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Laramie Chamber Business Alliance reports job recruitment, housing work and new outreach programs
Summary
The Laramie Chamber Business Alliance told the council it used city fee-for-service funds with other revenue to recruit about 300 jobs, expand workforce programs, launch a ‘welcome wagon’ for new employees and participate in housing initiatives, and said property management from BRC funds returned more than twice the invested dollars.
A representative of the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance (LCBA) reported to the Laramie City Council on June 24 about the organization’s use of the city’s fee‑for‑service appropriation and broader economic development activity.
LCBA said the city’s annual fee for service to the chamber is $10,000 and described how that sum is combined with BRC (Business Ready Communities) funds, membership dues and other revenue to support business recruitment, workforce retention and property management activities. The presenter said the chamber has assisted in recruiting roughly 300 jobs since the last report and highlighted work on housing constraints, a new “welcome wagon” program and leadership and workforce initiatives.
Why it matters: The chamber’s activities are positioned as a core local economic‑development interface, helping recruit employers, support startups and coordinate across city and county government; councilors praised the partnership and referenced housing and power constraints as priorities.
Key points from the LCBA presentation
- Funding and staffing: The city provides $10,000 annually under the fee‑for‑service agreement. LCBA reported four full‑time employees and typically three to four interns supporting programming. - Job recruitment and business services: LCBA staff said they had aided in recruitment of about 300 positions over the reporting period, supporting companies such as Safran and WyoTech expansions and providing coaching and matchmaking for startups. - Outreach and workforce retention: New programs include a summer “welcome wagon” barbecue for new employees (the first event drew about 120 attendees), Leadership Laramie luncheons, Laramie Young Professionals programming, a job fair and an employer roundtable focused on retention and trailing‑spouse issues. - Housing work and partnerships: LCBA staff and board members said they have participated in a community housing effort and plan to present bylaws for an Albany County housing and land trust; staff cited cross‑sector participation, including city and county planners. - Property management and recapture: LCBA manages several BRC properties (UL Building 1 — occupied by Safran, High Vis properties — under lease) and said recaptured funds have been reinvested; the presenter reported a historical reinvestment return of approximately 2 to 2.5 times the dollars taken in by the community program.
Council questions and follow up
Council members asked about the welcome wagon schedule (the presenter said next event is July 22) and about assistance for trailing spouses seeking employment; LCBA said it conducts informal outreach and referral to employers and regional partners as vacancies arise. Councilor Newman encouraged the public to attend LCBA meetings, which the presenter said are open to the public.
No council action was requested or taken during the work session. The LCBA representative said the organization will continue to partner with city staff on housing and power‑supply constraints that may limit future industrial recruitment.
Ending
Council members thanked the LCBA for ongoing work and affirmed the partnership with city staff on housing, workforce and infrastructure issues.
