rather than hold the events on Saturdays, Washington Chamber Executive Director Michelle Redlinger said they would occur on Fridays each month at noon. Legislators will still give updates on their work in the capitol and answer questions from attendees, but the venue will change, out of the courthouse and into local businesses that agree to host.

“We thought it would be an opportunity to give exposure to different businesses, by having them host,” she said. “Then, at the end of the traditional briefing and comments from the public, that business can then share information about what’s going on with their industry and then take people on the tour, open to not only the legislators but also any of the attendees.”

Redlinger said the Friday dates worked better for Washington County’s two voices in the state legislature: Rep. Heather Hora and Sen. Dawn Dricsoll.

“They both have young children and they both are trying to make their workload exist during weekdays, so they are preserving some time with their families on the weekends,” Redlinger said. “They knew our event historically happened on Saturdays, they did not want to stop doing those in the community, they really thought they were valuable.”

Redlinger said locations had not yet been sorted out for the forums on Feb. 10, March 17 and April 14. Businesses interested in hosting the events can do so with a $500 sponsorship fee, according to a Chamber newsletter.

The new dates have already faced some criticism from education staff, who are less available on Fridays than the weekend.

“The timing and the day makes it a little tougher for everybody to get to,” Washington school board President Troy Suchan said.

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