• Interested in landing a contract with the City, the County, or the School District?
• Please help us implement our Business Plan and Strategic Plan
• Familiar dealership, Bud Brown Automotive, coming to Olathe with VW’s
• Sweet Perfection bakery opens in Olathe
• Zepi’s Pizza and Pub to open in Olathe’s Ridgeview Marketplace
• Rennen Autohaus opens shop in Olathe
• School Board to host two more town hall meetings on budget challenge
• And breakfast with Olathe legislators...

• Business Lunch Series “Procurement--How to Land a Contract”
• Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ball Conference Center/KVC,  21350 W. 153rd St.
• Panel discussion and Q&A with Judy Meisel, City of Olathe; John Mahin, Johnson County Government and Merle Hastert, Olathe District Schools. Following the program, representatives will be available to ask more specific questions and request information
• Event sponsor: Turner Construction
• $25 for members, $40 for non-members, $300 for corporate table of eight
• Click here to register.

Sponsored by Turner Construction

Each year the Chamber updates two documents that help direct our efforts as we accomplish our mission to be the voice of business that advances the economic well-being and quality of life in Olathe. The plans have been adjusted to reflect input we’ve received from our Board of Directors, advisory councils, and other groups. As always, we invite you to participate in our programs and activities and we hope you will familiarize yourself with these two documents!

2010 Business Plan	2010-2015 Strategic Plan

Bud Brown Automotive will open a new Volkswagen dealership next month in Olathe at 925 N. Rawhide Rd. The dealership will move from Overland Park to the former Jay Wolfe Saturn dealership. It will be one of three Volkswagen franchises in the area. The 60-year-old Bud Brown Automotive was among hundreds of dealers to lose their Chrysler franchises last summer.

Located at 1497 E. 151st St., this new bakery specializes in handmade chocolates, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, mini desserts, pies, and birthday cakes. Owner and chief confectioner Sally Bennett, who has been baking for more than 20 years, personalizes her goodies for holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions. Her husband Rob Bennett works the kitchen, serving up his waffles. Sweet Perfection also offers a daily lunch special, box lunches, and on Saturdays all-you-can-eat waffles and biscuits and gravy. The shop ships treats nationwide. Visit www.SweetPerfection4u.com for more.

Rennen Autohaus, which bills itself as “Southern Johnson County’s answer to all things European car related,” is open at 550 E. 56 Highway (I-35 and 56 Hwy. in the Canyon Stone Building) in Olathe. The full-service shop is equipped with computer diagnostic equipment, all-wheel drive dynamometer, and experienced staff and technicians that have been in the Kansas City auto service industry for many years. Rennen has aligned itself with industry vendors such as Fabspeed, Evolution Motorsports, Sharkwerks, and Vivid Racing. See more at rennenautohaus.wordpress.com.

The Olathe District Schools Board of Education is continuing to hold “town hall” meetings to communicate how the loss of nearly $14 million in state funding is affecting the district. A cut of $6 million was announced in November, but area legislators have warned that additional cuts — almost $9 million — may be coming.

“This is a perfect storm,” Superintendent Pat All said. “State funding has dropped to below 2005 levels, enrollment continues to increase, and student needs are increasing. We’ve also lost $5.4 million in revenue from the Johnson County Education Sales Tax, which expired a year ago. That brings the total loss to $19.2 million so far.”

Meetings will be held Feb. 8 at Olathe Northwest High School auditorium and on Feb. 25 at MidAmerica Nazarene University, Hager Lecture Hall in Cook Center. Both meetings will begin at 7 p.m.

Click here to read up on the funding issue and to stay informed.

The school district is also hosting a legislative breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 6, at 8 a.m. at the Bell Cultural Center on the MNU campus.

Contact the school district for more information.