By Sheila Corson
The Chronicle

     OMAK – The Economic Alliance has released results of a local business survey in which a majority of respondents say their businesses are stable or growing.
     Forty-one area businesses took the 10-question survey this winter, Executive Director Roni Holder-Diefenbach said at a Feb. 24 meeting. Only four said their businesses were declining, and seven said sales were decreasing.
     Holder-Diefenbach said the results are encouraging given what many expected – that businesses were struggling in the current economy.
     Even better for unemployment was that 17 respondents said they expect to increase their work forces in the next two years. None said they expected to decrease their work forces.
     One main function of the survey was to identify what businesses need to help them be more successful.
     Holder-Diefenbach said the survey included a question about where businesses struggled most. Nearly two-thirds said they had troubles with government permitting and regulations.
     More than one-third said access to capital was a struggle. Recruiting and training employees was a problem for about one-half of respondents.
     Several respondents also submitted suggestions to the Economic Alliance on what it can do to help. Some asked for more promotions, training, ways of attracting businesses and advertising for the area.
     In other business, members discussed the 2010 Spring Job Fair on May 4 at the Omak Community Center. The Alliance, WorkSource and Colville Confederated Tribes are joining for the fair.