Members of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and other Gilbert business owners participated in the mayor’s Small Business Summit Thursday evening to discuss their recent experience of opening a business in the Town of Gilbert.

According to Mayor Lewis, the goal of this roundtable discussion was to allow businesses to share feedback and identify action items to improve the town’s ability to assist businesses and to streamline the permitting process.

“A critical component of the economic vitality of our community is tied to the success of our small businesses,” Lewis said.

The Town and chamber also presented attendees with a brochure outlining the basic steps to opening a business in Gilbert, a document which was developed and will be published through the town’s partnership with the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce as part of Business Links.

“The Chamber has worked along side the Town staff throughout the last year in particular to provide constructive feedback from our members regarding the efficiencies within the current permitting process,” said Susan Brechbill, Chairman of the Board of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce. “We are pleased that by using these real-time business situations many changes have been made and the Town is in the process of evaluating other streamlining processes to assist small businesses.”

The Business Links partnership will also produce a similar brochure for business sign regulations and an electronic video piece to walk new business owners through the process.

“The new brochure and website information developed by the chamber and Town’s Business Links partnership will provide new businesses with a quick and easy-to-understand checklist to ensure their opening is successful,” said Gene Valentine, Chairman-elect for the Gilbert Chamber. “We have found the Town staff to be very willing to explore new avenues to enhance their processes and availability to help small businesses.”

The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, membership-based organization with more than 600 members ranging from home-based businesses to large corporations. The Chamber proactively serves as a business advocate to strengthen the business climate in Gilbert. To learn more about or join the Chamber, please contact (480) 892-0056 or visit www.gilbertaz.com.