Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance
Posted by Amy Clickner on October 31, 2011
While business retention, expansion and attraction activities are most commonly associated with economic development, another important function of the Lake Superior Community Partnership is to be Marquette County’s business advocate.
The LSCP, through task force and board recommendations, takes positions on legislative issues that affect and impact our local business community. We are the legislative “eyes, ears and voice” for Marquette County businesses by tracking bills, educating our Partners and communicating our position to legislators on key issues.
The reason the LSCP has been able to be a successful advocate is, plain and simple, our strength in numbers. We are one unified, collective voice speaking in representation of over 700 business and community partners from the central Upper Peninsula.
The LSCP has four advocacy committees: The Transportation Task Force, which addresses all modes of transportation and the challenges/opportunities involved with developing an effective and efficient transportation network for Marquette County; Advocacy Task Force, which develops official LSCP positions on state and federal policy issues; Energy Task Force, which is made up of utility industry partners to address utility matters; and the Marquette County Ambassadors, a privately funded group of business, education, community and government leaders across the county who have made an annual trip to Lansing to meet with legislators for over two decades.
Now, the LSCP is taking another step toward strengthening the legislative voice of not only Marquette County, but the Upper Peninsula as a region by joining the Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance (NMRCA).
The Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance was established based on the premise that many legislative issues impact northern Michigan (Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula) in similar ways. These issues can be addressed regionally to maximize the political influence of this 11-county alliance representing 6,500 businesses and organizations.
With the addition of the LSCP, the alliance includes the Alpena Area, Benzie County, Cadillac Area, Charlevoix Area, Petoskey Region and Traverse City Area who have identified legislative areas to be monitored and advocated to elected officials on the local, state and federal levels.
When deemed appropriate and in support of Alliance positions and recommendations, member advocacy and grassroots activities will be developed and promoted using this legislative agenda as a basis for taking position on legislative policy.
Joining the NMRCA is an important step for the Lake Superior Community Partnership in creating a cohesive relationship with other Chambers and EDCs, as well as establishing a larger impact in Lansing for the Upper Peninsula. Members of the Upper Peninsula Collaborative Development Council are supporting the move and will benefit from the relationship as well.
To learn more about the Lake Superior Community Partnership and the Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance advocacy efforts, visit www.marquette.org and click on Business Advocacy under the Business Resources menu.
