'Prospering Business' registration opens

SANDPOINT — How can North Idaho recruit and keep a prospering workforce if their employees simply can’t find affordable housing?

At a time when historicaly low unemployment means many area companies must vie for workers, what are some of the bigger labor issues employers must face?

Those are just a couple of the knotty business questions the fourth annual “What’s Happening Up North Prospering Business Workshop” will examine during a day-long conference coming Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Sandpoint Technical Center, 130 McGhee Road. The conference runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes lunch.

The event is free but space is limited and available on a first-come basis; registration is open now at whatshappeningupnorth.org. Though it’s free, BCEDC will be asking for a voluntary contribution of $10 per attendee to help cover the lunch cost.

As in previous years, the workshop will feature a host of notable speakers drawn from business and government, plus panel discussions and open forums to engage attendees.

The economic summit is staged by the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation in conjunction with the Boundary County EDC and cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay.

This year’s conference is subtitled, “Housing and Labor: Issues & Solutions.” Paul Kusche, BCEDC executive director, said the focus this year has grown out of feedback he is hearing almost universally from companies in Bonner and Boundary counties.

“Affordable housing for employees – especially for companies that are in start-up or expansion – is a major issue I hear about,” said Kusche. “And while the economy is strong, that in itself brings a set of issues for our local companies to contend with.”

Bringing their perspective on the subject will be featured speakers from a pair of the area’s start-up companies. Jason Giddings of Rhino Hide and Andrea Marcoccio and Kennden Culp of Matchwood Brewing companies will tell about their businesses and some of the challenges they’ve faced during their launches.

Among other speakers, Labor Economist Sam Wolkenhaurer from the Idaho Department of Labor is back again by popular demand to give a talk on the state of the economy in North Idaho. University of Idaho Economist Paul Lewin will also talk about housing and labor impacts for rural economies such as ours.

Keynote speaker at lunch will be Idaho Department of Labor Director Melinda S. Smyser. Speaking on the topic “Labor Solutions” will be John Russ and Wendi Sechrists of the Idaho Workforce Development Council.

Other speakers and panel discussion participants will cover a spectrum of the business community, including Aaron Qualls, Sandpoint city planner; Chris Basset of the Bonner Community Housing Agency; Realtor Raphael Barta; Cory Phelps of Idaho Housing & Finance; and a spokesperson for TING Internet.

One major project for BCEDC in the past year has been restoration of a commercial kitchen in Bonner County, a project that Kusche will report on in his own remarks.

Information: whatshappeningupnorth.org