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Business Owner Meeting At IBEW Thursday

By (BI) Andrew Geisthardt

A meeting for Cedar Rapids business owners to discuss clean up efforts and reinvestment strategy is scheduled for Thursday June 19th at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers building at 1211 Wiley Blvd. SW.

Business owners who plan to attend Thursday's meeting are asked to register ahead of time during the day Tuesday at the IBEW

Thursday's meeting is scheduled to run from noon to 2:30 pm.
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Tuesday, Jun 17 at 12:47 PM GABE wrote ...

Hey, "Home owners whose houses are gone..." Get your facts right. CR's median household income is higher than IC, Davenport, & Des Moines. As is Marion. Before you post, be ready to back up what you post.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 12:14 PM J F wrote ...

Lack of progress? Are we talking about the same Cedar Rapids? I'd hate to be a federal or city worker in whatever imaginary town you're the mayor of...Give them a little credit. I'd choose Cedar Rapids, by the way. It costs less to live here and the people are (mostly) really nice. Yeah it floods like this every few centuries, but I think they'll work something out with God on that one. Who knows.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 9:46 AM As A Realistic CR Employer wrote ...

Cedar Rapids will be paying for this flood for many years to come with the stigma of "The City That Floods"...just like New Orleans. Any prospective employee will factor that into their evaluation as to whether or not to relocate to Cedar Rapids. Ask yourself this...if you had two job offers in two different cities, would you take the one in the city that floods? Cedar Rapids is already being referred to as "Little New Orleans". Considering the lack of progress there, I expect the same here.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 9:24 AM LVL wrote ...

I moved from CR a year or so back, and the people and your resilience make me sick that I left... especially after this. Stay as strong as I know you are. CR WILL bounce back! Ignore the negativity.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 9:16 AM DC wrote ...

This is a great time to move to CR,you can get a great price on some downtown office space.Some day downtown will be all the back and you will be the fool who did not move here.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 9:01 AM Cedar Rapids..another New Orleans? wrote ...

From what I am seeing Cedar Rapids is following the same path that New Orleans did. I was displaced by Katrina and it looks like I will be once again moving since everything I see occurring here in Cedar Rapids is the same as the New Orleans nightmare...including Bush coming to "help".

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 8:40 AM Jennifer wrote ...

CR's businesses should be proud of themselves and the community should be proud of them. Many haven't been able to see the damage to their buildings and inventory, let alone know if they have a total loss yet. Coming together to help CR rebuild is amazing and the right attitude that an employer should have! People should be supporting them and want to work for them. These are some of the men and women who will help us rebuild our economy, commodities and our city. They are here to stay!

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 7:28 AM optimistic employee wrote ...

Comments about "fly-by-night" Rockwell was sarcasm. Geez, get a clue. I work for a downtown business and our plan to get back up and running is underway in a temporary location. I pray the small businesses that we frequented downtown will receive the blessings of those large local corporations as well. I believe we will bounce back, but it will take many months and years to recover. Look at Grand Forks ND for the proof. "Not coming to CR" can stay where you are, we don't want your negativity.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 7:07 AM Rich L wrote ...

Hey "A", that's known as sarcasm. I'm sure we all know that Rockwell along with all the other vibrant employers in this community that were not directly affected by the flood are alive and doing very well. There is absolutly no question this city will rebuild and no doubt be stronger than before. To the nay-sayers: feel free to be the ones to run away if you so choose. Cedar Rapids is NOT New Orleans.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 6:59 AM Brent wrote ...

6:23 AM A wrote ...you might want to turn on your sarcasm detector, yours is obviously turned off! Anybody with any common sense would know he was being sarcastic. My dad worked for Rockwell for 37 1/2 years when he retired ten years ago and J F's comment made me chuckle.

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 6:23 AM A wrote ...

J F i see you have never worked for rockwell collins that you have called it a fly by night operation. you dont know how valuable this company is

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 6:15 AM jamie mease wrote ...

I may be ignorent to the way things work,,, but will there be any help for the small buisnesses in the Cedar Rapids area that did not get water damage,,, even though these buisnesses didn't get hit by water,,, the customer base was ruined,,, unlike big corperate operations, small buisnesses are more hurt by economic slow down,,, with the (entire) area being labled as a natural disaster area,,, will these buisnesses be aloud to go out of buisness,

Tuesday, Jun 17 at 12:08 AM Anonymous wrote ...

We are also a small business that was hit by the flood, although we are still not able to get to our building we have already relocated for the time and running. I agree, don't make comments unless you own one. Iowans are very tough. And by the way, we have also donated time and money to helping as well.

Monday, Jun 16 at 11:44 PM J F wrote ...

Fortunately, the FACTS of the matter are this: The city's recent effort to revitalize the now-damaged downtown's backbone and usefullness have stalled, of course. However, have you doomsdayers forgotten that employers like Aegon, Toyota, and the little fledgling fly-by-night operation known as ROCKWELL COLLINS provide a legitimate fiscal backbone of Cedar Rapids?...and all are dry as a bone?? We were trying to rebuild downtown already and we'll be fine for the months it takes to resume. Jerk.

Monday, Jun 16 at 11:20 PM Positive wrote ...

Wow. What negativity. There are many, mNY people and businesses that are donating time, money, and posessions to help out. You havent even given anyone a chance. For those of you that think the city is done for because of the flood, Do us all a favor and please be the first and only ones to leave.

Monday, Jun 16 at 11:07 PM Not coming to Cedar Rapids wrote ...

I am a business owner who was considering moving to Cedar Rapids. Based on the recent crisis and the ongoing poor handling of the aftermath, I will not be relocating to Cedar Rapids. Good luck with your rebuilding...I think you will need it.

Monday, Jun 16 at 10:10 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I'm a small business owner from the downtown district. My office was hit. Many business owners plan for these things, many don't. As of today, I'm in a new location with a short-term lease, have my employees moved, and am running at near capacity. I'm committed to returning to my previous space within the next 3 months. Cedar Rapids in a resilient community. I'd advise not making comments about business rebuilding unless you own one.

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:38 PM facts 101 wrote ...

Cedar Rapids downtown is gone. Residents and businesses we leave fast. This is reality. It might sound like we are rebuilding but look at the big picture. Residents can't afford to rebuild and businesses need to get up and running or fold quickly. All small businesses are done. Watch and you will see.

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:37 PM Home owners whose houses are gone... wrote ...

LOL...I think employers have a reality check coming. Your employees have no homes...why should they stay here where wages are lowest in the state..and close to the lowest in the nation? I predict an exodus from Cedar Rapids for both businesses and employees. Take a hard look at New Orleans...that is Cedar Rapids several years from now if you are lucky.

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:34 PM There is a reason... wrote ...

Don't forget those businesses employ a lot of people. Without those businesses you will have a lot more people lose houses because they can't make the mortgage payment. The city wants to make sure that does not happen. If the businesses all can't rebuild and don't get a strategy together, thousands will lose jobs and more people will be without homes.

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:27 PM Economy1st wrote ...

Well, HomeOwners, how many will be able to afford to keep their homes if there are no healthy businesses offering employment?? That unemployment check won't cover your mortgage payment, will it? Does that help you understand the equation a bit better?

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:13 PM Judy B wrote ...

This is a good idea. The vitality of the community is dependent upon the ability of the business community to quickly rebound from the worst natural disaster in the state’s history. The sooner we get every citizen back to work, in a routine, with a regular paycheck to take home, the quicker the community will recover psychologically and economically. The sooner we can get the community back to work full-tilt the less likely it will be that valuable talent will leave the community.

Monday, Jun 16 at 9:02 PM How about the HOME OWNERS? wrote ...

It looks very much like that Cedar Rapids is worrried about the business owners and to heck with the home owners. Money talks?

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