Each year the Small Business Committee of the Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce selects a business from its membership, to receive the Small Business of the Year award. This year the committee chose to honor Welding Service, Inc., 150 Smith Street, Wabash.

In the selection process, the committee considers such things as growth, longevity, and community involvement. To qualify as a "small business", Chamber member businesses must employ 50 or fewer individuals.

Tom Ehret started Welding Service, Inc. in 1974. Just three years later the business had grown to the point that a new and larger facility was needed and Ehret moved his business to its present location on Smith Street in 1977 and currently has 20 employees.

Welding Service, Inc. offers portable welding, millwright service and steel fabrication. In business for 20 years, they have six fully manned and equipped 1-ton service trucks, which include a portable welder and torch and all hand tools necessary to perform the work needed.

Each crew is staffed with an experienced foreman and every man on the crew is a qualified welder. Certified welders are also available.

Aside from his business, Ehret finds time to serve on the Board of Directors of Wabash Little League, Wabash Babe Ruth and the Field of Dreams Complex. In addition, Tom manages and/or coaches the Major League Yankees, the Babe Ruth Sox and the Southwood 8th grade AAU basketball team. Tom is also a member of the First United Methodist Church and a member of the Pastor/Parish Committee of that church.

The Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce will honor Welding Service, Inc. during National Small Business Week at a banquet at the Honeywell Center on Wednesday, June 4.

The Small Business Committee consists of the following people: Skip Daughtry, Beauchamp & McSpadden/ISU, Chair; Wayne Rees, 'the paper' of Wabash County; Marlene Erb, Pine Farm Greenhouse, Inc.; Bob Vanlandingham, W.C. Mills.

Over the past months, many of us have heard much about highway funding and the implications it has for future growth and development of our communities. Much can be said about this subject, especially in conjunction with the forthcoming "Special Session" of the Indiana State Legislature and the forthcoming reauthorization of the Inter-modal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) at the federal level.

During the last legislative session, many have criticized the others for a lack of leadership on this issue and, also, other issues pending before the legislature. Many have pointed fingers at the other party in anger and disgust, since it appears that we, the people of the state of Indiana, will have to endure another short session. However, it should be pointed out that the Hoosier Heartland project (the four-laning of U.S. 24 from Ft. Wayne to Lafayette) plays a prominent role in the highway funding process. Whether it is the Governor's program or the discussions with Senate Republicans, the Hoosier Heartland project has a prominant position. When all is said and done, many feel that this project will be funded.

However, the state situation is not the end of the story. In order to make this project work, we will need federal help. Congressman Steve Buyer (5-IN) has placed the Hoosier Heartland as a project to the tune of over $98,000,000.00. This would enable, with the cooperation of the state of Indiana, the complete construction of U.S. 24 from Logansport to Fort Wayne.

At the federal level, you have heard much about the gas tax and how those revenues are redistribued back to the state and local levels. One proposal, Step 21, would give 95 cents for every dollar spent on highway funding back to the states. It would also give back to the states some sense of control in this process.

It should be stated that the Clinton Administration has also promulgated its own version of ISTEA Reauthorization called "NEXTEA". There are, at this time, also four other proposals being tossed about. However, no real consensus mechanism seems to be in place to help facilitate the discussion. According to the statute, ISTEA needs to be reauthorized by September 30, 1997.

However, realize that, in all of the above situations, there will be losers and there will be winners. Many of those who are now winners may lose this battle. Consequently, many who are losers may, in the future, be a winner.

The reauthorization process at the federal level promises to be a "bloody battle". This battle will cross party boundaries and will eventually be fought on a state-by-state basis. Much of it will be hand-to-hand combat. Everyone wants to be a winner. In the end, it may take the wisdom of Solomon to figure the whole situation out. Stay tuned for more.

At the end of each Indiana General Assembly, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce publishes a Legislative Vote Analysis and generously provides us with enough copies to distribute to our membership. Once again, this year we will be mailing the report to you shortly after we receive it. This is an excellent means by which you can see how our legislators voted on bills that affect the way you do business.

If there is ever a legislative issue that, you believe, will affect your business, your Government Affairs Committee wants to hear from you. The Committee Chair to contact is Shelly Neal, Family Service Society, (219) 563-4407.

. . . Monthly Web Site Traffic Report:
During the month of March we experienced 1119 accesses, our most active month since going online in September 1996. That brings our cumulative total to 5245 potential customers for you, the Chamber Member. Some of the most frequently accessed areas include our Membership Directory, Calendar of Events, Business Spotlight, Links to Member Businesses, Meetings and Other Events. This all translates to considerable added exposure just by being a Chamber Member.