MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce banquet provides business advice along with meal.

The Washington Policy Center’s Chris Cargill talks about “24 ways to improve the small business climate.”

The event is held at Moses Lake Event Center on Friday. (Note: the print edition of the CBH misstated the location of the event.)

The 24 improvement areas were voted on by small business owners statewide during a 2009 Washington Policy Center forum.

Areas examined in the report are: budget and taxes, business climate, environment, health care, labor and employment and technology and telecommunications.

“We’re taking this report to 24 communities in Eastern Washington,” Cargill told the Columbia Basin Herald. “Now, it’s about 30 communities because so many chambers have asked us to present.”

Already, Cargill visited many towns in Washington state, including Chewelah, Newport, Colville, Republic, Omak, Lake Chelan, Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Yakima, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Dayton, Colfax, Ritzville, Ephrata, Grand Coulee, Davenport and the Spokane area.

The event also features presentations honoring outgoing board members, said Debbie Doran-Martinez, the chamber’s executive director.

“We would like to extend a huge thank you to the following board members for their time and service on our board for the past three or more years,” she commented.

The board members are past president, Billy Brice, vice president of government and regional affairs, Mardine Brower, vice president of tourism and economic development, Rhonda Severance, finance committee, Shannon Rock and tourism and economic development, Danette Watkins.

Doran-Martinez also welcomed new board members. They are Dean Mitchell, chief of the Moses Lake Police Department, Rita Bjork, Grant County PUD public information officer, Jerome Brotherton, managing director of Brotherton Seed Co., Sharon Palmerton, head of community affairs, with REC Silicon Group and Sam Russell, general manager with Porterhouse Steakhouse.

President-elect Kevin Donovan announced Kim Janke and Jason Clark are also new board members. They serve one-year appointments.

Janke is owner/agent with State Farm Insurance and Clark is area manager with BBSI.

For the first time, the chamber recognizes a few people who contributed to the advancement of the agriculture industry.

Next year, the public is invited to nominate award winners.

Tickets are still available for the members-only event, cost $50 per person and can be purchased online by visiting the chamber event calendar at www.moseslake.com.

For more information, call 509-765-7888, ex. 102.